01-20 The Impact of One Sin--Part 2

Romans 5:12-19

July 11 was World Population Day and to coincide with it, the UN published its annual World Population Prospect which predicts on Nov 15, 2022 that the world’s population will reach 8 billion people. This is a milestone…since the earth has never seen this many people living at the same time. Now, the realist in me looks at the issue of where to put all those people within the next 100 years. And I mention this b/c a few years back there were several news articles about the number of cemeteries around the world that are filling up. The Guardian (UK paper) predicts that London cemeteries will be full in 20-30 years. The BBC writes that as people continue moving from rural areas into urban settings that the UK is facing mostly full cemeteries. That has people looking for solutions. Some say recycling graveyard plots is the answer—to remove remains and dig deeper graves, stacking graves on top of each other. Others are highly recommending cremation as the answer. Some architects are even promoting the construction of mausoleums that would rise vertically.

Even the US is not immune from filling cemeteries. There are 10 states that are at high risk of running out of plots: California, Hawaii, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Massachusetts, Georgia, Washington, Nevada (MT=46th—we’ve got plenty of room!) (I don’t think we’re in a crisis—not even close and the world is not overpopulated as much as humanity is doing exactly what God desires—be fruitful and multiply).

This all illustrates one of the most profound, uncomplicated and undeniable truths: all die. Death has been a universal reality for all. Death is not a respecter of persons (not partial) of wealth, status, education, upbringing, achievements. Since the beginning of creation there have only been 2 exceptions: Enoch & Elijah—even the LJC died.

So the question: why is it that everyone dies?

Mac: writes about an old oriental proverb: The black camel death kneeleth once at each door and each mortal must mount to return nevermore.

Everywhere we turn, we are constantly reminded of the wages of sin.

We’re studying the book of Genesis and have been looking at chapter 3—one of the most consequential chapters in the Bible. The result of Adam & Eve’s transgression, there were immediate and catastrophic consequences they encountered…a spiritual death and alienation from their Creator. They immediately became sinners and because they stood guilty before God they shamefully hid from Him in the garden. Now, this would eventually lead to physical death described in

Genesis 5:5 NASB95

5 So all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years, and he died.

In our Scripture Reading this morning Paul explains why death is a universal reality (though not the point he is making). The larger issue at the heart of Paul’s instruction is to explain how 1 person’s deed effects many others.

Rom 5:12;

We spent some time covering this passage in Men’s Bible Study several years ago. vs 12 is a very important verse. It covers what has been termed by theologians “original sin” in that it explains (1) the 1st sin committed (sin’s entrance into the creation of God remains a deep mystery that will not be fully understood until we are with LJC, (2) the sinful state/condition all people are in b/c of their relationship to Adam.

Paul (as he does often in Rom) makes a very profound argument here…basically it revolves around this 1 truth: God sees 2 men in human history: Adam (1st) & Christ (Last Adam)—understand this truth and you will understand all human history. These 2 men stand as representatives of those who are “in” each one. Every human who has been born is “in Adam.” Everyone who has believed on the LJC is “in Christ.”

Paul’s argument is that long before you were brought into this world (in Adam), you were charged with Adam’s sin. What this means:

Adam’s guilt is imputed to all humans: Adam suffered loss of original righteousness and incurred divine displeasure and his descendants are now deprived of that original righteousness and as such objects of divine wrath (Rom 5:9; Eph 2:3).

We also inherited Adam’s corruption (the pollution of his sin) which is evidenced morally in our sin nature (also received from Adam).

To understand this it is necessary to recognize 3 imputations in the Bible. the doctrine of imputation means “to credit, to charge to the account of another.”

Adam’s sin imputed to entire human race. Many people at this point cry “foul” this isn’t fair! After all, our own justice system (Berkouwer) “one of the most elementary of legal maxims that we can never assign to a person a guilt for which he is not responsible.”

But in God’s economy this is what happened. Football illustration: 1 guy jumps offsides the whole team is penalized. (This is also where Paul is going in his argument how 1 man’s deed affects so many others).

Sins of those who believe imputed to Christ. 2 Cor 5:21 these are the sins which Christ died for (not his own sin—but the sins of others)

Isaiah 53:4–6 NASB95

4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. 6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.

Our sins are charged to the account of JC who is judged for everyone of them (as if He Himself did commit each one) during the last 3 hours (of 6 hours) one the cross.

The perfect righteousness of Jesus manifest in His perfect obedience to the Father’s will—imputed to all who believe, to those who put trust in Him.

So back to Rom 5:12; “therefore” (the bridge/connection) takes us back earlier in ch 5 to see how it is that we could ever be justified (vs 1) and come to have peace with God—well, thru LJC. vs 6 continues…for whom did Christ die? Helpless, sinners, objects of wrath, enemies—the result is justification and reconciliation—How can 1 man do that by 1 death?

1 act of obedience reverses the curse that results from 1 man’s disobedience. If you can begin to wrap your minds around this very important theological tenet it will take you to heights of worship that you have yet to discover and it will bring you to a place of adoration and humility as Christ is exalted.

Four basic truths are expressed in Rom 5:12:

1) Sin entered the world through 1 man

Adam (though Satan sinned prior…Adam’s sin is what is charged to all his descendants).

Note: Paul sees the account of Gen 3 as a definite historical event—the garden episode actually took place: Rom 5:14, 15, 17, 18, 19;

2) Sin brought death

even as God promised to Adam in Gen 2:15; for Adam it was an immediate spiritual death—alienation from God and stood in need of justification and reconciliation—to be brought back to God.

3) Death spread to every person

one of the most unequivocal and self-apparent truths is that all people die. Paul states that “death spread to all men.” Again, this draws the connection between Adam and every one of his descendants:

1 Corinthians 15:22 NASB95

22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

***The most debated point***

4) Reason: “Because all sinned—”

You’ll note that most of your translations have a long dash after “sinned.” Now, Paul did not use punctuation when he writing this letter. In fact, space was often so limited that letters from 1 word would be right next to the following word. What Paul is doing at this point, he is breaking his thought to explain how Christ’s action has come to impact so many others—from 13-17 Paul will explore that. He doesn’t come back to make his point until vs 18.

So “death spread to all men because all sinned” how is it that all men have sinned in Adam? The Gk “sinned” is aorist tense indicating that all sinned at 1 point in time (referring to a historical event)—going back to Adam’s transgression. So Paul couldn’t be referring to the acts of sin that we do commit (since some of them have yet to occur). Paul’s argument is that Adam’s sin connects to the reality that all are sinners in that we have inherited that sinful nature, the corrupted nature.

Romans 5:18 (NASB95)

18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men

Romans 5:19 (NASB95)

19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners

Romans 5:15 (NASB95)

15 by the transgression of the one the many died

So there is a direct connect b/t Adam’s sin and the sinfulness of Adam’s descendants—including ourselves. But what is that connection (most debated part of vs 12)?

Pelagian (highly educated, very gifted scholar in Latin & Gk—lived in 4th C. He held that the individual had a powerful ability and could even achieve their own salvation. He taught the matter was that of will and effort—if you worked hard enough and used your gifts in a wise manner you could become perfected. Augustine wrote against Pelagius and the church condemned this teaching as heresy) Pelagius taught that Adam set a bad example and when people sin they are merely following his bad example. He taught you are not guilty for Adam’s sin nor do you inherit a sin nature. The early church rightly condemned this teaching.

Semi-Pelagian (most common among evangelicals). Basically teaches that there is an inherited sinful nature that passes on to every member of the human race—so there is the corruption but not the guilt. Some teach that there is also the guilt but “prevenient grace” removes the guilt from Adam’s sin and enables the person to do good and even choose God.

Representative Headship

The best understanding is that Adam’s sin is imputed to all who were united to him as the representative of humanity. Adam’s guilt is our guilt. While affirming that a corrupt nature is passed down from Adam, representative headship teaches that all people are condemned because of their direct relationship to Adam.

The action of a representative is determinative for all members united to him. When Adam sinned, he represented all people; therefore, his sin is reckoned to his descendants.

Now the key—the argument Paul is making of Adam and the guilt and corruption passed down to those he represents stand parallel to what happens to those who are “in Christ” (all believers). The effect of His actions are imputed to those who believe in Him.

vs 15-16 “not like...” there’s a contrast between Adam’s act and Christ’s act. The issue is that Christ’s act of obedience does not balance the scales that (as if equaled to Adam’s disobedience). Christ’s obedience is so much greater than Adam’s disobedience. Paul contrasts the 2 acts of these men—Christ’s act is not like Adam’s:

A. In Effects

Thru transgression (to deviate from a path—going where you shouldn’t) many (=all of vs 12) died. But the free gift in JC reverses the curse and provides the way for justification-to share the righteousness of God (the only righteousness that He accepts).

B. In Extent

vs 16—justification is greater than condemnation.

John Murray “The one trespass demanded nothing less than the condemnation of all. But the free gift unto justification is of such a character that it must take the many trespasses into its reckoning; it could not be the free gift of justification unless it blotted out the many trespasses.”

C. In Efficacy (producing desired results)

vs 17—Adam vs. X—much more…there is in Christ’s act and those who are “in Him” thru faith…the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness…for the believer this means to “reign in life...” you are victors!

Let me take you back to Adam in the Garden. There were immediate consequences to his transgression. He gained a vision that was not what he bargained for. He saw/experienced evil for the 1st time and it resulted in shame and guilt that caused him to hide from the presence of the Lord. But that 1 sin has resulted in catastrophic consequences upon the human race. 1 sin opened the floodgate for sin to enter the world (and the problem of the existence of evil today is a great stumbling block for many who need Christ). The impact of that 1 sin—b/c the guilt and corruption of Adam’s sin is ours thru representation…every person is born with a sin nature that is in desperate need of divine intervention—you truly need to “be saved” for you cannot save yourself.

Psalm 51:5 NASB95

5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.

David is expressing how the moment of his conception he already stood corrupted having the sin nature. That sin nature renders us spiritually dead from our beginning.

Ephesians 2:1 NASB95

1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,

Ephesians 2:3 NASB95

3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

This state of deadness makes every person unresponsive to God and the things of God. And to add to the weight of hopeless/helpless condition (Rom 5:6) we were “children of wrath” by nature.

How extensive is the sin nature? Cover-to-cover.

Job:

Job 4:17 NASB95

17 ‘Can mankind be just before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker?

Can any person claim righteousness and moral purity before the all-righteous God? There is no one:

1 Kings 8:46 (NASB95) Solomon in dedication prayer; exalting God’s forgiveness

46 “When they sin against You (for there is no man who does not sin) and You are angry with them and deliver them to an enemy, so that they take them away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near;

Psalm 130:3 NASB95

3 If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?

Psalm 143:2 NASB95

2 And do not enter into judgment with Your servant, For in Your sight no man living is righteous.

Proverbs 20:9 NASB95

9 Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin”?

Job 15:14–16 NASB95

14 “What is man, that he should be pure, Or he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? 15 “Behold, He puts no trust in His holy ones, And the heavens are not pure in His sight; 16 How much less one who is detestable and corrupt, Man, who drinks iniquity like water!

Isaiah 64:6 NASB95

6 For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

Job 25:4–6 NASB95

4 “How then can a man be just with God? Or how can he be clean who is born of woman? 5 “If even the moon has no brightness And the stars are not pure in His sight, 6 How much less man, that maggot, And the son of man, that worm!”

Psalm 14:1–3 NASB95

1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good. 2 The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men To see if there are any who understand, Who seek after God. 3 They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one.

Jeremiah 17:5–9 NASB95

5 Thus says the Lord, “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from the Lord. 6 “For he will be like a bush in the desert And will not see when prosperity comes, But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, A land of salt without inhabitant. 7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord And whose trust is the Lord. 8 “For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit. 9 “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?

The heart is wicked, insidious, deceitful to the core (desperately sick). The point is that not only can you not cure yourself, you cannot even diagnose your condition apart from the revelation of God’s Word. This depravity and total inability is why the world is filled with sin—for we are not sinners b/c we sin, but we sin b/c we are sinners by nature.

Jesus highlights the source of spiritual pollution:

Mark 7:15-23;

Jeremiah 13:23 NASB95

23 “Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to doing evil.

Romans 8:7 NASB95

7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,

Total inability=Man’s condition—which stems solely from Adam’s transgression demands radical intervention.

John 5:24 NASB95

24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

1 John 3:14 NASB95

14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.

1 Corinthians 15:22 NASB95

22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

1 sin has brought devastation upon every person living—and you cannot escape the imputation of guilt and inherited corruption. God’s remedy is the death & resurrection of LJC by His obedience to the Father’s will many will be made righteous—those who believe on JC alone for salvation.