Two Acts. Two Destinies.
Romans 5:12-21
There are two realms (or kingdoms!) in which to live. The realm where death reigns and the realm where righteousness reigns.
#romans
#thegospel
#righteousness
Published May 22nd, 2020
Main point summary
Arc
notes
Main point summary
Two acts define life and eternity: Adam's sin leading to death and Jesus' righteousness leading to grace and eternal life.
Arc
editing
NT
Romans 5:12-21
esv
Therefore, just as t sin came into the world through one man,
and u death through sin,
progression
and v so death spread to all men 1
because w all sinned—
ground
inference
for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given,
but x sin is not counted
where there is no law.
locative
Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses,
even over those whose sinning was not y like the transgression of Adam,
z who was a type of a the one who was to come.
ideaexplanation
Bilateral Concessive
contrary
Csv
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 b many.
alternative
And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin.
For c the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation,
but the free gift following many trespasses brought d justification.
series
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 e reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
Therefore, as one trespass 1 led to condemnation for all men,
so one act of righteousness 2 leads to justification and life for f all men.
comparison
For as by the one man’s g disobedience the many were made sinners,
so by the one man’s h obedience the many will be made righteous.
concessive
Now i the law came in to increase the trespass,
but where sin increased,
j grace abounded all the more,
so that, k as sin reigned in death,
l grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
actionpurpose
After this (and following 12a) is somewhat of an implied "--so also the free gift came into the world through one man..." followed by the argument in 15a.
This comparison is never finished but is rather implied just before v.15.
Sin is certainly counted in God's eyes, as v.14 demonstrates. But it is not necessarily acknowledged by man if there is no law. However, Romans 2:15 still stands which says the work of the law is written on the heart of man.
To return to the point of v.13, the law increases the trespass by opening our eyes to see the trespass clearly. In that sense it increases the trespass.
God has a purpose: for grace to triumph over sin. Universalism negates this. It simply substitutes one reality for another. The gospel says that grace triumphs over sin, a real sin that still reigns in the lives of many.
discourse
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Disclaimer: The opinions and conclusions expressed on this page are those of the author and may or may not accord with the positions of Biblearc or Bethlehem College & Seminary.