Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ Series

DEATH THROUGH ADAM, LIFE THROUGH CHRIST

Romans 5:12-21 (p785) March 3, 2013

INTRODUCTION:

Some of my favorite memories in recent years have been mission trips to New Orleans, Joplin, MO. And I am going to share a trip with our amazing students in the Dominican Republic.

I love the bonding dynamic that takes place between people who serve together, sweat together, I personally believe it captures the essence of the “Koinania” fellowship mentioned in the book of Acts….The group dynamic is something powerful and wonderful in scripture…the Jews understood this dynamic better than we ever will…unless maybe you’re from the Hills of Eastern, KY or the Mountains of West Virginia…you remember the Hatfield’s right? You remember the McCoy’s? At one time in our history each individual identified himself more with the group than he did as an individual.

Maybe you get a little glimpse of what I’m talking about because you’ve been part of a group, or a family, and the group or family became very very important for your survival or health…

When the apostle Paul mention the things of the flesh he could have confidence in…the things he could brag about he says…”Circumcised on the 8th day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews.” (Phil 3:5)

Jewish people in Paul’s day do not think like Americans in the 21st century…We struggle for independence and personal glory…the Jew always thought of himself as a member of a group…the people of God, the tribe of Benjamin…a Hebrew.

So when the apostle Paul writes his letter to the Romans…this philosophy …this Jewish way of thinking comes through…He’s writing “To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints. (Rom. 1:7) And although he writes to individuals, like Philemon, Titus and Timothy…it’s always so the group….the church can be strengthened…Paul is a leader in the truest sense…He loves individuals, but always keeps his mind on the “Church” …the group…

In Romans chapter 5 he is doing just that, so he begins with

I ONE MAN INFECTED THE ENTIRE GROUP

We’ll look at the “therefore” a little later, but our text begins…”Sin entered the world through 1 man, and death through Sin and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.”

Here’s a quick Rick paraphrase…”Adam became infected with sins fatal disease...and that disease spread to all of us.”

It doesn’t seem fair does it…I’m not accountable for Adam and Eve’s sin…but I inherited their sinful nature…a fallen nature…as we studied in Romans 8…a sinful nature to the core. As a group…mankind of sorry also womankind)…”The result of one trespass was condemnation for all men” (v18)

Genesis 1: 27 reveals “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them.”

How did He create man? Gen 2:7 says “Out of the dust of the ground, God breathed into him the breathe of life and he became a living being.”

But the completion of Man was only found in woman…”For Adam the man) no suitable helper was found. So God caused Adam to go to sleep and while he was asleep he removed one of his ribs, and woman was created from the man’s’ rib “(Gen 2: 21, 22)

The image of God created in mankind is never complete until Adam and Eve are formed as one…don’t believe …Look at this verse…in just 2 verses

Genesis 2: 24-25 (p 2)

“In the image of God he created him….male and female he created them.” (Gen 1:27)

The woman isn’t an afterthought…the woman is the completion of God’s image in mankind. It’s the reason a man leaves his father and mother and it’s the reason he is united with his wife and they become 1 flesh.

And when Adam and Eve were in the garden….beautifully and perfectly created by God…In His image…they are naked (naked) and there is no shame…no guilt…no self focus…NO SIN

So when our text in Romans 5 says “Adam was a pattern of the one to come.” (V 14)

We get an idea of what life with God is like before Sin…Adam and Eve, care takers of God’s creation, no sin, no guilt, no shame with each other and more importantly before God….they bore his very image together. Created to live forever in this perfect relationship, this is God’s schematic; it’s His template, His pattern.

But Adam and Eve had something very different than any idea of God’s creation…a right to choose and an eternal soul…and they both choose disobedience…only one law in the garden…Do Not eat from the tree in the middle of the garden, the tree which produces the knowledge of Good and Evil…if you eat its fruit you will die!.

Enter the serpent, the dragon, the evil one, Lucifer, Satan…The Devil…Rev. 20:2 says they are 1 and the same…listen to the trespass that opened the door to sin…the “disobedience of the one man”…the place were sin would take the throne and reign for years and years in the Kingdom of death…