I. The Word: Romans 5:12-19

12 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-

13 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.

15 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 For 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.

18 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.

II. Reflection Questions:

1. Why does Paul link Jesus to Adam?

2. What is the evidence that Adams sin affected humanity before the Law of Moses and why is that important?

3. In what ways is Jesus vastly superior to Adam?

The verb “contrast” means to show a difference.  It’s more easily understood in its relation to the verb “compare”. To contrast something is to look for differences among two or more elements, but compare is to do the opposite, to look for similarities.

From Romans 1:18 to now Paul has made it abundantly clear that ALL MEN (humanity) are under sin.  His unequivocal statements in Romans 3 exempt no one…especially those who sought to use their cultural heritage as a get out of jail free card.  The solution to this human condition (being under sin) is found ONLY in person of Jesus Christ...but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

The way Paul begins to illustrate that Jesus is the ONLY solution to the human condition of sin is by comparing and contrasting him to Adam.  One of the main reasons he does this is because every people group on the earth can easily trace their beginning to this figure called Adam.  And when we pick up in Romans 5:12 we begin to see what Paul’s unraveling .  Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man [ADAM], and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned–

Adam’s sin was so grave that not only did it separate his communion with God and introduce death into the world, but it’s affects were felt to all humanity that came after him.  It was even felt by those who didn’t sin in the same manner and fashion as he did…mainly his disobedience.  The resulting effect of his actions has been death to every generation including yours and mine because he was a type or shadow of HE (Jesus) 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.

Here is where contrasting and comparing Adam to Jesus lets us see HOW MUCH GREATER Jesus is. The main point of the text is that what Christ has done for all who are in Him is far greater than what Adam did for all who were in him.  We see this in 3 ways:

1) The obedience of Christ is parallel, but vastly superior, to the disobedience of Adam.

2) The righteousness imputed by faith to those who are in Christ is parallel, but vastly superior, to the sin resulting in death to those who are in Adam because of his disobedience.

3) The life that comes to us who are in Christ through that imputed righteousness is parallel, but vastly superior, to the death that comes to those who are in Adam through that resulting sin.

My hope and prayer is that we cling hold to the second Adam (Jesus) who bore in Himself the punishment we deserved in order to provide for us the life we could never obtain.  Let us never try to purchase through our works what God has provided freely through his son.