Romans 5

Chapter 5 can fill every person with hope and comfort. It explains that regardless of the sin, the Savior's atonement brings peace and freedom. Because of Adam's transgression, sin and death entered the world. We can't escape either one and we cannot escape the terrible price we would have to pay for our sins after this life were it not for the Savior. But we should be so grateful that there is justice, that there is a price that has to be paid for sin. There are some people in this life who do terrible, unspeakable things. There will come a time when they will realize fully the extent of what they have done and what it has done to the lives of others and they will have to suffer and pay the full price for what they have done. This life would be so pointless if these kinds of people never paid that price. But if justice is going to exist, it has to exist for everyone.

I think there are two dimensions to the paying the price of our sins. One is consequences and one is justice. When we sin, we cannot escape the consequences of our wrong choices and how those choices affect our lives and the lives of others. The atonement does not remove the consequences of our choices. In this life, we must learn from our mistakes and if the consequences of our mistakes were removed, we would never learn. Justice says that after this life, a price must be paid for our sins. We must suffer for them. With the atonement, the Savior paid that price for us. We will not have to suffer guilt and shame or endure any suffering. He was merciful and did that so we would not have to. How ever extensive the sins, the affect of his grace goes beyond that. Instead of death being a terrible thing with terrible suffering to follow, it will be sweet.

To appreciate what the Savior has done, we have to understand the fall. We have to understand the nature of our existence and our helplessness to do anything about our own fallen state without Him. I am so grateful for him, grateful to know what he has done, but grateful too to know that there is a higher purpose in life. That my life has a purpose and a reason for being.

Verses 3-5 also give me comfort. Tribulation brings us patience. Then patience brings us experience (which is why we are here). Experience brings hope and hope opens the door for the love of God to fill our hearts through the Holy Ghost. I should do better at realizing how important it is to live my life so that the Holy Ghost can not only do that for me, but fulfill all of the other wonderful promises that come with his companionship.