Introduction In chapter 5 Paul speaks of the blessings of justification (vv.1-11) and the basis of justification (vv.12-21). If the blessings of justification included peace with God (v.1); and access to God (v. 2a); and hope in the glory of God (v.2b); and daily confidence as we grow and mature (vv.3-4); and we experience the love of God (vv.5-11); what about the basis of justification--how is it--that all men are sinners, and how is it that one man s death could give ungodly sinners a right standing before God (see Wiersbe s Expository Outlines of the New Testament p.376)? Paul exalts the power of grace. We are all aware of the power of sin. We are aware of the power of death. Paul has argued that we are justified by faith (v.1); and blood (v.9) and now Paul elevates or lifts the grace of God as the sovereign influence in the new realm--the Christian life (vv.12-21). Many of us are intimidated by the power of sin and terrified by the certainty of death. Paul wants us to rejoice in our salvation and appropriate the power of grace so that we can live in victory and righteousness. Paul will contrast two people and two works. The work of Adam and the work of Jesus. Paul will contrast two powerful forces and their influence; Adam and the reign of sin and death; and Jesus Christ and the reign of righteousness and life. Paul has spent a great deal of time speaking of Jesus as our substitute; and now Paul invites us to identify with Jesus. The One Man s Sin (vv.12-14) Romans 5:12 (NKJV) 12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned Note Paul s use of the phrase one --one man sin entered the world (v.12); the one s offense (v. 15a); the one Man Jesus Christ (v.15b); the one who sinned (v.16) etc. (11 times in all between vv.12-19). When Adam sinned, sin entered and infected the whole human race. Chronologically Eve sinned first; theologically Adam is the first sinner. Adam is the head of the human race. We know the story by heart. Adam attempts to hide his nakedness from God. Adam introduces death (Gen.2:17); nakedness (Gen.3:17); curse (Gen. 3:14); sorrow (Gen.3:17); thorns (Gen.3:18); sweat (Gen.3:19); sword (Gen.3:24). Jesus deals with death (Heb.2:9); deals with nakedness (Jn.19:23) deals with curse (Gal.3:13) deals with sorrow (Isa.53:3); deals with thorns (Jn.19:5) deals with sweat (Luke 22:44); and sword (Jn.19:34). The death is both spiritual (see Matt.7:23; Rev.2:11) and physical (Gen.3:19; 5:5; Ps.90:10). 1
What happened when Adam sinned? He brought sin and death into the world. Why did he do it? Disobedience. What was the result? Condemnation. Immediate judgment on himself and Eve. Imputed judgement on his children--and their children--and eternal judgment upon all! Paul is teaching a unity--a singularity--in our human race and human experience. Paul is not simply teaching that in Adam all die--paul is teaching that all people were in Adam--sinning! Paul is teaching that when Adam sinned--all human beings--descendants of Adam--were in Adam sinning! We are identified with Adam--and in Adam. He is the head of the human race--and his sin is our sin. 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law....sin existed as a fact before it existed as a guilt (Roy Laurin; p.170). In what way was sin in the world? Paul argues that everyone knows the soul that sins shall surely die. But there was no law (the law of Moses did not exist) yet human beings died. How then and why then did people die? Paul argues that death must be from another cause and that cause is Adam s sin. Because we are born in Adam we inherit his sin and condemnation. The verses tells us at least three things; (1) death is reigning (The word reigned ; vv.14, 17,21). In verse 14 death reigns; in verse 17 righteousness reigns; in verse 21 grace reigns. Death is king from Adam to Moses. Paul points this out to prove--the presence of death means the presence of sin. (2) Sin is personal; 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. Death comes to those who have not sinned the same way or identical way of Adam. Paul argues that many people died who had not broken any formal command. Adam broke God s Word (the command of the Creator). After Moses it was the command of the Law Giver. In Adam s day--there were no commands to break--yet Adams children were sinners. They were sinners in their own right--in their own nature, in their own character. Human beings are sinners by nature--and by choice. This makes sin personal. (3) Christ is Coming; who is a type of Him who was to come. The cause of sin is Adam--the cure is Christ. We discover that the predicament of sin--and the recovery from sin--cannot be left to chance--or whim--or fate. God s rescue is divine. Salvation is a revelation--not merely something man discovers! 2
In grace and mercy God has given us another Adam. Adam is a type of Him who was to come. Adam is the first man and head of the human race. Paul presents Jesus as the last Adam--the final man--the new head--of a new human race. The life of Jesus and the obedience of Jesus and the death of Jesus and the resurrection of Jesus will undo all that was done in Adam. Paul will contrast and compare the sin of Adam and its consequences; and the obedience of Jesus and its consequences. How does God look on the human race? Does He see people as black or white or rich or poor? Does He seem that liberal or conservative? God sees people as in Adam and lost or in Christ and saved. We are invited to consider a question; will we reign in victory with Jesus or will we go down to defeat with sin? Theologians speak of Adam as our federal head of the human race. What does that mean? Adam is our father and our representative. Adam in one sense becomes a type and a picture of a future Man--the figure of the one who is to come. Our real head is the last Adam--Jesus Christ the Lord. What did Adam do? He sinned. Adam brought sin upon the whole human race. If Adam could drag the whole human race into sin; Paul argues that Jesus Christ our true representative can bring us all back to God. As Jesus Christ hung on the cross of Calvary, He died not only for us (as our substitute) but as us (as our representative). He was united with the human race and became our representative so that when He hung on that cross, we hung there with Him. When He died, we died. When he was buried, we were buried. As far as God is concerned, the sinful human race was crucified, dead, and buried at Calvary. We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death (Rom.6:4). (see Harold J. Brokke- A Guide to Understanding Romans--quoting T.A. Hegre--The Cross and Sanctification--pp.68-76). T.A. Hegre adds this interesting insight; if Pilate had cared to write an inscription on the stone door of the sepulcher he would have written, Here lies Jesus, King of the Jews. If the religious leaders (the Scribes and Pharisees had written the epitaph, they would have written, here lies the imposter who claimed to be the Son of God. If Satan wrote the inscription it would have read, Jesus of Nazareth whom I have overcome. But if God wrote the inscription it would have read here lies the sinful human race (see pp.89-90--in Brokke s book). In the passage Paul also points out three people whose acts have influenced all mankind; Adam, Moses, and Christ. How has Adam influenced all mankind? just as through one man sin entered the world and death through sin (v.12); and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. How has Moses influenced all mankind? death reigned from Adam to Moses (v.14); moreover the law entered that the offense might abound (v.20). 3
How has Jesus Christ influenced all mankind? much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many (v.15). Harold J. Brokke (A Guide To Understanding Romans; Bethany Fellowship Inc.; p.86) Each person comes to an age when he can chose--in the light of reason and conscience--what influence is going to dominate his life. Then he is personally responsible for his spiritual condition. Those who have never heard the gospel proclamation will be judged by Moses law. Those who have never heard the law will be judged according to conscience. For every sin God gave the Lamb. For every sigh God has a psalm. For every sore God brings a balm. For every storm God sends a calm. The One Man s Gift (vv.15-18) 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. In Adam and because of Adam many died.think for a moment. Adam brought sin into the world--from a garden--and condemned the world to death; and now we see the extent or the scope--of the act--death abounded. But in Jesus grace abounded much more (v.9, 10, 15, 17, 20). Spurgeon the prince of preachers said, God s mercy is so great that it forgives great sins to great sinners after great lengths of time, and then gives great favors and great privileges, and raises us up to great enjoyments in the great Heaven of the great God. John Bunyan said It must be great mercy or no mercy, for little mercy will never serve my turn. Adam brings sin and death into the world. Jesus brings grace and righteousness. Adam brings ruin. Christ brings redemption. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. Adam disobeyed and brought death. Jesus obeyed (Luke 22:42) and brought life. 17 For if by the one man s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) 4
18 Therefore, as through one man s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. The One Man s Obedience (vv.19-21) 19 For as by one man s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man s obedience many will be made righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, Jesus brings righteousness and life into the world. Jesus brings the free and abundant gift of grace into the world. The word abound means to rise in waves! The whole chapter is a chapter of much more s (see vv.15; 17; 20). What is Paul saying? We can barely cover what he is saying--and we are leaving out so much! The bottom line; the repenting sinner receives much more in Christ--than was ever lost in Adam! What was lost in Adam? Spiritual life--fellowship with God--and physical life and death! What was lost in Adam? The sentence and penalty of death! Jesus removes the guilt and penalty of sin. Jesus removes the growth and power of sin. The Contrasts Of Adam s Sin And Jesus Salvation (vv.15-20) Let s visit just for a moment in the most simple way the contrast and comparison between Adam s sin and Christ s salvation: 1. Paul compares Adam s offense and Christ s free gift: In Adam we are condemned and die. In Christ the free gift of God s grace brings justification and life (vv.15-16) 2. Paul compares that death and life: Human death reigned as king because of Adam; but now believers reign in life--spiritual life--abundant life (v.17) 3. Paul compares condemnation and justification: Adam s sin plunged the human race into a deserved condemnation; Christ s death brings an undeserved right standing with God. Adam hid from God. In Jesus we have peace and access to God (v.18) 4. Paul compares the disobedience of Adam with the obedience of Christ: Adam disobeyed God and made us all sinners; Jesus Christ the Lord obeyed God--and by faith in Him we are made saints--we are made righteous (v.19) 5
5. Paul compares law and grace; God did not give the law to Moses--to save humanity--god gave the law to Moses--in part--to reveal that we are law breakers--and the knowledge of that fact would reveal sin--not conceal sin. But God s super-abundance of grace would meet the demands of the Law--and when Christ died--god s grace would supply--what the Law could never supply--salvation from sin. (note Wiersbe s Outlines; pp.376-377--adapted and summarized for use here). 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Conclusion Paul isn t simply giving a theology lesson on two opposing kingdoms. Paul wants the reader to believe that no man can have allegiance to both kingdoms; if you embrace Jesus Christ and His Kingdom you reject and repudiate your loyalty and allegiance to Adam and his kingdom. Not in the sense of denying your humanity--but rather you repudiate your relationship to sin. You ve received an abundance of grace. You have received the gift of righteousness. Into the picture of our human sin and our human nature enters the law of Moses. The law reveals the extent of our sin and the danger of sin and the necessity of supernatural abounding free grace. Paul presents grace as a mighty force, and a powerful presence for victorious righteousness. The Lord knew Adam would fall. The Lord knew that Adam and all his children would fall to sin and be enslaved by sin. The Lord knew we would grow up in a world surrounded and swallowed by sin. And long before God created the universe and this world God prepared a Lamb for slaughter (Rev.13:8). We endorse Adam s sin when we sin. But we are forgiven and delivered when we endorse Christ s death and resurrection by dying and being raised with Him. If Adam could cause so much harm by the fall; how much more far reaching and powerful is the glorious redemption and deliverance brought by Jesus Christ? Many people see themselves as hopeless slaves to sin on a collision course with death. But we are in Christ. Sin no longer reigns. Grace reigns. Death no longer reigns. Life reigns! And we reign in life! Which is it? Are we in Adam? Or are we in Christ? If I am in Adam then sin and death reign in my life and I face the awful pronouncement of guilt, I am condemned. But if I am in Christ--then grace reigns and I can reign in life through Christ, and sin no longer has me as its slave (the theme of chapter 6). 6
In chapter 5:6-11 Paul teaches substitution--christ died for us on the cross. But here (vv.12-21); Paul goes further and teaches identification--believers are in Christ and can live in victory over sin. When a person is in Adam--sin conquerors. When a person is in Christ--grace conquerors sin. With much sin comes much grace. If sin abounds grace much more abounds. The effect of abounding sin is abounding failure. The effect of abounding grace is increasing faith and increasing victory. If we are inundated with temptation there is more than enough grace to meet it. Grace sizes up every foe--and then gives its measure to defeat it. Foolish speech? Angry outbursts? Unrelenting suffering? Loneliness? Poverty? This is not grace that leaves you content with where you are--this is grace that molds changes--and makes you better than you were! Sin is a moral monarch and a relentless dictator. Again Roy Laurin; Grace is different. Grace exercises the prerogatives of a perfect ruler and directs life into pleasant places and fruitful fields. Roy Laurin tells the story of a man who desperately wanted a home on the beach. According to the story the man was broke and discouraged--and decided to build the home with the wreckage of materials washed up on the shore. The home--according to the story--cost him 20 cents--the amount of money he spent to put a lock on the front door. Laurin said, Build your house, not out of the driftwood left in the wake of life s wrecks, but build it out of God s new building materials of grace. It lasts longest, wears best, and looks most beautiful. (p.184). 7