Eternity Daily Bible Study: No. 523 Romans 1-8 - A Righteousness That Is By Faith Verses: Romans 5:12-16 Topic: Adam and Christ - Part 1 Date: 11th October 2005 Romans 5:12-16 HCSB Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all men, because all sinned. (13) In fact, sin was in the world before the law, but sin is not charged to one's account when there is no law. (14) Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam's transgression. He is a prototype of the Coming One. (15) But the gift is not like the trespass. For if by the one man's trespass the many died, how much more have the grace of God and the gift overflowed to the many by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ. (16) And the gift is not like the one man's sin, because from one sin came the judgment, resulting in condemnation, but from many trespasses came the gift, resulting in justification. These verses try to answer the implied question: "How can one man's life affect so many people? How can Jesus' work on the cross save all who believe? The answer is that both sin and salvation can spread to all humanity. Sin came from just one man Adam and spread to all mankind, and salvation came just one man Jesus Christ and also has the potential to spread to all mankind. However salvation wins out in the end because it can undo the work of sin. James puts it this way "mercy triumphs over judgment" James 2:13 Adam is called a type or prototype (Gk. Topos) of Jesus (v.14) which means that there are spiritual correlations between Adam and Jesus such as: 1.Both Adam and Jesus are called sons of God.(Luke 3:38, 1 John 5:5) 2.Both Adam and Jesus were created directly by God and were sinless. 3.Both Adam and Jesus were directly tempted by Satan. 4.Adam's fall was by a "tree" (Genesis 3) while Christ's death and our redemption was by "being hung on a tree" (Galatians 3;10-14) 5.The first man Adam was "of the dust' the last man Jesus was "of Heaven". (1 Corinthians 15;47) 6.Adam was the ancient head of the human race. Jesus became the new head of the human race. (Ephesians 1:22, 1 Corinthians 11:3) 7.Sin came through Adam, righteousness came through Jesus Christ. 8.Death came via Adam, eternal life is a free gift through Jesus Christ. 9.Christians inherited the earthy body from Adam and will inherit a heavenly body from Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:42-49) 10.The first Adam became a living being, the last Adam (Christ) a life-giving spirit. (1 Corinthians 15:45) 1 Corinthians 15:42-49 HCSB (42) So it is with the resurrection of the dead: Sown in corruption, raised in incorruption; (43) sown in dishonor, raised in glory; sown in weakness, raised in power; (44) sown a natural body, raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. (45) So it is written: The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit. (46) However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. (47) The first man was from the earth and made of dust; the second man is from heaven. (48) Like the man made of dust, so are those who are made of dust; like the heavenly man, so are those who are heavenly. (49) And just as we have borne the image of the man made of dust, we will also bear the image of the heavenly man. Thus there are, in a sense, TWO human races, the race that is still in Adam, that is earthy, dusty, in the flesh, under the law of sin and death. And there is a second race, that is in Christ, and this race is spiritual, heavenly, glorious and under the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. We can life either the life of the earthly man - and perish, or choose to live the life of the heavenly man and receive eternal life. 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 HCSB (21) For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. (22) For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. In our verses in Romans Paul contrasts "the gift" and "the trespass" and says there are two major differences: 1.The trespass led to death for the many, whereas the gift leads to eternal life for many. 2.The trespass led to condemnation whereas the gift leads to justification. The gift is seen as having greater power then the trespass. No matter how low the trespass drags humanity, the gift can still lift them out of the mire. No matter how deep the hole a helicopter can pull you out. Even many trespasses cannot defeat the power of God's gift in Christ to bring justification. The gift may take us to minus one hundred, but the gift takes us to plus one trillion. "But from many trespasses came the gift, resulting in justification." Salvation is far more powerful than sin. Because salvation is far more powerful than sin the Christian is safe. God can undo the works of the Devil and redeem us completely. ( 1 John 3:8) The ruin that Adam brought to the world will be triumphed over by the salvation that is in Christ Jesus: Romans 5:15-18 For if by the one man's trespass the many died, how much more have the grace of God and the gift overflowed to the many by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ. ... Since by the one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. So then, as through one trespass there is condemnation for everyone, so also through one righteous act there is life-giving justification for everyone. This is not universalism (the doctrine that will eventually be saved) because the phrase " how much more will those who receive" conditions the whole argument. Those who receive Christ will have all the damage done in Adam undone and will receive blessings far beyond those which Adam forfeited. The Devil cannot damage the ultimate purposes of God for humanity. God can redeem all that Satan has defiled and then bless it abundantly. Adam may have dwelt in a wonderful Eden, but those in Christ will dwell in the New Jerusalem forever. 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