(Romans 5:12-21)
One act of one man brought sin and its penalty of death upon the human race. On the other hand, the obedience of one man counteracted this deed and made righteousness and eternal life available for humankind. Adam headed the old humanity characterized by sin and death. Jesus Christ heads a new humanity characterized by righteousness and life. We come under the consequences of Adam’s deed by natural descent. We come under Christ’s obedience by faith (1 Cor. 15:22; 2 Cor. 5:14).
The expression just as is a key to understanding (v. 12-21). Apostle Paul shows several parallels between the way Adam affected us and the way Christ affected us. The phrase because all sinned probably means that “all sinned” in Adam-that is, when one man sinned, God thought of all who would descend from Adam as having sinned, also since Adam was our representative (v. 19; 1 Cor. 15:22).
Paul enforced and proved his assertion of verse 12 by pointing out the fact that people died even during the time preceding the giving of the law (the written law of the Ten Commandment, Ex. 20). His argument is that they died because all of humanity was counted guilty because of Adam’s sin and thus suffered its penalty, not because they deliberately transgressed the law (which was not yet in existence). Apostle Paul states that they sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, that is, they had not sinned by disobeying a specific verbal command of God. A type is a living prediction or pattern or model of one who was to come later.
Apostle Paul refers to Adam as “a type” (v.14) of Christ and draws an analogy between Adam and Christ. They are similar in the fact that their deeds have affected many people. However, their differences are more pronounced, and he gives a threefold contrast. First, Adam’s act was an offense, a deliberate going astray; Christ’s deed was one of grace (v.15). Second, Adam’s sin resulted in condemnation and death, whereas Christ’s deed of grace brought justification and life (vv. 16, 17).
Third, Adam is characterized by disobedience, while Christ is characterized by obedience (vv. 18, 19). We are in Adam by birth, but we are in Christ by faith. In Adam by birth we are condemned and die, but because of Christ’s redemptive work we can be justified and live if we are in Him by faith.
We were all born into Adam’s physical family – the family line that leads to certain death. All of us have reaped the results of Adam’s sin. We have inherited his guilt, a sinful nature (the tendency to sin), and God’s punishment. Because of Jesus, however, we can trade judgment for forgiveness. We can trade our sin for Jesus’ righteousness. Christ offers us the opportunity to be born into his spiritual family – the family line that begins with forgiveness and leads to eternal life. If we do nothing, we have death through Adam; but if we come to God by faith, we have life through Christ. Which family line do you now belong to? (Romans 5:15-19).
There will always be people who say that Jesus didn’t rise from the dead. Apostle Paul assures us that many people saw Jesus after His resurrection: Peter; the disciples (the Twelve); more than 500 Christian believers (most of whom were still alive when Paul wrote this, although some had died); James (Jesus’ brother); all the Apostles; and finally Apostle Paul himself. The Resurrection is a historical fact. Don’t be discouraged by doubters who deny the Resurrection. Be filled with hope because of the knowledge that one day you, and they, will see the living proof when Christ returns. (For more evidences on the Resurrection, see the chart in Mark 16.) (1 Cor. 15: 5-8).
Apostle Paul says that because of the Resurrection, nothing we do is in vain. Sometimes we hesitate to do good because we don’t see any results. But if we can maintain a heavenly perspective, we will understand that we often will not see the good that results from our efforts. If we truly believe that Christ has won the ultimate victory, that fact must affect the way we live right now. Don’t let discouragement over an apparent lack of results keep you from working. Do the good that you have opportunity to do, knowing that your work will have eternal result (1 Cor. 15: 58).