One Man’s Ruin Another’s Treasure! Romans 5: 12-21
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment, which came from one offense, resulted in condemnation, but the free gift, which came from, many offenses resulted in justification. 17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.
20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might rein through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
In these verses there is a contrast between Adam and Christ. In verse 12 since death is the penalty for sin, people between Adam and Moses were involved in the sin of someone else, namely, Adam. Adam, by his sin brought universal ruin on the human race. Through out this section God’s grace is infinitely greater for good than is Adam’s sin for evil! Through one man’s offence, all mankind are exposed to eternal condemnation. But the grace and mercy of God, and the free gift of righteousness and salvation, are through Jesus Christ. As by the offence of one, sin and death prevailed to the condemnation of all men, so by the righteousness of one, grace prevailed to the justification of all related to Christ by faith. Through the grace of God, the gift by grace has abounded to many through Christ; yet multitudes choose to remain under the dominion of sin and death, rather than to apply for the blessings of the reign of grace. But Christ will in nowise cast out any who are willing to come to him. By Christ and his righteousness, we have more and greater privileges than we lost by the offence of Adam. A righteousness that is to justify cannot be made up of a mixture of sin and holiness. There can be no title to an eternal reward without a pure and spotless righteousness: let us look for it, even to the righteousness of Christ.
Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned
What is the death rate in the U.S compared to Afghanistan? It’s the same - 100%. Death doesn’t care where you live, or how healthy or technological you are.
In our Old Testament lesson for this morning, we see the biggest disaster in the history of the world – the fall into sin. Adam failed to obey God. And when that happened, sin entered the world. I don’t think people really understand the magnitude of what happened that day in the Garden of Eden.
Imagine being at your home, and you’re having a big get-together – family, friends. You receive a package, and on the package it says; “Anthrax – do not open.” But you decide to open it anyway. You struggle to open it up, and then the package bursts open, anthrax everywhere! All your family, all your friends – they inhale the anthrax and die. Ultimately, whose fault is that? Yours!
When Adam sinned, thousands of years ago, it was as though he had opened a package he shouldn’t have opened!
Romans 5:13-14 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
Adam’s sin was the worst mistake in human history. But what Jesus did – his death on the cross – that is the best thing that has ever happened in human history.
Romans 5:15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.
God’s grace is infinitely greater for good than Adam’s sin for evil!
Isaiah 53:10-11 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When you make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.
Romans 5:16-17 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment, which came from one offense, resulted in condemnation, but the free gift, which came from, many offenses resulted in justification. 17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
II Timothy 2:12 If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.
Romans 5:18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
Life to all men, and salvation is available to all!
II Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Imagine wanting a gold medal in the Olympics. More than anything in your life, you want that gold medal. But, you have been born with all kinds of physical problems. And then, to top it off, you get into a car accident that paralyzes you. It seems that the Olympic gold is something you’ll never have. But then, one of those athletes you see on TV visits you one day, and gives you his gold medal. He earned it, but he gives it to you, and you can’t believe it! That’s what Jesus has done!
Romans 5:19-20 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,
A.W. Pink, in his book Gleanings in Genesis, makes a contrast between the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree upon which Christ died, the cross. Let me share some of these points of contrast with you. 1. The first tree was planted by God, but man planted the second tree. 2. God forbade man to eat the first tree, but man is freely invited to draw near and eat of the fruit of the second tree. 3. The eating of the first tree brought sin and death, but by eating of the second tree comes life and salvation. 4. Adam, by eating of the first tree, was turned out of Paradise, while the repentant thief, by eating of the second Tree, entered Paradise.
Romans 5:21 So that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might rein through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Verse 21 might sound redundant, but grace needs to be redundant because we are always in need of it!
You choose! Sin and death or Grace and righteousness that leads into eternal life!
