Thoughts on Romans 5:12-21

“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come."

Our biggest problem is not that we all sin ourselves but that we are of Adam. So even where the law was not yet given humanity still had this problem.

The main point of this passage is that Adam was a type of Jesus. The verses above contain the similarities between Adam and Jesus, while the following verses contain the distinctions between the two.

Paul does this in order to provide a deeper understanding of justification by faith in Jesus, because understanding becomes greater when something is compared to another (similar but different) thing.

"But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous."

These next verses develop what was above noted, that the main problem of humanity is not our specific personal transgressions of law but our connection to Adam. However, God gave the law to show the extent and magnitude of our sinfulness, the effect of Adam's sin. This ultimately increases the greatness of his grace toward us in bestowing the gift of Christ’s righteousness.

In other words, our inability to personally follow God’s law is not our PRIMARY problem. Our connection to and implication in Adam’s sin is our PRIMARY problem. This makes the problem universal, not specific to any one people group (i.e., the Jews) and also, by Paul’s comparison, the solution is shown to be universal too. Jesus is the universal Savior of all people whose ultimate problem is being a part of Adam’s condemned race. He is the only source of justification, righteousness, LIFE. For all people, in all places, at all times.

Wow. Our Savior is matchless in his glory.

“Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:12-21 ESV