Romans 5:12-21 - The Core of Christianity

Your salvation depends upon the details unpacked in this passage.

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Romans 5:12-14 (NIV)

CONTEXT: This passage sets the framework for the entire gospel. Consequently, it becomes the key by which the whole rest of the Bible ought to be interpreted.

¹² Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—

¹³ To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.

Canons of Dordt

Point III/IV, Article 2: The Spread of Corruption

Man brought forth children of the same nature as himself after the fall. That is to say, being corrupt he brought forth corrupt children. The corruption spread, by God’s just judgment, from Adam to all his descendants—except for Christ alone—not by way of imitation (as in former times the Pelagians would have it) but by way of the propagation of his perverted nature. Point II, Article 2: The Satisfaction Made by Christ

Since, however, we ourselves cannot give this satisfaction or deliver ourselves from God’s anger, God in his boundless mercy has given us as a guarantee his only begotten Son, who was made to be sin and a curse for us, in our place, on the cross, in order that he might give satisfaction for us.

Summary

Today's Summary and Dig Deeper sections are reposted from June 26, 2025

You may have a ton of questions about why this world which God created good and perfect is now broken and riddled with sin, but one thing you don't need to wonder about is how it got this way. Your Sunday School instinct might be popping up right now, eager to offer that explanation. It was the Serpent in the Garden, right?

Well, kinda... sorta... actually, no! We often ascribe way to much power to the devil. The Serpent simply served up the suggestion, and although he certainly is sinful, he wasn't the one who corrupted creation. Paul here, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, explains that sin entered the world through one man. It was Adam's fault. And since Adam represented you and me, it actually was our fault.

Just to add emphasis to that last point - that you and I share the blame right alongside Adam - Paul explains that death came to all people - not just Adam - because all sinned. It's not just that we sinned afterwards, but that in that fateful moment in the garden, when Adam sinned, we all sinned.

If you're curious as to why Adam is implicated when it was Eve who took that first bite, Paul explains this as well. Adam, writes Paul, broke the command. God set the conditions for the covenant He entered into with Adam (and subsequently us) - to work the garden and keep it holy and to not eat from the tree in the middle of the garden. These commands were given to Adam before Eve had even been created. Still curious? Dig Deeper.

  Dig Deeper  

We began by noting that this passage sets the context for the entire gospel (Good News), but so far, all we've seen is how it explains the bad news. But this passage delivers all of its good news in one key word.

Adam wasn't just the one who sinned by breaking a command. He was also the pattern of the One to come. You'll at least be able to figure out the Greek word Paul used there: typos. As one lexicon defines it, a typos is "a model or example which anticipates or precedes a later realization—‘archetype, figure, foreshadow, symbol.’"

What this means is that Adam is not the only option we have to represent us. There would be another, and that would of course be our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

This is the gospel: All who are represented by Adam fail to meet God's covenant requirements and are cast out of paradise, but everyone represented by the new Adam - Jesus Christ - have the perfect righteousness required to satisfy the covenant and have peace with God.

Christ's grace is stronger than Adam's sin.

AAA Prayer (About)

• ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our covenant God and Father,

• ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God that although you share in Adam's guilt, you also share in Christ's perfect righteousness;

• ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

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