Choosing Your Family Series

Outline for CBF October 4, 2009

Intro. Tell story of when I received a “gift” of used tea bags. Use this to explain the difficulty of comparing the two things which Paul compares in this text.

I. Similarities between the “offense” of Adam and the “gift” (of Christ)

A. Both have been brought about by “One Man.”

B. Both were “earned” by someone else.

C. Both affect many. 15, 18

TS. Read verses 15 & 18, putting emphasis on “many” in v. 15 and on “all” in v. 18

D. Both changed the nature of those under their headship. 19

1, “Sinners” means more than just people who sin.

2.“Righteous” means more than just “sinners who do better than others.”

a. Paul referred to these very people as “saints” in Romans 1:7 “To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

b. Ten times in the N.T. believers are called “children of God!” John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:”

II. Differences between “offense” and the “gift:”

TS. Well, that which is most obvious is the results:

A. The results: evil vs. good. 15

1.death vs. life, 15, 17

a, Read from v. 15 “For if by the one man’s offense many died,” and from v. 18 “even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.”

b. See 1 Corinthians 15:22 “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.”

2.condemnation vs. justification, 16 (mention note on bulletin: “Condemnation is a withholding of relationship because of sin. Grace is the provision for relationship, because of sin.”)

3.separation from God vs. union with Christ, 17

4. the sin nature vs. the new nature (justification of life) 18

(explain the term “justification of life”)

B. The motivation & provision, 16

1. The Contrast

a)The motivation: Condemnation is a response of God’s holiness against sin. Grace is the response of God’s love and compassion for sinners.

b). The “provision:”

One offense caused the ruin of an entire race (apart from individual sins!)

Many offenses “provoked” the free gift!

2.Isn’t this one God? Why would He work things this way?

a. He manifests His severity toward sin. (This is important both when we consider salvation & when we consider the Christian life.)

b. He manifests His great love for us. (This too is important for the same reasons.)

c. He astounds the universe with the wonders of His goodness in Man, who has been created in His image!

 Consider that the new creation is not only created in God’s image, but uniquely and intimately united with Him!

See 2 Peter 1:2-4 “partakers of the divine nature”

See John 17:22-23 “that they may be one”

Conclusion:

1.Can you believe that there are many who bypass this concept of family (federal headship)?!

a. A very few believe they can actually “make it,” only being part of the first creation in Adam.

b. There are more who believe: “Okay, just the way I am, perhaps I can just “squeak into the Kingdom.” (Most of these have already given up on abundance of life now.)

2.It was never God’s intent that Mankind fix its life through keeping rules and “being good.”

3.It was always His plan to dazzle us all with His unbelievable grace!

a. Righteousness before God (Justification) is a gift of God, through the work of Jesus Christ, on the cross!

b. When we stop trusting in ourselves and start trusting in the finished work of Christ, we become partakers of so much!

1)God’s gift of grace & righteousness is given to us!

2)We are adopted into His family!

3)God the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us!

4)God the Holy Spirit comes to make Jesus’ life act through us!

5)We have the opportunity to actually know and experience God... personally!

 Don’t you want that?

Invitation to the one who has never trust in Jesus Christ

Invitation to the one who has trusted in Christ, but who has neglected these truths

and lives in defeat.