Romans 5:12-21 Part Two
12Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned— 13for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 14Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.
15But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
18Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
20The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
We see here in verse 15-17, Paul regressing a little in his statements so that he can go a little deeper in to the explanation of how much greater Christ’s work on the cross is over that of the sin and death that was brought through the sin of Adam. He wants to make sure that we are fully aware of this fact. He doesn’t want us in any way to miss the importance of Christ and His work on the cross as being the primary focus here.
15But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
It took one human person Adam to bring sin and death in to this world for all people by one sin. Just one person to mess everything up for everybody because of one sin.
It then took by Gods grace the gift of His Son to make payment for this death and sin for all those who would have faith in Christ by His work on the cross. Not payment for one sin but payment for thousands upon thousands of sins over thousands of years.
But that wasn’t all it did, it did so much more, it also reestablished our relationship with God, it brought us peace, it brought us hope in the future, it brought us eternal life and so much more.
How much greater then is the work of Christ than the death that Adam brought us?
16Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.
Condemnation - For all humanity
Justification – For all those who would believe in Jesus Christ
A Gift – What is a gift? Is a gift something you have to buy or pay for? Is a gift something that you have to do some sort of work for? If you have to do either of theses then it is not much of a gift is it.
A gift is something that is given to you without anything given in return. It is given to you freely. We do not have to do anything for it.
So what is the gift? The gift is our righteousness given to us by the work of Christ on the cross.
17For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
Death reigned in us through Adam, but now as Christians Christ has concurred death and now we reign along with Christ over sin and over death. It no longer has its grip on us. We rule it now, not it ruling us. Christ has given us the power and we are to put that power to use.
1 Corinthians 15:54-57 - 54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
55"Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?" 56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Death has been swallowed up in victory."
Ephesians 2:1-7 - 1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.
As we have read through these verses in Romans today there is one recurring thing that stands out for us.
V15 – “By the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ”
V17 – “through the one man”
Later also in Romans
V19 – “through the obedience of the one man”
V21 – “through Jesus Christ our Lord”
The Apostle Paul never leaves this one idea out because, as we have been seeing, it is the one glorious and absolutely essential truth in this passage. We were in Adam once, and we fell in him. His sin brought death on the human race.
What then? Good news! We can escape the effects of Adam’s fall. We can rise above the position in which Adam first stood. We can stand in divine righteousness which in its perfection can never be taken away from us.
Adam was once perfect but he still fell. What chance do we as corrupt sinners have to stand without falling?
Well Adam was missing one thing. Adam didn’t have Jesus.
Your only hope is to believe on Jesus and to be joined with him in righteousness.
