“Therefore, just as
through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death
spread to all men, because all sinned” Rom5:12
Note 1: Through
one man (Adam) sin entered into the world and death entered through sin. Before
sin there was no death. Death is the result of sin. God did not create us to
die and go to heaven, it is sin that brought death with it. In Christ God has
destroyed sin and death forever.
Note 2: This sin
then spread to all of us who were born out of Adam. This is how we became sinners
without doing anything wrong. We were born sinners, we were born with a nature
that was already sinful, a nature that Adam became when he believed the
serpent’s lie and ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
It is not our actions that made us
sinners, it was our nature. Likewise it is not our actions that make us
righteous, it is our nature. How we are born.
“For until the law sin
was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.” Rom5:13
This is a powerful scripture. Even though sin was introduced
by Adam in the garden, God did not impute sin unto people until the law was
introduced by Moses thousands of years later. God wasn’t punishing people for
their sins before the law came.
“Nevertheless death
reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the
likeness of the transgression of Adam, who
is a type of Him who was to come.” Rom5:14
Note 1: If it is
true that God was not imputing people’s sins upon them and punishing them until
He gave the Law of Moses then why were men dying? Death was supposed to be the
wage of sin according to Rom6:23. Why were people dying if their sins weren't
being counted against them?
The answer to this question is quite important. Sin has a
twofold effect. It is first a transgression against the law of God and secondly
an inroad of Satan into our lives. Rom6:16 warns us that if we yield to sin, we
also submit ourselves to Satan, the author of that sin.
“Know ye not, that to
whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey;
whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”
God will not judge and punish us if we sin but satan will
seek to harm us and destroy us through those sins. We shouldn’t live holy in
order to avoid God's wrath, but so that our enemy the devil won't have any
access to us to harm us and destroy us.
Note 2: ‘… who is a type of Him who was to come.’
This is one of the most important statements in the entire
bible. It is one of the most amazing statements Paul ever makes in all of his
writings. Understanding what he says here greatly helps us to understand and
interpret the purpose of God for man as revealed in the life of Adam and Jesus.
It tells us that Adam was a type, a figure, a foreshadowing,
a pattern, an example of Jesus who was to come later. In other words, GOD USED
ADAM TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO IN JESUS LATER.
In the same way
that Adam represented all people, Jesus also represented all people.
This is why 1Cor15:45-47 calls Adam the first man and Jesus the second man, the
last Adam.
What Adam did, he did on
behalf of all mankind. What Jesus did He did on behalf of all mankind.
Everybody was represented in both men.
“But not as the
offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be
dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man,
Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so
is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is
of many offences unto justification.” Rom5:15-16
Note 1: The
phrasing of these two verses is very strange. Paul uses the phrase ‘not as… so is’ to compare and contrast
different situations. Today none of us talk like that. As a result we don’t
fully appreciate the precious truth Paul is communicating.
This language was
used to compare two similar things which have very different impact and
magnitude. A good example of this is if I say “Not as a cup of water, so is the
Ocean” or “Not as a candle, so is the sun” They are similar in that they both
contain water or give light but they are very different in that one is so much
greater than the other in its content, impact and magnitude.
The impact Adam had on us is similar to the impact Jesus has
on us. But the impact Jesus has on us is so much greater and more powerful than
what Adam ever did. Adam is like a candle and Jesus like the sun. Adam is like
a cup of water and Jesus like the ocean itself. This is absolutely awesome!!
What Jesus has done is so much greater. Where Adam's sin exists, Christ's grace abounds much much more!
The average Christian has fully accepted the truth of
inherited sin from Adam, but either rejected or ignored the truth of inherited
righteousness from Jesus. Paul is emphasizing that if one is true, then so is
the other. These truths are like the two sides of a coin. Every coin must have
a heads and a tail side to be true. If you accept one truth, you have to accept
the other as well.
If you accept that
you inherited Adam’s sin when you were born, then accept that you inherited
Christ’s perfect righteousness when you were born again.
Note 2: There are
five comparisons between verse 15 and 19 concerning Adam and Christ but they
are opposite comparisons. Adam's sin changed everything from good to bad, but
Jesus through the Cross changed everything from bad to good. The results of
their actions are similar in influence and yet extremely different in impact.
In the same way
that Adam was able to pass sin and its consequences on to his descendants,
Jesus has passed His righteousness and all its benefits to His descendants the
Christians.
In the same way that the offence of Adam made all men
(everybody) sinners. Now the obedience of Christ makes all men (everybody)
justified and righteous. The free gift came upon all men (everybody) unto
justification of life.
Note 3: The gift
being referred to here is the gift of God’s righteousness that has been freely
given to all that believe in Jesus. Adam disobeyed God and caused condemnation,
judgment and death to pass to all men. Jesus on the other hand obeyed God and
has caused the grace of God to abound unto all men. This grace has availed unto
us mercy and justification as free gifts.
“For if by one man's
offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace
and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ”
Rom5:17
All those who have been born of Adam have death reigning as
a king in their lives. However for those who are in Jesus and receive abundance
of grace and the free gift of righteousness; they will reign MUCH MORE in life
than death ever did. In other words, the impact grace will have on you is so
much greater than the impact sin and death ever had on you!
If sin wrecked your life through bondages, addictions and bad habits, it has definitely produced a lot of death in you. It could be in your mind, your emotions or even your ability to make quality decisions. It could have spoilt your health, ruined your prospects and generally made you a mess.
However this verse promises you that if you submit to God's grace, it will not only undo these negative effects that sin and death have had on you. But it will also turn you into a victor, a champion and a triumphant conqueror. You will reign in life as a king. You will not just survive but you will thrive. Through Jesus' zoe life operating in you by the grace of God, you will be transformed from an ugly caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly.
This is what grace does, grace transforms people, grace saves people, grace makes people successful. Grace gives us victory over the struggles we have for years and decades and in many cases lifetimes. Grace gives us the ability to reign in life and have dominion over the earth as God intended for us from the beginning.
The reason we are not committed to pursuing a full
revelation of God’s grace and righteousness is because we underestimate the
impact it will have on us. When you understand that the grace of God will
totally and completely transform your life, then you begin to pursue it with
your whole heart.
This verse says that those who will receive the abundance of
grace and righteousness will reign as kings in life. Do you want to reign as
king? Receive abundant grace and righteousness.
“Therefore as by the
offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the
righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of
life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the
obedience of one shall many be made righteous” Rom5:18-19
Note 1: Many of
us think that it is our individual sins that made us sinners and drew the
judgment and wrath of God but that is not true as we have already seen. This
scripture clearly states that Adam's one sin made all men sinners and brought
God’s judgment and condemnation to all of us. It made all of us sinners by
nature. We were born sinners and under judgment and wrath because of Adam’s
nature which was our nature. We were born like that.
As a result, anyone trying to obtain righteousness through
obeying the law and behaving well is totally missing the point. Even if a
person was able to stop sinning completely, he could not change his sin nature
which he was born with. It would be useless. There is only one solution to this
sin nature problem. The old man must die. And then you must be born again. The
solution is death and birth. New birth.
Note 2: In the
same way that we became sinners by birth, we are now righteous by birth. In the
first birth we had Adam’s sinful unrighteous nature; in the 2nd birth when we
get born again we have Jesus’ holy and righteous nature. This really is not a
matter of works and behavior; it is a matter of birth and nature.
Verse 19 says that by Adam’s disobedience we were all made
sinners and now by Jesus’ obedience we have all been made righteous. If you
believe the first one that you were born a sinner, then believe the second one
that you were born again righteous! Believe the Word of God.
IN THE SAME WAY THAT
WE WERE BORN SINNERS BECAUSE OF ADAM, WE ARE NOW BORN AGAIN RIGHTEOUS BECAUSE
OF JESUS.
“Moreover the law
entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much
more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign
through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom5:20-21
In the past sin had power and reigned as king over you
leading to death, now grace reigns MUCH MORE than sin ever did. Previously sin
had influence over us, now grace has MUCH MORE influence over us. Sin created
in us habits, tendencies and addictions that were binding and terrible; But now
grace is MUCH MORE powerful and able to destroy all those bondages, habits and
addictions.
THERE IS NOTHING SIN DID TO
YOU THAT GRACE CAN’T UNDO, DESTROY AND OVERCOME. WHAT YOU NEED IS TO RECEIVE
ABUNDANCE OF GRACE.
SERVANTS OF
RIGHTEOUSNESS
“Know ye not, that to
whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey;
whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be
thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart
that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of
righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity
of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness
and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to
righteousness unto holiness. For when
ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What
fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of
those things is death. But now being
made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto
holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the
gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom6:16-23
Note 1: Servant of
sin-Free from righteousness
When you were a servant of sin, no matter how many righteous
things you did, you were free from righteousness. Whatever righteous thing you
did was not imputed to your account. Because you were free from righteousness.
God did not consider it as true of you. You were free from righteousness.
Your
master was sin. Only sin could be imputed unto you. Only sin could be
considered as true of you. You were bound and tied to sin. That is what it
means that you were a servant of sin and free from righteousness
A lost person can’t be saved by the righteous things they do
because those things are not imputed to their account. They are free from
righteousness. It doesn't mean that they never do anything righteous, they do but it isn't their nature. Sin is their nature. Only sin is a true and accurate description of them. Only sin
can be imputed unto them. It is their true nature.
Note 2: Servant of
righteousness- Free from sin
When you got born again, you became a servant of
righteousness and free from sin. Whatever sin you commit or unrighteous thing
you do cannot be held to your account or imputed unto you. This is because you
are free from sin. God does not consider it as true of you. You are free from
sin.
Your master is righteousness. Only righteousness can be imputed unto you.
Only righteousness can be considered as true of you. You are bound and tied to
righteousness. This is what it means that you are a servant of righteousness
and free from sin.
A saved person can’t be damned or condemned by the sins they
commit because God doesn’t put those sins on their account. They are free from
sin. It doesn’t mean that they never sin, it means those things are not held to
their account. They are free from sin. Only righteousness is a true and
accurate description of them. Only righteousness can be imputed unto them. They were born righteous.
Righteousness is an issue of birth.
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