Romans 5:1-6:14 v. 13 Sin was in the world before the Law of Moses was given at Mount Sinai. People may not have recognized it as sin prior to the law but sin existed-- undetected. However, Paul says we can know for sure sin was present because of death. Sin and death are always together, so the fact that everyone died was visible proof that (invisible) sin was in the world. Here's an analogy: carbon monoxide gas is odorless and colorless. It often goes undetected until people suddenly start dropping like flies. In the same way sin went unnoticed but death proved that it was there all along. v. 14 Death reigned. How do we know that death reigned? Everyone who lived from the time of Adam to the time of Moses died. Even those who did not break a command from God like Adam did. Therefore, sin must be something more than the transgression of the Law of Moses. Adam was a pattern of "the one who was to come," namely Jesus. The gift of righteousness is not like the trespass of Adam. This section speaks of "the one man" but actually contrasts two specific men. Read carefully because sometimes "the one man" refers to Adam and other times "the one man" refers to Christ. Again, look at the attached Diagram and notice the sharp contrast between Adam and Christ. v. 15-19 By Adam the many died, by Christ the many live. The one sin brought judgment and condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. Through one man's trespass death reigned, but through the one man (Christ) life reigns. One trespass brought condemnation, but one act of righteousness brings life. The disobedience of one man made many sinners, but the obedience of Christ makes many righteous. v. 20-21 The Law of Moses made sin more visible. But no matter how much sin there is in the world there is always more grace. Grace will always reign. It will never be overpowered by sin. 6:1 Since there is more grace than sin does that mean the readers should just keep on sinning? Of course not. Paul often addresses the faulty notion that people must be restrained by laws or else they will sin with wild abandon. This notion fails to account for the influence of the Spirit of God who lives in every believer. v. 2-4 Believers have died to sin. They share in the death of Christ which frees them from the grip of sin. Baptism is a symbol of this death to sin. Coming up out of the water symbolizes resurrection and sharing in the eternal life of Christ. v. 5-7 Believers are united with Christ in death and in the resurrection from that death. Their "old self" has been put to death. Sin no longer has power over them. In other words, now they are free from sin. v. 8-10 The believing readers died with Christ and will always live with Him. Christ will never die again. His victory over death is concrete evidence of His victory over sin. v. 11-13 The believing readers are dead to sin (meaning sin is no longer their master) and alive to God (their new master). That's why they should no longer live as though sin rules their lives. They must now offer themselves to God "as instruments of righteousness." v. 14 The believers are no longer under law but are now under grace. Paul will explain that much better in the next chapter. See you next time. --Sandy Blank Back...
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