Now the apostle launches forth into deeper depths. It may puzzle us a little to find what that first word "Therefore" in Rom. 5:12 points back to. Perhaps it looks as far back as 3:24; or to the statement in 4:25; or (and this would be the most natural) it has reference to verses 10 and 11 of Rom. 5. In any case--Paul is now showing what the many get through one; that whether for good or for evil, the many receive something through one who is their head, who represented them and acted on their behalf. Thus to all mankind something has been transmitted from their forefather, Adam, the head and source of all our race. In the same way, due to then vital connection with their new Head, Christ, all that are in Christ Jesus receive certain things. The things mentioned as derived by the race from Adam are evil; but what men derive from Christ is surpassingly good.

      Verse 12 begins a sentence which is never finished. Verses 13 to 17 are an excursus, somewhat like a footnote or a parenthesis, given to explain certain facts. Then at verses 18 and 19 he returns to his main subject. Verses 20, 21 add a point concerning the Law and its work on the one hand, and the greater work of grace through Jesus Christ our Lord.

      Sin (he tells us in v. 12) entered into the world through one man; and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all have sinned--not themselves individually, for he presently shows there were some (such as infants, or irresponsible persons, or those to whom never any law had been given) who had not sinned after the likeness of Adam's transgression. Yet all had sinned representatively in Adam. This has furnished much grist for theological mills. Some hold that all the race is guilty of Adam's sin; some in the face of what is stated here, flatly deny that Adam's sin has anything to do with us. Both are wrong. Guilt cannot be transmitted from one person to another; but that the consequences of sin and guilt are handed down we all know. Nowhere in the Bible is it stated that any human being was ever held responsible, or was condemned, for the sin of Adam, or for any one else's sin (See Ezek. 18:20). It is always and only "your trespasses and sins, in which ye walked" (Eph. 2:1f) that condemn. Nevertheless in Adam all his race was on trial, and his action was representative for them all. The consequence of Adam's action affected all mankind, for all descended from him. All his progeny was, like himself, cut off from the source of life. Those who themselves have not so sinned must die. Since it is not for anything they themselves did, their death must be because of their connection with Adam.

      But Adam was a figure and a type of Another, namely the One who was to come, the consequence of whose righteous act was to come upon us even as the consequence of Adam's sin has come [25] upon us all. But it is not as though Christ's work merely cancelled the loss and ruin which came to us from Adam. It did that and much more. This is set forth in verses 15-17. In v. 15 the grace which is ours through the one man, Jesus Christ, more than heals the death that came down to us from Adam. In verse 16, the "free gift" we get through Christ is seen covering not merely the one sin committed by Adam, and thus cancelling its evil entail to us; but as bringing justification of many trespasses, even of all our sins. In verse 17--although death reigned through the trespass of the one (Adam) it is not merely that through the righteousness of the other, the last Adam, life reigns, but they who receive the abundance of the grace of the gift of righteousness through Him, themselves reign in life through Him.

      The question arises (in regard to vs. 18, 19) whether Christ's work is, like Adam's, for all the race, or only for those who are "in Christ"--united to Him, as Head, spiritually, just as physically the race is connected with Adam. Certainly we know that all men are not justified or constituted "righteous" through Christ's obedience. What He did He did for the whole race, indeed; but those only who are joined to Him do actually obtain His salvation. This is shown in all the New Testament.

      Finally, the function of the Law, rather one design of the Law, was to bring sin to notice, and to make the trespass abound; but the grace more than covers man's sin. Do not pass over verses 20, 21 lightly. They mean much to us.

      Thus far is the teaching about justification. Note at this point begins a new line of teaching, which has to do with Christian living, a theme of the greatest interest and importance to every Christian. How many Christians live beneath their privileges in Christ! How many deplore and bemoan their weakness and the proneness to sin! In this section of the letter to the Romans (Chapters 6, 7, 8) is revealed the secret of victory over sin. See the question raised in 6:1. In chapter six you will find three reasons why a Christian should not continue in sin. Really the part from 6:15 to the end of chapter 7 is only explanatory of the statement found in 6:14. Read these chapters over, several times, thoughtfully. Is the man described in 7:7-24 Paul himself? Is the experience described there a common one? Is it a normal Christian experience? Or is it (as some say) the experience of a man under the law? Do not jump at any conclusions about that. Is the description given in Rom. 7 one of final defeat? Is the note that rings through chapter 8 one of victory or one of failure?

      What two persons run through this section? Why are these really the only two men? What have "the many" received by their connection with Adam? What do the many receive who are in connection with the one Man, Jesus Christ? Does Christ merely cancel, or does the blessing He brings surpass the evil derived through Adam? What is one function of the law? In what ratio does grace abound? [26]

[LOR2 25-26]