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- Preaching
the Living WORD through the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4:2 - |
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DEATH IN THE
FIRST ADAM (Rom 5:12-14) 8/19/07 Pastor INTRODUCTION A. The subject of Romans
Chapter Five has been the spiritual blessings the believer receives through
justification. The spiritual blessings are: Peace with God - (vs. 1); Access
to God’s grace (vs. 2); Hope of the glory of God (vs. 2); Exultation in
tribulations (vs. 3); Object of God’s love (vss. 5-8); Saved from wrath (vs.
9); Reconciliation to God (vss. 10-11). B. We now come to a section of Scripture that
is one of the most enigmatic passages in the entire book of Romans. C. However, this is a precious section of
Scripture because it teaches the believer’s new position is the Second Adam
(Christ) in Rom 5:15-21. D. But first, Paul explains our old position in the First Adam
(Adam) in Rom 5:12-14. E. In summary, our old position in the First
Adam was death. Our new position in the Second Adam is grace and eternal
life. I. DEATH CAME BECAUSE ADAM
SINNED (12a) A. Paul begins his teaching
on the blessings in the Second Adam by first explaining the curse under the
First Adam. B. All humanity is originally and positionally
in the First Adam. Unfortunately, man’s First Head sinned and brought sin (hamartía) into the world. Even though Eve
sinned first, Adam was man’s representative (Gen 3:1-6 cp. 1Ti 2:13-14). C. Consequently, death also entered the world
through sin. Death is the consequence of sin (cp. Rom 6:23). Death (thánatos) from a biblical perspective means
separation. There are three aspects of death: 1. Spiritual separation from a relationship with God
because of sin (Eph 2:1). 2. Physical separation from the body because of Adam’s
curse (Gen 2:17; 3:3, 4). 3. Eternal separation from God eternally because of a rejection of
Christ (Rev 2:11; 21:8). D. Also notice the
description of Adam as “one man” (12, 15, 16, 17, 18).
There is going to be a contrast between the “one man,” i.e., the First Adam
and the other “man,” i.e., the Second Adam (Christ). The word, “one” (heis - numerical one) is used 13 times in
Rom 5:12-19. II. DEATH SPREAD BECAUSE ALL
SINNED IN ADAM (12b) A. Paul takes the teaching of
sin and death one-step further. It is now explained that death has spread (diérchomai - lit. “go
through” - went through all humanity) to all men. This is the point to
this section, namely that when viewed, man’s position in Adam is death (12,
14, 17, 21). Verse 21 concludes, “as sin reigned in death,
even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus
Christ our Lord.” B. If death comes by sin, and Adam was the
one who sinned, then why is death spread to all men? Paul answers that
question by declaring that all humanity is culpable because, “all sinned” in
Adam. C. What exactly does the phrase in Rom 5:12,
“all sinned” actually mean? 1. Four Major Views (See Chart). a) Pelagianism:
Adam sinned but did not affect humanity at all. b) Arminianism: Adam sinned but partially
affected humanity. c) Federalism or Headship: Adam sinned as
man’s representative and completely affected humanity. d) Augustinian or Seminalism: Adam and his
posterity sinned and completely affected humanity. 2. Logical
Theological Outcome a) Pelagianism
has led to the erroneous belief in universal salvation especially among
Unitarians. But Rom 5:12 proves man’s position in
the First Adam is death. b) Arminianism has led to the erroneous belief
that denies eternal security, especially among Methodists, Wesleyans, and
Pentecostals. But Rom 5:12 and following prove
Christ’s remedy for imputed sin is complete and eternal. c) Federalism and Seminalism lend themselves
to a proper view of man’s major problem (imputed and inherent sin) and to
man’s only salvation (imputed righteousness, i.e. justification by faith). (1) Federalism:
In one sense, it must be agreed, that Adam was innocent and the first human.
Therefore, by default, this makes him man’s head and representative. (2) Seminalism: (a) This view
seems to better support the biblical phrase, “all sinned” in Rom 5:12.
“Sinned” (hę́marton) is in the aorist
tense, which assigns a point in time in the past. According to Rom 5:12, the
point in time was when Adam sinned (“just as”…”so). Death came upon Adam and
humanity because Adam and humanity sinned. (b) The phrase, “because all sinned” (eph hō) is
correctly translated with a causal force (cp. 2Co 5:4), though some take it
as the relative clause, “in whom (Adam)”. (c) Heb 7:7-10 alludes to the idea how humanity
could sin in Adam. The context speaks of Levi being subordinate to
Melchizedek because Levi paid tithes to Melchizedek. How could Levi pay
tithes when he had not even been born? He paid tithes in the “loins” of
Abraham. In the same way, humanity sinned in the “loins” of Adam. 3. Conclusion:
a) The fact
remains that because of Adam’s disobedience the entire human race has been constituted as sinners and have joined in
Adam’s sin. b) Therefore the death sentence has been justifiably placed upon
every member of the human race. III. DEATH REIGNED BEFORE THE
LAW (13-14) A. Verse 13 does not suggest
that man was not guilty for his sin because there was no Law. On the
contrary, sin is anything that violates God’s holiness (Hab 1:13). Therefore,
sin was in the world. B. However, sin was not judicially imputed
until the Law came. In addition, the Law was given in order to bring about
the knowledge of sin (Rom 3:20), the realization of sin (Rom 5:20), and the
recompense of sin (Rom 4:15). C. Furthermore, we know that sin was in the
world because humanity continued to die physically (cp. Rom 5:14; cp. Gen
5:5, 8, 11, 14, etc.), which is a punishment for sin. Therefore, death
through sin continued to reign (basileúō
- rule like a king) before the Law (“from Adam until Moses”). D. Even though no one could commit Adam’s
“offense” (lit. “transgression” parábasis - step over the line),
eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, corrupt man continued
to transgress God’s holiness. E. Adam, though a literal historical figure,
was a “type” (túpos - the mark (of
a blow), an impression, stamp from a die) of
Christ. A type in the Bible is a character or event that, by divine design,
symbolically prefigures the person and work of Christ or other divine truths.
Christ and Adam are alike in that each is the head of a race; Adam of sinful man, Christ of redeemed humanity. 1Co
15:45-47 and Rom 5:15-21 teach the comparisons and contrasts between the
first and second Adam (Christ). IV. APPLICATIONS A. Death Still Reigns In The
First Adam (1Co 15:22) 1. Through
Adam, humanity has been pronounced as guilty sinners and man inherits a
sinful nature. Therefore, man is born in Adam, in sin and in spiritual death. 2. Unbelievers are still in Adam and death
still reigns. B. Life Is Offered In The
Second Adam (Rom 5:15) 1. Through
Christ, sin has been atoned for and those who trust Christ are forgiven and
pronounced righteous. Those who trust Christ as Savior are born again in and have
eternal life. 2. Believers are in Christ and eternal life
reigns. C. The
Imputations Of The First And Second Adam (Rom 5:12; 2Co 5:21; Rom 4:22-25). 1. The only
remedy for the imputed sin is the imputed righteousness of Christ. 2. The three basic imputations are: (1)
Adam’s sin imputed to humanity - Rom 5:12; (2) Man’s sin imputed to Christ -
2Co 5:21; (3) Christ’s righteousness imputed to believers - Rom 4:22-25).
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