Devotion #6: One Versus One
Anyone who knows anything about sports knows that a game could be lost in the blink of an eye by the actions of a single person. We have seen many times, in football or basketball, where a turnover costs that team the game. In basketball, it could come down to the final shot in the final seconds!
If you grew up in the 90’s you undoubtedly know who Michael Jordan is. The early 2000s, fans had Kobe Bryant, and more recently, Lebron James. If you happen to not know who they are, these guys played professional basketball. They all had this special thing about them that when the game was on the line, they could flip a switch and single-handedly take over the game, often carrying the team to victory!
Romans 5:18-19 tells of a similar instance in history, but this holds a far more important outcome than that of a game. Paul writes, “Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.” Here, Paul shows us a direct correlation between Adam and Jesus. He is saying that we are condemned through the sin committed by Adam when he ate the forbidden fruit. It was only one sin that lost the game of life for everyone! All throughout the Old Testament, we see God giving people the opportunity to turn from sin, but they do not. There are numerous accounts of people losing the game of life due to sin. It is all because of one sin, by one person. It is game over! Or so it looked, but then came Jesus.
Jesus entered into the game! He played a perfect game. Because He played a perfect game, He is the only One who could fulfill the penalty placed on us by God. God’s Word tells us, “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Due to the sin of Adam, we lost the game, but Jesus! He flipped the switch and took over the game in a way that only He could. Jesus won the game for us. Without Jesus, our game is over.
When Jordan, Kobe, or Lebron took over a game and won it, their whole team benefited from the victory. So I ask, are you on team Jesus? He has won the game! As Christians, we are called to follow Him (1 John 2:6). While we cannot play the perfect game, we can put our trust and give our lives to the only One who did play the perfect game.