Week 4 - Romans 5:12-21
Romans 5:12-21 (NIV)
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come. 15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! 18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. 20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
With Whom are You Unified?
In Romans chapter 4, Paul took us back to the story of Abraham to prove that God’s covenant family has always been on the basis of faith. Now Paul is going to take us further back to the story Adam, the very first human God created. How was the power of sin even unleashed upon the earth? Why did God have to create a covenant with humanity when He authored them in the first place? Because covenant is about freely choosing, God has always given humanity a say in whether or not they accept His offer of relationship through faith. This same choice was given to Adam and Eve. When they no longer trusted God to do what He said He would do, they put their faith (their allegiance) in another kingdom. Upon eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, Adam broke covenant with God and would therefore release the reign of sin and death over all of humanity. Humanity’s natural allegiance would now fall under the power of sin. But Paul paints a very profound picture in these verses. The sin of Adam is no match for the grace of God. When we change our identity from sinner to saint through faith in Jesus, Paul is saying that not only does God restore us to our original intent, He actually rebuilds us to a higher position of reigning than that of Adam before the fall. Grace does not simply match our sin one for one. Grace multiplies all the more, it’s more abundant than sin. Do you get that? As you see death and destruction all around you, God’s grace isn’t just an equal force to match it. It’s a force to obliterate it! There is more grace in Him than sin in you and around you.
Because we are not autonomous, everyone either remains unified with “Adamic humanity” (under the power of sin) or comes up under the power of grace to be unified with Christ. We either stay condemned or become justified. These are the two options before every human being: to be in covenant with sin or to be in a covenant family with God through faith in Jesus. One leads to death, the other to life.
Questions
What do you think the average person believes about humanity – that all people are born good, neutral or born sinners? What do these verses show us?
How have you seen the power of God’s grace overshadow the power of sin in your life and the life of your community?