Out of Sin to Life through Grace
(From death to Life through Grace)
Romans 5:12 - 21
The one thing that all people have in common is sin. How did sin enter the human race? This is what Paul teaches here. Paul makes a comparison between two people: Adam and Christ; sin and righteousness; the cause and the cure.
I. What did the Human Race gain through Adam? Sin. How?
1. Transgression: 1st transgression; sin is the transgression of the Law. What Law to transgress? Genesis 2:16-17; “And the Lord GOD commanded the man saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat, but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil .. thou shall not eat of it., for the day thou eatest thereof thou shall surely die..” Adam sin imputed to all is that fair? (blame Adam not GOD)
2. Judgement: Sin brought judgment; for every sin there is a penalty; Adam’s penalty; curse (Genesis 3:17-18) God put Adam on notice: sin will not go unjudged – neither will ours.
3. Death: Sin brought judgement, and judgement brought Death. Death = spiritual and physical.. Adam experienced separation from God for the first time: he is told that his life will someday end…. Shocking news! But the Penalty of sin always seems to shock us after we sin.
II. What did the human race Gain through Christ? Life. How?
1. Righteousness: Just as sin was imputed to all, Righteousness is too.. Mankind gains this righteousness through the repenting of sin, calling upon the name of the Lord.
2. Forgiveness: instead of judgement, we received forgiveness. Its is through grace which is opposite of Law: We have been acquitted: we should act like criminals condemned to death row, who just got a reprieve!!
3. Life: Instead of death we receive Life; This is more than existence: that is what sinners have: existence waiting for punishment; Life is life from GOD: a quality of life, special, different, unique: do you experience that?
III. God’s Grace allows all men to choose their own destiny..
1. The 1st Adam had a choice: obey GOD and live forever; disobey and die! Was that fair? No 3rd choice…
2. The same choice is offered to each and every man since Adam. And when you reach the age of accountability, you must make the same choice that Adam did.
3. But it doesn’t stop at making the choice: once you become a Christian, you continue making somewhat the same choice: Do I obey GOD or do I sin? How far am I willing to obey GOD?
