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“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” (Romans 5.8-10; emphasis mine, jb).

The phrase “much more” appears two times in today’s focus text. These two expressions are identical in English and Greek. The same expression occurs in two other passages in the fifth chapter of Romans (verses 15,17). There is another like English phrase in Romans 5.20 though it is from a different expression in the Greek. Our thoughts will focus on this phrase as it is used in today’s focus text (Romans 8-10).

This expression as it is used here (and in several other New Testament passages) is an expression of reason and logic. Generally a writer or speaker in the New Testament era would use the expression “much more” to demonstrate an obvious point that could easily be seen by reasoning from the lesser to the greater or by reasoning from the greater to the lesser. We will examine these two facets of logic as they were used in the New Testament and as Paul used the expression, “much more” in the subject text.

Jesus used this logical tool as He taught His disciples during the Sermon on the Mount. He reasoned, “Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 6.30). Here He argues from the lesser (i.e. the grass of the field) to the greater (the disciples and their need for clothing). This “argument” is tantamount to saying, “If God does that (clothes the grass of the field), then it is obvious that He will do this (clothe the disciples).” Or to state the argument in a slightly different way, “If God cares for non-human things to the extent that He does, it follows that He also will care to a greater extent for people, particularly people who believe.”

Reasoning from the greater to the lesser, Paul argues like this: “If Christ loved us enough to die for us while we were yet sinners, it follows that He would certainly love us enough to justify believers through His blood.” The blood was but a part of the entire picture at Calvary and the giving of it was but a sub-set to the entire venue of death that played on that day. Surely if He would die for us, He would apply a portion of the blood that was shed for the purpose of our justification!” That being the case, we also will be saved (preserved) by His life! He arose not merely to justify, but also never to die again; He reigns as Lord of Lords and as such can preserve us safe until the end (see Jude 1.24).

Continuing, Paul argues, “If He reconciled us, it should be obvious that He did not do so merely to allow us to die; He will save us by His Life” Again this argument proceeds from the greater to the lesser. If one is true, then surely the other is true! One practical application is this: Jesus was not just Lord of the past, He is Lord of the future and will preserve us to His eternal kingdom and particularly to the end of this present universe! If He overcame death, then arguing from the greater to the lesser, surely He is able to overcome the minor obstacles that Satan might attempt to use against Him and us!

Questions:

1. Who were the people who were of little faith in Matthew 6?

2. What evidence made it apparent to Jesus that these were of little faith?

3. If Jesus died and rose for us, surely He also lives for us. That being true, what will He be able to do for us regarding eternal salvation and preservation unto the eternal kingdom?

4. Is arguing from the lesser to the greater a valid form of reasoning? Why or why not?

"The Way" from Kevin Pauley

A Fish in the Hand