Romans 5:12-21

In Adam or In Christ

This passage ranks alongside Rom 3:21-26 as significant theological passages worth memorizing and meditating on regularly.

The contrast between Adam and Jesus Christ might also be explained as ‘The History of Redemption.’

For most of Romans 1:18-5:11 Paul refers to Jews and Gentiles. In 5:12-21 Paul writes of humanity in general.

Paul recognized that Adam was an historical figure. Adam and Eve, as explained in the first book of the Pentateuch were real people. Their actions unleashed very real consequences.

OF course Paul knew Jesus personally (see Acts 9).

In vs 12 Paul begins a comparison that will not be completed till vs 18-19.

Romans 5:12 HCSB

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all men, because all sinned.

The consequences of Adam and Eve’s disobedience was catastrophic. The tactic used by the enemy (Gen 3:2-5), causing Eve and then Adam to doubt God’s word is still being employed in our world.

The consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin are universal. Death and sin are both universal.

Death is both spiritual and physical. Spiritual death is literally separation from God. As one theologian writes

Physical death and spiritual death can’t ultimately be separated, since the former is the culmination and outworking of the latter. (Schreiner, 289).

Since death is the consequence of sin Paul affirms that since Adam and Eve’s sin, all who have been born of them are born sinners.

We do not have to sin in the same way as Adam and Eve (by taking forbidden fruit). However, as Paul has already demonstrated,

Romans 3:23 HCSB

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Paul identifies Adam as a ‘type’ -

type = ‘OT persons, institutions, or events that have a divinely intended function of prefiguring the eschatological age inaugurated by Christ (Moo, 333-3340).

Five Contrasts Between Christ and Adam

a). The transgression of Adam brings death; the grace of God comes through the gift of Jesus Christ

Grace is not simply unmerited favor. Grace as this passage underlines is a power that reverses the consequence of Adam’s transgression.

Death is more than just spiritual, it is also physical. Note how after Adam and Eve are expelled from the Garden the first generation commits murder. Then in Gen 5 the common phrase to all but Enoch...’then he died.’

b). Adam’s sin brings judgment which brings condemnation; the gift/Jesus Christ results in justification.

c). Adam’s trespass unleashes the reign of death; Jesus Christ brings the gift of grace and righteousness enabling believers to reign in life - see John 10:10.

d). Adam’s trespass brings condemnation to all; Christ’s righteous act (His life, death, resurrection, and reign in heaven) brings justification which gives life

e). Adam’s disobedience means all are sinners (“Human beings don’t enter into the world in a neutral state. They are ‘dead on arrival’ because of Adam’s sin [Schreiner, 289]).

Justification “does not mean to be morally upright, but to be judged acquitted, cleared of all charges, in the heavenly judgment (Moo, 345).

The law serves to identify and illustrate just how rampant sin is and how much more grace is effective.