Reign In Life Through Christ Series

Paul started Romans telling us of the depravity of man and the wrath of God against sinful mankind.

• This is the true state of man, whether Jews or Greeks, religious or non-religious, those with or without the Law.

In chapter 3 Paul declares the good news that God has provided sinners with the salvation they need in Jesus Christ.

• This righteousness is from God who through Christ provided man with the forgiveness of sin. Man can now be justified by faith in Jesus. This is the grace of God.

Chapter 4 Paul stressed the importance of faith in God, exemplified by Abraham.

• Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness, so are we when we believe Christ.

• Our faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross puts us in right standing with God.

Chapter 5:1 “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

• The result of a reconciled relationship with God is that we have peace, joy and hope in life. We are secured in Christ.

From the depravity of man, to the judgment of God against sin, to the salvation He provides by grace through faith in Christ, to the blessings of a new life in Christ.

• Today in our passage we will cover Paul’s final comment on this salvation we have in Christ - Romans 5:12-21.

• After that, from Rom 6 onwards, Paul talks about sanctification, the fruit of this new life; how in Christ we experience a transformation in the way we live.

In today’s text, Paul gives us a detailed (and difficult) comparison of our identity in Adam and in Christ.

• When Adam sinned, all mankind is affected. Over against that, Paul sets the saving work of Christ.

• For in Christ, all the damage and consequence of Adam’s sin is reversed.

• Just as Adam was the head of fallen mankind, so Christ is the head of the redeemed people of God.

Look at your bible Romans 5:12-21. We will read verse 12 and then 18-21. We will come back later for verses 13-17. It’s easier to understand Paul’s main point.

• There is a DASH after verse 12 where Paul went off to make an explanation, about our connection with Adam.

• KJV puts the whole section (vv.13-17) in brackets, so let’s read the main text first.

Death in Adam, Life in Christ – let’s read v.12 and continues from vv.18-21.

12Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned —

18Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19For 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. 20Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Paul paints for us the contrasts of the two heads of the human race, one the fallen mankind and the other, the redeemed people of God.

ADAM - Head of Fallen Mankind

Condemnation for all men

Many made sinners

Sin reigned in death

JESUS CHRIST - Head of Redeemed People

Justification and life to all men

Many made righteous

Grace reign through righteousness

• One man Adam and with his one sin brought about condemnation. One man Jesus Christ and his one act of obedience on the cross brings about justification.

• Through Adam, sin came into the world and all men sinned. Through Christ, sin was dwelt with and all who trust Christ are made righteous.

That begs a question, how is it possible that Jesus “take our place”, as with, “how can the sin of Adam lead to our condemnation”? Where is the connection?

• Paul explains from 5:13-17. It has to do with our identification with Adam and with Christ.

Death in Adam, Life in Christ

(13for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted [KJV imputed] where there is no law. 14Yet 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.

15But 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. 16And 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. 17For 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.)