When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:12-21 NLT
Our choices matter. Adam (and Eve) made a choice, and that mistake brought death to all humans (v.12). Every one of us follows that fallen choice by sinning ourselves, bringing in “un-creation” to our lives and our world. The law helps people realize they are sinners (v.20), but it could not overcome death or bring salvation. The law provided sacrifices to forgive sin, but death was not overcome until Christ, the second Adam, came to overcome the effects of Adam’s sin. Christ is the perfect sacrifice, and His obedient choice overrules the fallen choice of Adam. All those in Adam die; all those in Christ have eternal life (v.15).
We now have a choice—will we follow the way of Adam or Christ? As Christians, we have both ways living in us, battling in us (see 7:14-25). We are declared righteous by God, yet we often act like selfish sinners. We experience the effects of death, yet we know we will overcome death in Jesus, and we have a foretaste of eternal life, even now. The Christian life is not a “decision then done” proposition (accepting Jesus then ignoring Him). God invites us into a living relationship with Him, where we trust Him and follow Him with every choice.
What are some parts of your “old life” that Jesus is working to change in your life? How can you allow God’s grace and victory to reign in your life?
