24. Romans Chapter 5 Verses 9-21 - Messages In Romans – Contrasts Of Sin, Disobedience, Grace, Law, Transgression, Death And Life; Adam And Christ - Message 24 Series

24. ROMANS CHAPTER 5 VERSES 9-21 - MESSAGES IN ROMANS – CONTRASTS OF SIN, DISOBEDIENCE, GRACE, LAW, TRANSGRESSION, DEATH AND LIFE; ADAM AND CHRIST - MESSAGE 24

In our last message we looked at reconciliation, a great word of the Christian faith, and then we moved to the reckoning or imputation of sin. From there we moved to a new section we began, but will finish today. That is a passage of contrasts.

Our faith in the Lord is precious, but a faith that is nebulous, floating in space unhinged, is no faith at all. That is why Romans is one of the fundamental books in the bible. I will not say it is the most important of the New Testament books, but the remainder of the books would not be as rich if it was not for Romans as it is the doctrinal platform for every other book. Have you ever heard the expression, “Romans is the Gospel according to Paul?”

Last time we left off just having introduced the contrasts Paul makes to conclude chapter 5. We did this one –

CONTRAST ONE – ADAM AND THE ONE TO COME

{{Romans 5:14 “Nevertheless DEATH REIGNED FROM ADAM UNTIL MOSES, even over those who had not sinned IN THE LIKENESS OF THE OFFENCE OF ADAM who is a type of Him who was to come.”}}

Adam was the first man through whom sin entered the world but he was a type of a greater Adam who was coming, and that was our Lord Jesus Christ. Today we move to the other contrasts.

CONTRAST TWO – TRANSGRESSION OF SIN, AND THE FREE GIFT OF GRACE

{{Romans 5:15 “THE FREE GIFT is not like the transgression, for if by the TRANSGRESSION of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the GIFT BY THE GRACE of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many;”}}

The ending of this verse is a lovely one. Through the gift of grace of the Lord Jesus, all who come to faith in the Lord are made alive. Paul does not say that directly but the theme is developed as we go along.

What is contrasted here is transgression and the free gift. They are vastly different. By transgression Paul is meaning the entrance of sin that brought about penalty and death as the reward of that penalty. He says many died, but that expression means all have died.

Stated plainly, the trespass or transgression was the deviation from the known will of God, the path of righteousness. The free gift is not like transgression, grace providing eternal life to the believer whereas there is eternal death to the transgressor. Adam it was who transgressed and so many have died to a relationship with God because all are sinners. The contrast is seen in God’s free gift, springing from His grace, and the grace of that One Man, who is Jesus Christ. Adam’s transgression resulted in death but much greater in effect was God’s matching grace through the One Man and that has abounded to the free gift of salvation for so many.

As I have stated many times now, absolutely wonderful words are being supplied in Romans, great words of doctrine, and words of application to the Christian life. Grace is one of these, the unmerited favour of God shown to sinners who were under the penalty of transgression, so that He might raise them up from the claws of hell to the heavenlies. That is grace, real and powerful!

The word “Man” is used for Jesus here and that is continuing His position as the Second Man or the Second Adam we briefly considered last time. There is an interesting touch of deity here with “THE GRACE OF GOD and the gift by THE GRACE OF THE ONE MAN,” Jesus being both God and Man. I think we can say here God the Father and God the Son. I like to think of it that way.

We were sought by grace; saved by grace; are kept by grace and will be received by grace into heaven. What a horrible thing it is when a man or woman thinks he and she is important in the kingdom of heaven. You are nothing, just a putrid sinner saved by grace. Then we have those such as the unbelievers, the mockers, the persecutors, the Islamic terrorists and agitators and members of the ABC in Australia, who spurn the grace of God and trample it underfoot as a filthy thing. Great will be their condemnation.

CONTRAST THREE – TRANSGRESSION AND JUDGEMENT (AND) FREE GIFT AND JUSTIFICATION

{{Romans 5:16 “and the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned, for on the one hand the JUDGMENT arose from one transgression resulting in CONDEMNATION, but on the other hand THE FREE GIFT arose from many transgressions resulting in JUSTIFICATION.”}}