Okay, Romans chapter 5. I've been posting these studies
on Sermon Audio, so you're able to access them at your leisure. If you'd like
to have a separate CD copy of these studies, I would be glad
to make those for you. Also, verse 12 declares, the
reason of our terrible, terrible guilt and condemnation that we
have and how sin entered in by the one man, Adam. Paul, by inspiration
of God, plainly reveals to us how we are made sinners. In Adam,
all died. We call that original sin, as
I've mentioned before. tells us how we are made sinners
and why we are totally depraved sinners and why we're in desperate
need of forgiveness of sin and the salvation of sin and the
righteousness that we need that would justify us before God,
our Savior, is the total and complete answer to all of our
need. He shall supply all our need
according to His riches in glory through the Lord Jesus Christ.
And Adam all have sinned, in Christ shall all, that is, the
all in Him shall be made alive. Now, I want us to look carefully
at verse 13, down to verse 17, and as I mentioned before, you
find that parentheses mark there at verse 13, all the way down
to the end of verse 17. And what is given here by inspiration
of God is a further amplification of what has been stated in verse
12. about the devastating effects of sin, death reigned by one,
and then we see the blessedness and the effect of the grace of
God reigning through the righteousness of God that's revealed in Christ. Now, that's so important to understand. Look at verse 21 in this same
chapter. Romans 5.21, that as sin hath
reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness. Now whose righteousness is he
talking about here? It's certainly not our personal
obedience or our personal faithfulness. Grace shall reign through righteousness
unto eternal life. by the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our righteousness. Now, let's take a look at verse
13. Romans 5, verse 13. For until the law or before the
law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not imputed
or reckoned or counted or charged when there is no specific law. Now I want to read two other
verses with that. Look back at Romans 4 verse 15. Because the law worketh wrath
for where no law is there is no actual transgression. Now look at verse 20 of Romans
5. Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. The reason the law was given
is to expose the exceeding sinfulness of our sin. Now, sin indeed was
in the world before the law was given at Mount Sinai, is that
right? Exactly, because Adam sinned against God. And we see
that and know that by this statement, so Death passed upon all men. The reason for death is sin. Now, long before the holy law
of God was given, men continued to die as a result of sin. Now, someone said it was 2,500
years between the creation until the law of God was given. We know that Adam, after he sinned
against God physically, he lived 930 years and he died. But the Lord said, in the day
that you eat thereof, you shall die. He died spiritually that
day. when he sinned against God, and
that's the reason that we're born dead in sin and trespasses. Genesis chapter 5, we call that
the obituary chapter. It talks about Adam living and
he died. It talks about Seth living and
he died. It even talks about Methuselah.
He lived 969 years But he too died. Why did they
die? Because of sin entering in and
Adam all died. But it's interesting also in
Genesis chapter 5 we read of Enoch. Enoch walked with God
and then it says and he was not. Here's a man that didn't taste
death for God took him it says in Genesis 5 Now I like what
it says of Enoch in Hebrews 11, 5. It said that he had this testimony
and that he pleased God. Now how could Enoch, Enoch was
a sinful man just like Methuselah and all of his relatives. How
could it be said that Enoch pleased God? in Christ. This is my beloved Son in whom
I am well pleased." God always views His covenant children in
Christ and He always has and always will. Enoch and Elijah
were the only two men that we read of in Scripture who did
not taste death. Why? because they were one with
Christ. And what Christ did, they did. And God was pleased with them
in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, this statement here, but
sin is not imputed when there is no law. Now, someone might
argue against the fact of original sin, and some say this is an
argumentative statement. Someone might say, well, If the
law is not given, there's no transgression. Now, they would say or would argue
against original sin that when there is no law or where there
is no law, that sin cannot be charged. Now listen to this,
wherever God is, His government, His rule, His law is over all. The government is upon His shoulder. Adam sinned against the law of
God, didn't he? God said of that tree, do not
eat. Eat of every other tree, but
of that one tree, do not eat. That was the law of God. Where
there is God, there is law, there is government. Adam sinned against
that one commandment and plunged all of us into total ruin. Adam
sinned against the one law of God that God gave him to obey. Therefore, we stand in Adam guilty
as charged. Sin has been imputed, reckoned,
and charged to us. God counts us and considers us
as sinners. Now, it doesn't matter what you
think about yourself. You might not think that you're
a sinner. God says we've all sinned and come short of the
glory of God. Before the law was given by Moses,
men continued to sin against the light they had because of
that evil, corrupt nature that is implanted in all the sons
of Adam at birth. We're born in sin, shaped in
iniquity. All men have sinned. Remember
back in Romans 1? Turn back over there. All men
have sinned against the light of creation, the law of creation,
and the light of conscience, or the law of conscience. In
Romans chapter 1, remember verse 20? For the invisible things
of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being
understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power
and Godhead, so that they are without excuse." The heavens
declare the glory of God. They are without excuse. Because that when they knew God,
they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became
vain in their imagination, and their foolish heart was darkened,
professing themselves to be wise, they just revealed that they
are nothing but fools. So men have sinned against the
light of creation and then the light of conscience. Turn to
Romans chapter 2 verse 14, when the Gentiles which
do not have the law, do by nature the things contained in the law,
These, having not the law, are a law unto themselves, which
show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience
also bearing witness, and their thoughts to meanwhile accusing
or else excusing one another. They're guilty before God in
the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ
according to my gospel." Men were sinners. and counted guilty
before God even before the law of God or the law of Moses thundered
from Mount Sinai. Now, the law was only given,
the law that God gave to Moses, the law was only given to further
expose the exceeding sinfulness of our sin and to magnify our
sin against a holy Just God. Paul mentions this again in Romans
7. Turn over there. Romans 7, verse 12, we begin reading, Wherefore
the law, talking about the law of Moses, given to Moses, is
holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then
that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. Nothing wrong with the law. We're
going to see that in Romans 7. The problem is with our flesh.
But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that
which is good, that sin by the commandment might become exceeding
sinful. So the law of God simply magnifies
the problem that's already there. You see what I'm saying? It's
like a magnifying glass. It exposes the exceeding sinfulness
of our sin. For we know that the law is spiritual,
but I am carnal, sold under sin. Now, let's turn back to Romans
5 verse 14. Nevertheless, death reigned from
Adam, after Adam sinned, He died, we died in Him, all the way to
Moses before the law of God was given, death reigned. Why did death reign? Sin, sin
entered in and death by sin. Even over them that had not sinned
after the similitude of Adam's transgression, now who's he talking
about here? Even over them that had not sinned
after the similitude or the likeness of Adam's transgression, who
was a figure of him, that was to come. Now, here's the proof
of sin being in the world before the law of Moses was given. Death
reigned as king. over all men because of sin. Death reigned from Adam to Moses,
even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of
Adam, who was the type of him was to come." Now, here's what
he's talking about. Who are these that he mentions
here, even over them? even over those who had not sinned
after the rebellious manner or likeness of Adam." And most of
the commentators that I read after, who I consider confident
men, are referring to those who were infants. Why do babies,
when they are born, oftentimes die? In some countries, the mortality
rate of infancy is very, very high. Why do they die? Infants
die because of one reason, same reason we die, because of sin.
Even sin reigned as king, death reigned over them, even though
they had not overtly transgressed against God like Adam did, yet
they still died. Infants and babies still die
because they have the same sinful nature and the guilt that's charged
to them. Now, David said, I was born in
sin, shapen in iniquity. Now, often those who are enemies
of the gospel would accuse those who believe salvation by the
sovereign grace of God, they would accuse us and charge us
of saying that dying infants go to hell. Or some that are
the non-elect who are dying infants go to hell. Of all the men that
I have read after, I have never read of a sovereign grace preacher
who believed in the grace of God that dying infants that were
the non-elect among the dying infants perished in their sin.
But rather I read this, all the old timers and all the old theologians
of the past all believed dying infants were or part of the elect
of God. They call them actually the elect
infants. Now, how are they redeemed? Because
they're innocent? No, they're guilty, but they
are redeemed the same exact way that we are redeemed, by the
blood atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. He made a special provision
for them, dying infants, they die because of sin, they die
by the appointment of God. And really, when you think about
it, it's the Lord acting in mercy. Just think how much grief and
pain they are spared. They're born sinners, they're
redeemed by the blood of Christ, regenerated by the Holy Spirit,
and taken to glory immediately when they die. That's a blessing
of the Lord. That's a blessing of the Lord,
and that's what he's referring there to in verse 14. Now, look at verse 15, 16, and
17, and I trust that we can get through most of this. Now, in
these three verses, he makes a comparison between what happened
in the first Adam and what happened in the second Adam. You know,
the Lord Jesus Christ is called the second Adam, the Lord from
heaven. And it gives it in a negative light and makes it a comparison,
the negative to the positive. A comparison is made between
the first man, Adam, and the second man. Adam was a type and
figure of the Lord Jesus Christ who would come, but Adam was
a opposite type, or an anti-type, or a negative type. We read in
1 Corinthians 15, 47, the first man is of the earth earthy, The second man is the Lord from
heaven. Now, you have those two federal
heads and in that way they are a similar type, but how much
greater is the Lord Jesus Christ than the first man, Adam. Now,
what we've lost in Adam, we've gained much more in the Lord
Jesus Christ. Adam's sin, therefore, is not
worthy to be compared with the righteous obedience of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Now, verse 15 again. But not
as the offense, so also is the free gift. Now, you have to look
at this carefully. Now here's what's being said.
The free gift of God's grace is not like the transgression
of sin or it cannot be compared or equal to or with. Through the offense of sin, many
be dead. The wages of sin is death. Much
more, much more, the grace of God and the gift of grace through
Christ has superabounded unto many. That is, the many, all
of the covenant children. Our Lord said, all that the Father
giveth to me shall come to me. To all the sons of God who are
made so by His adopting love and His electing grace. By the
first man, sin and death came into the world. By the second
man, what happened? Righteousness and life Righteousness
was established, salvation accomplished, and eternal life is given in
the Lord Jesus Christ. Now verse 16, and the free gift
of grace is not like or cannot be compared to the effect of
one man's sin. For if through the offense of
one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by
grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. Now verse 16, And not as it was
by one that sinned, so is the gift, for the judgment was by
one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses
unto justification of life." Now here's what's being said.
Adam sinned how many times against God and it plunges us all in
eternal ruin. One sin One sin, one disobedience
brought death, judgment, guilt unto all men. Even so, and much
more, by the grace of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, we have sinned
against Him many times. We have many offenses, and yet
they're all freely forgiven in the Lord Jesus Christ. You see
how much more we have in Christ? One sin, the sin of Adam, condemned
all. One sin brought judgment upon
all the sons of Adam. One sin brought death to us.
Guilt was charged to us and counted unto us. But the free gift, the
free gift and the pardon we have in Christ is of total and complete
forgiveness of all sin unto justification of life. Now turn back to Romans
chapter 4, look at verse 6. One sin plunges us all into terrible
ruin, but by the Lord Jesus Christ, His one obedience, He has by
His one obedience, by the one sacrifice, by the one offering,
He perfected forever them that are sanctified. So much so that
God says in Romans 4, look at verse 6, even as David also described
the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth, reckons, or
counts, considers, reckons, righteous, or righteousness without works,
saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities they're forgiven. Blessed are they whose sins are
covered. Blessed is the man to whom the
Lord will not impute sin." Now that's true of every believer.
God will not charge a believer with sin. Why? Because the Lord
Jesus Christ has put away all our Original sin, actual sin,
sin of omission, sin of commission, all our sin has been put away
by the blood atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now look at verse 16 again. And
not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift. For the judgment
was by one to condemnation, but the free gift The free gift is
of many offenses unto the justification of sinners, justified freely
by His grace. Now, one more verse, verse 17. For since, if, we can read, for
since by one man's offense, death reigned by one man, one sin. Much more. Much more, they which
receive abundance of grace..." You remember the last part of
verse 15? "...by Jesus Christ hath abounded
unto many. For by one man's offense death
reigned by one. Much more, they which receive
abundance of grace..." Now, why would any sinner receive the
abundance of grace? Do we merit that? Do we earn
that? No, it's God's sovereign pleasure. He said, I will have mercy on
whom I will have mercy. Much more, they which receive
abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness shall reign
in life by one who is the other man, the Lord Jesus Christ. And Adam all died. In Christ
shall all be made alive. God deals with all men everywhere
in those two federal heads, in those two representative men.
Now, let's look at verse 17 for just a moment. By one man and
by one sin, death reigned, judgment fell, guilt was imputed, charged
us. One sin damned us. One sin brought
eternal wrath because God is holy. Much more, by one man,
by the God-man mediator, our blessed Lord, we shall receive. The wages of sin is death, but
the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Notice he mentions three things there, I'll give them to you
quickly. He mentions the abundance of
grace. Aren't you glad that grace is
abundant? We can say with the Apostle Paul,
by the grace of God, I am what I am. His storehouse of mercy
and his storehouse of grace is abundant. It is eternal grace. It's eternal grace. Eternal grace. But God, who is rich in mercy,
for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were
dead in sin, hath quickened us together with Christ. For by
grace are you saved. God commended his love toward
us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Much more than being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved
from wrath through him. We have the abundance of grace. in the Lord Jesus Christ. Second
thing he mentions here is the gift, you see that in verse 17,
and not only do we have the abundance of grace, but we have and of
the gift of righteousness. Now, the gift of righteousness
is Christ. He is called in Scripture, Jeremiah
23, 6, He is the Lord, our righteousness. Now how righteous do I need to
be to stand before God accepted? I need to be as righteous as
God. How can that be? Only in Christ only as he is
made unto me. You remember the verse second
Corinthians 521 God made him to be sin for us who knew no
sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him so
we have much more in Christ and Yes, we lost all things in Adam. We lost the way, the truth, the
life in the Lord Jesus Christ. He said, I am the way, I am the
truth, I am the life. No man comes to the Father but
by me. We have the abundance of grace. We have the gift of
righteousness by Jesus Christ, our Lord. And then thirdly, he
mentions, lastly there, and he says, shall reign in life. shall reign in life." Sovereign
grace does reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ
our Lord. Shall reign the gift of righteousness
and shall reign in life. You see, when the Lord saves
us, He doesn't give us temporary life. He said, my sheep, hear
my voice, I know them and I give unto them I give unto them eternal
life. And because He gives unto us
eternal life and the gift of righteousness by the abundance
of His grace, we shall never, no, never perish. Because of our union with Christ,
we have everlasting salvation in Him. For as we were one with
Adam in the fall, even so and much more are we one in Christ,
and all that is His is ours. Thanks be to God who has given
us the victory over sin, death, hell, and the grave. Thanks be
to God who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Having spoiled principalities
and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over
them Himself. Now those are weighty verses,
I understand that. I've been looking at these verses
and these words for many, many years. and they are worthy of
our consideration because it's the inspiration of God. The message
that's contained here is true, and Adam all sinned, even so
in Christ shall all be made alive. Those for whom Christ represents
as mediator, advocate, surety of that eternal covenant, they
cannot perish, because He cannot perish, and we're one with Him.