Contrasts and Comparisons                           Romans 5:12-21

A few weeks ago, we looked at a passage from Romans. And as you hear each week, we say how the writings of Paul give us assurance in God and his promise of salvation. The past couple of weeks we examined some Old Testament scripture, but now I want to get back to some of Paul’s writings. Today, again we’re looking at Paul’s letter to the Roman church.

Today’s reading starts with the word “Therefore.” As always we need to ask what it’s “there for.” “Therefore” always points us at what came before, so it benefits us to look back.

Romans explains mankind’s sin and the judgement of God. It explains how whether Jewish or Gentile, all are being judged in the same way. And it expounds on how whether Jewish or Gentile, all have access to the grace of God. And in this first verse, Paul actually gives a synopsis of this; verse 12, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death came to all people, because all have sinned.”

Now some say we all carry Adam’s original sin, but I interpret this a little different. Let me explain. First, we need to be reminded that the root of Adam’s name means mankind. Also, eve wasn’t named until after the fall. So yes Adam is an individual entity, but Paul is using him as a representative of all mankind. As such, Paul is using Adam to point out all mankind’s; man, woman, Jew or Gentile, all humans choose to do things in opposition to God’s instructions. Humanity doesn’t sin because of Adam, Adam sinned because he is human. And this is why Paul can write in all honesty; “all have sinned.”

Paul points out that our physical death is because of this sinful nature of humanity. Men were not created to die, but since Adam, everyone has, with very few exceptions of those who were taken to heaven without experiencing a physical death.

Verse 13, “To be sure sin was in the world before the Law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone where there is no Law.”

I remember in one of my seminary classes on Paul, we discussed this verse for quite a while. At first it seems to say that if you never heard of God’s Law; the Commandments, you were free from judgement. The question I always hear is, “What about people living on an island or in the Amazon who never heard of Jesus, why are they punished? The answer can be found by looking at the next sentence, verse 14, “Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a commandment…”

This doesn’t seem fair. If I don’t know the law, how can I be judged for breaking it?

God has put in each person a conscience. As we mature, each of us has an inner compass pointing out right and wrong. To a mature and usual person, you know killing is wrong, stealing is wrong, breaking your vow to your spouse is wrong. Sin existed before God articulated it on stone tablets. The Law was given to mankind after they boasted they could do whatever God said. Romans 7:7 “I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law.” The spirit of God’s Law is meant to show mankind we cannot do all that God says.

But now we have the Law, we now know the specifics of our sin. I liken this to me driving 90 mph through a neighborhood, past homes and schools. Even if I don’t know the speed limit, I know this was wrong. When I get caught, and the police tell me the speed limit is 30 mph, I now know the specifics of my error, and the severity of my punishment.

Humanity is good at making contrasts; day or night, rich or poor, and Paul is about to make a contrast between man’s sin and God’s grace; verse 15, “But the gift is not like the trespass.” Again, in verse 15, “For if many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many.”

Death came through Adam because we all do as Adam did, we sin against God. But the contrast is because the gift that came through Jesus, we don’t have to do what Jesus did, live a completely sin free life to be its beneficiaries.

Moving on to verse 16, Paul gives us a few contrasts between man’s sin and God’s grace; “the judgement followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespassers and brought justification.”

James 2:10, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” The Law tells us how to live for God, and how to live with each other. This is why breaking one law breaks them all. And why breaking one is cause for condemnation. Knowing all this we can now see the comparisons Paul infuses in this verse; the trespass brings death; the gift brings life. God gave Adam life, and Adam brought death. Jesus suffered death, and he brought life.

Verse 17, “For if by the trespass of one man, death reigned thought that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.” If our nature was exposed by Adam, and it causes our punishment, how joyful and blessed are our lives through faith? Whatever we experience in this life, whatever we endure in this life, it is temporary, it’s the grace of God that is eternal.

Through Christ, our pain and grief are temporary, and our reign in heaven is endless. Paul explains this in verses 18 & 19. “Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man, the many will be made righteous.”

There’s one comparison I skipped over, and I want to go back to it now. Verse 14, “…death reigned from the time of Adam…even over those who did not sin by breaking a commandment, as did Adam, who is a pattern for the one to come.”

Paul says Adam is like the coming one, Adam is like Jesus. How can this be? We can see how by looking at the contrast between these two. Adam is like Jesus in this passage because both represent humanity. Adam represents humanity by bringing sin into the world by exposing all mankind’s nature toward sin. Jesus represents humanity in that anyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness and eternal life that he earned for us.

And last, verse 20; “But the Law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more.” This does not mean God gave the Law so we will sin more, God gave the Law so our awareness of our sin will increase. And as our awareness increases so does our realization that we need to be punished for our sins. But we don’t have to worry. We don’t have to say, “Oh God, thank you for forgiving me, but I just realized I did something else.” The reality is God’s got it covered.

The great hope we have in God is this: God tells us don’t worry as you become more aware of the sins in your life, his grace is more than enough to wipe them away. Know that God loves you. Believe that Jesus blood covers you. Be secure, your faith brings you righteousness.

Amen