Man’s greatest problem is original sin, passed down genetically through the human race since Adam’s fall. This genetic defect can’t be fixed by “self-improvement,” for it goes to the core of our being. This sobering truth is one parents should impress to their children, while also giving them the good news of salvation: Christ, the Second Adam, made a righteous sacrifice that can cure them. All those who come to Him in faith can receive this free gift of grace—a grace that is greater than all our sin! 

Today we're going to talk about the greatness of the grace of God towards sinners. And we're going to be speaking from Romans 5, 12 through 21, but in that passage, it's so interesting because you have two things set off against one another. First of all, you have original sin. You have the reign of death in Adam. You have Adam, you have the first Adam and the second Adam, Christ.

And, but it's a disclosure of this reign of death of original sin. And it makes it very clear that, well we have two problems with sin. One is greater than the other. We have sins. We have particular sins in our lives which are concerning.

But that's not our greatest problem. Our greatest problem really is original sin. That as a result of the fall, sin has passed down genetically through the human race. And so you have this genetic defect in the soul of man and it is the work of death in his soul. It's only overcome by the sacrifice of the second Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ.

So yes, we are concerned about our sins, but that's not our greatest concern. You have the idea that sin is one of those things, you know, you just need to make improvements, you just gotta get yourself a little bit better, and well, that's all well and good, but that's not our greatest problem. Our greatest problem is the reign of death in Adam. And for parents this is really important to understand. The Puritans made this really clear that what we have done is that we have transmitted tainted blood to our offspring, to our children.

And John Flavel and others just made tremendous appeals to parents to understand what you've done, that you have passed on a genetic defect that will condemn them for all eternity if they don't come to Jesus Christ. And so they just make great appeals to parents to make sure that their children understand and see the beauty of the kingdom of God to teach their children when they sit in the house, when they walk by the way, when they lie down, when they rise up, but to take great pains because you have injected them with this defect that will condemn them. It's very interesting in this passage of scripture is what's called John Bunyan's verse. Grace Abounding for the Chief of Sinners, that's a book that he wrote, it's his biography, autobiography actually, And he writes it telling the story of his life, but he tells the story of his just constantly feeling condemned. And, but then over time, after many, many years of actually embracing Christ, but not really embracing the sufficiency of Christ's death that sin is completely atoned for.

And he draws from Romans 5.20, where grace is abounding, Grace is super abounding. Grace is greater than all of our sins. And finally God gave him consolation. Charles Spurgeon illustrated it this way. This abounding grace, grace that's greater than our sin, is like the flood in Noah's day, where the flood came up over the mountains.

And he talks about grace like that flood that came over all the mountain peaks of man's sin. So what do we do with this? First of all, parents, give your whole heart and soul to filling your family with the knowledge of God's will. And don't let anything get in the way, and don't defile your family with the dainties of this world but fill it up with every good thing from God's kingdom. And also if you don't believe, believe in the grace that's greater than all of your sin.

There's nothing that you've done that God can't forgive. God's grace is massive. It's like that flood of Noah. No matter what mountain peak of sin you might have committed, Jesus Christ's grace is greater than that. And never forget, the grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.

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