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Section 7 Romans 5:1-11
The glory of God is central to the gospel

Subject of Section 7
This section deals with the past, present, and future of the believer in the light of the glory of God. The apostle explains three things. First, how one who formerly came short of the glory of God, 3:23, can look forward to, and rejoice in, that glory. Second, how a believer can rejoice even though he is passing through tribulations. And third, how a believer can rejoice in who and what God is. The answers are found in the past, present and future work of the Lord Jesus on the believer’s behalf.

It is important to notice the various renderings of the word translated “rejoice”. In verse 2, “rejoice in hope of the glory of God”; in verse 3, “glory in tribulations also”; in verse 11, “joy in God”. See also “boasting” in 3:27, and “glory” in 4:2. So “rejoice”, “glory”, “joy” and “boast” all mean the same thing in these verses.

Structure of Section 7

7(a)	5:1,2	Rejoicing in hope of the glory of God
7(b)	5:3-10	Rejoicing in tribulations
7(c)	5:11	Rejoicing in God

7(a) 5:1,2
Rejoicing in hope of the glory of God

5:1
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Therefore- the passage develops the consequences of the justification by faith that has been explained in the previous main section, 3:21-26, before the parenthesis of 3:27-4:25.
Being justified- a past event with continuing effect.
By faith- that is, on the principle of faith. Faith has no virtue in itself, so it is not the means of justification, but it is the condition laid d  own by God, the basis on which He is prepared to reckon men righteous. Man entered into sin by disbelieving God; he may enter into salvation by believing God. Man entered into sin by rebelling against God; he may enter into salvation by repenting toward God.
We have peace with God- as far as the believer is concerned, the anger of God because of sins has been removed. This is judicial peace, arrived at in strict accordance with justice, and not as a result of the slackening of God’s demands.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ- nothing we have done personally has contributed to this position, it is entirely due to what Christ has done at Calvary. Peace with God is not conditional at all, whereas the peace of God is, as Philippians 4:6,7 makes clear.

5:2
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

By whom also we have access- as well as ensuring that there is settled peace between ourselves and God, the Lord Jesus is also the One who introduces His people to the Father’s presence, for He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me”, John 14:6. Through Him both Jew and Gentile believers have access by one Spirit unto the Father, Ephesians 2:18. It is one thing to be reckoned righteous by the Divine Judge, it is a further thing to have access into His immediate presence. But this we have.

By faith- which lays hold of unseen things, Hebrews 11:1, and accepts without reserve the testimony of God’s word. It is because the believer has come by faith to know the truth and possess the life, that he has a place before God.
Into this grace wherein we stand- the word that describes the attitude of God in His unmerited favour towards His people is now transferred to the favour itself. Compare 2 Corinthians 8:6,19, where the word used for the attitude which gave a gift is then used for the gift itself, so the gift had the stamp of grace upon it. So here, the believer’s position by grace has the stamp of Divine grace upon it.
By the grace of God believers have a settled place (they “stand”) in the presence of Him who, were they still in their sins, would be their unsparing judge, and from whose face they would be banished. Their standing is by grace, not merit. The access into the standing is by faith initially, and the enjoyment of it is by faith continually.
And rejoice in hope of the glory of God- sinners have no interest in the glory of God, being occupied with themselves. Believers on the other hand eagerly anticipate the day when God will reveal Himself in all His beauty and majesty. Their hope is conditioned by God’s glory. Far from dreading the actual sight of the glory of God in Christ, the believer rejoices at that prospect, a sure sign that his sins have been dealt with.
Hope in the Scriptures is not a doubtful thing, but a certain prospect. This is confirmed by the fact that in 1 Timothy 1:1 the Lord Jesus is said to be the believer’s hope, and there is no uncertainty with Him. Believers shall not only be in the presence of God in all His beauty and glory, Psalm 27:4, but shall radiate that glory, Rev. 21:11,23,24.

7(b)   5:3-10
Rejoicing in tribulations

5:3
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

And not only so- the apostle has established that peace with God ensures that we face the future sight of God with confidence; now he shows that it enables us to face calmly the trials of the present.
But we glory in tribulations also- this is not simply to glory (rejoice) whilst passing through tribulations, but to actually view the tribulations themselves as a reason for rejoicing. The unbeliever views tribulations as a reason for complaining.
Knowing that- glorying in trials is not on account of indifference to pain, but intelligence as to God’s purpose.
Tribulation worketh patience- the heavy log which in ancient times the oxen dragged around the threshing-floor to press the grain out from the ear, was called in Latin a tribula. Tribulation is relentless pressure. The believer is able to rejoice in this pressure, because it is a means to an end. Patience is not simply a passive acceptance of the seemingly inevitable, but a positive resolve to endure to God’s glory.

5:4
And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

And patience experience- this word denotes “proof”. In other words, the trials, when passed through with endurance, afford proof of the genuineness of the believer’s profession. The reality of his faith is being proved experimentally. Compare the seed growing on stony ground in the parable of the sower, Matthew 13:5,6,20,21, with that which grew in the good ground, Matthew 13:8,23. The heat of the sun (explained as “tribulation or persecution…because of the word”, verse 21), withered the rocky ground plant, whereas the ears of a healthy wheat plant were ripened by the same sun. Only the true believer can flourish under tribulation; the false professor will wither and die.
And experience, hope- far from causing the believer to be downcast, tribulations should produce a confident reliance on the faithfulness of God, for after the suffering will come the glory.

5:5
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

And hope maketh not ashamed- to have confident expectations whilst in the midst of trying circumstances is not an embarrassment to a believer, for his hope is certain to be realised. The reason why he knows this is next told us, for the love of God assures us.
Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts- literally, the love is “deluged”, so that just as every part of the earth was flooded in Noah’s day, so every part of the believer’s heart is affected by the love of God. There is, in principle, no nook or cranny where bitterness can be harboured. Note the word “is” not “was”, for it is not only the moment of conversion that is in view. The love of God is currently flooding the heart of the believer within, all the time that tribulation is his portion from without.
By the Holy Spirit which is given unto us- note that there is no doubt that the believer has the Spirit of God within. Note also that He is given, not earned, as the apostle affirms in Galatians 3:2. The Holy Spirit does many things in our hearts, as chapter 8 will show, but here He assures us of Divine love, which has been demonstrated so clearly at Calvary. He also assures of future blessedness, thus saving the believer from despair.

5:6
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

For- this word introduces a commentary on the nature of the Divine love which is within the believer’s heart.
When we were yet without strength- we were completely powerless to earn Divine love, like the impotent man of John 5. The “yet” suggests that we had tried to merit God’s love in the past without success.
In due time- the “time appointed” and “the fulness of the time” of Galatians 4:2,4, when the Son of God came to display the Father’s love. He did not come too soon, so we might say we had not been given enough time to earn salvation. He did not come too late, so that we would despair.
Christ died for the ungodly- Israel were looking for the Christ to reign in righteousness; in fact He came to die in righteousness and love, for “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13. See also Song of Solomon 8:6,7. The ungodly are those who have no respect for God, and who represent the strongest possible test for the love of Christ; will He be prepared to die even for these?

5:7
For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die- because the life of a righteous man condemns the sinner’s life, there is little prospect of the sinner sacrificing his life for a righteous man’s sake.
Yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die- there is a slim possibility that a man might go so far as to dare to die, (meaning, “bring himself to die”) for one who has done him some good, “the good man in his experience”.

5:8
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

But- in contrast to those who are reluctant, or who only dare to die when they have been shown good.
God commendeth his love toward us- God’s love is not a peradventure or a dare, (which are worthless if not carried out), but has been fully demonstrated to be worthy by being put into effect. This is His own particular and special love, which is unique to Himself, for it demands nothing before it is shown, and is lavished upon the unlovely.
In that while we were yet sinners- we were not the sort of people for whom men possibly dare to die, being neither righteous nor good.
Christ died for us- an actual, historic, accomplished event, giving expression to God’s intense love.

Special note on verses 8-10
In verses 8 and 9, the apostle summarises the teaching of the epistle from the beginning, where he emphasises sinful actions, whereas in verse 10 he anticipates the teaching of 5:11-8:39, where he emphasises the sinful state. This may be set out as follows:

Verses 8 and 9	Verse 10
Actions	State
Sinners: guilty of sinful acts	Enemies: by nature and condition
Christ: the man free of sinful actions	Son: His nature in relation to God
Died: an act accomplished	Death: a state entered
“Much more”	“Much more”
Justified: action by God	Reconciled: state before God
Saved, as He intercedes, 8:34	Saved by His risen state

Note the features of Divine love in the believer’s heart:

Unique	His own love
Unhindered	Shed abroad
Unrivalled	Not “scarcely…peradventure”
Undeserved	Sinners: No righteousness before God
	Ungodly: No respect for God
	Enemies: No relationship with God
Unreserved	Christ really died

5:9
Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Much more then- Divine love not only meets us in our tribulations in the present, with the indwelling Holy Spirit constantly reminding us of it, but it safeguards us in the far more awesome Day of Judgment to come.
Being now justified by his blood- the death of Christ was not simply a demonstration of love, but met the claims of Divine justice to the full, hence instead of death the apostle speaks of blood, for “it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul, Leviticus 17:11. Divine justice demands that life must be forfeited if sins are committed, but God is prepared to accept the life of a suitable substitute. That substitute is Christ.
We shall be saved from wrath through him- the eternal wrath of God which sinners shall know, believers shall not know, not because they have lived perfect lives since they first believed, but because they have One who makes intercession for them if any charge is brought against them either now or in the future, Romans 8:33,34. The wrath of God abides on the disobedient unbeliever, but those who believe on the Son of God have everlasting life, and are safe for ever, John 3:36.

Having enlarged, in verse 9, on the statement of verse 8, “Christ died for us”, with special reference to the justifying power of His blood, the apostle now emphasises His reconciling work, again based on His death. For sin not only makes men guilty before God, but also banishes them from His presence.

5:10
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

For if, when we were enemies- as sinners we needed to be justified, but we were also enemies, so we needed to be reconciled, brought into a harmonious relationship with God. We were enemies because the carnal mind, (that is, the mind of the unsaved person), “is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be”, Romans 8:7.
We were reconciled to God by the death of his Son- death speaks of banishment, whereas the idea of Son speaks of nearness, but here the two are brought together; He who is nearest and dearest to God, dies for those who are furthest and most hostile.
Much more- if God brought us near by the death of His Son, what will He not do now that He has been raised from the dead, showing that the work of Calvary is sufficient? See Romans 8:31,32.
Being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life- if Christ was prepared to die for His enemies, what will He not do for His friends? If He reconciled us to Himself when we were at war with Him, He will not banish us now that we are at peace with Him. Believers are preserved free of condemnation because Christ is in resurrection, the sure sign that His death at Calvary satisfied God, Romans 4:25.

7(c)   5:11
Rejoicing in God

5:11
And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

And not only so- we not only rejoice in hope of seeing and radiating the glory of God, and rejoice in tribulations, but we joy in God too.
But we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement- atonement is the result of propitiation, and has to do with the fact that Christ’s blood has satisfied every demand against our sin, and on this basis sinners may be righteously brought near to God. By His death on the cross the Lord Jesus satisfied every demand that all aspects of the glory of God made upon us, and in so doing enhanced every one of those glories, see John 12:28; 13:31,32.
Now that he is brought into harmony with God by Jesus Christ, the believer is able to rejoice in the glory of God that was magnified at the cross. Every Divine attribute was brought into full display at Calvary. By gaining an appreciation of the work of Christ done there, the believer progresses in the knowledge of God in all His glory. Far from being terrified now by that glory, he triumphs and rejoices in it.
The work of propitiation has been shown by the apostle both in chapter 3:25, and now here, to be at the heart of the gospel. It is vitally important to try to grasp the immensity of what Christ did at Calvary, and to beware of thinking of His death only in terms of our own justification and forgiveness, blessed as those things are.
It is necessary for the Moral Governor of the universe to clear Himself in relation to every sin that has ever been committed. If He does not do so, He will be in danger of the charge of compliance with that sin. Outrageous as that charge would be, the Devil is evil enough to make it. To protect Divine Honour in this matter, Christ “put away sin by the sacrifice of himself”, Hebrews 9:26. When God made Him sin, 2 Corinthians 5:21, He bore the penalty for sin in His own person. This must not be confused with punishment for sin, however, which the unrepentant sinner will endure for all eternity. In strict justice it is not possible for one person to be punished for the wrongdoings of another, but it is possible for another to endure the penalty of another’s sins. It is perfectly possible for Christ to endure the penalty for sin, and yet the sinner bear the punishment for that same sin in the lake of fire.
We must beware of confusing the work of Christ with the effect of the work. The work was propitiation, which has its own effect God-ward of course, but the effect man-ward for those who believe is reconciliation. There is no limit to the work of propitiation, for it is measurable only in terms of the infinite person who accomplished it. Reconciliation is limited, however, being restricted to those who in the language of Romans 5:11, “have received the atonement”.
If there were those in Israel on the Day of Atonement who refused to afflict their souls and abstain from work, (the equivalent to repentance and faith), they were cut off from their people, Leviticus 23:26-32. The work that had been done for the nation that day was not credited to them. So if there are those who refuse to repent and believe, they are cut off from the reconciliation that Christ obtained at the cross.

We now begin to look at that section of the epistle which deals not so much with what we have done, but what we are. In other words, the criminal, not the crimes he has committed. Now that his sins have been forgiven, what is the believer’s relationship with God? What of the sin-principle that caused him to sin before he was saved? By what power is the Christian life lived? And is the security of the believer assured? These questions, and others besides, are answered in the next sections of the epistle.

Section 8   Romans 5:12-21
Christ and Adam compared and contrasted

Subject of Section 8
The apostle here begins a fresh section of the epistle in which he deals with what we are by nature, by tracing that nature to Adam. By nature is meant those essential features which combine to make a thing what it is. Through the sin and disobedience of the first man, Adam, who is the ancestral head of men as sinners, terrible consequences were passed on to all, which could only be remedied by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, who becomes the head of those who believe. The teaching of the previous section has prepared the way for what is presented to us now.
The apostle assumes we accept the testimony of the early chapters of the Book of Genesis, with its record of the formation of the first man, Adam, his disobedience and fall, and the fact that he passed on to all mankind a sinful nature.
The whole of the purpose of God for mankind centres on the fact that His Son became man, and as such is qualified to be the last Adam. He came to restore that which He took not away, Psalm 69:4. Part of that restoring work is to remedy the loss and damage that Adam had brought upon men by his sin.

Special note on sin
The word sin is used as a verb and as a noun in scripture. As a verb it means in the majority of cases “to miss the mark”, as when an archer fails to hit the target. God has set the standard for man’s behaviour, and man fails to attain that standard; that failure is sin.
As a noun it either refers to an individual act of missing the mark, or, (in the sense it is mainly used from this point on until the end of chapter eight), “the tendency and ability to act lawlessly”.
Different aspects of the word sin in the scriptures are as follows:
1. Sin in the aggregate, the totality of all the sins that have ever been and ever will be committed. Examples: “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”, John 1:29. “But now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself”, Hebrews 9:26.
2. Sin as an individual act. Example: “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” Hebrews 10:17.
3. Sin in the abstract. Example: “and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation”, Hebrews 9:28.
4. Sin as the ability to act lawlessly. Examples: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”, Romans 6:23. “Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.” Romans 7:17. It is in this latter sense that the apostle uses the word in the following verses.

When God made man at the beginning, He made him in His own image, after His likeness, Genesis 1:26. As a person in God’s image, man was to represent God to the rest of creation. As a person after God’s likeness, man was to replicate Him, displaying godly features.
As a being made in this way man had rationality, the ability to reason; spirituality, the ability to respond to God; personality, the ability not only to express himself as an individual, but also, and primarily, so as to display God.
Sadly, through the fall of man, these abilities have been perverted and corrupted. Instead of reasoning in line with God’s word, man follows the dictates of his own perverted mind, which is enmity with God, and is not and cannot be subject to the law of God, Romans 8:7. Instead of responding to God, man listened to the voice of the Tempter, who denied that God had man’s best interests at heart. Instead of his personality displaying the virtues of God, man displays himself, selfishly putting himself to the fore. He thereby betrays a lack of spirituality.
So it was that when Adam begat Seth, he did so “in his own likeness, after his image”, Genesis 5:3. Note the reversal of the order. In the case of Adam it was “image…likeness”, for the main point is the representation, with the likeness making that representation meaningful and real. In the case of Seth, the likeness is mentioned before the image, for the emphasis is now on the replication of the sinful characteristics of Adam, and the image would refer to Seth consequently representing Adam as a sinner.
So in some way that perhaps cannot be understood, the distorted abilities of Adam were passed on to his children. In this way each of us has the capacity to act contrary to God, and so we are by nature sinners, for it is part of our constitution from birth. It is mainly in this sense that the apostle uses the word sin in the following verses.

Structure of Section 8
The passage is very complex, but may be clearer if we note its structure in the following form, where the numbers represent the verses of the section:

12 [(13-14) 15-17] 18-21.

Put into words, the main subject is in verses 12 and 18-21, (with numbers in bold), and verses 13-17 form a parenthesis, [with square brackets]. Inside this parenthesis there is another, consisting of verses 13 and 14, (with numbers in italics).
Thinking generally about the passage, verse 12 introduces us to sin and death. Verses 13 and 14 show that death is as a result of the sinful nature within, and not normally because of sins committed. Verses 15-17 deal with death, and verses 18-21 with sin.

8(a)	5:12	The entrance of sin and its consequences
8(b)	5:13,14	The existence of sin before the law age
8(c)	5:15	The effect of sin and God’s attitude
8(d)	5:16,17	The ending of death’s reign
8(e)	5:18	The extending of a gift to all
8(f)	5:19	The experience of justification by many
8(g)	5:20	The enhancement of sin by the law
8(h)	5:21	The ending of sins’s reign

8(a)   5:12
The entrance of sin and its consequences

Overview of verse 12
An initial doctrinal statement
The apostle immediately traces the origin of the sin principle right back to Adam, and then shows that “him that was to come”, verse 14, is God’s answer. Only the Last Adam, the Lord Jesus, is able to deal with that which the first man Adam brought in. When he fell, Adam became a sinner by nature and practice, and when he begat a son it was in his image and likeness he did so, to represent him as a sinner, Genesis 5:3. Thus sin entered into the world. Like a poison being put into the spring that gives rise to a river, so the river of humanity has been poisoned at source. Hence the apostle’s use of the words “all men”, and “world”. Not that sin originated with Adam, for Lucifer was the first to sin, Ezekiel 28:15, but he used Adam as the door through which sin might enter into the human race. The consequence of the sin of Adam was that its penalty, death, passed on all.

5:12
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Wherefore- indicating a logical connection, (“therefore”, on the other hand, means logical consequence). Romans 5:12-21 is not a logical consequence of the preceding chapters, but it does answer the questions that those chapters might raise. It is important to notice that the counterpart of the “wherefore as” of this verse is the “therefore as” of verse 18, hence the parenthesis of verses 13-17 is required by the wording of the passage.
It is important for the apostle to show that death is a defeated foe as far as the believer is concerned. After all, if the believer, with sins forgiven and with hopes of heaven, (as explained in the preceding verses), is overtaken by death, to what purpose are those blessings? He must demonstrate that the sin which has brought death into the world has been dealt with effectively. This would explain the use of the word “wherefore”, for it signals the taking up of a connection with previous words, without going so far as being a conclusion from previous words as would be signified by the use of the word “therefore”.
As by one man- that is, Adam, the first man, who is the ancestral head of the human race as sinners, for God “hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth”, Acts 17:26. The idea that man is divided into different races is foreign to scripture.
Sin- the ability and tendency to revolt against God, expressed in disobedience.
Entered into the world- sin existed in Satan before he introduced it into the world of men by means of Adam’s transgression. Adam was the door by which we perish, whereas Christ is the door by which we may be saved, John 10:9. Sin found an entrance into Adam’s heart, and through him to the rest of the world. The man is singled out by the apostle, even though the woman sinned first, for Adam was appointed head of creation, and was responsible for what happened, and also because it was by Adam begetting children that the sin-principle entered into the world of men.
And death by sin- physical death is a direct consequence of Adam’s fall. Because we are sinners we have forfeited the right to continue on the earth, but in the mercy of God we are allowed time to repent.
And so death passed upon all men- this happened because death is the penalty for having a sin-tendency within, (“the wages of sin is death” 6:23), and that sinful tendency is shared by all in the world because of their link with Adam the sinner.
For that all have sinned- “for that” means, “on the basis of the fact that”. The consequence of the sin of Adam was that its penalty, death, passed on all. If any question whether this is the case, then the apostle has the answer. All have sinned, and this proves that all have a sin principle within inciting them to sin. But since that sin principle inevitably results in death, then both sin and death have indeed passed upon all men.
That this is personal sinning is seen in the fact that it is an identical statement to the one in 3:23, where the reference is undoubtedly individual. The “have” is in italics in both cases.
The idea that Adam’s descendants sinned when he sinned, he being their representative and head, is ethically unsatisfactory. If the apostle had written, “for that all have become sinners”, then we could see that as being in line with what he says in verse 19. But it is acts of sin that are in view in the phrase “all have sinned”.
Scripture is clear that “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Ezekiel 18:20, with the emphasis being on the “it”. In other words the person who sins is the person who shall die, and not anyone else. As the verse goes on to say, “the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father”. Could we not extend that principle, and say that the sons of Adam shall not bear the iniquity of their first father, Adam?
When the apostle tells us in verse 19 that it was by Adam’s disobedience that many were made or constituted sinners, he goes on to make the comparison that by the obedience of Christ many shall be made righteous. But that making of many men righteous was not immediate upon the obedience of Christ, but came when they were brought into relationship with Him at conversion. So we may say that the making of many sinners was not immediate either, but came about when they were introduced to relationship with Adam at their conception. It was then that they were begotten in Adam’s image and likeness just as Seth was, Genesis 5:3, with all that entailed in terms of being sinners.

Special note on the entry of sin into the world
We read in Genesis 1:27, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Note the repetition of the idea of man being in God’s image, as if God knew we would find it surprising that such a thing should happen. Note also that in verse 26 God had said “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness”, whereas in verse 27 there is the threefold use of the word “created”. Now the latter word has to do with bringing something into existence, (as in Genesis 1:1), whereas the former has to do with the making of something out of pre-existing materials. So God took the dust of the earth and made man, but He did it in such a way that man could be His image and be able to display His likeness. But it can also be said three times over in verse 27 that man was created, for he was a unique combination of spirit and soul and body, and as such was unlike any other of God’s creatures. This justifies the word created, even though man’s body was made of pre-existent material.
As one who had a spirit, Adam could commune with God, who is a Spirit, John 4:24. As one who had a soul, Adam had personality, and the ability to express himself, for he had a rational mind. Adam was all this in a body, in which he appreciated things with his five senses, and where his various powers were centred.
If Adam had not sinned he would have passed on these characteristics to his descendants without alteration. As it is he did sin by disobeying God’s clear and simple command to not eat of the tree unmistakeably positioned in the midst of the garden. As a result, his whole being was altered. His personality became that of a sinner in revolt against God, instead of one dedicated to manifesting and representing God. His spirit is now cut off from God, and he is in spiritual death. His body is now in the bondage of corruption, unable to function as it should to God’s glory. No wonder the apostle called man’s body “the body of sin”, Romans 6:6!
In Genesis 5:1-3 we read, “This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him. Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth”. So having reaffirmed that God was the creator of both male and female, and that man was made in the likeness of God, the record now begins the generations of Adam.
Those generations came about when Adam begat children, but he did so in his own likeness, after his image. As a result Seth, the son named here, is after his father’s image, which means that he represents Adam the sinner, and he does this because he has his likeness as a sinner.
This does not mean that the image of God is completely gone, (for man is still charged with representing God in the earth, as is seen in his responsibility to execute murderers, Genesis 9:6), but it is very much reduced. The same goes for the likeness, which is still present in men, as James 3:9 says, but man only displays the likeness of God in principle, in that he is a rational creature with personality. He fails miserably in the matter of being like God morally and practically. This is why the apostle Paul declares that man comes short of the glory of God. There is a mis-match between what man is now, and what he was at the beginning, able to glorify Him.
Now when Adam and Eve produced children, they did so as those whose bodies were in the bondage of the corruption to which they were subjected when they sinned, Romans 8:20. As the psalmist said, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Psalm 51:5. This means they passed on that corruption to the children, for as the Lord Jesus said, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh”, John 3:6. So it is that sin entered into the world in a further sense, for it initially entered into the world as represented by Adam, but then he passed it on to his children, by giving them a corrupt body, liable to sin.

Summary
The sin and death which are in the world are the result of the sin of Adam the first man.

8(b)   5:13,14
The existence of sin before the law-age

Overview of verses 13 and 14
Proof that death is the result of the sin-principle within
It is important for the apostle to confirm that death is the result of sin within, and not, in general, as a result of particular sins committed. He does this by referring to the period of time before the law was given at Sinai through Moses. Before the law-age the principle of sin dwelt in the hearts of the descendants of Adam the sinner. But when they sinned, the sin they had committed was not put to their account as demanding an immediate penalty. They did not physically die the moment they sinned.

5:13
(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

(For until the law sin was in the world- the principle of revolt against the rule of God that sin represents was in the world of men up until the formal giving of the law to Israel at Sinai.
But sin is not imputed when there is no law- the word translated imputed is only found here and Philemon 18, (“put that on mine account”). It is not the same as is used in previous passages such as 4:3,4, where it means that God takes account of a person in a certain way. Here, it means to put a sin to someone’s account, with the threat that it may at any moment result in death. So it means more than simply thinking of someone in a certain way, but goes further and involves putting something down in an account book as needing to be paid for. So whilst God did not overlook the fact that during the period from Adam to Moses men committed sins, He did not reckon it against them as needing to be paid for by instant death.
This does not mean that sins committed during the pre-law period are ignored by God, “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:14. What it does mean is that the sins were not threatened with immediate death, unlike the sin of Adam and the sins of men under the law of Moses.
Nevertheless, men still died in the period between Adam and the giving of the law at Sinai, which proves that they did so because of the sin-principle within them, and not because they had transgressed a known law.
The consequence of this is very far-reaching, for it shows that even if an unbeliever managed to never sin, (a hypothetical situation, of course), he would still be liable to death because of what he is by nature. So the gospel is not just about having one’s sins forgiven, but is also about becoming a new creation, so that there is no obligation to sin. The consequence of the sin of Adam was that its penalty, death, passed on all.

5:14
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses- despite the foregoing, men still died in the period between Adam’s sin and Moses’ law-giving. This proves that death is not usually the consequence of sinning, but the consequence of having a sinful nature. Only in extreme circumstances are men struck down in death by God; it is not the general rule.
Even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression- that is, those who had not gone against God’s will as expressed in a known law. Adam, like Israel, was formally given God’s law, which in his case was “thou shalt not eat of it” with a known death penalty for transgression, namely “thou shalt surely die”, Genesis 2:17. The law to Adam was very specific, being limited to not eating of a particular tree in a particular garden. When Adam sinned and was expelled from that garden, the relevance of that law ceased. Hence “from Adam” relates to Adam in the garden, and not Adam for the rest of his life. Men in between Adam and the giving of the law at Sinai did sin like Adam sinned after he was expelled from the garden, but they did not sin against a formally given law as Adam did before he was expelled. Therefore the fact that death reigned over them, (was on the throne in their lives), was due to their nature from Adam, not their sinning like Adam in the garden.
Who is the figure of him that was to come- the apostle rounds off his argument on this point by bringing together the two men who are to be compared and contrasted in the following verses, Christ and Adam. Certain features about Adam in his official position as federal head of the human race provide both a comparison and a contrast with Christ, the head of the new creation.

Summary
That death has passed upon all men because of the act of another is proved by the fact that men died even though they had not transgressed a law they knew about. In His mercy, God promised the seed of the woman immediately sin had manifested itself on earth.

8(c)   5:15
The effect of sin and God’s attitude

Key phrases: The offence of one…the gift in grace which is of one man.

Overview of verse 15
Contrast and comparison: offence or gift
Note that in verses 13-17 we read of “many”, indicating the greatness of the problem to be addressed, and also the far-reaching consequences of the actions of the two men who are in view in the passage. In verses 12 and 18, (which are linked together, the verses in between being a parenthesis, as we have seen), we read of “all”, for there the universality of the problem Adam introduced, and the universality of the provision God has made in response is brought out. The apostle will revert to “many” in verse 19, because there the emphasis is on those who are affected, either men in Adam, or those in the good of the obedience of Christ.
By describing Christ as “him that was to come”, (for immediately following Adam’s sin, God announced the coming deliverer), the apostle has prepared the way to revert back to his consideration of Adam’s fall, after the parenthesis of verses 13 and 14. He does this by presenting both a contrast, “not as”, and a comparison, “so also”.
The comparison is seen in the fact that both Adam and Christ, each being head over those linked to them, affect deeply their respective companies. The contrast is between Adam’s offence, and the grace of God. Further, that offence resulted in the “gift” of death to the many who have died one by one throughout history, whereas the grace of God results in many being given a different sort of gift. What that gift is we are not yet told. What we are told is that what God does through Christ has a “much more” character about it, which is seen in that the gift has abounded. The seemingly insurmountable problem of Adam’s sin has been overcome by God in Christ. He has not solved the problem by introducing a stronger judgment than that meted out to Adam, but by acting in grace. The condemnation of sinners is a righteous necessity with God, but He is under no obligation to bless them, but chooses to do so because of His grace.

5:15
But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence 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.

But not as the offence, so also is the free gift- as already noted, these words serve the dual purpose of introducing both a comparison and a contrast, as would be suggested by the word figure (the Greek word gives us the English word “type”) in verse 14. The keys on a old-fashioned typewriter were mostly the opposite way round to the letter written, but some, (o, v, w, x), were the same.
So with Adam and Christ. Both are heads of a race of people, both performed an act which affected those people, and both pass on their characteristics to the people. But the contrast is marked, for Adam brought in sin, death, and God’s judgment through his offence, whereas Christ brings in righteousness, life, and justification as a free gift. An offence is a false step; Adam’s act of disobedience has had devastating and universal consequences because of the attitude of heart which lay behind the act. The apostle assumes we accept the record of Genesis 3.
For if through the offence of one many be dead- the death of the multitudes of men that have died physically down the centuries is directly attributable to the trespass of a single man at the beginning.
Much more- despite the seemingly insurmountable problem, God has overcome it, not by revoking the command which brought the death, but by introducing something far higher and grander.
The grace of God- God’s answer is not further condemnation, John 3:17; Luke 9:56, but the display of grace, unmerited favour to a fallen race. The condemnation of sinners is a righteous necessity, but God has no obligation to bless, yet chooses to do so.
And the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ- the act of giving was the result of God’s gracious character, which is expressed by and mediated through one man alone, Jesus Christ. This contrasts with the personal responsibility of Adam for his offence (the offence of one) and its consequences.
Hath abounded unto many- the cup of blessing is brimful and overflows in grace to the same number, “the many”, affected by Adam’s offence.

Summary
The offence of one man, Adam, has resulted in the death of the many in the world, but the super-abounding grace of God in Christ is expressed to many also.

8(d)   5:16,17
The ending of death’s reign

Key phrases: Death reigned through (the agency of) one…reign in life through (the agency of) one.

Overview of verse 16
Contrast and comparison: condemnation or justification
This verse continues the idea of contrast, (“not as”), and comparison, (“so is”), but whereas verse 15 concentrated on the one offence of Adam, his act of taking a false step, and the fact that God’s act of giving in grace is through one man, Jesus Christ, here the emphasis is on the many offences which result from Adam’s fall, and the way each man relates to those offences. This is the comparison, for each of the two men has been the means of affecting those involved in each case either adversely (judgment), or for good, (the gift).
There is also a contrast, for Adam brought in judgment and condemnation, but Christ brings in justification. God’s verdict, (judgment), went against Adam when he sinned, and he was pronounced guilty, with the implication that there was a sentencing process to follow. We read of that process in Genesis 3:17-19. Christ, however, brings in justification, and this despite the many offences committed during the history of men, and the many offences individual sinners commit during their lifetime.
The condemnation brought in by Adam resulted in men being subject to death, whereas the justification Christ brings in for those who believe not only clears their record, (this is the side of justification emphasised in Romans 3), but also delivers them from obligation to sin in the present, and liability to death in the future. So it is that the apostle can write in 6:7 that “he that is dead is freed from sin”. That is, those who by faith are associated with Christ crucified, are no longer under any obligation to sin. They are not under obligation to die physically either, for Christ risen has secured their position in resurrection.

5:16
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 offences unto justification.

And not as it was by one that sinned- the emphasis is now on the one person, rather than the one act of offending.
So is the gift- that spoken of in verse 15, and defined in verse 17 as the gift of righteousness. “And not” emphasises that the gift is of a different character to the offence whose effects have been passed on to us. Adam’s gift was deadly! Christ’s is life-giving. “So is” emphasises that there is a comparison between what the two men did.
For the judgment was by one- that is, originating from one. Opinions differ whether one means one man, Adam, or one offence. The comparison with many offences would suggest the latter. The point is that there is a great obstacle to be overcome, since one sin has had such ruinous effects, yet there has been a multitude of people since who have committed a multitude of sins, which makes the situation much worse.
Unto condemnation- the word means “a verdict pronounced with punishment following”, a stronger word than is usually used, indicating the gravity of the situation. God’s verdict (His judgment) went against man, and condemnation in the form of physical death was the result.
But the free gift- the apostle now reverts back to his original word for gift used in verse 15, grace-gift, indicating how the obstacle of so many sins, (whose presence proves that man is under condemnation), is dealt with. Only grace can do this, for the law is powerless, 8:3.
Is of many offences- again “of” means “out of”, indicating the source. Just as the one sin of Adam was the reason why condemnation came, so in His wisdom God has seen the many offences of Adam’s descendants as an opportunity for acting in grace, to His own glory. So the free gift is as a result of Adam’s sin, and its need to be remedied. This truth was wrongly applied by Paul’s opponents in 6:1.
Unto justification- “unto” means “with a view to”, for not all come into the good of what God is prepared to do. Not only does God justify in the sense of reckoning righteous, but in the context here justification means the lifting of the condemnation of death, giving the authority to reign in life. In this way the end of verse 16 prepares the way for the truth of verse 17.

Overview of verse 17
Death reigning or believers reigning in life
In verse 16 the emphasis is on offences, but in this verse, on death. Going right back to the beginning again, the apostle repeats the substance of what he wrote in verse 12, that the offence of one man resulted in death. Now he enlarges on this and declares that death has not only passed upon all men, but has set up its throne in their hearts, and like a wicked tyrant rules their lives. The abundant grace of God, however, ensures that those who receive the gift of righteousness are not only delivered from the tyranny of death, and receive life, but reign in life. It is they who are in control. This is only possible, however, by the agency and strength of Jesus Christ, for even as believers they have no power of their own.

5:17
For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one- the offence of Adam brought death upon men as a tyrant ruling their lives. There is no other cause for death’s reign, so “by one” is repeated to reinforce the point.
Much more- again there is the counteracting of Adam’s fall, but also further and abundant blessing. See verse 20, where we read, “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound”.
They which receive abundance of grace- the grace of God mentioned in verse 15, is available. Note the apostle limits it to “they which receive”, not the “many” in general; in other words, believers, not men generally.
And of the gift of righteousness- the gift consisting of imputed righteousness. This is given abundantly also.
Shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Instead of merely overthrowing death the despot, God enables the believer to reign, but only by the agency and strength of Jesus Christ. Note the “shall”, the full realisation of reigning in life being reserved for the future, although to be anticipated now, as detailed in chapter 6. This brings the parenthesis begun in verse 13 to an end.

Summary
By the agency of one man, Adam, death reigned over his race, but by the agency of another man, Jesus Christ, God’s grace ensures that those who receive His gift of righteousness reign in life, both now and in the future. And just as the one offence of one man was the starting-point of the condemnation, so the many offences of many men has been viewed by God as the starting-point of a process which results in the condemnation being removed.

8(e)   5:18
The extending of a gift to all

Key phrases: Judgment came upon all…the free gift came upon all.

Overview of verse 18
The penalty upon all, and the opportunity for all
The apostle is now able to take his argument forward from verse 12, having built up a body of background information in verses 13-17 which will enable his readers to follow his line of thought. He first of all reiterates the truth of verse 12, and reminds us that the offence of Adam has resulted in the condemnation of death upon all men. He then contrasts the offence of Adam with the righteousness of another man, Jesus Christ.
Righteousness means in this place the act of righteousness carried out by Christ in death, when He set out to reverse the consequences of Adam’s sin, and also bring in rich benefits besides. Just as the penalty through Adam’s unrighteous act of sinning brought results towards all men, so the blessing through Christ’s righteous act of dying for sin brings results to all men as well. The word “upon” has the meaning of “towards”, for the penalty came towards all, and so does the gift.
Not only is the one who believes justified in the sense of “reckoned righteous”, but the legal obligation to death is removed, so justification is “justification of life”. The ground of resurrection is taken up, so that the believer is clear of the consequences of Adam’s fall.

5:18
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Therefore as- the counterpart to the “wherefore as” of verse 12. The intervening verses have cleared the way for the truths of verses 18 and 19, and the apostle is now free to take the argument forward.
As by the offence of one- the spotlight is again on two federal heads of men.
Judgment came upon all men to condemnation- the word judgment has been supplied by the Authorised Version from verse 16 to give the sense. The sentence of the Judge went against Adam and his race.
Even so- there is a straight comparison now, instead of the “as…much more” of the previous verses.
Through the righteousness of one- the one supreme act of righteousness which Christ accomplished on the cross. This does not mean His personal righteousness, for the meaning is fixed by the word used. The act of Adam in making a false step in relation to the will of God, is directly contrasted with the act of Christ when He fulfilled the will of God at the cross. Adam stepped aside from the will of God, whereas Christ moved forward in line with it.
The free gift came upon all men- the expression “free gift” is also supplied from verse 16. Just as the condemnation came towards all, so does the gift.
Unto justification of life- with a view to a cancellation of the condemnation, negatively, and the introduction into resurrection life in Christ, positively. Life in Christ is the theme of chapters 6 and 8, and these verses prepare the way for the teaching of those chapters.

Summary
There is a correspondence between the consequence of Adam’s act, and that of Christ. The one was an offence which brought condemnation, the other was an act of righteousness which brings justification.

8(g)   5:19
The experience of justification by many

Overview of verse 19
The state of many as sinners, and the state of many as righteous
Not only is the condition of man dealt with by Christ, but the nature as well. By Adam’s disobedience to the plain command of God, man was made or constituted a sinner. It is not, of course, that God made men to sin, but that by their descent from Adam they have become sinners by nature. On the other hand, Christ obeyed His Father, even to the extent of death, and those who believe in Him are reckoned righteous by God, for that is how He sees them now. Note again that the apostle has gone back to “many”, after the “all” of verse 18. He is now speaking of results, and he cannot say “all made righteous”.

Key phrases: One man’s disobedience….obedience of one.

5:19
For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

For as- a more precise comparison even than the “as…even so” of verse 18, representing a refinement of the reasoning, which finds its climax in this verse with its doctrine of the nature of men in Adam and men in Christ. How does verse 19 advance the argument, since it is so similar to verse 18? The answer is two-fold. First, the apostle now speaks of men by their constitution, made sinners and made righteous. Second, he implies how the state of being righteous is attained, for the disobedience of Adam may be contrasted not only with the obedience of Christ, but by inference with the obedience of faith.
By one man’s disobedience- the word is made up of two words, “aside”, and “hear”, giving the idea of refusal to hear. Adam had heard the command of God, but chose to “turn a deaf ear”.
Many were made sinners- the idea behind the word “made” is that man was constituted or designated a sinner, the word being most often used of appointment to a position. The position appointed to men in Adam is that of being a sinner. It is not, of course, that God forced man to sin.
So by the obedience of one- Christ’s obedience to God even to the extent and extremity of the cross is in view, Philippians 2:8. Adam simply had to refrain from eating of the tree of knowledge, Christ had a heavy and sorrowful task before Him, but did not waver in His obedience, for He died upon a tree, Acts 5:30.
Shall many be made righteous- here the righteousness is based on the obedience of Christ, to preserve the contrast with Adam. Previously the apostle has shown that it is by the obedience represented by our faith that righteousness is imputed to us. At the present time, those who believe are reckoned righteous, and they are not made righteous in the sense that they have no trace of unrighteousness. Perhaps the future tense “shall be made” looks on to the day when all trace of sin shall be removed from the believer when he receives the resurrection body.

Summary
Adam’s disobedience resulted in man being constituted a sinner, whereas the obedience of Christ has brought a state of righteousness to those who are linked to Him by the obedience of faith.

8(h)   5:20
The enhancement of sin by the law

Having prepared the ground for a consideration of the believer’s life in Christ as detailed in chapters 6 and 8, the apostle now prepares for chapter 7, with its consideration of the believer in relation to the law of Moses.

Overview of verse 20
The law cannot deal with the sin-principle
The apostle now deals with a possible objection from Jewish readers. Can the law not remedy this situation? The answer is that it cannot, for when the law came in, it resulted in the situation becoming worse, not better, for it showed up sins as never before, and offered no remedy for the nature that produced those sins. It dealt with the symptoms but not the disease.
The only answer to man’s nature as a sinner is the grace of God in the gospel, which alone has the power to overcome the obstacles represented by sin, death, and the law, and set up its rule in the hearts of men on a righteous basis. That righteous basis being the death of Christ at Calvary, not the supposed good works of men.

5:20
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

Moreover the law entered- the law of Moses came onto the scene as a side-issue, by the side door, so to speak.
That the offence might abound- by the formal giving of the law the initial offence of Adam, verse 15, was shown up as being multiplied in the sins of his race, verse 16. It is not that the law caused an increase of sins, but it showed up the fact that Adam’s initial offence had multiplied into the abundance of sins his race had committed.
But where sin abounded- as the law showed up its evil. By the application of the law to men’s lives it became abundantly clear that offences against God were widespread.
Grace did much more abound- even in a situation where sins are widespread, the free favour of God is great enough to deal with all the offences, and to bring in an abundance of positive things as well. Compare the “much more” of the reasoning of verses 15 and 17.

Summary
The giving of the law at Sinai served to highlight the presence of sin in the world of men, but it offered no solution. The grace of God in Christ is the only answer.

8(i)   5:21
The ending of sin’s reign

Overview of verse 21
Final doctrinal summary
So it is that the sad truth of verse 12, expressed here as “sin hath reigned unto death”, can be exchanged for “even so might grace reign”. Grace so dominates the scene that it sets up its throne in the believer’s heart. And all this happens on a righteous basis, even the death of Christ, and leaves the way clear for the possession and enjoyment of eternal life in all its fullness. The apostle is careful at the close of the passage to attribute all this to Jesus Christ, who has shown Himself to be worthy of the title Lord. He has overcome every dominating principle, and shows Himself to be superior by His death and resurrection.

5:21
That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

That- here the word means “in order that”, for the super-abounding of grace has a purpose.
As sin hath reigned unto death- the power behind the throne during the reign of sin is said to be death. Death made sin’s reign a tyranny.
Even so might grace reign- grace so abounds that it dominates the scene, sweeps sin off its throne, and robs death of its power over the believer.
Through righteousness- sin reigned in death, whereas grace reigns through righteousness. There is not, then, an exact parallel in the two ideas. God does not simply restore man to innocence, but to a position consistent with righteousness. So grace reigns on a righteous basis, in contrast to the reign of sin which was on the basis of the unrighteous act of Adam.
Unto eternal life- grace super-abounds so that not only is death defeated, but eternal life, the life of God, is imparted, not merely the life of Adam regained.
By Jesus Christ our Lord- He is the direct means by which grace reigns and eternal life is imparted. This full title is fitting now that He has triumphed through the work of the cross, and overthrown the reign of sin. How believers enter into that triumph is the theme of the next three chapters.

Summary
As he brings his argument to a conclusion, the apostle collects together such words as “grace”, “reign”, “eternal life”, and “our Lord” to show how God has brought in such rich blessing in the face of the sin of Adam and its consequences.