Adam and Christ Introduced
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned — … For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! Romans 5:12,17
So far Paul has surveyed both the universal extent of human sin and guilt and the adequacy of God’s justifying grace in and through Christ. He has also shown the readers’ involvement (whether Jews or Gentiles) in both the guilt and the grace. Paul has ‘made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin’ (3:9) but that Abraham is ’the father of us all’ through faith (4:16). So there are two communities, one characterised by sin and guilt and the other by grace and faith.
Paul obviously aligns himself with the second group – those who having been justified (5:1) and reconciled (5:11), are enjoying peace with God, standing in grace, rejoicing in present suffering and future glory, assured of final salvation, and exulting in God through Christ through whom these blessings have become ours.
Paul begins, ‘Therefore …’ connecting what he has just said to what he is about to say in 5:12-21. There are two ways 5:1-11 and 5:12-21 are connected. Paul has attributed our reconciliation and justification to the death of God’s Son (5:9,10). This prompts the question: how can one person’s sacrifice bring about these blessings on so many? The answer is in the analogy between Adam and Christ. Both demonstrate the principle that for good or evil, many can be affected by the actions of their leader. This is the first connection.
The second link between the two halves of Romans 5 is found in the expression ‘through our Lord Jesus Christ’ (5:11 and 21). Paul is determined to honour Christ as the mediator of all our blessings. He presents Adam and Christ, the heads of the old and new humanities, in such a way as to demonstrate the overwhelming superiority of the work of Christ.
Romans 5:12-21 divides into three sections. In the first (5:12-14) Adam and Christ are introduced, Adam as responsible for sin and death and as ‘a pattern of the one to come.’ In the second (5:15-17) Adam and Christ are contrasted. Christ’s work is said to be either ‘not like’ Adam’s or ‘much more’ successful than his. In the third Adam and Christ are compared (5:18-21). The structure is ‘just as … so also.’ Through the one man’s deed (Adam’s disobedience or Christ’s obedience) the many have been either cursed or blessed.
Romans 5:12-21 does not read like a conclusion from anything Paul has been arguing earlier. These verses highlight Christ’s power as the “second Adam,” who more than reverses the consequences of the first Adam’s sin to ensure that those in Him will have eternal life (5:20,21). This argument functions naturally as the basis for what Paul has said in 5:1-11. Our hope of sharing God’s glory is certain because we are in Christ who has guaranteed life for us. Paul could well have started verse 12 with “In order to accomplish what I have just taught (the certainty of salvation) … “
You and I are in Christ. He rightfully and righteously won right-standing in God for us. Enjoy in life what He gave up His life to guarantee in your life.