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LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

DEATH IN ADAM/LIFE IN CHRIST: AN EXEGETIC EXAMINATION OF ROMANS 5:12-17

A PAPER SUBMITTED TODR. CHET RHODEN

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTSFOR THE COURSE

GREEK LANGUAGE TOOLSNGRK 506

BYROBERT C. STILWELL, JR.

BETHALTO, ILMARCH 15, 2011

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Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Contextual Considerations 1

The Occasion and Date of the Book of Romans 1 Paradigms for Reading

the Book of Romans 3

Immediate Context of Romans 5:12-17 4

Commentary 5

Exegetic Analysis 5

Romans 5:12 5

Romans 5:13 7

Romans 5:14 8

Romans 5:15 9

Romans 5:16 11

Romans 5:17 12

Theological Significance 13

Contemporary Applications 13

Ecclesiastical Application 13

Personal Application 14

Conclusion 15

Appendix A: Sermon Outline 16

Appendix B: Block Diagram 18

Bibliography 20

Certification Sheet 21

Introduction

The thoughts of most Christians turn immediately to the idea of original sin when

Romans 5 is mentioned. This is rightly so, as Romans 5:12-21 provides the most important

information in Scripture on understanding the nature and profound effects of Adam’s sin upon

the human race. However, sin is not the focus of this passage; but rather, the primary concepts

addressed here are righteousness and life.1 Paul contrasts the first man, Adam, who brought

death into the world through sin, to Jesus Christ, “the last Adam” (1 Cor. 15:45), who has

overcome the results of Adam’s sin through righteous obedience on the cross, bringing eternal

life in place of death. This exegetical examination of Romans 5:12-17 asserts that, as the head of

humanity, i.e., the first human, Adam’s sin was passed down to all of mankind through a sinful

nature and only by God’s gift of grace through the only sinless human, Christ Jesus, could the

eternal condemnation of sin be overturned and everlasting life offered in its stead.

Contextual Considerations

The Occasion and Date of the Book of Romans

There is little doubt among serious scholars that Paul the Apostle wrote the book of

Romans. Those critics who have disputed Pauline authorship of the epistle largely base their

argument on the last chapter. They believe that it is highly unlikely that Paul would have known

as many people as he mentioned in Rome because he had not yet been to the city. This argument

fails to recognize the nature of Paul’s life in the era. Paul spent much of his time ministering in

the major cities of the world. Undoubtedly, he had met many people who had visited or lived in

Rome. Paul worked with Aquila and Priscilla just after they had left Rome. There is no doubt

that contacts would have been made between Paul and Roman Christians during this time.

1 Douglas J. Moo, Encountering the Book of Romans: A Theological Survey (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002), 103

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Actually, the long list of names in the final chapter may strengthen the argument that Paul is

indeed the author. An imposter would not likely have mentioned so many people who could

have exposed its lack of authenticity.2

Paul wrote this letter to the Roman church from Corinth as indicated by the references

to Cenchrea, which was Corinth’s port, Phoebe, Gaius and Erastus, all of whom were associated

with Corinth. Paul wrote this letter toward the close of his third missionary journey, as he was

preparing to leave for Palestine with an offering for the poor believers in the Jerusalem church.

Most scholars agree that this was between 55 and 58 A. D.

It is safe to assume that the church in Rome was not founded by an apostle. Paul,

himself, mentions that he had not yet been to Rome, and there is no credible evidence that Peter

had been their either.3 It is highly probable the church in Rome had its beginnings with some

who were converted on the day of Pentecost. Tradition holds that the church in Rome had

Jewish roots, probably in the synagogues, and spread to the God-fearing Gentiles there. After all

Jews were banished from Rome in 49 A.D., the Gentile segment of the church grew and took on

the leadership roles, apart from Jewish influence. When the Jews were allowed to return in the

early 50’s A. D., they returned to a church which held little regard for the Jewish customs and

traditions, particularly adherence to the Law of Moses, which Judaizers believed was required

for salvation.

This mixed congregation is the foundation of the strife within the church which

prompted Paul to write his letter to the church in Rome. Paul sought to resolve the conflicts

between Jewish and Gentile Christians. He also wrote to unify the church so that they would

2 Elmer L. Towns, A Journey Through the New Testament (Mason, OH: Thomson Custom Publishing, 2004), 287-2883

Thomas R. Scheiner, Romans, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, no. 6 (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1998), 10-11

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function as one body, perhaps as a base for his intended missions to the west. However, Paul’s

ultimate goal was to bring glory, honor, and praise to God through Christ Jesus by clarifying the

gospel message of salvation by grace alone, once and for all.

Paradigms for Reading the Book of Romans

When reading Paul’s letter to the Romans, there are two predominant models of

approach. The Reformation paradigm suggests that Paul was writing about the manner by which

the individual can become right with God. Specifically, Romans is about justification by faith

rather than by works. This view was promoted by Martin Luther who, based on his experiences

as a Roman Catholic monk, realized that he could never do enough good works to make himself

righteous in the eyes of God. He came to the understanding that righteousness is a gift from

God, not something that man can earn through his own efforts. Two fundamental points form

the foundation of this approach to interpreting Romans: 1) Romans focuses on the individual;

and 2) Romans stresses justification by faith in order to address the Judaizers’ teaching of

justification by works.4

As has been the case with much biblical criticism in the last half of the twentieth

century, some scholars began to question the accepted interpretation of Romans. The first

question centered on whether the book does indeed focus on individual justification. These

scholars proposed that Romans is about “how Gentiles can be added into God’s people without

disenfranchising God’s ‘original’ people, the Jews.”5

Naturally, the second question raised doubts about justification by faith alone,

suggesting that this view was simply Luther’s response to the Roman Catholic position of

4 Moo, Encountering the Book of Romans, 235

Krister Stendahl, “Paul and the Introspective Conscience of the West,” Harvard Theological Review 56 (1963), 199-215

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justification by works. Critics further implied that Luther saw himself in the role of Paul with

the Catholic Church in the place of the legalistic Judaizers.

Other critics have focused on the Jewish covenant factor, claiming that the Jews were

not as legalistic as presumed. This paradigm is known as the New Perspective. The proposition

is that the Jews believed that salvation was for the Jewish people alone through their covenant

with God and that Gentiles were excluded from salvation because they were not included in this

covenant. Keeping the law was a major part of the covenant and considered a requirement for

salvation. Of course, when Christ came and offered salvation to both Jew and Gentile, a new

covenant, then the law was rendered obsolete as a requirement for salvation. Therefore,

justification was no longer intertwined with the Jewish covenant and the law, but was freely

accessible to all of mankind.6 The focus of the New Perspective is on the people of God as a

whole rather than the individual.

Douglas Moo offers a modified Reformation approach to understanding Romans. He

asserts that the book is not solely about the issue of God’s chosen people, or is it only about the

individual. Rather, Moo touts a combination of the two and places the focus on the gospel and

its transforming effect on the individual as well as the new, united people of God, Christ-

followers, both Jew and Gentile.7 This position seems to be the most plausible, as it strikes a

balance between the individual and God’s elect. Saving grace is indeed a gift from God and each

individual who accepts this gift becomes a member of God’s family, His chosen people.

Immediate Context of Romans 5:12-17

6 Moo, Encountering the Book of Romans, 257

Ibid., 28

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Justification by faith is God’s answer to the most basic of all religious questions: How

can a man or woman become right with God?8 Due to mankind’s sinful nature, passed down

from Adam’s original sin, as Paul points out, every human being is born in rebellion towards

God. Therefore, man cannot become right with God by his own actions. By His mercy and

grace, God has provided the only way of reconciliation, that being the work of His Son, Christ

Jesus, who paid the penalty for man’s disobedience by bearing the weight of God’s wrath and

judgment against sin on the cross. In doing so, Christ bore the sins of all mankind and His

perfect righteousness was credited to the spiritual account of those who believe in Him. The

apostle Paul expounds this doctrine of justification by faith throughout his epistle to the Romans,

particularly in Romans 3:21-5:21. He argues that God has graciously provided a righteousness

that comes from Him, solely on the basis of faith. Therefore, Romans 5:12-17 can be viewed has

the final point in Paul’s argument for justification by faith in Christ alone. Following chapters

discuss the practical ramifications of salvation in those who have been justified by grace, i.e.,

sanctification (6:1-8:39).

Commentary

Exegetic Analysis

Romans 5:12

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—“9

Having completed his description of how God has provided His righteousness to

humanity through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, by faith alone, Paul begins to present the

contrasting parallelism between the work of Adam and the work of Jesus Christ.10 These two

8 James Montgomery Boice, Foundations of the Christian Faith, rev. ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1986), 4169

All Scripture quoted from the NASB unless noted otherwise.

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figures embody the fundamental theological premise of Paul’s epistle to the Roman church:

Adam characterizes the sinful state of all humanity (1:18–3:20), while Jesus exemplifies

justification by faith (3:21–5:11).11 Paul’s use of “Therefore” logically connects this passage

with the arguments developed earlier in the epistle concerning condemnation (1:18-3:20) and

justification (3:21-5:11). “…sin entered into the world,” (ἡ ἁμαρτια εἰς τον κοσμον

εἰσηλθεν [hē hamartia eis ton kosmon eisēlthen]). This phrase personifies sin and speaks of it

as alien to the world of humanity before Adam’s disobedience. “…and death through sin,”

affirms God’s warning to Adam concerning the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in Gen.

2:17, “…for on the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” Although Adam and Eve did

not suffer physical death for many years, they died spiritually at the very moment they disobeyed

God. Spiritual death is a separation from God. At that point in history God and humans turned

in different directions. Humans pursued the path of pride and selfishness. God pursued the path

of redemptive love.12 The first part of the final phrase of this verse reads, “…and so death

spread to all men,” which the NIV translates as “…death came to all men.” The Greek word

διῆλθεν (dielthen), translated as “spread” or “came,” “has a distributive sense, emphasizing the

universal sway of death.”13 The subtle differences between these two translations present very

little difficulty in interpreting this verse, unlike its final phrase. “…because all sinned.” (ἐφʼ ᾡ

παντες ἡμαρτον [eph’ hōi pantes hēmarton]). Paul claims that the reason why death affects

all of humanity is because all sinned. Here Adam is looked upon as the head of the human race,

10 John A. Witmer, “Romans,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983), 458

11 Robert H. Mounce, Romans, The New American Commentary, no. 27 (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2001), 13911

12 Ibid., 14112

13 Schreiner, Romans, 273.

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and that when he sinned, all of humanity sinned in him. Adam’s initial disobedience constituted

him a sinner in which all human beings participated, and which brings death upon all. In other

words, we are sinners, not necessarily because we have committed acts of sin, but because

Adam, the head of the human race, sinned.14 The transmission of sin from Adam became evident

in life experience. The general point is plain that the effects of Adam’s sin are indeed

transmitted to his descendants, though Paul does not say whether by the natural or the federal

headship of Adam, which is at the heart of the ongoing debate. Because Adam was the first

created person, his sin has consequences for all who are to be born into the human race. Through

Adam the dread disease of sin spread to everyone. The historical debates have been over exactly

how this came about. The literature on this passage is extensive, and the topic requires more

than can be offered here.

Romans 5:13

“…for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.”

Just as Paul begins his comparison between the effects of Adam’s sin and the effects of

the redemptive work of Christ in v. 12, he abruptly pauses at v. 13 to address the relationship

between sin and the Law, resuming the comparison again in v. 15. Verse 13 focuses on the

relationship between sin and the Law. “…until the Law,” (ἀχρι νομου [achri nomou]) is

clearly a reference to the Mosaic Law (cf. Rom. 5:14). In this passage, Paul clarifies the

connection between death and sin and reminds his readers that sin preceded the Law: Sin was

not a result of the Law. Sin and its resulting death existed before there was the Law to delineate

what constituted sin or the demands for its punishment.15 “…sin is not imputed” (ἁμαρτια δε

14 Kenneth S. Wuest, Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament, Logos Research Systems ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1997), page number unavailable

15 Grant R. Osborne, Romans, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series, no. 6 (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004), 139

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οὐκ ἐλλογειται [hamartia de ouk ellogeitai]). The present passive indicative of the verb

ἐλλογαω [ellogaō] (-εω [-eō]) from ἐν [en] and λογος [logos] means “to put down in the

ledger to one’s account.”16 “…when there is no law,” (μη ὀντος νομου [mē ontos nomou]) is

defined as a genitive absolute, meaning no law of any kind. However, there was law before the

Mosaic Law. Adam, Abraham, Enoch, and Noah, among many others new the unwritten law of

obedience to God, the law of conscience and reason. Sin entered the world, as death did, not by

imitation of Adam’s sin but imputation, for all men are reckoned dead in Adam, being accounted

sinners in him. In the same manner, Christ's righteousness comes upon us, by imputation. Prior

to the giving of the law through Moses, sin was in the world (v. 13). But technically it was not

charged to our account as sin because there was no law to define it. A law cannot break that

does not exist (cf. Rom. 4:15). Nevertheless, death, the consequence of sin, was in effect from

Adam until Moses, even for those who did not break a specific command like Adam’s.17 Since

the Law did not exist before Moses, sin was not entered into the accounts of individuals. This

does not to mean there were no sinful acts of disobedience toward God.18 This idea fuels the

debate among scholars as to the basis by which humanity was judged before the Law.

Romans 5:14

“Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.”

“…death reigned from Adam until Moses,” This fact proves that sin did indeed exist

before the Mosaic Law. “…even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense

of Adam,” (και ἐπι τους μη ἁμαρτησαντας ἐπι τῳ ὁμοιωματι της παραβασεως Ἀδαμ [kai epi tous

16 A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997), page number unavailable17

Mounce, Romans, 14218

Ibid.

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mē hamartēsantas epi tōi homoiōmati tēs parabaseōs Adam]). Adam violated a specific

command of God and Moses gave the law of God clearly. And yet sin and death followed all

from Adam on till Moses, showing clearly that the sin of Adam brought terrible consequences

upon the race, even upon infants and those with mental disabilities who could never have been

held accountable for their own actions. “…Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.” It

is important to note that Adam is the only Old Testament character who is explicitly called a

‘type’ of Christ in the New Testament. Christ is the head of all believers as Adam is the head of

the race. In this sense Adam “is a pattern of him that was to come” (NIV). There is

appropriateness in this, even if the typological relation between them involves as much contrast

as resemblance; in Paul’s thought Christ replaces the first man as the archetype and

representative of a new humanity.19

Romans 5:15

“But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.”

The details of the first contrasting parallelism between Adam and Christ, which Paul

had begun in v. 12, are provided in vv. 15-17. Paul makes clear the contrastive nature of the

parallelism by stating, “But the free gift, (χαρισμα [charisma] of grace χαρις [charis]), that is,

“grace-gift” is not like the transgression,” (παραπτωμα [paraptoma]). What Christ selflessly

offers contrasts with Adam’s selfishly act. The NIV translates charisma simply as “gift” while

the NLT translates this same word as “gracious gift.” These interpretive variations represent the

different methods used in translating this concept. Perschbacher defines χαρισμα (charisma) as

“a free favor, a free gift.”20 Since, by definition, it is free, the NASB translators added the term 19 F. F. Bruce, Romans: An Introduction and Commentary, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, no. 6

(Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 13420 Wesley J. Perschbacher, The New Analytical Greek Lexicon (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1990), 437

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“free” to help convey the point; the NLT, known for its dynamic equivalent philosophy, follows

suit. However, the NIV renders the word simply as “gift.” Either approach is acceptable

because the English term “gift” connotes the idea that it is freely offered. It should also be noted

that Paul begins using the Greek term αραπτώματι (paraptomati), defined as “trespass, fault,

offense, transgression,” rather than the term ἁμαρτίας (hamartia), translated as “sin.”21 The NIV

translates this term as “trespass” while the NLT prefers “sin,” although hamartia is not used here

in the Greek text. This manner of translating ideas rather than the actual words of the original

text is a slippery slope, although, in this instance, there is conceptually no difference in meaning.

“…the transgression of the one” brought physical death to “the many,” i.e., the entire

human race to date with two exceptions—Enoch and Elijah. By contrast, “…much more did the

grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.” If

this latter “many” is identical with the “many” who died, which is possible, but not necessitated

by the text, and therefore constitutes the entire human race, then “the grace of God and the gift”

abound in the sense of reaching out to and being available to all people, but not necessarily being

appropriated by all.22 It is important to note that Paul does not say that the whole race receives

the full benefit of Christ’s atoning death, but only “many.” John Calvin notes, “the grace of

Christ belongs to a greater number than the condemnation contracted by the first man.” He

reasoned, “…if Adam’s fall had the effect of producing the ruin of many, the grace of God is

much more efficacious in benefiting many, since admittedly Christ is much more powerful to

save than Adam was to ruin.”23 The gift of grace far surpasses the sin. It is not necessary to

21 Ibid., 17, 310

22 Witmer, “Romans,” 459

23 John Calvin, The Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Romans and to the Thessalonians, English translation from 1st Latin edition (Edinburgh, UK, 1961), 114f.

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Paul’s argument to make “the many” in each case correspond exactly, one relates to Adam, the

other to Christ.24

Romans 5:16

“The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification.”

“The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned,” presents a second,

yet different kind of contrasting parallelism. The noun paralleling “the gift” is absent from the

text. Some have suggested “the judgment,” which follows, and others propose “transgression,”

or “condemnation.” Rather than read into the original text what is not there, it seems best to

leave it indefinite, as did Paul. The NASB prefers to do so and employs the phrase “that which

came.” However, the NIV and NLT appear to find a reasonable solution and translate this

“missing” contrasting point of comparison as “the result of…one man’s sin.”

“…the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation,” Judgment

and condemnation were the results of Adam’s disobedience and death was the only possible

outcome of the sin that entered the human race.25 The Greek term κρίμα (krima), translated as

“judgment,” connotes the idea of a “judicial sentence.”26 This legal action by the Righteous

Judge could result only in a verdict of guilty and a death sentence of all of humanity. “…on the

other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification.” By

contrast, “the free gift” resulted in “justification,” δικαίωμα (dikaioma), “an instance of perfect

righteousness.”27 God’s gift of grace in the atoning death of Christ on the cross, that one

24 Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, page number unavailable

25 Mounce, Romans, 144

26 Perschbacher, The New Analytical Greek Lexicon, 24827 Ibid., 103

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“instance of perfect righteousness,” was then imputed to the account of all Christ-followers.

Jesus’ righteousness became the believers’ righteousness. This gift of grace did not simply

reverse the condemnation of Adam’s sin, but rather, its scope was far broader and restored

believing humanity’s relationship with God beyond this world and into eternity.

Romans 5:17

“For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”

This third contrasting parallelism combines the two preceding ones (cf. vv. 15-16) and

involves both a difference in degree, “much more” (cf. v. 15), and a difference in kind, “death”

and “life” (cf. v. 16). “For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one,”

The first-class condition in the first part of the verse assumes the statement to be true, “…if

(since)…death reigned through the one.”28 This fact is confirmed by verses 12 and 14. “…

much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will

reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” Just as death reigns over all humanity, recipients

of God’s grace, believers in Christ, reign in life. In the first case people are dying victims under

a ruthless ruler, but in the other, they themselves become the rulers of the kingdom of life (cf.

Rev. 1:6). The fact that it is “those who receive” God’s grace and gift emphasizes that the

atonement made for all in Christ’s sacrificial death and offered to all by God must be

appropriated by faith to become effective.29

Theological Significance

28 Witmer, “Romans,” 45929 Ibid.

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Romans 5:12-17 is one of the most significant passages in Scripture, replete with

profound theological truths. Despite the questions the passage raises, such as the nature of

imputed sin, the primary message, that of salvation by faith in Christ Jesus, is quite clear.

Sin entered the world through Adam’s disobedience, and all descending from him have

been and will be sinners. Spiritual death, as God had clearly warned (Gen. 2:16–17), ruled over

humankind. Although no one was charged with “sin,” in the technical sense of a violation of

divine law, until the Law was given, all were spiritually dead. Thus death reigned, bringing all

humankind under necessary condemnation.

Then God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world, bringing a gift of grace. Unlike

Adam, that which flows from Jesus is not death, but life. Humanity’s relationship with Adam

meant disobedience and death, but humankind’s relationship with Jesus means righteousness and

eternal life. For just as sin is associated with and expresses spiritual death, so righteousness is

associated with and expresses spiritual life. Through Jesus, we come to life again and our new

life will be marked by the reign of righteousness.30

Contemporary Applications

Ecclesiastical Application

Paul’s message of death through sin and life through Christ is the overarching message

of the entirety of Scripture. It is imperative to the church to teach the fundamental truths

presented in Romans 5:12-17. All too often, particularly in the “seeker-friendly” churches of

today, the hard truths of total depravity and condemnation to eternal death are ignored in favor of

a “happy, feel-good” message that leaves everyone with a warm and fuzzy feeling. God’s Word

is not to be dissected or taken out of context in search of passages that do not offend unbelievers

30

Larry Richards and Lawrence O. Richards, The Teacher's Commentary (Wheaton, IL.: Victor Books, 1987), 815

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or lead believers to serious self-examination. The entirety of God’s revelation to humanity must

be preached, without exception! Only by hearing the truths of God will the spiritually dead

recognize their lost state and come to Christ. It appears that we are well into the time of which

Paul warned Timothy: “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince,

rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not

endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they

will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be

turned aside to fables” (2 Tim. 4:2-4, NKJV). All preachers and teachers of the Word must heed

Paul’s exhortation, “Preach the word! Convince, rebuke, exhort.”

Personal Application

Just as important as it is for the church to speak the hard truths of Scripture, it is equally

crucial for the individual believer to do so. It is not enough to sit back and say, “I witness by my

lifestyle.” People are naturally curious as to what causes the changes in attitude and behavior of

a born-again Christ-follower. However, it seems that only those that have been recently saved

are so on fire for Christ that they cannot keep Him to themselves. More spiritually mature

believers must remember from where they came—the exact same lost, sinful state of the

unbelievers around them. Believers must ask themselves if they would ever have come to Christ

had someone not explained their fallen and condemned status and shared the gospel of salvation

through Christ with them. Believers are to be molded into the image of Christ and He did not

hesitate to tell people the truth, the whole truth, concerning their need for reconciliation with

God. A great way to do this is by sharing this passage and explaining that all of humanity shares

Adam as a common ancestor by heredity and birth and Christ as a common Savior by faith and

rebirth.

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Conclusion

In a series of contrasts between Adam and Christ, Paul points to the act of Christ on the

cross as the cost of humanity’s salvation. Adam’s responsibility for bringing sin into the world

serves as the dark background against which the wonder of God’s gift of grace in Jesus Christ is

presented. Paul employed these contrasts to illustrate the superiority of God’s grace over the sin

and condemnation of man, as signified by the expression, “much more” (vv. 15, 17; cf. v. 20).

The principal evidence of the superiority of God’s grace is that the obedient death of Christ on

the cross “leads to acquittal and life for all men” (v. 18, RSV).31 Of course, this is true only if the

sacrifice of Christ is embraced with personal faith in Him.

Theologians delight in this passage and debate just how “death came to all men”

through Adam’s sin. But Paul’s point is logical and practical. Humanity’s racial heritage from

Adam is one of sin and death and alienation from God. But now, to those who believe in

Christ’s sacrificial substitutionary death on the cross, they belong to Him, the founder of a new

race, and His legacy is righteousness and life. Paul reiterates this truth in Rom. 6:23, “For the

wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

31 Franklin H. Paschall and Herschel H. Hobbs, The Teacher's Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 1972), 713

Appendix A: Sermon Outline

I. Romans 5:12

  A. “By one man sin entered...” it is referring to Adam and his sin.

1. When Adam sinned it caused the sin nature to be passed to on to all of his

children.

II. Romans 5:13-14

A. (v. 13) Sin was not imputed as a direct violation of the law because the law was not

yet given.

B. (v. 14) “Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses,” (even in the time that no

law was given, death still reigned because of sin.)

1. All have sinned whether they had the law or not.

III. Romans 5:15

A. Both Adam and the Lord Jesus Christ gave us a legacy.

1. One was the gift of death, (through Adam) and the other was the gift of

eternal life, (through Jesus).

                         2. “Much more…" refers to what we have in Christ.

                                           a. It means that we now have more than what we had before Adam

ever sinned.

                                           b. Now we have a better covenant than that of Old (according to

Hebrews 8:6).

                                           c. Believers are now the Sons and Daughters of God. Never in history

did that ever happen before the cross.

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                                         d. The work of Jesus on that cross was much greater than the work of

the Devil in the garden.

IV. Romans 5:16-17

              A. (v. 17) literally says, “Much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of

the gift of righteousness in life shall reign as kings through the One, Jesus.”

                    1. This whole verse is talking about this life that we’re now living.

V. Romans 5:18-21

  1. Praise God that Grace did much more abound that we might be made

righteous unto eternal life through the Lord Jesus Christ.

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Appendix B: Block Diagram5:12 Therefore

just as through one man sin entered into the world,

and death through sin,

and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—

5:13 for sin was in the world

until the Law, but

sin is not imputed when there is no law.

5:14 Nevertheless

death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those

who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam,

who is a type of Him

who was to come. 5:15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did

the grace of God and the gift

by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.

5:16 The gift is not like that

which came through the one who sinned;

for on the one hand the judgment arose

from one transgression

19

resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand

the free gift arose from many transgressions

resulting in justification. 5:17 For if death reigned through the one

by the transgression of the one, much more

those will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ

who receive the abundance of grace

and of the gift of righteousness.32

32 All Scripture quoted from the NASB unless otherwise noted.

20

Bibliography

Boice, James Montgomery. Foundations of the Christian Faith. rev. ed. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1986.

Bruce, F. F. Romans: An Introduction and Commentary. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, no. 6. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985.

Calvin, John. The Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Romans and to the Thessalonians. English translation from 1st Latin edition. Edinburgh, UK: Unknown, 1961.

Moo, Douglas J. Encountering the Book of Romans: A Theological Survey. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002.

Mounce, Robert H. Romans The New American Commentary. Vol. 27. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2001.

Osborne, Grant R. Romans. The IVP New Testament Commentary Series, no. 6. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004.

Paschall, Franklin H., and Herschel H. Hobbs. The Teacher's Bible Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 1972.

Richards, Larry, and Lawrence O. Richards. The Teacher's Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1987.

Robertson, A.T. Word Pictures in the New Testament. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997.

Schreiner, Thomas R. Romans. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament no. 6. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1998.

Stendahl, Krister. "Paul and the Introspective Conscience of the West." Harvard Theological Review 56 (1963): 199-215.

Towns, Elmer L. A Journey Through the New Testament. Mason, OH: Thomson Custom Publishing, 2004.

Witmer, John A. "Romans." Vol. 2, in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, 433-503. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983.

Wuest, Kenneth S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1997.

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