WEEK 4 THE REPRESENTATIVE WORK OF ADAM AND CHRIST ROMANS 5:1-21

1 THE REPRESENTATIVE WORK OF ADAM AND CHRIST ROMANS 5:1-21

○ 5:1-11 – Some of the blessings resulting from justification by faith. ○ Three realities that justification brings: ● 5:1 – Believers have peace with God ● 5:2 – Believers have access to grace in which we stand ● 5:2 – Believers rejoice in their hope of sharing in God’s glory. ○ 5:3-5 – Believers rejoice in their suffering. (I Thessalonians 5:16-18, Philippians 4:4, Habakkuk 3:17,18) ● Positive results to suffering -> Perseverance -> Character - > Hope ○ It is when we suffer that we discover what we are really 2 trusting in – ourselves or God. THE REPRESENTATIVE WORK OF ADAM AND CHRIST ROMANS 5:1-21 ○ 5:6-11 – Believers are assured of final salvation ○ 5:8 – The single action that proves God loves us – Christ chose, by the will of the Father, to die for us. ○ You can know objectively and beyond all doubt that God loves us, even if your feelings or the appearance of your life circumstances might be prompting you to wonder. ○ Paul tells us that our salvation is secure ● If Jesus stayed on the cross and saved us while we were God’s enemies, then how much more will He keep us saved now that we are His friends. ● If Jesus secured our salvation when He was dead, how much more will He keep us saved when He is alive. 3 THE REPRESENTATIVE WORK OF ADAM AND CHRIST ROMANS 5:1-21

○ 5:12-21 – The saving work of Christ contrasted with the condemning work of Adam ○ 5:12-14 – Adam brought sin and death upon all men ○ Three stage chain reaction: 1. Sin entered the world through one man 2. Death entered the world because of sin 3. Death spread to all human beings because all have sinned

4 THE REPRESENTATIVE WORK OF ADAM AND CHRIST ROMANS 5:1-21

○ 5:12 – Sin came into the world through the first man Adam, and death, which is the result of sin, spread to all men because all men sinned in Adam. ● 5:13 – Since sin is the violation of law, there can be no sin apart from the breaking of a law. ● 5:14 – Since death reigned over all who lived from Adam to Moses, all were counted guilty as the result of the violation of some law. This can’t be the 10 Commandments or the law written on the heart ● All were constituted sinners and treated as guilty because of Adam’s one sin, which was imputed to 5 them. THE REPRESENTATIVE WORK OF ADAM AND CHRIST ROMANS 5:1-21

○ The idea that Adam’s sin was imputed to us is repeatedly emphasized in verses 15-19: ● 5:15 – Many died through one man’s trespass ● 5:16 – The judgement following one trespass brought condemnation ● 5:17 – Because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man ● 5:18 – One man’s trespass led to condemnation for all men ● 5:19 – By one man’s disobedience many were made sinners. ○ Bottom line: All men are guilty as the result of one man’s sin. 6 THE REPRESENTATIVE WORK OF ADAM AND CHRIST ROMANS 5:1-21

○ 5:15-17 – Paul shows one outstanding respect in which the two are not parallel. ● Christ did much more for His people than just to remove the imputed guilt of Adam’s one sin; He also made complete satisfaction for all of their personal sins and imputes to them perfect righteousness as a free gift. ○ 5:18-19 – The comparison is resumed ○ Contrasts between Adam and Jesus: ● The motivation at the heart of each deed was different ● The results of the two deeds was opposite ● The power of the two is different 7 THE REPRESENTATIVE WORK OF ADAM AND CHRIST ROMANS 5:1-21

○ 5:20-21 – The Law was added, increasing sin but, where sin increased, God’s grace abounded all the more by bringing righteousness and life through Jesus Christ. ○ Teaching the law proves it is not a lack of knowledge which prevents us from obeying God and keeping His standards, but rather, lack of willingness and ability.

8 THE REPRESENTATIVE WORK OF ADAM AND CHRIST ROMANS 5:1-21 ○ 5:12-21 – Paul compares the saving work of Christ to the condemning work of Adam. ○ Just as the race was lost through the representative act of the “first” Adam, believers are saved through the representative act of the “last” Adam. ○ Adam served as the legal head of the human race. When he sinned, his sin was imputed to all men just as if they had personally committed the sin. ○ Christ obedience resulted in a perfect righteousness which is imputed to all who believe in Him. ○ God views all humanity as under one of two heads, either

Adam or Christ. One brings death, the other brings life.9 Two Men

The first Adam – vs 12 The last Adam – Christ – Vs 14

Two Acts

One trespass, one man’s sin, One Man’s act of righteousness, One man’s disobedience One Man’s obedience Vss. 15,16,17,18,19 Vss. 18,19

Two Results

Sin, death, judgement, Free Gift, grace, righteousness, Condemnation Life, justification, acquittal. Vss. 12,14,15,16,17,18,19,21 Vss. 15,16,17,18,19,21 10 Each Represented His People

Adam Christ

The God’s Entire Elect Race All in Christ All in Adam

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Romans 1-7 for you, Tim Keller, Page 136 PRACTICAL LESSONS FROM ROMANS 5:1-21

○ 5:1-5 – If we are the genuine children of God, we have peace of conscience, a sense of God’s favor, and freedom of access to His throne. We endure afflictions with patience. Instead of making us distrustful of our heavenly Father, they afford us new proofs of His love, and strengthen our hope of His mercy. And we shall have, also, more or less of the assurance of God’s love, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. - Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Charles Hodge, Page 141

13 PRACTICAL LESSONS FROM ROMANS 5:1-21

○ 5:1,2 – “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God . . . access by faith . . . and we exult in the hope of the glory of God.” This implies that with respect to believers, past sins are forgiven, present access to the throne of grace is assured, and future glory is guaranteed. - New Testament Commentary, Romans, William Hendriksen, Page 188

14 PRACTICAL LESSONS FROM ROMANS 5:1-21

○ 5:6-8 – “Christ died for the ungodly. Now a man will scarcely die for a righteous person … But God demonstrates His own love for us in this, that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” Paul is amazed by his reflection on such love. It is as if he were saying, “Just think of it: God loves the unlovable! Why, even for a righteous person one would hardly want to die. But Christ died for the unrighteous, the ungodly!” – New Testament Commentary, Romans, William Hendriksen, Page 189

15 PRACTICAL LESSONS FROM ROMANS 5:1-21

○ 5:8-10 - Assurance of the love of God never produces self-complacency or pride; but always humility, self-abasement, wonder, gratitude, and praise. The believer sees that the mysterious fountain of this love is in the divine mind; it is not in himself, who is ungodly and a sinner. - Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Charles Hodge, Page 142

16 PRACTICAL LESSONS FROM ROMANS 5:1-21

○ 5:12 – We should never yield to temptation on the ground that the sin to which we are solicited appears to be a trifle (merely eating a forbidden fruit), or that it is but for once. Remember that one offence of one man. How often has a man, or a family, been ruined forever by one sin! - Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Charles Hodge, Page 141

17 PRACTICAL LESSONS FROM ROMANS 5:1-21

○ 5:17 – Those that perish, perish not because the sin of Adam has brought them under condemnation; nor because no adequate provision has been made for their recovery; but because they will not receive the offered mercy. - Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Charles Hodge, Page 190

18 PRACTICAL LESSONS FROM ROMANS 5:1-21

○ 5:15-21 – Grace is ever far more effective than sin. “Where sin increased, grace increased all the more.” Did grace merely offset sin and death, so that mankind returned to the state of innocence, that of Adam before the fall? On the contrary, grace changed death into a gain, substituted righteousness for sin, and everlasting life for death. All this “through Jesus Christ our Lord”.

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