Daily Thoughts from Romans: The New Human Race (5:12-21)

Daily Thoughts from Romans: The New Human Race

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.  (Romans 5:12-21 ESV)

Adam is the head of our race and when he sinned it resulted in our condemnation as well because our representative failed the test.  The proof of this is that death, the penalty for sin, reigned from Adam to Moses even though there was no Law to condemn people for disobedience.  They had disobeyed God’s law in the garden not to eat of the tree and so died.

But the last Adam has come and as our representative has lived an obedient life.  Adam’s one trespass, eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, led to judgment for all his offspring.  But Jesus’ free gift of his life in sacrifice for us, after we had committed many, many trespasses, brought justification to all who are in Him.  For those who receive Jesus’ gift of grace, death’s reign through Adam is over.  Eternal life has begun.

Jesus is the head of a new race of believers.  If we are part of Adam’s race we die.  If we are a part of Jesus’ race through faith, we live forever.  In Adam, condemnation.  In Christ, justification.  The Law was designed to increase our trespass, to show us how sinful we are and how helpless to save ourselves.  But God’s grace displayed in Christ causes grace to be the new reigning sovereign in our lives and the result is eternal life.

Are you still in Adam, or are you in Christ?  The offer stands available to all to embrace the Lordship of Christ, which is the lordship of life, eternal life.  It may not seem fair that Adam got to choose for us and it led to death.  It is equally “unfair” that Jesus chooses for us and if we choose him we get life.  But in that case, who wants “fair”?