Romans 5 is a very misunderstood text in the Bible. Verses within it are used to teach many doctrines that are not being taught if you examine the passage within its context. We need to remember the argument that Paul has been making up to this point in the book.
Chapters 1-3a: All men have sinned and are guilty before God
Chapter 3b-4: All men can be justified by faith in Jesus Christ
Chapter 5:1-11: The results of our justification in Christ
Understanding the above arguments that Paul has made is vital to correctly understanding Romans 5:12-21. Too often, many people like to go to this text to prove doctrines that they believe, but when they do, they forget the context of the passage. They examine passages in this text forgetting the arguments Paul has made up to this point, even missing the verse in the beginning of the text in question.
0512 “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned-“
Speaking of Adam, Paul states that sin came into the world through his first sin. He brought this terrible disease into the world. It's consequence was universal because all have followed in His steps. All have sinned (Romans 3:23, Chapters 1-3) and because of it, all are dead. What this verse says is that death spreads to all men NOT because they were born as sinners, but because all men have sinned! This verse does not say that Adam’s sin or guilt was given to anyone, but that the same punishment (death) comes to all men because they follow in Adam steps by sinning.
5:13-17 PARENTHETICAL
Verse 12 began with the words "Therefore, just as." You should expect to see in verse 13 then the second part of the argument. You expect to see, "so then", or "consequently," but this does not happen. The second part of the statement in verse 12 is not given until verses 18-19. That is where Paul finishes his argument. Some translations, such as the NKJV, put verses 13-17 in parentheses to show that Paul is leaving his main argument for a few verses to get some things out of the way before he returns to his main point.
"(for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 If, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.)”
0513-0514: ALL HAVE SINNED? These verses are viewed by most as Paul expounding upon his statement “for all sinned,” We sinned (v12), but not the exact sin as Adam. Even though there was not yet a law between the time of Adam and Moses, this did not mean men were without sin. They were still bound to follow whatever God directly gave to them and their consciences. All men have the law written in their hearts (Rom 2:14-15).
Adam a “type” of Christ. Adam, through whom sin and death came, is a figure of Jesus Christ. The resemblance between Adam and Christ was their acts and the consequences of their acts. The one act of Adam affected the whole human family who followed in his steps; that of Christ did likewise. Adam brought death to all who sin; the obedience of Christ brings the opportunity for grace to be given to all who believe.
BUT THERE ARE SOME VAST DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THEM ALSO. THEIR WORK BROUGHT DIFFERENT CONSEQUENCES!
5:15-17 CONTRASTS BETWEEN ADAM AND CHRIST
0515 Both of these acts had far reaching consequences. The consequence of Adam’s sin was that condemnation/death spread to all men, because all sinned (v12). The consequence of Jesus’ sacrifice brought justification to men who believed (ch 4). Obviously, what Jesus has done in defeating the power of death is far greater than what Adam had done in bringing sin into the world.
0516 It only took one sin by Adam to bring death, but Jesus’ death takes care of all sin for all time for those who have faith!
0517 Death reigned, contrasted with saints reigning through Christ. We will reign in death because of Adams sin if we do not come to Christ! Because of Christ, life has it’s “reign” over us and because of our faith, God views us as righteous!
5:18-19 Comparisons Between Adam and Christ: "Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.”
0518-0519 The main point. Through one man all became sinners (because they sinned - v12). Through one man all can become righteous. Jesus completely counteracted the results of Adam’s sin. What was lost by our sinning like Adam is regained by our participation in Christ and His death!
The Calvinist view of these verses is inconsistent. The context/text is showing that there are conditions for being in Adam (all who sin-chapters 1-3; 5:12) along with there being conditions to being in Christ (all who believe-chapter 4). The Calvinist approaches this text saying that being cursed/lost is unconditional while the comparison (being in Christ) is conditional. The comparison Paul is trying to make is lost with the Calvinist interpretation. If they were consistent in the comparison, they would need to say that what we gain in Christ is unconditional also. If the Calvinist were consistent with the language of the passage, they would be driven to universalism (which is also false).
5:20-21: EFFECTS OF THE LAW: "Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
0520 The law cam to show men the depth of their sin against God, but also to show the depth of the grace God is willing to give those who believe. The grace of God is our only hope. God intended the law to increase the gravity and number of human sins, so that the power of grace would be seen for what it is.
0521 Sin reigned with great power until Christ came. Now God’s grace reigns over those who accept it! God’s grace is abundant and brings us righteousness in this life and eternal life.
