Living Hill Christian Church

God’s Grace in Roman’s –Where Sin Abounds Grace Superabounds

We saw from our last discussion that, by the obedience of one man Christ Jesus, we are forever made righteous.

Then the apostle continues;

Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: Romans 5:2

Oh what an eye opening statement. Observe this statement carefully “the law entered, that the offense might abound”

The first revelation here is that the law was not God’s primary agenda; the everlasting covenant of God with Abraham was already founded on promises before ‘the law entered’ into what was already built to serve a particular purpose and not to invalidate God’s eternal covenant.

For what purpose did the law enter? We hear “the law entered, that the offense might abound,” neither that righteousness nor holiness should abound but that sin should abound or increase.

This is where we have missed it. When we hear about the grace of God and how that it is only when we receive not little grace but abundance of grace that we reign in life (Roman 5:17). Many go to thinking grace promotes lasciviousness. A hundred times no.

The word translated for abound is from the Greek word “pleonazo” which means “to do, make or be more, i.e. increase…to superabound” (Strong’s).

What empowers sin is the law. The law was never given to make any man holy, but help sin to overpower us so will look to Jesus for salvation. It was given to increase sin and not to limit sin.

The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. Romans 5:20

Observe the statement “strength of sin is the law” what empowers sin is the law and not grace. Grace swallows up sin.

The Greek word used above for strength is the word “dunamis”, meaning miraculous power, force (Strong’s G1411). Power is the ability to do work, hence, the ability to sin or work out sin is the law.

The miracle working power of sin is the law. But Grace teaches us to say no to ungodliness.

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Titus 2:11-12

This is a mystery many of us haven’t come to understand. We often think that “how can ‘thou shall not’ which is already forbidding sin increase offence?”

There is no spirit or life in ‘thou shall nots’. You cannot find strength when you turn from looking to Jesus and look to the law to please God. Life begets life, condemnation only leads to condemnation.

The law was given to help sin fight against our self-righteousness so we would turn to Jesus.

However the apostle states something worthy of note in the last part of the verse;

“But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:” Romans 5:20

The law gave sin absolute dominion over us that we saw ourselves wretched in need of a saviour but grace rather found us where it wanted and has much more abounded.

The law through sin rather led us to the abundance of God’s grace…

That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:21

Confession

Father I thank you for the abundance of grace in Christ Jesus, your superabundant grace that has whipped off my sin history. The law has finished its work of condemnation in my life, for it has nailed me and my sins to the cross of Jesus.

I declare that grace reigns in my life through righteousness manifesting eternal life in my body, finances, home, career and ministry. My life is a product of God’s grace. Praise Jesus!

Prophetic Insight

In an encounter with the Lord, I heard “Beloved you are here, right in the midst of my glory. You have already entered the moment of favour.

I am making all things beautiful, just a very little while and you will see my goodness. This barren tree is becoming a fruitful field, and the fruitful field a forest abounding with the harvest.”

Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest? Isaiah 29:17

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Jahfas Victor Ahua
Living Hill Christian Church

God’s Grace in Romans | Righteous By One Man’s Obedience |

We began to see from our last discussion that by the offence of Adam we all received sin, however, Adam was a type, a demonstration of what Christ would do, for we hear;

For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Romans 5:17

We received sin and death in Adam but in Christ we receive the gift of righteousness and abundance of grace. Observe carefully that in Christ also righteousness is received as a gift and not a reward for our good works.

We receive abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness which empowers us to reign in life by one Jesus Christ. The word used above for reign is from the Greek word basileuo and it means to rule as kings (Strong’s G936).

It means those that receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness rule as kings in life over the works of darkness by one man’s obedience. For we hear;

Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. Romans 5:18

Hallelujah, all men were condemned just because of one man’s offence, today, by the righteousness of Christ fulfilled on the cross the free gift of justification comes upon all that receive the son of God, freely, without any demands and without respect of persons…

For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Romans 5:19

Observe carefully that it does not say it is by the obedience of two people, we and Christ that makes us righteous, but by the obedience of Christ alone we are made righteous… “by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”

Many of us don’t have a problem believing that it was only by the disobedience of Adam that we all became sinners, however, when we hear it is only by the obedience of Christ that we are made righteous we think it’s not right, Yet Paul says that Adam was a figure of what Christ would do for the world (Romans 5:14).

This thought is repeated over and over in this chapter so someone doesn’t miss it, for this is the foundation of the gospel of Christ.

When it comes to matters of justification, our obedience is to believe the gospel. When we believe in what Christ has done, we have done the works of God, for the work of Christ is credited to our accounts. His obedience becomes our obedience.

The Lord answered this question when asked what our works to earn justification before God were;

Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. John 6:29

Our work is to believe in the son of God. When we believe in him, his obedience becomes our obedience so that by his obedience we are forever made righteous before God.

This is why we don’t rise or fall in our level of righteousness because it is never from us but from what Christ has done. His person in us is our righteousness.

Now when the apostle spoke these truths in this simple manner, many in his days were tempted to say he was advocating disobedience (Romans 3:8).

You see, when God takes his abode in the quarters of our hearts, he comes in with his desires, the Holy Spirit changes our hearts by giving us the heart of flesh( Ezekiel 36:26) to which the love of God is shed abroad in (Romans 5:5).

We move from “I just hate worshiping” to “how I love being in his presence.” From “I love immorality” to “I hate this, Lord empower me to live above sin.” This is because God is now in us, working in us both to will and to do that which is pleasing in his sight.

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Philippians 2:13

May the Lord work mightily in us to bring forth great things that will change our lives, families and nations in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Confession

Blessed Father, I am blessed in the work of your son Jesus who loved me and gave himself for me. The work of Christ is mine. His righteousness is my righteousness, his holiness my holiness, his health my health, all his perfections are mine. His obedience has justified me eternally.

In Christ, I am the word of God made manifest in flesh. By nature I am born of God and without effort eternal life is my present hour manifestation in all. Hallelujah!

Prophetic Insight

In an encounter with the Lord…The began speaking to me concerning this year through this word;

And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such as groweth of itself; and the second year that which springeth of the same: and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof. Isaiah 37:30

The Lord told me directly from the experience of Hezekiah king of Judah when the Assyrians outnumbering them besieged them in Jerusalem. The Lord began to show me that the signs in the years in the case of Hezekiah were a revelation of what happened in 2020 and 2021, prophetic signs leading to 2022. (2020, 2021, 2022 mark three individual years).

In the year 2020 the world experienced a pandemic, we were locked down and sowing and reaping were minimal for many in different spheres even in our churches. It continued the same in 2021 in many places. By and large in the lives of a lot of people also 2020 and 2021 were almost the same in their results. No genuine outstanding results.

But all these were a prophetic sign, if the last two years look like you were locked down in life, your results were almost same, this 2022 being the 3rd year God says “and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof.”

The Lord says “2022 is a year of harvest”

We have seed, time and harvest. When the spiritual season of harvest has come sowing and reaping are spontaneous without time differences.

This is the season where the Lord says “the plowman shall overtake him that reaps. One blessing upon another, the mountains are dropping sweet wine as all the hills melt, for everything that was once barren will overflow with my blessings. I am setting free my captive sons and bringing them back to Zion, they shall be fruitful, rebuild the nations, and prosper in my kingdom.”

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt. And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. Amos 9:13-14

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Jahfas Victor Ahua
Living Hill Christian Church

God’s Grace in Romans | Adam A type of Salvation in Christ |

We saw from our last discussion that by the sin of one man, death passed upon all men, we all are born from Adam sinners whether we committed the actual sin or not until we are born again into the family of Christ where we receive the new nature.

Then the Apostle continues;

Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. Romans 5:14

Now if you have followed carefully from our previous discussion, we saw that until the law, God was not imputing men’s sins against them “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses.”

Why will death still reign when God was not counting men’s sins against them?

First, man was now spiritually severed from God which is the real death having consequences.

Secondly, even though God was not imputing men’ sins against them; the wages of sin is death. When men yield to sin, they are yielding to the author of that sin which is the devil;

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Romans 6:16

So when you yield to sin, you are giving the enemy an inroad into your life who comes to steal, kill and to destroy (John 10:10). Unforgiveness kills you (Proverbs 11:17), strife introduces every evil work into your life (James 3:16), sexual immorality destroys you (1Corinthinas. 6:18).

We keep ourselves away from sin not because God’s judgment is hanging over us, but we have an enemy we don’t want to give place into our lives. When we live holy we keep the devil out of our lives and not to make God love us more, God is already pleased with us in Christ.

Therefore, “death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.”

Death reigned even over those that did not directly violate the command given to Adam in the Garden of Eden. Men all received sin not by directly eating of the fruit but by inheritance. Not fair, isn’t it?

How can you just be born a sinner without even knowing where the Garden of Eden is?

How can you be called a sinner because your forefather sinned?

How can you just receive the gift of sin when you have not “sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression,”

This is the mystery of the gospel of Christ. The mystery of righteousness, for we hear that what happened in the case of Adam “is the figure of him that was to come.”

By Adam’s sin we received the gift of sin when we didn’t commit the actual sin, but all this was a type of what Christ was to do for the sinner. In the case of Christ it would be the opposite, for we hear;

But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. Romans 5:15

Through the offence of one man, Adam, we received the gift of death, however, one man called Jesus did something superior and opposite to what Adam did. By one man’s offence we received sin, and we also sinned, for sin was our very nature, however, by one man’s cross grace abounds;

And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification. Romans 5:16

By one man we received the gift of condemnation; a type, announcing that by Jesus we receive the free gift of justification from all our sins. As it was not fair in the case of Adam, even so it is not fair in the case of Christ. We rejoice over the bondage of sin today by the gift of justification through Christ.

May we sit and observe how we became sinners and receive holy anger to stand in the justification we have freely received from the grace of Christ that has come to us through his cross.

Confession

I am a child of God, a product of the resurrection life of Christ. By Christ I have come out of death and condemnation, and have received a justified life of glory.

I am crucified with Christ and raised up together with him, the person who could get sick, fail, and die died on the cross. Today I am seated with Christ in glory far above sickness and disease, poverty and lack, shame and unrest. I am free in Christ. Hallelujah!

Prophetic Insight

In an encounter with the Lord, I heard “What you see is a way of the Spirit. I have caused the hungry to move to the wilderness where I cause living waters to flow, where I turn dry grounds into water springs revealing my arm Strength.

You are where I have desired you to be, in this state, in this wilderness, I am causing pools of living waters to break forth.

Take your eyes off what you see and sow the fields, plant the seeds and receive fruits of increase. What you see is rather a revelation of my loving-kindness.

Child, I lead the hungry to dry places, and then I turn the dry grounds into springs of waters, bless and multiply them greatly. This is the mystery of encountering my blessing. Be wise, observe these things keenly and understand rather my love towards you.

Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD. Psalm 107:35-38, 43

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Jahfas Victor Ahua
Living Hill Christian Church.

God’s Grace in Romans

We saw from our last discussion that the love of the father surpasses understanding. Paul argued that, while we were enemies with God through our wicked works, He loved us enough to give his life in the presence of active sin, now that we are the sons of God; much more shall the life of Christ save us from sin, and also from the wrath to come.

Then the Apostle continues;

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Romans 5:12

He begins to explain here the condition of the world. The entire human race began with just a man. God created Adam and gave him the earth and we all came from just a single man. God created one man called Adam and from him all the generations of the earth have emerged.

Naturally, we all have one forefather, Adam. And when he chose to sin, he corrupted his nature of innocence, for he died the day he accepted sin into his life and consequently into this world.

Now as sons and daughters came forth from the seed of Adam, they all came forth with the corrupted sinful nature, “so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

We all came forth from our mother’s wombs fashioned in sin. Our spiritual and natural genetic order formed after sin, the body completely dead in sin.

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Psalm 51:5

So the apostle’s argument here is that, we are sinners by birth and not by commission. We inherited sin from Adam, and many who will not accept God’s remedy will go to hell whether they never believed they were sinners or not.

If they have lived all their lives comparing themselves among themselves, seeing themselves better than their neighbors thus blinding themselves with their own understanding of goodness, and holding on to religious beliefs without accepting a new spiritual ancestry, many will be surprised to burn in the fire on the last day.

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: Romans 3:10

There is a clear way out of sin. God has always loved man and has been relentlessly pursuing us. Many think the moment Adam sinned and took upon himself the sin nature, God just dumped him and began counting his sins against him, no beloved.

(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Romans 5:13

Even though Adam and his sons now took upon themselves the sinful nature and accepted the decree of the father concerning eating the tree of knowledge of good and evil which was death, God did not immediately impute sins to men, an announcement of his true character of love.

For instance, Cain killed Abel and God protected and extended mercy to the first murderer (Ge 4:9-15). The above verse tells us clearly that it took 2000 years before God began imputing sin to man, for from Adam to the law was 2000 years.

But what about the days of Noah? What about Sodom and Gomorrah?

Remember, when God created the earth he gave man dominion, the right to exercise authority over the earth which man turned and handed over to Satan when he obeyed him (Romans 6:16.)

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Romans 6:16

So before the coming of the second Adam (Christ), no man had authority to cast out devils. This is why you will never find anywhere under the old testament where a demon was cast out. It was when Jesus came that he announced;

Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. John 12:31

So for God to preserve a godly seed through which Christ would come, God out of love, in his plan to redeem the whole human race would cut off the nations possessed with pervasive spirits, homosexual devils and all sorts of unclean spirits Satan was using to corrupt God’s redemptive plan.

Since there was no one with the right to cast out a devil, God’s acts of judgment were rather acts of love to preserve for him an un-possessed or rather a godly lineage through which Christ would come and redeem us all.

So of a truth; “For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.”

However, when the law came and righteousness was demanded from men fashioned in sin, man’s desire to become like God through his strength was given an opportunity, but man’s goodness couldn’t measure up so the wrath of God was loosed over the sins of men.

But something happened. The son of God, found a godly woman from the seed of David, came forth through her, went to the cross and died redeeming us from the curse and bondage of the law, set us free to enjoy the undeserved, unearned, and unmerited favour of our God today.

When we receive the love of God by accepting his son Jesus, we enter God’s realm of no imputation of sin. This love the father has longed to pour out upon us from the beginning of the world.

Confession

Blessed Father, Thank you for the privilege you have given me to be born again into your family. I am born of God; I have left the ancestry of the curse of sin into the family of righteousness and glory.

I live in Zion where daily I enjoy grace upon grace, blessings upon blessings, one level of glory to the other. My body prospers in divine health, my soul enjoys divine peace and my spirit is consistently in communion with my father. Praise God for Jesus.

Prophetic Insight

In an encounter with the Lord, I heard “I have your hand in mine, so do not fear; my hand of justice, power, victory, and salvation is drawing you up over the obstacles step by step. Everywhere you turn my helping hand is providing the victory. Only be strong and assured in my salvation.

All those that rise against you rise against me, shame and confusion is their portion, but I am your portion. All those that strive against you are altogether a vain thing, but you have I held close with my arm of strength. Saying to you, I am upholding you with the right hand of my righteousness, you will not fall but move from victory to victory.”

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing, and they that strive with thee shall perish. Isaiah 41:10-11

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Jahfas Victor Ahua
Living Hill Christian Church.

God’s Grace in Romans.

We saw from our last discussion the place of tribulation, patience, experience and hope in our walk with God. We saw that tribulation do not produce patience, but it exercises the fruit of patience already resident in the spirit of the believer. And while we are patient, we gain experience as we hope in the positive picture created by God’s word in our hearts which never disappoints because it is backed up by God’s love.
Then the apostle continues;

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:6

Observe carefully the language used in expressing God’s love in the verse above, “For when we were yet without strength” an expression of the total depravity of man. Completely held captive by the devil and were enemies with God through our wicked works.

Our lives were not ok and then Jesus came to spice up our lives. We were not good people on our best behaviour then Jesus came to make us better , but we were ungodly, dead in our sins and the uncircumcision of our hearts (Ephesians 2:2).

Then “in due time Christ died for the ungodly,” O’ the love of God, Christ our saviour died not for those who see themselves as good people, but for the weak and depraved sinners as I and you.

If we were somehow good before God’s eyes his death for us would somewhat be justifiable since we could say he died for us while we were loving and following his Will, however, it wasn’t so with us, yet he chose to lay down his life for the ungodly. This is why we hear;

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6

While we were yet cussing and blaspheming God, while we were yet profaning the counsel of God. While we were yet haters of God through our wicked works. While we were yet living in disobedience, God’s love kept on pursuing us.

God loved us enough to die for us while we were yet sinners, totally headed the opposite direction. Christ did not die for us because there was something good in us to deserve his mercy; however, God’s love chose not to impute our sins against but upon his son Christ Jesus.

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 2Corinthians 5:19

While the Roman soldiers stood mocking and the Jews blaspheming the prince of life, we hear him proclaim forgiveness, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

The apostle sat down and examined this love of God demonstrated in Christ and puts up and unchallengeable argument. That if God loved us enough to die for us while we were yet ungodly and directly expressing our dishonour of him through our wicked works..

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. Romans 5:8

The very thing that could have disqualified us from God’s goodness was our sins. Yet if in the presence of active sin the love of God could not be hindered, what else can separate us from the love of God?

If we were fighting against him but still yet his love prevailed “Much more then, being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him”

Observe carefully the means of our justification, being the blood and not our works. The only thing that justifies is the blood and if this is so, then we ought not to fear the coming wrath of God, for “we shall be saved from wrath through him” and not through our works.

This is a simple argument, that if someone died for you while you yet hated him, when you become his friend, he will show you greater love and not greater condemnation. So the apostle declares;

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Romans 5:6

What qualified us to enjoy God’s wealth is the life of his son, what keeps us is the life of his son, and what will save us from the wrath to come is still the life of his son and nothing more, “we shall be saved by his life.”

What a loving assurance. Yet many of us are not assured absolutely in the love of God. It as though God loved us but the moment we became born again, God became unwarrantable toward every failure and more sensitive to judge when we now miss the mark.

No, never, beloved, God’s grace abounds on us much more now that we are no longer his enemies. At least, now we have accepted him as our father, this alone has satisfied his heart and all he longs to do is to rejoice over us with the heart of a loving father.

This doesn’t mean God won’t correct us; however, he does it in love, to keep us from evil and not to condemn the ones Christ died for. Because, of a truth, we are a joyful generation for through Christ we have received the atonement for our lifetime of sin.

And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Romans 5:11

Confession
Gracious father, I am blessed to have come to understand your heart of love toward me. Oh I am beloved of my father. Before I was formed in my mother’s womb you knew me, knew my sins and died for me before any of them came into being.

Now that I have received your forgiveness, much more does your grace abound toward me? Thank you father for daily your love and faithfulness supplies to me divine health, heavenly wealth, unquenchable peace, and unstoppable joy as I walk confidently in your presence.

Prophetic Insight
In an encounter with the Lord, I heard “Do not think your labour has been in vain, do not think your God has left you unrewarded. Now is the acceptable time, as the seasons unveil, you will see my favour made manifest over you, Favour upon favour.

I have prepared you as a manifestation of my covenant, passed you through the furnace of fire to show forth my beauty. I have heard you dear one and I will help you, I have chosen you to make manifest my covenant of blessing to your family, nation and the world, to cause many to see my face and to receive their inheritance. People will see you and glorify your God.

Do not be afraid, I will preserve you. I will help you that they may know that I love you, that I am faithful and that I am the true and only God who will not forsake those that trust in him.”

Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; Isaiah 49:8

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Jahfas Victor Ahua
Living Hill Christian Church