The Righteousness of God … Received! Part Two Romans 5:12-6:11

All written materials for this series will be posted on this website, http://servingandsharing.com/, under the category, “Romans – Just Right!”

All corresponding video presentations may be found on this YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7JRppjEn33aIrggv9opfecN4rksInQsM.

Adam and Christ: Romans 5:12-21

In Romans 4 we saw Abraham as the prototype of salvation by grace through faith. In Romans 5:1-11, we noted that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is the ground or basis of our becoming right with God. When we were helpless, ungodly, sinners, and enemies of God … Christ died.

But – can one person’s actions really affect the whole world?

Yes! Paul goes on to note that one man (Adam) through his one act (sin) introduced sin and brought death to the entire world. Then one man (Jesus Christ) through his one righteous act (his sacrifice) brought righteousness and made it available to be credited to the entire world.

5:12-14 Adam – One Act – DEATH

Adam – a corporate head, a representative, affecting all his posterity.

David acted for Israel, Goliath for the Philistines. Effect credited to all.

Parents’ actions – children. Drunk driver’s actions – others.

When Adam sinned, the effect (death) was imputed (credited) to all.

“All sinned” in the sense that we were “in Adam” when he sinned.

Representatively, not implying guilt, as personal sin does.

Parallel: “In David all Israelites killed Goliath.” “In Goliath all … fell.”

Clearly in Romans, we are sinners because of our own sins.

However, much error has resulted from the false teaching commonly known as the doctrine of “original sin.”

Augustine of Hippo (AD 354-430) – Uh, Oh!

Church history: key to understanding denominational errors.

Augustine concluded wrongly that Adam’s sin itself was transmitted to all, so that “Each one is conceived in a state of inherited guilt.”

Ignored Romans 1-5a re: personal choice, sin, and responsibility.

That error started a chain reaction, a domino effect of false teaching.

• Infant “baptism” (sprinkling). No personal sin or personal faith.
• “Confirmation” of a child’s faith/”baptism,” usually at age 13.
• “Immaculate (without sin) conception” of Mary by her parents, so that she did not transmit Adam’s sin to Jesus.
• Mary’s “perpetual virginity.” No marital relations. No other children.

John Calvin and Martin Luther – Uh, Oh!

John Calvin – Protestant Reformer, France, AD 1500s. T-U-L-I-P.

Total Depravity (Corrupt from conception.)
Unconditional Election (God chooses w/o conditions. Man – no choice.)
Limited Atonement (Jesus did not die for all, just the selected few.)
Irresistible Grace (God forces salvation. You cannot tell God “no.”)
Perseverance / Preservation of the Saints (You cannot fall away).

Martin Luther – Protestant Reformer, Germany, AD 1500’s.

“The Bondage of the Will” – Claimed that man, incapacitated by inherited sin, is not free to choose what is good.

Note: A teaching is false if its conclusions or implications require one to change, add to, or take from clear biblical truth.

Guilt of First Sin Imputed? No!

Rom 1:18-3:20; 5:6-11 Guilt of personal sin.

Gen 4:6-7 Cain free to choose, to sin or not. His will not “bound.”

Deut 30:15-20 “Choose life.”

Josh 24:15-21 “Choose you this day.”

Ps 51:5 “born in sin” – David’s own sin. Context. Cf. Ps 58:3.

Ezek 18:4, 20 “The soul that sins shall die.”

Matt 18:1-4; 19:13-15 Jesus re: children.

Rom 7:9 Once I was alive before sin (age of innocence).

Effect of First Sin Imputed? Yes!

Proof and Result: Death Reigned

Rom 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, a type of Him who was to come.

In Adam, death reigned. Those who did not sin as Adam did, still died.

The effect of his one act (death) was imputed or credited to all.

Adam and Christ: Type, Antitype

Adam is a type of Christ (the antitype).

Type: OT person, figure, event, or institution, foreshadowing the NT.

Antitype: NT person, figure, event, or institution, fulfilling the OT.

Example: 1 Pet 3:20-21 Baptism is the antitype of the Flood waters.

5:15-19 Christ – One Act – LIFE

Christ as representative head, agent for all.

“Free gift” – noted six times! Can’t miss it.

“Much more … grace abounded.”

All affected by Adam may be saved by coming to Christ.

Adam: one sinful act > condemnation, death.

Christ: one righteous act > justification, life.

Through Adam, death reigned.

Through Christ, we who receive His gift reign.

Salvation available for all, but it must be received.

The First Adam, the Last Adam

1 Cor 15:21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

1 Cor 15:45 So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

49 Just as we have borne the image of the earthy [Adam], we will also bear the image of the heavenly [Christ].

5:20-21 Grace Greater than Sin

The Law “increased” sin by its diagnosis and man’s sinful response.

The Law itself is good. Rom 7:8-11

The Law defines sin, makes us aware of sin.

The Law convicts us of sin but cannot save us from sin.

The Law drives us to the gospel. Gal 3:19-29

“Where sin increased, grace abounded more.”

“As sin reigned in death, grace reigns through righteousness to eternal life through Christ!”

That raises a major question. Shall we keep sinning? Why or why not?

If grace is sufficient to cover all sin, why not keep sinning so that grace may increase?

May it Never Be!

Because … When you were baptized, you died with Christ to the pleasure, pursuit, practice, and power of sin.

From Death to Life: Romans 6:1-11

Baptism: Who, What, When, Where, and How

Since baptism is “into Christ,” one before baptism is “out of Christ.”

Therefore, it is urgent, vital, and essential, not to be delayed.

Since baptism is “into His death,” it is the point of union with His blood.

Since “buried,” it is for those dying in sin, not those already alive.

… and for those dying to sin, who truly repent. Major point here.

Certainly not for infants, who have no sin and cannot repent.

Since “buried,” the mode is immersion, not sprinkling or pouring.

Baptism: Who, What, When, Where, and How

One cannot have a new life until the old is dead and buried.

Only “dead” people can be “buried.” Only “buried” people … “raised.”

If baptism followed salvation, those baptized would be “buried alive.”

Baptism is no mere ritual or “sacrament,” but a death and resurrection.

The fruit of baptism is a transformed life.

Three Deaths and Three Resurrections

1. Jesus died, was buried, and was raised. Past – the cross.
2. We die, are buried, and are raised. Present – our baptism.
3. We will die, be buried and be raised. Future – His return.

In baptism –

We Died to the Destructive Dominion of Sin.

We were dying in sin until we died to sin.

Nasty. Filthy. Disgusting. Decaying. Rotten.

Sin kills – internally, externally, and eternally.

Sin always costs more than it pays.

Sin is deadly poison, disguised as pleasure.

Sin is a tyrant, a dictator, a dark, evil lord.

In Christ we are set free from that monster.

In baptism –

We Rose by the Invigorating Power of God.

God applied His death-defeating might to us.

He regenerated, energized, and freed us.

Alive! Revived! Refreshed! Renewed! Reborn!

Why would we ever go back to the morgue?

Forgiven. Transformed. “Rock of Ages” – “Be of sin the double cure. Save from wrath and make me pure.”

Eph 1:18-21; 2:1-7; 3:14-21

So now –

We Walk in the Sin-Conquering Freedom of Grace.

Indicative: “You rose!” Imperative: “Get up!”

Definitive: done. Progressive: continuing.

Crawling. Walking. Stumbling. Running!

Why be crippled and disabled all over again?

Grace: freedom from sin, not to sin.

Grace reigns. Sin is dethroned, its rule broken.

“Resurrection ethics.” Col 2:11-12; 3:1-4, 5ff

Written by Cory Collins

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