The Action of One

Introduction

We have all been involved in, or seen, where the whole was punished because of the fault of one.

This is seen in sports, and in military basic training.

One person messes up and everyone is punished as if they messed up.

We may think as a certain little girl did of her teacher when this happens.

This little girl did love her school and her teacher, there was just one thing that she did not like, her collective punishment.

As a matter of fact her dad was asking her about school and her teacher and how she liked it. Where the little girl responded that her teacher was a war criminal.

She said, “not use collective punishment as it is not fair to the many people who did nothing and under the 1949 Geneva Conventions it is a war crime. My teacher is a war criminal because she punishes us all because one messed up.”

A war criminal is pretty harsh to say of a teacher.

It is but one may say the same about God as we come to this passage today.

In Romans 5:12-21 we see that because of one man all are under the penalty of sin: DEATH.

“Sin came into existence through one man, Adam. There was a not-so-great bonus that came with sin: death. When sin entered the world, so did death.” (Steven Runge)

Because one sinned we all die now. Death entered because of sin. It is a natural consequence of sin. Now, death spreads to all because “the wages of sin are death” (Romans 6:23).

We all die now because “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23).

There is the one who brought sin and now death by sin into the world by his disobedience, and there is THE ONE who offers life eternal with God because of His obedience.

First let us look into

THE RUIN BROUGHT BY ONE

In verses 12-14 we see where sin and death entered the world.

This is the first sin of Adam. His first sin of disobedience in the Garden of Eden.

This sin brought death upon all. (Death is from Sin).

Death is more than the end of physical existence.

Yes, physical existence is death as Genesis 2:17 states, in the day you eat of the fruit you shall surely die.

When Adam disobeyed and ate, sin entered and death with it.

This death is more than physical existence ending.

It is seen in the difficulty of working the ground for food and survival (Genesis 3:17-19). Remember man had dominion over the creation and this meant that his tending the garden and all aspects was not a difficult task as it became after sin entered.

The joy of childbearing is now mingled with agony (Genesis 3:16a).

Intimacy between the man and woman became a bitter struggle of their wills to dominate the other (Genesis 3:16b).

The final aspect of death is the physical death that all humanity now has to face. But in this death there is another death that is far worse, that of eternal separation from the creator God.

This is the ultimate of what Adam did by disobeying God.

He made the way for humanity to be separated from God for eternity.

He brought sin in and through this sin nature we all have now, we can be eternally separated from God.

This is death, this is massive destructive, devastating death.

Since sin is from Adam’s disobedience, one may wonder, as did the little girl from the opening, how has this sin been made our problem?

There are four points that I want to mention about why we are sinners.

We are sinners because we commit acts of sin (Adam was the first to become a sinner by sinning, we follow suit as sinners)

We follow suit because we are sinners by nature (Sin is not what makes us sinners, no, we sin because we have that nature in us from Adam)

We are in the state of sin (God has declared that all of humanity is under sin)

We are sinners by imputation (Adam acted for the human race because he was the head of it.)

We are sinners because we are condemned by the act of Adam, once you eat, you shall surely die.

The veil was lifted and everyone after Adam and Eve were sinners because they know evil and we act evil because we have the evil nature in us.

In verses 13-14 we see some interesting topics that need to be addressed.

Sin was in the world before the law and sin is not counted where there is no law. But death reigned from Adam to Moses to everyone who sinned even though their sin was not like the first.

Simply, God had not codified His standard for human conduct until Moses. Even though humanity did not have this standard yet, they were still sinning and dying because of the consequence of sin. An illustration may help to clarify this a bit.

A newlywed couple just beginning their life together. He works she works, they spend their wages and everything seems to be just fine. A few years later they see a good opportunity in the market to purchase a home. But they have no money for a down payment and when looking they realize they have several thousand dollars in credit card debt. They, then, consult a financial manager to aid them in setting a budget. He balances and lists their expenses and income on separate sides of the ledger and shows the couple where they have been slowly digging a financial hole for many months. To correct this, they needed to adjust their habits.

What changed in their seeing the ledger? Their financial situation did not. Only their awareness of it did. See the ledger only brought the truth of their terrible handling of their finances to light. This gave them an opportunity to change it and do something about it.

This is the Law. This is what Paul was saying. Just as he said that Abraham was made righteous before the law, so people sinned before the law. By this Paul is saying the Law only brings to light the sin situation and that is it. It gives one chance to see that they are bad and need help because they cannot fix it alone.

He is definitely not saying that God did not judge sin as sin before the law. No, he is saying that everyone has sinned and is guilty and they are judged by their rebellion before God. They have sinned and acted against God and they die as a result just as all do still today.

Death is the punishment and life is the reward. As we have seen earlier in Romans God in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. He did not forget them, He just let them sit until the proper time.

The proper time is found in the next one who has came on the scene as our head. This is Jesus Christ, the second Adam, who unlike the first has lived rightly and is able to give hope.

There is:

Hope Found in One

In Verses 15-16 we see this hope.

In verse 14 we see a parallel established between the one we have hope through, Jesus, and the one who committed the trespass, Adam.

This parallel is seen in that both were tempted with evil when they were morally unpolluted. When sin temptation was introduced to both men, neither had sinned at that point.

Adam pre-fall.

Jesus by virtue of His divine nature and virgin conception.

Also, both men represented all of humanity–Adam as the physical progenitor of all humankind and Jesus as our divine representative.

This is where the similarities end because when tempted one failed: Adam; and one: Jesus; obeyed God and rejected temptation.

The next parallel is seen in this comparison:

Adam: Forbidden Tree–transgression: Many Died: Condemnation: Death Reigned

Jesus: The Cross–Free Gift: Grace Abounded to Many: Justification: Gift of Righteousness Will Reign.

It seems that hope was lost when Adam fell. He led us into an irredeemable path. We are lost and dying in our sin with no hope.

That is until the second Adam came along.

When He did things changed and began to look up.

We have much more in Christ today.

The gift is free and it is an amazing gift.

Yes, Adam did place death on the throne of creation through his action.

Through Christ, though, and His obedience, His gift of righteousness will one day rule the world (Chuck Swindoll Romans 131).

The difference in the two actions is that Adams is a universal historical fact that condemns everyone.

Whereas, Christ’s gift is life-generating but it is only a potential future for some.

What is great about this passage is that it says that many died due to the transgression of the one and the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for the many.

This is the same many that were affected by the transgression. This means everyone has the potential to obtain the free gift of Grace offered by christ.

However, sadly, not everyone will choose to accept this gift and they will continue down the road with no hope.

Do not let this be you today. If you are on the path of ruin and destruction that was set by Adam, grab the life preserver that Christ has thrown you. Once you grab it and you accept His amazing gift, you are no longer bound for destruction but eternal life with Him.

This is amazing. As is seen in the text.

The free gift is not like the trespass. It is not like the sin of the one.

No, it is quite amazing how the gift is different.

We see that by one sin that all, the many, were condemned. Condemnation was brought in by the one act of transgression. One act is all it took to condemn all humanity.

Here is the awesome thing with the transgression and the gift of grace the free gift of grace:

The free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ is given to all who believe even though there has been

MANY MANY MANY MANY MANY MANY

Trespasses committed.

It took one to condemn and we have committed many many more.

There has been a slew of transgressions committed up to the time of Christ.

There have been many more after that.

We have ourselves committed many more, many of which are probably just as wicked as Adam’s, in our lives.

Yet, it took one to condemn and we have committed many more, the one act of grace the one act of obedience of Jesus wipes the whole slate clean for those who believe.

That is an amazing and awesome aspect of this amazing and awesome action of THE ONE Jesus Christ.

This then leads to the redemption from the ruin of humanity by the action of one that is:

Life in THE ONE–Jesus Christ

In these final five verses (17-21) we see the change of the curse by the gift.

Paul hammers home the point that because of the action of the one man, death reigned, but through the action of the one man Christ, much more will be for them.

This much more is reigning in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

We see here a past action “death reigned” this is a past occurence a description of something that has already occured. Death has reigned from Adam’s failing until the free gift of Christ’s substitutionary atonement occured.

See those who will receive the gift will reign, this is an even yet to occur. We will reign in life with Jesus Christ.

Because of Jesus Christ and His one act of perfect obedience, one day we believer will unseat death from the throne of creation and rule in its place.

We will reign with Christ in life because of Christ.

We will eternally be with Him because of His one action that destroyed the action of the other one.

What is bad here is that we will still die here but this death is nothing to us if we are believers in Jesus Christ for eternal life. If you have placed your faith in Christ for your salvation because He has accomplished all that must be accomplished for your salvation, this death is just another step along the road. As is seen in John 11:25 which states, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Yes, death is our enemy and adversary in this life. It is not the natural thing or order. No, it has impeded us and it is devastating to us. This is also what Paul was driving at in 1 Corinthians 15:50-58. This is especially clear when he said, “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law” (56).

It is because of sin that we still die. We are in a fallen world and we will die because of this. The law tells us of how sinful we are because we cannot keep it. We cannot be perfect. No, we fail always.

Only one has been perfect and has attained what we could never attain. The action of one, Jesus Christ, has given us the possibility of having life eternal with God rather than suffering the death of eternal separation from God. As Jesus asked Martha, DO YOU BELIEVE? DO YOU?

Moving on into verses 18-19 we see again the contrasting impact of Adam and Jesus.

Adam: One trespass led to condemnation for all people.

Jesus: One act of righteousness results in justification and life for all men.

Adam: Through the one mans disobedience, the many were made sinners.

Jesus: By the one man’s obedience, many will be made righteous.

The action of one.

One condemns

While, one gives life.

Bu the one we are doomed.

But, wait, there is the one who has taken it away.

Or as another biblical author stated it, “Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

We can say it another way too.

By the action of one we have had sin imputed (to charge against one’s account) to us.

By the action of one we have had the righteousness of God imputed to us if you have believed upon Jesus for salvation.

You can only be made righteous if you place your faith in Jesus Christ and the work He has completed for you.

As Paul demonstrates in verses 20-21. The law does not save you.

No, rather “the Law itself had no effect on the universal sin and death just described. The Law (the Mosaic Law) did not cause sin and death, and the Law did not cure sin and death. The basic fact was not in any way changed by the giving of the Law” (Picirilli 99).

You see, the law does not cure, nor does it cause sin and death. No, it just showcases it and demonstrates that you cannot save yourself. You have to have a substitution.

Because of the law sins seem to increase but it is just because everyone is now recognizing what all is sinful. Also, the law can stimulate the heart to do the opposite. Just like when we see a sign that says “Wet Paint Do Not Touch!” We instantly want to touch it.

But, because sin increases, it cannot ever outpace God’s grace. Sin is not more powerful than God.

Sin cannot supersede Gods grace.

Yes, one can die in their sins and spend eternity separated from God in torment.

Yes, we have moral failings even after receiving God’s grace.

We are still fallen but God’s grace reached out and has covered all sins because there is not a sin that cannot be forgiven in Christ.

His grace is super abounding above what sin can do. It is to you to receive this amazing super abounding grace and overcome death with life eternal with Christ.

Where you can reign in life through righteousness “leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

He did everything necessary to give you righteousness. He has accomplished it all for you.

The action of one has placed us in this dilemma, but the action of one can draw you out from this dilemma. It is free and it is extended now for you.

Will you take it? That is the question.

Conclusion

Let me close with one other illustration that may drive home what Christ did for us.

A Russian General gave a command that anyone stealing food would be beaten with fifty lashes. Later, his men caught an old woman stealing food. The general said, “I gave the command, she must be beaten.” When they brought her out into the plaza, he gasped because it was his own mother. Because of his great love for her, he did not want her to suffer, but because of his sense of justice, he knew she must be punished. But, he also knew the punishment would kill her. So, he went down to his mother and released her from her bonds and brought her to his seat of authority and sat her down. Then he went and placed his hands in the bonds and commanded that he be punished in her place. Jesus put us in His place of authority and took our punishment on our behalf.

We are guiltier than the poor starved woman that was caught in this story. She was stealing to survive, we are sinners because we love to sin.

Just as previous verses in this chapter say, “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life” (Romans 5:6-10).

The Russian general suffered in the place of his mother.

Jesus suffered in the place of people who did not care for Him.

People who hate Him.

People who would rather die than follow Him.

Yet, die He did for our sins.

For our mistakes.

For our wickedness that we love.

He died for us because we were dying and needed a savior.

He became the substitute that could satisfy the just demands of God for you.

Will you let Him be your savior today?

He died for you and He wants you to believe today.

Believe upon Jesus for eternal life. Believe that He accomplished everything that needed to be accomplished for you. He did it all, now all you do is believe in Him and you will be saved. It is free and offered to you as we speak today.

I beg of you if you have not believed upon Jesus yet, do so today because “now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).