(Read Romans 5:12-15)
I trust you had a great Thanksgiving weekend. I certainly did. I had a wonderful time with my family in Rhode Island and Massachusetts and I am ready to get back to work.
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing.” I have given you portions of Romans 5 throughout the series, but I have not covered the meat of the chapter, so I am led to go back there this morning. We will pick it up at verse 12 and walk through the rest of the chapter this week.
Paul said, “When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did.” What Adam did he did as one man. But what he did as one man was transferred to all men. Because of one man’s sin, sin entered the world and it was transferred to all men, even those who were born prior to the Law of Moses.
Paul goes on to say, “Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. Because of one man’s sin (Adam), sin entered the world and it was transferred to all men.
2. The sin of Adam, which was transferred to all men, even applied to those who were born prior to the Law of Moses, who therefore had no Law to break. Even without ever sinning by breaking one Law, they were still sinners because of Adam. See, we are not sinners because we sin, we actually sin because we are born sinners. We are sinners because we are born that way. The only way out is to be Born-Again.
3. Paul said, “Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come” (Romans 5:14). How is Adam a symbol of Christ? Adam came from God and his actions were transferred to all men. Everyone born in-Adam is born with an inheritance of sin and death. Like Adam, Jesus came from God and His actions can be transferred to all men. Everyone Born-Again in-Jesus is Born-Again with an inheritance of Grace and righteousness.
4. In his first letter to the church in Corinth Paul wrote, “The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit” (1 Corinthians 15:45). The first Adam symbolizes human life, with human effort, which is limited at best. The last Adam (Jesus) symbolizes a Holy Spirit empowered life, with God’s “super” on our “natural,” which is limitless and divinely powerful.
5. Paul tells us that there is “a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift.” Adam’s sin brought death to all men, but Jesus’ sacrificial death brought the offer of eternal life to all men. God gave us His Son Jesus because of His wonderful Grace and in Jesus we receive the gift of righteousness.
6. One man (Adam) sinned for us all and one man (Jesus) was sinless for us all. You were born in Adam without an option, but you can choose to be Born-Again in Christ Jesus. If you do, it will be the best decision you ever make!
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for Your undeserved Grace. You know I was born with the inheritance the first Adam left me. Because of Adam I was born in sin and with a death sentence. But because of Your amazing love and immeasurable Grace You sent Your Son Jesus to willingly take my sin and to die in my place. I was born in-Adam, but I was Born-Again in-Jesus. Now that I am in-Jesus I enjoy an abundance of Grace and the gift of righteousness. One man, Adam, sinned and he transferred sin to all mankind. But one man, Jesus, was sinless and He offered forgiveness to all mankind. I heard the gospel message, I responded to it, I accepted Jesus as Lord, I was Born-Again, and I am now Your child by Your Grace. Thank You Father for loving me, even when I did nothing to deserve it. Thank You for sending Jesus to die for me, even though I could never earn what He gave me. I am a recipient of Grace, therefore I shall be a conduit of Grace. I have been forgiven, therefore I shall be quick to forgive others. You loved me in spite of my flaws, therefore I shall love others in spite of their flaws. You continue to love me, even though I fail more times than I want to acknowledge. Therefore I shall continue to love others with Your unconditional love. Grace and love have come TO me, and by faith I declare that they shall flow THROUGH me all the days of my life. I enter this day ready to be an example of Your love and an extender of Your Grace everywhere I go. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
