Fact Sheet for “Choose!” Romans 5:12-21 Pastor Bob Singer 07/26/2020
One of the heroes of the faith in the Bible was Joshua. Joshua, as a young man, became an assistant to Moses. He was one of the 12 who were sent to spy out the Promised Land, and one of the 2 who brought back a favorable report (the other being Caleb). When it came time that the LORD called Moses home Joshua was his heir apparent. Joshua, now over 60 years old, crossed the Jordan River with all of Israel and led the battle for Jericho, as well as the initial conquest of the Promised Land. As he came to the end of his life of 110 years he spoke the following words to Israel (Joshua 24:15). Unfortunately they chose to serve idols, and reaped the expected consequences. “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
We have a choice before us today. There is so much going on in our nation. There are all the restrictions we have related to the Covid 19 virus, and the damage they are doing to our economy. There is a never ending stream of political wrangling out of Washington D.C. before an upcoming election. And then there is “Black Lives Matter”, and the riots in Portland. People are angry, taking sides, apologizing, attacking, and defunding the police. What should we think? How should we react? Well we have a choice, and I want to put this before you today. You can either choose to hitch you wagon to a medical spokesperson, a politician, a movement… and to all that they stand for… or you can strengthen your ability to view all these things through the lens of Scripture, and react accordingly.
As Paul wrote Romans 5:12-21 he lived in a very different world than we do. Christianity was in its early years. The big question was, “Do the Gentiles need to follow the Law of Moses?” Paul’s answer was, “Absolutely not!” We are not declared righteous by God (justified) because we live 100% righteously (such as in perfect obedience to the Law of Moses), but because we are covered with Christ’s righteousness.
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.
Other translations use the word “imputed” for “counted.” Ryrie’s Study Bible has this note: “sin is not imputed. I.e., sin is not charged as a specific violation of a particular command when there is no law. However, this does not mean that sin was not sin during the period from Adam to Moses, as proved by the fact of death during that period (v. 14). Sin could never be anything but evil.”
14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.
Paul wrote that Adam was a type of Christ. What is a type? It is a divinely intended foreshadowing of a future person, thing, or event. Paul goes on to describe that type.
15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
Notice three things here.
1 – The one man is Adam. It was due to his sin of eating the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that death came to all people (Genesis 2:16-17). Adam received this command before Eve was created. Even though Eve ate first, and then Adam who was with her, Adam should have stopped Eve and was charged with this sin. When Adam sinned there were two immediate consequences of his sin. First, Adam, Eve, and everyone else would die one day (Enoch and Elijah were the only exceptions). Second, Adam, Eve, and everyone else would now have a sin nature (Jesus Christ excluded). That sin nature is so much more powerful than we care to admit. And, it will not be removed from us until we are in eternity. The Christian has help with the sin nature… the Holy Spirit who indwells us. The non-Christian has no such help (1 Corinthians 2:14). For the Christian it is tough enough to make the right choices in life. But what can we expect from the non-Christian world? Why does all the evil we see surprise us? 2 – Here is the type. Adam’s one sin plunged the whole human race into sin. In contrast, Christ’s one act (his death and resurrection) paid the entire penalty for sin (propitiation, Romans 3:25). Now be careful here. Look at Romans 5:17 once again. Christ’s payment for sin, though sufficient for all, is effective only for those who believe. 3 – God had the solution planned before the beginning of the world. I am impressed by something Jesus said to Pilate (John 19:10-11). Our salvation in Christ had been planned before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). Is God still in control? Absolutely!
18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Now let’s come back to the choice we have. What should we think about what is going on in our nation? Understand the world around us through the lens of Scripture. The sin nature is alive and well in our nation! Why are we surprised when we see the evil we do? God is still in control and will bring everything to the proper end. Trust God for your future, both here and in eternity!
How should we react? Be careful as to who you hitch your wagon to. You might not like all you see. We have the real solution to the world’s problems, the gospel! Always look for the opportunities to point people to the Savior!
In summary, choose well. Hitch your wagon to the right solution and don’t look back! Remember the words of Joshua.
ESV Joshua 24:15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."