The Basis Of Our Justification

SERMON OUTLINE:

• One man’s failure brought mankind’s fall (vs 12-14)

• One man’s fix bought mankind’s favour (vs 15-21)

SERMON BODY

ill:

• I have a list of opposites,

• I will give you a word and collectively shout out the opposite.

• Happy x sad

• Above x below

• Broad x narrow

• Ability x inability

• Import x export.

• Interior x exterior

• Optimist x pessimist

• Maximum x minimum

• Include x exclude.

• Majority x minority

• Superior x inferior

• Accept x refuse.

• Difficult x easy

• Bright x dim

• Acquire x lose.

• Ancient x modern

• Confess x deny.

• Admire x despise.

• Blunt x sharp

• Death x birth

• TRANSITION: This passage is about opposites, comparisons, contrasts.

• Adam and Jesus.

• Adam is a man of guilt and failure, and Jesus a man of grace and accomplishment.

Note:

• Most people today do not believe in a historical Adam and Eve,

• Because that would mean believing in the creation,

• When our schools, universities and media all teach evolution.

• When I was at school it was referred to as, ‘The theory of evolution.’

• They seemed to have dropped the words, ‘theory’ today and teach it as fact,

• But as far as I can see it has yet to be proven!

Quote: C.S. Lewis

“If you are really a product of a materialistic universe, how is it that you don't feel.

at home there?”

• As believers, we should hold a teleological viewpoint:

• That is, if something looks like it's been designed, there's a designer behind it!

• Wherever there is a thing, there must have been a preceding thought.

• Wherever there is a thought, there must have been a thinker!

• If a historical Adam does not represent mankind in sinfulness,

• Then a historical Jesus could never represent mankind in righteousness.

• One requires the other.

If you deny a real Adam,

• Then you will have problems with a number of important Biblical doctrines.

• And also, with Jesus and the apostle Paul who believed in a historic Adam and Eve.

• Consider the following passages that refer back to a historic Adam and Eve.

• e.g., Jesus affirms the special creation of Adam and Eve at the beginning.

• (Mark chapter 10 verse 6).

• e.g., Luke connects the human lineage of Jesus to Adam

• (Luke chapter 3 verse 38).

• e.g., Jesus links the doctrine of marriage to Adam and Eve

• (Matthew chapter 19 verses 4–6).

• e.g., Paul connects the doctrine of the church to Adam and Eve

• (Ephesians chapter 5 verses 30–32).

• e.g., Paul argues for family order because of Adam and Eve

• (1 Corinthians chapter 11 verses 8–12).

• e.g., Paul attaches the origin of sin in the world to Eve.

• (1 Timothy chapter 2 verses 13–14).

• e.g., Paul also connects death from sin to Adam.

• (Romans chapter 5 verses 12–14).

• It seems clear to me that the New Testament,

• Overwhelmingly affirms the historicity of Adam and Eve.

• If a historical Adam does not represent mankind in sinfulness,

• Then a historical Jesus could never represent mankind in righteousness.

• One requires the other!

In today’s Bible section the apostle Paul teaches by way of similarities and contrasts.

• In other words, Adam and Jesus are alike in some ways,

• And yet they are very different in other ways.

• i.e., They are alike in that each of them was the first of his kind.

• They were both sinless (one created perfect one conceived by the Holy Spirit)

• i.e., They are also alike in that great thing came from a single deed of each of them.

• (Human race through Adam and the family/race of believers through Jesus).

• Apart from these similarities, however,

• Adam and Jesus are as different as night and day.

• i.e., From Adam came the certainty of death.

• i.e., While from Jesus came the hope of resurrection to life.

NOW BEFORE WE DIVIDE THE PASSAGE UP UNDER TWO HEADINGS.

• Let me point out three key phrases in verses 12-21.

• Repetition is a good teacher, and the apostle uses it to highlight certain key truths.

• FIRST: note the repetition of the little word, “one”.

• It is used 11 times in these ten verses.

• The key idea is identification.

• We are identified with both Adam and Christ.

• e.g., we have one man, one sin, one trespass, one wrong choice.

• But we also have one man, one sacrifice, one right choice.

• Adam opened the door for corruption.

• Jesus opened the door to salvation.