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11 In fact, we stand now reconciled and at peace with God. That’s why we celebrate in God through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed.

12 Consider this: sin entered our world through one man, Adam; and through sin, death followed in hot pursuit. Death spread rapidly to infect all people on the earth as they engaged in sin.

God’s gift of grace and salvation is amazing. Paul struggles to find the words to describe it. He looks everywhere around him to find a metaphor, an image, a word to put into language one aspect of this awesome gift. One of those is “reconciliation.” There is hardly anything more beautiful than to see two people who have been enemies or estranged or separated coming back together. When Paul reflects on what God has done through Jesus, he thinks about reconciliation. Before we receive God’s blessing through His Son, we are enemies of God, sinners of the worst sort. But God makes the first move to restore us to a right relationship with Him.

13 Before God gave the law, sin existed, but there was no way to account for it. Outside the law, how could anyone be charged and found guilty of sin?

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11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.(A)

Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ

12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man,(B) and death through sin,(C) and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned(D)

13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law.(E)

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