A better Reign, v17 

Under Adam, death was the reigning power - everyone is subject to it // the Bible speaks of death as having dominion - elsewhere Paul refers to the domain of darkness. 

This is where each of us naturally reside - we have no claims we can make on God. 

This is what so many people think: that by being a good enough person or praying enough or giving enough, it will make God pay attention to them. 

It will somehow obligate God to be on their side. Is that not exactly who Jesus was talking about in his Sermon on the Mount? "Lord, Lord, look at all we've done for you: notices us Lord! Honor us, Lord!" 

But that is not how we obtain access - Jesus offers a better way // what does the verse say: v.17, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 

It is those who have received grace - who have acknowledged their need - their plight and cried out to God in faith, ready to be reconciled. Confessing that are a sinner! Those people will leave justified. But you know what is almost as difficult to work for your salvation? It's just as hard to be able to receive grace. It's why we as men refuse to ask for help - it shows we are in a position of need. Its why we feel awkward when we are given and expensive or extravagant gift - you almost feel a sense of obligation to that person don't you. We call them bribes today. But this is actually how gift-giving worked in the ancient world: gifts were seen as reciprocal.

It was a way to maintain relations within a healthy society: you bestow some gift or benefaction on someone you know has the ability to return the favor back to you.

There was really no such thing as a free/pure gift, no strings attached and definitely not to someone who could not return the favor.

But the free gift of Christ - is received by faith: all we offer to God in return is our gratitude and our worship and honor of him for doing what only he could do.

I've known people who resisted the gospel because they felt as though they could not live up to it - the moral ethical standards saw and heard in the lives of others christians.

But that is a misunderstanding of the gift that we are given in Jesus - it supernaturally changes us into people not working to return a favor. But living to honor our King.