What happened with humanity? | Pr Adauto Rezende

WHAT HAPPENED

TO HUMANITY?

By Rev. Adauto Rezende

Humanity has been always witnessing wars, revolutions, injustice, wickedness, betrayals and countless forms of atrocities happening all the time in the whole world. However, you might be surprised to see through a book of the Bible someone that you thought you knew, to be capable of doing all kinds of evil as well ‒ the person is YOURSELF.

The book of Romans has the answers to the root of the problem to what went wrong with you and the rest of human race. Also, it shows how the problem was solved.

What did happen to humanity?

Sin had entered this world:

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” Romans 5: 12

Sin became the master of humanity:

“Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? Romans 6: 16

Sin took possession of humanity:

“For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.” Romans 7: 14

The undeniable truth for humanity:

"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find." Romans 7: 18

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3: 23

Exposing Human’s hearts condition (what sin is):

“And just as they did not see fit o acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 32 and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.” Romans 1: 28-32

The action of our body members is the reaction to our heart’s condition:

“ as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.” “throat is an open grave, With their tongues they keep deceiving,” “The poison of asps is under their lips”; “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”; “Their feet are swift to shed blood, Destruction and misery are in their paths, And the path of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Romans 3: 10-18

God’s law

Why did God give His holy commandments to lost and wicked humanity?

“ for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.” Romans 5: 13

“The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” Romans 5: 20

"Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; 20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin." Romans 3: 19-20

God sent His law to show our corruption

The law exposed humanity wickedness:

“Through God’s law, human civilization had to face a sad reality: The commandments brought to light the desire of the human soul toward depravity.”

“What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, taking apart from the Law sin is dead. 9 I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; 10 and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; 11 for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. 13 Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful. 14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin” Romans 7: 7-14

The punishment for sinners:

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,” Romans 1: 9

“and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.” Romans 1: 32

“There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek,” Romans 2: 9

“For the wages of sin is death…” Romans 6: 23

“For the mind set on the flesh is death,” Romans 8: 6

“and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Romans 8: 8

After these truths

Paul, the apostle, asks the great question:

“Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” Romans 7: 24

He is saying. Now that I know who I am, what it is inside of me, what my natural desire is and what it will happen if I keep walking on this dangerous path.

Where would I get help? Who can save me from such evil?

There is an answer to the questions above

God had sent His Son to fulfill His law and to save humanity

“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Romans 7: 25

“For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8: 3-4

Jesus is the righteousness sent by God:

“But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets.” Romans 3: 21

Jesus is the sacrifice to appeased God’s wrath against humankind. He is the substitutionary atonement:

“Who was delivered up because of our offenses, ...” Romans 4: 25

“whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed.” Romans 3: 25

"For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 5: 6-8

“being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” Romans 3: 24

“Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.“ Romans 5: 9

Through Jesus, sinners are declared righteous (justified) by:

1. His blood shed on the cross:

“Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” Romans 5: 9

2. His resurrection from the dead:

“Who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.”

Romans 4: 25

Through Jesus sinners are reconciled to God:

“ And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” Romans 5: 11

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” Romans 5: 1

Jesus is the channel for sinners of the:

Gift of righteousness
Abundance of grace

“For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” Romans 5: 17

Jesus is the sinner’s deliverer:

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” Romans 8: 32-34

Jesus is the sinner’s freedom:

"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8: 1-2

Jesus is the sinner’s life-giver:

“And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8: 10-11

Jesus is the mediator between God and forgiven sinners:

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” Romans 5: 1

“Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.” Romans 3: 28-30

What does happen when people believe in Christ?

The old Self is:

a) Crucified:

“Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” Romans 6: 6

b) Dead:

“For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.” Romans 6: 7-8

c) Buried:

“Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death.” Romans 6: 3-4

d) Raised:

“That just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father; even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4

e) Live to God:

“For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6: 10-11

New realities of a Christian

He has a:

New master:

“But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit [g]to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.” Romans 6: 22

"And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." Romans 6: 18
"But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness." Romans 8: 9-10

New life:

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who[a] do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8: 1

New hope

“For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection” Romans 6: 5

New identity:

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” Romans 8: 14-17

New position:

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Romans 8: 37

New partner:

“If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” Romans 8: 31-35
“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” Romans 8: 26

New resemblance:

“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 9: 29

New strength – God’s love:

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8: 38-39

How can you, a sinner receive all the promises?

“But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10: 9-13

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