“For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, 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.” -Romans 5:17
Before moving to the next point of Paul’s argument, it is worth considering more deeply the idea of “reign” in Paul’s present contrast. He asserts that if death reigned as a result of the trespass of the first Adam, we can be sure that those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness given through the one man Jesus Christ will reign in life.
But when?
In one sense, Paul is comparing the present suffering under the reign of death with the future joy under the reign of eternal life which Christ has secured for us as the second Adam.
However, as Calvin rightly notes, “the parts of this comparison do not correspond; instead of adding, “the gift of life shall more fully reign and flourish through the exuberance of grace,” he says, that “the faithful shall reign;” This seems to correspond with Daniel’s prophecy and John’s Revelation.
“And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’” -Daniel 7:27
“and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”” -Revelation 5:10
“Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” -Revelation 20:4
“Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” -Revelation 20:6
“And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” -Revelation 22:5
It seems that there is a sense in which those who believe have transcended the present reign of death, and although we must live out our 70 or 80 years in suffering and troubles and eventually pass through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, in Christ we reign victorious over the power and penalty of sin (death) presently.
There is another sense in which our reign will continue into everlasting glory after our bodies have been resurrected. Then we shall reign with Christ in the renewed world forever and ever.