Christ and Adam

I. Introduction: Romans 5 can be one of the more confusing passages in scripture but it doesn’t have to be. In it Paul discusses the great gift we have through Jesus compared to the destruction brought into the world by Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden. Though we have followed Adam’s example and sinned, Jesus has grace enough to justify us if we come to him in the obedience of faith.

II. Text: Romans 5:12-21

III. Original sin is not taught in this passage.

A. Some will teach that all are sinful because when Adam sin, then he and Eve had children, they passed sin to all of their children.

B. This was taught by John Calvin, the father of Calvinism, as a foundation of his doctrine: all are lost in sin and cannot seek God unless He makes a supernatural change in them. Presbyterian Confession of Faith: By this sin (eating the forbidden fruit) they (our first parents) fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and so became dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of the soul and body. They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed and the same death in sin and corrupted nature conveyed to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation. From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and make opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgressions.” If we can inherit Adam’s sin, why not each generation of sinners in our lineage?

C. The doctrine further teaches that all that a man does, both righteous acts and sin, have been ordained by God from the beginning and man can do nothing to change it.

D. So according to Calvinism, all have sin from Adam and do everything according to the preordained plan of God.

E. Note some logical conclusions:

F. We are robots, running a program with no control over our actions or their results.

G. Some people like that because they do not want to feel responsible for their actions. It makes God the author of sin (Not ” the devil made me do it” but ” God made me do it.”) It makes things like guilt, sorrow, and remorse into foolish feelings because, after all, we had to sin, it was preordained.

H. Some passages would be absurd.

I. Genesis 6:5-6 - Why would God grieve over their sinfulness when He saw that the thoughts of men were on evil continually?

J. According to the doctrine, he made them that way. He unchangeably ordained their sinful actions. Why is He now grieving their condition? John 3:16 - How could God love the world yet make men act in such a way that they would be punished eternally and give man no control on the outcome?

K. It would make God unfair because he made a law then made man break it.

L. Calvin tries to argue the sovereign right of God to do this. I agree that God has a right to do this if He desired.

M. However, throughout the gospels the eternal destiny of each man has been placed in his own hands.

N. Mark 16:15-16 - Preach the gospel, let them decide. Titus 2:11 - The grace of God has appeared to all men. Acts 17:30 - All men, everywhere, must repent.

O. Luke 18:15-16 - Jesus describes the purity of children.

IV. Adam and Christ compared

A. What is discussed is a comparison of the spiritual death and hopeless condition first introduced by the sin of Adam and the spiritual life and hope given by the grace and love of Jesus.

B. Paul portrays Adam as the head of the world of sin.

C. Because of his disobedience, sin entered the world resulting in death.

D. Physical death was introduced because access to the Tree of Life was taken away, Genesis 22-24. Spiritual death, or separation from God, was introduced and, as we discussed last week, no amount of good we can do will pay off one sin that we have committed.

E. All men suffer from Adam’s punishment.

F. We all physically die because we do not have access to the Tree of Life.

G. As descendants of Adam, we are consigned to physical death (Gen. 3:19) and because we sin, we suffer spiritual death. Romans 8:20-21

H. We all spiritually die because we all sin, Romans 5:12.

I. Note that we do not die because of Adam’s sin but our own sin. Romans 3:23

J. Paul symbolically puts the reign of death under Adam’s headship.

K. 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 - Paul uses the same symbol when discussing the resurrection from physical death. In Romans 5, Paul compares the spiritual death that comes through sin and the spiritual life that comes through Jesus.

L. Christ is the head of justification leading to life.

M. Christ brought righteousness through His death on the cross.

N. Christ’s work does not absolve men of any response.

O. Some will say the work is all Christ’s and man can do nothing. Even those who say that tell men that they must believe and repent which means man must do something!

P. Christ did the redemptive work but if men would be justified, they must come in obedience to the faith.

Q. Justification comes to the one who believes, Romans 3:22. Believe and confess, Romans 10:9-10. Believe and repent, Mark 1:15. Believe and be baptized, Mark 16:16.

R. Comparisons summarized (see chart)

V. Conclusion

A. Though we have spiritual death through sin, we can have eternal life through Christ.

B. We must die to sin and live to Christ, Romans 6:3-4, 11-13. We will physically die but we have hope of a resurrection to eternal life if we have been faithful to God, Romans 8:20-21.

C. Though Christ brings justification, we must obey him in order to receive it.

D. Though we sin, there is an abundance of grace to cover our sin.

VI. Comparison of Adam and Christ