Romans 5:12-16 (NKJV) 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.
V12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned…
This one man was Adam. The curse on the universe is because of Adam’s sin for he was the governor of the Earth when he was sinless.
Death did not exist in the Universe until Adam sinned. The cause and reason for death was Adam’s sin.
All people have sinned for we are sinners when conceived (Psalm 51:5 and Ecclesiastes 7:20) and the moment of our first breath (Psalm 58:3).
“Original Sin
All of us were ultimately in Adam when he sinned. So, although we often blame Adam, the life we have was in Adam when he sinned, and the sin nature we received was because we were in Adam when he sinned. We share in the blame and the sin, as well as the punishment.”
Hal Lindsey: “Hal Lindsey, author of the bestseller Late Great Planet Earth, said something a couple of years ago that illustrates this confusion. He wrote, “Why is the virgin birth of Christ so important? Since the sin of the human race is passed down through the father, Jesus had to be born without a human father. Otherwise, he would have been born with the same curse of sin upon him as the rest of mankind. Thus, he would not have qualified to bear the penalty of sin for us. He had to have a human mother to have a true human nature, but as the Scripture clearly states, God Himself was the father of His human nature (“Born of a Virgin”, World Net Daily, 12/27/2002)” (original source: https://www.wnd.com/2002/12/16444/).
V13 …(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
The basics of God’s law were written in the human conscience of which all people have. The proof of the existence of such a law lies in the fact that people die, which is the consequence of sin.
Ezekiel 18:4 NKJV – “Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die.”
There would be no formal standard of sin until the Law came.
V14 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.
Adam’s sin was unique because 1) he was sinless at the time of temptation/enticement to sin and 2) because Adam knew God’s command (Genesis 2:17).
Adam is a type of Christ. A type is (Word Study Dictionary under (G5179): “Figuratively of a person as bearing the form and figure of another, as having a certain resemblance in relations and circumstances.”
Adam was the governor of the Earth under the King—Jesus. Adam’s sin forfeited his governorship.
When Jesus was tested and tempted, He did not yield to sin.
V15 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.
Sin is a wage. This paycheck is death. See Romans 6:23. The gift is free because we don’t do works or rituals to be right with God. We believe in Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins. One sin brought God’s curse (punishment) which has resulted in death, suffering, and evil. God’s grace and His gift of salvation is due to one man, Jesus Christ. One sin brought death. One believing in Jesus alone brought the forgiveness of many sins.
V16 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.
Judgment comes from sin, even one sin, which leads to God’s verdict of guilty (condemnation). The penalty for this verdict is death.
Free gift comes from faith in the Lord Jesus, which results in justification (a judicial decision of not guilty).
The Greek word for justification is (G1345) δικαίωμα δικαιώματος, which means (Thayer): “either the favorable judgment by which he acquits men and declares them acceptable to him.”
Evans, Great Doctrines of the Bible (page 157): “No real righteousness on the part of the person justified is to be asserted, but that person is declared to be righteous and is treated as such. Strictly speaking then, Justification is the judicial act of God whereby those who put faith in Christ are declared righteous in His eyes, and free from guilt and punishment.”
We learn:
- Death and life compared.
- Sin leads to death.
- This is spiritual death.
- Death is separation, not nonexistence.
Questions:
- What have you done about your sin?
- Have you accepted God’s gift of salvation?