Wed

Romans 5:12-21 - The Rescue Of Man

Intro: It is universally agreed that the passage before us is one of the greatest theological sections in the entire bible

A) In these 10 verses Paul summarizes the theology of the preceding chapters about the lostness of man & his rescue through God’s provision

B) The difference being that in the preceding chapters Paul dealt w/ the fruits of sin ( the guilt & outworking in a life )

1) here in ch. 5 he identifies the root by going back to the origin of sin / back to Adam & the fall !

C) He sees in Adam the representative of ruined humanity - and contrast him w/ Christ - the representative of redeemed Humanity !

1) In Adam men are made sinners / all pain crime - garbage in this life traced back to Adam / In Adam men made sinners / In Christ - Saints

D) In Adams family death reigns in Christ’s family Deliverance reigns

1) In looking at Adam God places the emphasis on the offense / in looking at Christ the emphasis is on His obedience !

E) In Christ, God has dealt w/ sin , root the branch, and has devised a means for taking the believer out of Adams family

1) Placing him in the family of God ! Read v.12-21

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned;

13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

14 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.

15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.

16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification.

17 For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

18 Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.

19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.

20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,

21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Now as we look at this passage tonight I want to do so by Contrasting the work of Adam w/ the work of Christ

A) First look at 4 consequences of Adam’s failure in the garden / 2^nd look at the blessings of Christ Rescue !

1^st Because of Adam’s failure sin entered the world! V.12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world,

A) Now this is what the theologians have called Federal Headship

B) This is a term that means Adam represented all of us in the garden of Eden & he actually did better than any of us would have done !

C) See Adam was a perfect man - he didn’t have any of the bad Habits that you and I have . Wasn’t carrying around the baggage that we do !

1) He was our best Representative !

D) Example - Suppose WWIII settled by a B. Ball Game we had to play a basketball game - one on one w/ Russian player

1) We get to send one player to represent us all - who send The Big O / Bill Russell / Wilt the Stilt / or MJ ( Greatest of all time)

E) So off he goes - and he loses - would any of us think we could have done better ! No because he is the best we had to offer

Now Adam was the best that Humanity had to offer and he got beat in the garden of Eden !

A) He represented us & we would have done no better !

B) Maybe you think - I would have done better - here’s a test a challenge / try to go one week w/out sinning

1) Seven days w/out thinking a bad thought / w/out losing temper / w/out saying an unkind word / w/out doing anything wrong !

C) See how well you do ! Find out you truly would have fared worse than Adam !

1) So first thing we see Adam’s failure resulted in Sin entering the world

2^nd thing V.12 also Because of Adams failure Death entered the World

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned;

A) From the minute a person is born they begin not only to live but to die / Every place on body shrinking except nose & ears ( I’m in trouble)

1) stats on death very impressive 10 out of 10

B) God said to Adam if you eat …. You will die !

1) Death was the Result of Adams sin / Spiritual death / Physical death - Adam & Eve eventually died !

C) Some people can deny the existence of God - but they cannot deny the existence of death ! They have to deal w/ that

1) So when encounter someone who says I don’t believe in God - I ask what happens when you die ?

D) They go into some theory that they might have - reincarnation - ( always a king or some important person )

1) But then I ask them well what is your theory based on ? Ok what happens if you are wrong when you die !

E) Most people don’t like to think about death - but must face fact all die

The atheistic French philosopher, Voltaire, declared, 'Christianity win be non-existent 100 years after my death.' But exactly 100 years after his death, the European Bible Society bought his house and turned it into the continents largest printing press for Bibles.

So the fact of the matter is Through Adam sin entered the world & death through sin ( And we are linked to Adam through his sin / our Rep /

A) And Death is the result - Note Wages of sin - singular meaning Adams - is death / Sin not sins

B) Look at the Genealogy found in Gen. 5 w/ the exception of Enoch they all died - Which is the point Paul is making in v. 13 & 14 when he says

13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.)14 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.

C) Paul’s point is this sin was in the world before the Law was given & the proof of that is that men died ! Which was the proof & result of sin

1) In fact Paul says death reigned - no escaping it!

D) What does Paul mean when he says that Adam is a type of Christ ? We will Come back to that in a minute -

1) Let's first look at the next 2 consequences of Abe’s sin !

3^rd Result of Adam sin is Judgment & condemnation entered the World V.16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation,

A) Through Adam’s Sin we are all guilty ! Stand condemned to be judged apart from Christ !

4^th Result of Adam’s failure that Paul mentions is in v19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners,

A) Because of Adam’s failure sin continually enters the World !

So that is what Adam did for us / Now let's contrast that by looking at what Jesus did for us !

A) Begin by going back to Paul’s statement in v. 15 where Paul said Adam was a type of Him who was to come / what mean?

B) What is the link between Adam & Jesus ? The answer is they both through one act affected countless numbers of the human race

1) Adam could also be called an anti-type of Christ because what is true of Adam is only true of Christ in the opposite sense

C) That is what Paul points out by contrast here in this section v.15,16

15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.

1^st Notice that Through Adam’s offense we were left w/ a debt ! In Adam we come up short ! Found wanting / lacking Bankrupt

A) Through Christ obedience we are given a gift ! Sons of God & Joint heirs w/ Jesus Christ !

A) Account goes from being in the red to being in the Black !

V.18 Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.

B) 2^nd note : Adam’s sin resulted in condemnation and death - Through Christ Gift we receive Justification & Life ! Released from blame / guilt

1) Adam’s one transgression brought death - Jesus’ obedience brought

forgiveness to millions

C) 3^rd thing v.17 In Adam death reigned - 17 For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, Phillips Lit. made us slaves to death

D) But in Christ we reign - much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

C) Through Christ we receive complete deliverance ! We reign in that we can now have victory over sin / no longer fear death

D) In Christ we go from being those who were overcome to those who are overcomers !

1) In Christ we go from being Paupers to Princes / from the Prison to the Palace ! Co- heirs who will rule & reign w/ Christ !

4^th thing to note : V.19 through Adam many are made sinners / through Christ many are made righteous !

V.20 is one of the most powerful in the whole bible ! Must not forget

20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,

A) Paul says the Law was given to show us just how bad of sinners we really are / through the law is the knowledge of sin

B) "The Ten Commandments never were given to make men do right. " That is what we sometimes think they were given for.

1) Sunday school teachers - who wanted to do a whole quarter on the 10 commandments / Why? Know what they are

C) Just what the kids need try to live up to the 10 commandments / already been tried once before - didn’t work

1) Lets point them to Jesus !

D) The ten commandments were given to show us how wrong we already are, and when we know what they are sin more

1) Something in us - that makes us want to break law - / Wet Paint

E) My wife / don’t snack before dinner / especially don’t touch the desert

I always want to sample the desert !

F) Hotel in Houston over looking a lake - rooms all had balconies - face the water - sign No fishing allowed

1) Became a terrible problem - fishing line - crashing into rooms below

G) Couldn’t solve the problem - called in an expert - know what he said - take down the no fishing sign ! Problem was gone !

1) That is our sin nature - But where sin abounds / grace more

Paul tells us that the worse we get—the more we fling ourselves into the rebellion, sin, and evil that we know to be wrong—the closer we are to being broken,

A) The closer we get to coming to the end of ourselves and discovering the grace of restoration, cleansing, and forgiveness that is in Jesus Christ.

B) Sam Duncan - Ministry pictures to w/ poems or verses to give to people in his church.

1) Came across a picture of Niagara falls - couldn’t find right thing to match w/ it until heard Ira Sankey sing this Hymn

Have you on the Lord believed? Still there is more to follow Of his grace have you received? Still there's more to follow Oh, the grace the Father shows, Still there s more to follow Freely He His Brace bestows, Still there's more to follow. More and more and more and more, Always more to follow; Oh, His matchless, boundless love, Still there's more to follow

More to follow

21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.