Romans 5:12-21 Why, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed on all men, for that all have sinned:… Mediation is the principle on which human society is based and constituted. Ever since the creation of the first pair, all have been born and preserved by it. The dominion conferred on the man in Eden (Genesis 1:28) was not to be achieved singly, but in society. Even here our blessings come through mediation. Yet not our blessings only. The fact that men have it in their power to do us good involves also that of doing us mischief. This constitution of society is precisely that which made it possible for the first man to involve himself and all his posterity in sin and ruin, and for the "Second Man" to provide salvation and glory (ver. 18). I. BOTH ADAM AND CHRIST WERE DIVINELY APPOINTED AND RESPONSIBLE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE. 1. Adam was its natural head; but he was much more. All men are affected by the conduct of Adam, in a wider sense than that in which children are affected by the conduct of their parents. All children born into the world to the end of time will be affected by the one offence of Adam just in the same sense and to the same extent as his own children were affected by it. And this is not simply because he was the natural head. Noah was also the natural head of all the men who have existed since the deluge; but it is never intimated that he, by his one recorded sin, entailed a curse upon all his posterity. But it is plainly affirmed that Adam, by his one offence, has done so. For he was also the federal head of the race. God dealt with the entire race in and through him. To him were entrusted the interests of all his descendants. Had he proved faithful these would have been born into the world holy and happy, and would each have commenced his probation on terms as favourable as Adam's. But he failed us, and thus induced our ruin. 2. Now Adam is a type of Christ in that he was a Divinely constituted representative of the race. Adam was created in the "image" of God. But Christ, the beloved Son, "is the image of the invisible God." The race, therefore, in its very creation, sustained special relationship to Him. And it was fitting that He, whose image in man had been marred by the fall of the first man, should Himself become man in order to its restoration. For we are predestinated to be conformed to His "image." Adam, as our first head and representative, failed in his fidelity, and thereby betrayed and ruined our interests; Christ, our Second, has gloriously succeeded. II. THE LIKENESS BETWEEN ADAM AND CHRIST IS ONE OF ESSENTIAL OPPOSITION, because that Adam has affected us for evil, Christ for good. 1. The judgment to condemnation on account of Adam's sin involved the penalty of moral death for all his posterity. Not that any positive evil principle was infused into our nature, but rather that the Holy Spirit, in fellowship with whom all spiritual life is sustained, was then penally withdrawn, and that being so men became "dead in trespasses and sins." "In Adam all died." 2. The judgment to condemnation on account of Adam's sin was a judgment to bodily death (Genesis 3:17-19). And this in all probability resulted from the penal withdrawment of the Spirit of life. Naturally liable to death man must have been; i.e., regarded as a creature whose animal life is an organic successional growth, sustained by material food. So long as he remained innocent he had the pledge and sacrament provided against this liability in "the tree of life." But as soon as he had sinned, he was subjected to the vanity which was the lot of the lower creatures, denied access to the tree of life, and surrendered to the dissolution which had already been the natural termination of the existence of the inferior orders. But "as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:22; John 5:28, 29). And though the restoration of immortal life to the bodies of His people is deferred, the quickening Spirit is a pledge and earnest that He who raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken their mortal bodies (Romans 8:11). 3. The judgment to death, on account of sin, was a judgment to everlasting death. As "grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord," even so (unobstructed) sin reigns in death, by offending Adam, unto everlasting death. In the very nature of things it cannot be otherwise. For to doom a man to death at all is to doom him to endless death. No one ever thinks of a criminal being sentenced to death for so many years. The dead have no power to recover life. And this is as true of spiritual as of physical death. The fact is that sin reigns in death, and by death is its dread dominion sustained. III. THE GRACE OF REDEMPTION, WHICH IS BY JESUS CHRIST, NOT ONLY MEETS, AND AVAILS TO COUNTERACT, THE CURSE ENTAILED FROM ADAM AT EVERY POINT, BUT ABOUNDS FAR BEYOND EVEN THAT. 1. Adam entailed upon us the curse of one offence only. He doubtless committed other sins; but they have involved us in no disadvantages. If, therefore, Christ had made provision for nothing beyond the cancelling of the judgment on account of that, the parallel between the first and Second Man would have been at that point complete. But He has done much more (ver. 16). And not only so, but being justified, there is provision made to secure our continued acceptance. Nor does even a lapse cut off the offender from hope: but, because God has just ground on which to "multiply to pardon," a fallen David and a backsliding Peter may be restored. Therefore the word of exhortation (Galatians 6:1), and the word of compassionate love (1 John 2:1, 2). Thus richly does the grace of Christ super-abound over the curse from Adam. 2. The apostle's position clearly implies that the number of the saved through Christ will far exceed that of the finally lost through Adam. It is not intended to intimate, however, that any are really lost on account of Adam's sin alone. The apostle clearly assumes that there are none such (vers. 15, 18). And have we not an assurance here that all infants, incapables, etc., shall through Christ inherit everlasting life? But those who resist grace and refuse salvation thereby make the sin of Adam their own, and in that sin they shall perish. But — 3. The apostle further intimates that those who avail themselves of the redemption which is by Jesus Christ shall be elevated to a far higher state of glory and blessedness than could have been inherited by unfallen man (vers. 17, 20, 21). Conclusion: 1. This review of the Divine administration calls for ardent and adoring gratitude. 2. We must learn to regard sin with ever-increasing hatred: 3. Let all avail themselves with glad alacrity of the gift of grace through Christ. (W. Tyson.) Parallel Verses KJV: Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: |
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