COMPARE AND CONTRAST
ROMANS 5:12-6:14
THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO EXPLAIN SOME VERY CONTROVERSIAL THEOLOGICAL POSITIONS, ONE OF WHICH IS THE UNIVERSALITY OF SIN. IT DOES NOT SEEM FAIR THAT BECAUSE ADAM SINNED, WE SHOULD ALL BE PLACED IN A GUILTY POSITION AS SINNERS. SOME HAVE REACHED THE SIMPLE CONDITION THAT IT’S ALL HIS FAULT.
PAUL HAS USED CHAPTERS 3-5 TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE OF “JUSTIFICATION”. HE HAS JUST FINISHED AN INDEPTH DISCUSSION ON HOW WE ARE SAVED AND DECLARED RIGHTEOUS. PAUL ALSO DEALS WITH ISSUES OF THE LAW WITH REGARDS TO “JUSTIFICATION”, ESPECIALLY WITH THE TIME FRAME BETWEEN ADAM TO THE INTRODUCTION OF THE LAW WITH MOSES.
NOW, HE IS ENTERING A SECOND PHASE OF HIS LETTER WHERE HE IS INSTRUCTING CHRISTIANS ON HOW TO DEEPEN THEIR FAITH ONCE THEY HAVE BEEN SAVED OR JUSTIFIED. HE WILL FOLLOW THIS COURSE IN CHAPTERS 6 AND 7, DEALING WITH THE RESULTS OF LEADING A SANCTIFIED LIFE IN CHAPTER 8.
THIS PASSAGE DEALS WITH HOW “THE SIN NATURE” IS PASSED ON TO ALL OF HUMANITY, AND HOW THE NEW ERA OR COVENANT WAS INTRODUCED BY CHRIST. HE DOES THIS BY USING A DEBATE STYLE OF WRITING, BUT HIS DEBATE IS WITH AN IMAGINARY CHARACTER, TO SET UP A SERIES OF FIVE CONTRASTS BETWEEN ADAM AND THE “OLD COVENANT” AND CHRIST AND THE “NEW COVENANT.”
PAUL, THROUGHOUT THE BOOK OF ROMANS, HAS ALWAYS MAINTAINED THE UNIVERSAL GUILT AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL PEOPLE AS A RESULT OF SIN. NUMEROUS TIMES HE HAS STATED THAT THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JEW AND GENTILE AND EVERYONE STANDS IN NEED OF JUSTIFICATION.
AS WE EXAMINE THE PASSAGE WE FIND THREE CONNECTING WORDS. “THEREFORE” IS USED TWICE AND “CONSEQUENTLY” IS USED ONCE.
THE FIRST USE OF “THEREFORE” IS FOUND IN VERSE 1 AND CONNECTS THE RESULTS OF JUSTIFICATION LISTED IN THE FIRST 11 VERSES OF CHAPTER 5 TO THE THOUGHTS ON JUSTIFICATION THAT ARE GIVEN IN CHAPTERS 4 AND 3..
NOTE THESE RESULTS:
1. WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD
2. WE HAVE BY FAITH GAINED ACCESS INTO HIS GRACE
3. WE BOAST IN THE HOPE OF THE GLORY OF GOD
4. WE ARE SAVED FROM GOD’S WRATH THROUGH HIM
5. WE HAVE RECEIVED RECONCILIATION THROUGH HIM
PAUL HAS A CHANGE IN THOUGHT IN VERSE TWELVE AND BEGINS TO TALK ABOUT HOW SIN ENTERED THE WORLD. HE USES “THEREFORE” IN THIS CASER TO JOIN THESE THOUGHTS WITH VERSES 9-11.
VERSE 12 IS ALSO UNIQUE IN THAT PAUL LEAVES US HANGING A LITTLE BIT. HE EVENTUALLY WANTS TO SET UP A CONTRAST BETWEEN ADAM AND CHRIST, AS WE CAN SEE FROM THE VERSES THAT FOLLOW, BUT VERSE 12 STOPS IN HALF THOUGHT. HE SPEAKS ONLY OF HOW SIN ENTERED THE WORLD.
THIS NECESSITATES THE THIRD CONNECTING WORD. “CONSEQUENTLY” SERVES BASICALLY THE SAME PURPOSE AS “THEREFORE” BUT IN THIS CASE, PAUL IS JOINING HIS THOUGHTS OF VERSE 12 TO GO ALONG WITH VV. 18 AND 19. NOW WE HAVE THE CONTRASTING PARTIES LISTED.
WHAT THEN IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ADAM AND THE ENTRANCE OF SIN IN THE WORLD? I’VE HAD PEOPLE SAY TO ME THAT IT IS NOT FAIR THAT BECAUSE OF THE ACTIONS OF ONE MAN, WE ARE ALL GUILTY.
THIS IS NOT QUITE FAIR THOUGH TO ADAM, FOR WE HAVE SEVERAL EXAMPLES WHERE WE WOULD FOLLOW THIS FORM OF REPRESENTATION WITH NO PROBLEM.
NOT ALL CANADIANS GO TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. WE ELECT INDIVIDUALS TO GO AND SPEAK AND REPRESENT OUR INTERESTS. WHEN THEY VOTE, WE ACCEPT THE FACT THAT WHAT THEY HAVE DECIDED REPRESENTS US. BEFORE FOOTBALL GAMES IS THE COIN TOSS. THE CAPTAINS REPRESENT THE TEAMS AND MAKE THE CALL.
WHAT IS THE FAMOUS LINE IN THE THREE MUSKETEERS? “ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL.” IN SPORTS IF SOMEONE TAKES A CHEAP SHOT AT ONE OF YOUR TEAM, THEN YOU STAND UP FOR YOUR TEAMMATE AS YOU ARE CLOESLY RELATED AS TEAMMATES. WHAT EFFECTS ONE EFFECTS ALL. IF A PLAYER MAKES A BAD CHOICE THAT COSTS THE GAME, NOT ONLY DOES THE PLAYER LOSE, BUT SO DOES THE TEAM.
THE SAME THING IS TRUE WITH REFERENCE TO SIN. WHILE IT IS NOT FAIR THAT WE BE HELD GUILTY OF THE SAME ACTUAL SINFUL ACTION THAT ADAM WAS GUILTY OF, WE DO HAVE TO ADMIT THAT WE ALL HAVE THE SAME SINFUL NATURE THAT NATURALLY DRAWS US TOWARD SIN. SIN IN IT’S RAWEST FORM IS DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD. THE ACTUAL ACTIONS ARE IN SOME CASES VERY INSIGNIFICANT, AS IS SHOWN IN THE GARDEN WITH THE SINFUL ACTION EATING THE FRUIT OF THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL.
WHAT IS SIGNIFICANT FOR US IN THIS PASSAGE IS THAT ONLY ADAM IS MENTIONED. PERHAPS THE REASON WAS THE MALE DOMINANCE OF THE AGE, OR THAT IT FORMED A BETTER COMPARISON ONLY WITH TWO MALES, THE FIRST INVOLVED IN BOTH COVENANTS. I THINK THAT OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY AND REV. DR. CHARLES PRICE CAN SHED SOME LIGHT ON THE ROLE OF ADAM.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMEMBER THAT WHILE SIN DID ORIGINATE WITH SATAN, IT DID NOT ENTER THE REALM OF HUMANITY THROUGH HIM. IN ORDER FOR HUMANITY TO BE INFECTED BY SIN, IT HAD TO BE INTRODUCED TO HUMANITY. VERSE 12 CLEARLY STATES THAT SIN ENTERED THE WORLD THROUGH ONE MAN, AND THAT WAS ADAM. ADAM’S NAME MEANS “MAN” OR “HUMANITY”.
WHAT IS INTERESTING IN THAT SATAN TALKS WITH THE WOMAN, NOT TO ADAM, YET PAUL SAYS THAT SIN ENTERED INTO THE WORLD THROUGH ADAM, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS THE WOMAN WHO SINNED FIRST, OR DID SHE?
A LOT OF THE THEORIES ABOUT WOMEN AND THE FALL ARE INCORRECT. WOMEN ARE NOT WEAKER OR IN ANY WAY INFERIOR TO THE MAN BECAUSE SHE ATE FROM THE TREE FIRST. SHE DID SIN BECAUSE SHE KNEW SHE SHOULD NOT EAT FROM THE TREE AND SHE DID. HER OBEDIENCE TO GOD WAS TESTED AND SHE CLEARLY FAILED.
I WAS LISTENING TO CHARLES PRICE AND HE POINTED OUT SOME INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT ADAM’S ROLE IN THE FALL. HE POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS ADAM THAT WAS CREATED FIRST, AND IN GENESIS 2:15, IS GIVEN DOMINION OVER ALL CREATION. THIS WOULD INCLUDE THE WOMAN, BUT UNDERSTAND THAT I AM STANDING DOMINION, NOT MASTERY.
GENESIS 2:15: THE LORD GOD TOOK THE MAN AND PUT HIM IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN TO WORK IT AND TAKE CARE OF IT.
TO HAVE DOMINION MEANS THAT WE MUST ALSO PROTECT AND KEEP THE ELEMENTS OF CREATION SAFE. WITH THE EXTINCTION OF ANY ANIMAL, HUMANITY HAS SINNED IN FAILING TO PROTECT THAT ANIMAL.
WHEN EVE BEGAN TO TALK WITH SATAN, ADAM FAILED IN HIS RESPONSIBILITY WITH GOD’S COMMAND TO HAVE DOMINION OVER CREATION BECAUSE HE FAILED TO KEEP HER SAFE FROM SATAN. HIS SIN WAS FIRST IN THAT HE FAILED TO EXERCISE DOMINION IN HER PROTECTION.
THERE IS A NOTION MENTIONED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, BUT A PART OF HEBREW LIFESTYLE, CALLED “CORPORATE PERSONALITY.” ACCORDING TO THIS THEORY THE ACTIONS OF INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERS COULD REPRESENT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. AN INDIVIDUAL MAY MAKE A MISTAKE IN A GAME, BUT IT IS THE TEAM THAT LOSES, NOT JUST THE INDIVIDUAL. THUS THE FALL OF ADAM COULD REPRESENT THE FALL FOR ALL HUMANITY.
DR. D.J. MOO WRITES:
“ONE FURTHER POINT INCLINES US TO THINK THAT PAUL MAY HAVE INDEED BEEN THINKING ALONG THESE LINES (ALL PEOPLE SINNED IN AND WITH ADAM). THE POPULARILY OF CONCEPTIONS OF CORPORATE SOLIDARITY IN THE JEWISH WORLD OF PAUL’S DAY. THIS NOTION, ROOTED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, HELD THAT ACTIONS OF CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS COULD HAVE A “REPRESENTATIVE” CHARACTER, BEING REGARDS AS, IN SOME SENSE, THE ACTIONS OF MANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS AT THE SAME TIME…. ADAM LIKE CHRIST, WAS A CORPORATE FIGURE WHOSE SIN COULD BE REGARDED AT THE SAME TIME AS THE SIN OF ALL HIS DESCENDANTS.”
TWO FORMS OF “CORPORATE IDENTITY” ARE INTRODUCED TO US
ADAM – GUILTY OF SIN AND DEATH
CHRIST – RIGHTEOUS AND ETERNAL LIFE.
WE CAN BELONG TO ONE OR THE OTHER, BUT NOT BOTH.
PAUL CAN RELATE THE ENTRANCE OF SIN TO THE WORLD WITH ADAM AND RELATE IT TO ALL HUMANITY BECAUSE THE NATURE OF SIN IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME FOR ALL PEOPLE. IT WAS NOT IN EATING THE FRUIT THAT MADE ADAM A SINNER. IT WAS IN THE DELIBERATE DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD THAT THEY FAILED AND THE SAME IS TRUE FOR US.
THE SIN THAT ENTERED THE WORLD WITH ADAM WAS MORE THAN JUST AN INDIVIDUAL SIN. IT BECAME A BEACHHEAD THAT PAVES THE WAY FOR “SINNING” AS A CONDITION FOR HUMANITY. THE WORLD HAS NEVER GOTTEN ANY BETTER WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF SIN, IT ONLY PAVED THE WAY FOR THINGS TO GROW PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. DO YOU NOT BELIEVE THAT THE WORLD IS WORSE NOW THAN IT WAS SAY 20 YEARS AGO. DO YOU NOT BELIEVE THAT AS THE WORLD CONTINUES THAT IT WILL BE EVEN IN WORSE CONDITION 20 YEARS FROM NOW.
PAUL IS NOT CONCERNED NOT SO MUCH ABOUT THE ENTRANCE OF “ORIGINAL SIN” INTO THE WORLD. HE DOESN’T HAVE TO BE AS GOD CREATED A SOLUTION FOR THAT. WHAT HE IS MORESO CONCERNED WITH, IS THE EFFECT OF :ORIGINAL SIN” ON PEOPLE, OR WHAT ONE WRITER HAS CALLED “ORIGINAL DEATH”
WE KNOW THAT SIN HAS BEEN PASED ON TO ALL HUMANITY AS FROM THE TIME OF ADAM ON, ALL HUMANITY HAS DIED. DEATH WAS ONE OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE FALL. PAUL’S CONCERN THEN IS TO PREPARE PEOPLE ON HOW TO FACE PHYSICAL DEATH AND TO AVOID “SPIRITUAL DEATH.”
PAUL MOVES ON TO CONTRAST THE OLD COVENANT IN ADAM AND THE NEW COVENANT IN CHRIST IN FIVE WAYS.
1. PAUL CONTRASTS THE SIN OF ADAM WITH THE GIFT OF CHRIST. ROMANS 5:12-15 SHOWS THIS. PAUL’S FOCUS ON ADAM’S SIN WAS THE RESULT THAT “DEATH CAME TO ALL MEN”. BUT THE GIFT THAT CAME BY THE GRACE OF JESUS RESULTED IN MUCH MORE. WHAT PAUL WAS SAYING IS THAT IF ALL CHRIST’S OBEDIENCE DID WAS TO REVERSE WHAT ADAM LOST, THEN WE SIMPLY WOULD LIVE FOREVER AND NOT DIE.
THE MUCH MORE THAT PAUL SPEAKS OF, IS THE RELATIONSHIP WE CAN HAVE WITH CHRIST. IT IS THE PEACE, THE ACCESS TO GOD, HOPE IN THE FUTURE, ETERNAL LIFE. INDEED IT WAS SO MUCH MORE.
2. PAUL CONTRASTS THE TIMING OF ADAM’S CONDEMNATION WITH THE TIMING OF CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNESS (ROMANS 5:14-15).
GOD’S JUDGEMENT OF ADAM FOLLOWED ONLY ONE SIN THAT BROUGHT CONDEMNATION. HOWEVER, AFTER THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF HISTORY AND BILLIONS OF SINS COMMITTED BY MULTIPLIED MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, GOD STILL LOVED US SO MUCH AS TO OFFER THE GIFT OF “JUSTIFICATION” THROUGHT THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.
3. PAUL CONTRASTS THE REIGN OF DEATH WITH THE REIGN OF LIFE (ROMANS 5:15-17). ADAM’S KINGDOM OF LIFE WAS ONLY THE TIME HE HAD BEFORE THE FALL. AFTER HE SINNED DEATH REIGNED IN HIS LIFE AND ALL HIS DESCENDANTS. WE CAN INSERT OUR PARENTS AND GRAND-PARENTS WITH THIS GROUP IF THEY HAVE DIED TO SHOW HOW THE REIGN OF DEATH CONTINUES.
BECAUSE OF THE NEW ERA, THE REIGN OF THE ONE WHO IS LIFE, JESUS CHRIST, HAS COME THROUGH OBEDIENCE TO GOD.
PAUL REMINDS US THAT CHRIST “MUST REIGN UNTIL HE HAS PUT ALL HIS ENEMIES UNDER HIS FEET. THE LAST ENEMY TO BE DESTROYED IN DEATH.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:25-26:
FOR HE MUST REIGN UNTIL HE HAS PUT ALL HIS ENEMIES UNDER HIS FEET. 26 THE LAST ENEMY TO BE DESTROYED IS DEATH
BECAUSE OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTION, WE NOW HAVE VICTORY OVER THE LAST ENEMY. WE CAN JOIN PAUL IN MOCKING DEATH.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:54-55:
WHEN 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.” K55 “WHERE, O DEATH, IS YOUR VICTORY? WHERE, O DEATH, IS YOUR STING?”
4. THE ONE TRESPASS OF ADAM IS CONTRASTED WITH THE ONE ACT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST (ROMANS 5:18-19). THE ONE ACT OF ADAM BROUGHT THE CONDEMNATION OF ALL HUMANITY. THE RESULTING CONTRAST WITH CHRIST IS THAT “MANY”, NOT ALL, HUMANITY WILL BE MADE RIGHTEOUS.
THE BIBLE DOES NOT PROMISE UNIVERSALISM OR THE THEORY THAT ALL WILL BE SAVED BY THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. IT IS CLEAR THAT ONLY THOSE WHO EXERCISE FAITH BY TRUSTIN IN CHRIST AS LORD AND SAVIOR, WILL PASS FROM THE REALM OF DARKNESS INTO THE REALM OF LIGHT.
5. PAUL CONTRASTS LAW WITH GRACE (ROMANS 5:20-21). PAUL WILL STATE THAT THE LAW WAS ADDED SO THAT TRESPASS MIGHT INCREASE. THE LAW DID NOT HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE PEOPLE MORE OR LESS RIGHTEOUS BECAUSE ALL SINNED AND WERE GUILTY OF SIN IN ADAM.
THE JOB OF THE LAW WAS TO MAKE TRESPASS INCREASE, AND DEMONSTRATE HOW “MUCH MORE” THE GRACE OF GOD TO OVERCOME SIN.
CONSIDER IT THIS WAY. WRITTEN LAW WAS FIRST USED BY THE ROMANS. BEFORE IT WAS WRITTEN, THOSE IN AUTHORITY COULD LOOK AT A PERSON AND SAY IT WAS AGAINST THE LAW TO RIDE A HORSE. WHEN THE LAW WAS WRITTEN DOWN THAT PERSON COULD BE SEEN GUILTY IN A NUMBER OF WAYS. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO RIDE A BROWN HORSE, ON SATURDAY, IN THE AFTERNOON. THE TRANSGRESSION INCREASES BECAUSE THE NUMBER OF WAYS TO BREAK THE LAW INCREASES.
PAUL IN THIS SECTION SAYS NOTHING IS GREATER THAN THE GRACE OF GOD.
“MARVELOUS GRACE OF OUR LOVING LORD
GRACE THAT EXCEEDS OUR SIN AND OUR GUILT,
YONDER ON CALVARY’S MOUNT OUTPOURED
THERE WHERE THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB WAS SPILT.
PAUL USES THESE FIVE CONTRASTS BETWEEN THE FIRST AND THE LAST ADAM, TO SHOW US THAT THERE IS NO LIMIT TO THE LOVE OF GOD THROUGH HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. HE ALSO POINTS OUT TO US AN EVEN MORE IMPORTANT POINT THAT WE SEE AS WE ENTER CHAPTER SIX.
