15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.
16 The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification.
17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.
19 For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.
Paul lays out four ways Adam’s act of disobedience affects us, contrasted to the ways Christ’s obedience affects us.
***V. 15 - “the free gift is not like the transgression” - Adam may foreshadow Christ Jesus. Despite the similarities, the differences are HUGE. Both are ‘firsts’ - first human and first in the church. In Adam we have received the inheritance of death. In Christ we receive eternal life. In Adam, you have no say on whether you want the sin nature - you have it by being born. His transgression bequeathed it to you. Death is not a gift to mankind. However, eternal life in Jesus Christ is a gift. Unlike the inheritance from Adam, humans get the opportunity to accept or reject the gift of life Christ offers. Because Jesus Christ lives, we are bequeathed life through Him.
“by the transgression of the one” - This is the explanation of ‘original sin’. Adam’s sin and the sentence pronounced is visited on all his descendants. (See: Gen. 2:16-17 and Gen. 3:1-21) The verse says the results is ‘the many died’. What an amazing understatement! Not just many die - we all die.
“the grace of God and the gift of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.” - It is simple. All sin and fall short of the glory of God. (Rom. 3:23) Therefore, all die in their sin. We are lost. We are doomed. What shall we do? God has done it for us. By grace and by gift - we are blessed by Jesus! For the next few verses, the one man, Adam, is compared to the one Man, Jesus. More accurately, the results of Adam’s disobedience is compared to Jesus’ obedience and sacrifice. I think these verses provide the most thorough analysis of this topic in scripture.
V. 16 - “The gift is not like...” - Two men, two different results. “One thing is not like the other..” (Song from Sesame Street). The gift came from the man who did not sin. The other result is directly the result of sin.
“for on the one hand” - God handed down His judgment on Adam. That first disobedience, that ONE rebellion resulting in condemnation for all who followed. The condemnation, separation from God, is referred to as the second death. Also, the curse was placed on the world, which would become Satan’s princedom. “Life is hard, and then you die” is a snarky way of saying don’t expect anything good out of this life. Corruption and decay of the world and mankind reigns until Christ returns to establish His eternal kingdom.
“but on the other hand” - Adam sinned - we all die. Jesus died - so we may live. The free gift restores the world, the universe, to the “as designed” condition. The many, many sins of the world required a perfect sacrifice to cover them all. Anything less than perfect means some were missed. The treatment protocol for cancer may involve chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery. The goal is to eliminate all of the cancer cells in your body. One cancer cell may begin to grow and spread, which may be fatal.
All sin must be eliminated in order to purify the world. I do not think the phrase “from many transgressions” means that sins piled up, and when a sufficient number occurred an alarm is triggered. Klaxons go off in heaven; God springs into action. Based on the context, “from many” probably includes the sin of other humans - all the other humans.
V. 17 - “death reigned through the one” - Looking back into Genesis, we can see that death started very soon after they left the Garden of Eden. Abel was killed by an angry Cain (Gen. 4:4-11). Mankind is corrupt and God brings on the Flood, saving Noah and his family (Gen. 6 & 7). Next, the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1-9). Abraham appeals to God for Sodom and Gomorrah - in vain as it turns out (Gen. 18 & 19). And so it goes, all the way to today.
Death is all around us, whether from natural causes - illness and accidents - or criminals and terrorists. Murder, rape, robbery and thievery. Abortion clinics have killed more than 80 million babies - and we are told it is a good thing. Churches in Europe and America are being desecrated, but we are warned not to suspect Islam, but it is a religion of peace. All around us people are calling good as evil and calling evil as good. (See: Isa. 5:20-21)
Because death is the monarch of this world, much of what we do is to hold death at bay.
Benjamin Franklin told us, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” We fear death far more than taxes. Beyond this life is a mystery. We cannot see through that veil. We dread the process of dying, and dread what may lurk on the other side. Our physical deaths are frightening enough.
Jesus told us that belief in Him will result in life, even if we die. (See: John 11:25, 26). How can this be? How do we die, yet retain eternal life? This body which now houses my soul and spirit will pass away, but my soul and spirit lives on. The question is whether the soul and spirit lives on with God, or separated from Him. The people around Jesus understood eternal life. (See: Matt. 19:16; 25:46; Luke 10:25-26) Jesus warned us to fear Him who could kill our soul and spirit. (See: Matt. 10:28) God is loving, but there will come a day when His judgement will be meted out. That is the day when those who reject Him will experience eternal separation - the “second death”. Fear that! (See: Rev. 2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8) There death reigns. In Dante’s “Divine Comedy”, the entry to hell has this inscription, “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.“
“righteousness will reign in life through the One” - What a contrast! In Jesus Christ life reigns! No more death. No more pain. No more shame. No more guilt. The grace is given freely and abundantly through Jesus Christ. There is righteousness. There is life with God. There is praise. There is worship.
Through Adam death reigns; we have sin, condemnation, and death.
Through Jesus Christ righteousness reigns; we have joy, and life.
It is your choice. I can’t make it for you.
Jesus Christ is the King of Glory. He loves us! We need not fear Him. He died in our place. Joy and peace is there with Him.
***V. 18 - “there resulted condemnation to all men” - All that have followed Adam are under condemnation. The wrath of God remains on them (See: John 3:36). Wrath does not mean out-of-control rage and anger (think: Hulk from the comic book movies). Wrath is the action required to execute God’s sentence against sin. It cannot be pretty or meek and mild because sin is not pretty. It is the natural consequence of rejecting God and His commandments. It is the penalty sentenced and delivered. Condemnation leads to death.
“there resulted justification of life to all men” - Jesus’ sacrifice breaks that link to death for us. Righteousness and eternal life is now available to us all. This does not mean that all will benefit from the righteousness of Jesus. I have heard a story of an immigrant who came on a steamship from Europe. On the trip across the ocean, he ate what little food he had brought in his luggage. He didn’t realize until he landed that his ticket included room and meals on the ship.
Death is penalty we all must face. We have no say in it, because it is in our blood, inherited from Adam. Life is a gift we can choose. We’ve done nothing to deserve life. It cannot be earned.
***V. 19 - “one man's disobedience the many were made sinners” - Adam’s sin is ours. Through our self-will, either “active rebellion or passive indifference” (see note 1) we are sinners. Notice this is in past tense - the many were made sinners. That one act, in the beginning, is passed down to us all.
“obedience of the One the many will be made righteous” - Jesus’ obedience is the vehicle that transports us to a right relationship with God. The similarity for these two ‘ones’ - we did not earn them, both were given to us. The big difference between these two “ones” - we can choose or reject the gift of life! You don’t get to choose death - it is yours because you are human. God does not force you to choose life. Not all people will choose Jesus. Why? Self-will and pride; rebellion; indifference to what God is offering.
The phrase "the many" is repeated in verse 15 and here. It does not mean 'a lot of people' were infected with sin, which would imply that some escaped the penalty of sin beause they were not part of the 'many'. No. All people, every person, anyone who has ever lived - except of course for Jesus Christ - falls under the penalty of sin. Jesus Christ, because He was both God and man, lived without sin. He voluntarily took the penalty of sin - death - upon Himself on the cross. His death consumed all the death for all those who believe and accept Him.
Have you beleived and accepted Jesus Christ as your savior? If not, you can do it right now! You can pray to God. The following is a suggested preayer:
"Lord Jesus, I need You. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank you for Forgiving my sins. Take control of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be."
(see: Note 2)
Note 1: ‘Law 2’ of Four Spiritual Laws; Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright.
Note 2: Prayer from Four Spiritual Laws; Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright.
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