Romans 5:12-21
Notes
Transcript
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.
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. 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.
Desire for assurance
Paul’s goal is to assure the Christians in Rome of their new identity in Jesus
What we were is completely gone, and what we are is infinitely better.
What we were
We were in sin
The fall, Gen 3
Sin affects everyone
Hitler came to power because he won an election. Even if you aren’t as evil as Hitler you can’t truthfully say that you are totally free from evil
“The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being.” -Alexander Solzhenitsyn
We were condemned
Justly declared guilty
Justice requires judgment
Q: Why is God’s justice a necessary part of his character?
God’s condemning of sin doesn’t mean. he’s bad, it means we’re bad
We were dead
Death proves that we are all in sin
What we are
We are justified
We are righteous
A debt at the bank forgiven, plus added to. Now we have a positive balance
Not just not guilty, but righteous
We are alive
Our physical death is not a full spiritual death
Death is powerless
Death is a way into life
How do we get this?
“Free gift” 5x in 3 verses (15-17)
It’s God’s free gift to us
We don’t need to work for it
It’s a gift; undeserved. We deserve condemnation
How to respond: receive the gift