Romans 5:12-21 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Romans 5:12-21. The key to reading and understanding this passage is to read it slowly, verse by verse. So that’s what we’re going to do. In this case we’re going to look at the ESV translation of this passage because I think it’s a little easier to understand than the NIV. Let’s go!
Romans 5:12 (ESV)
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—
On verse 12: Starting here in Romans 5:12, Paul begins to describe some of the problems that came about because Adam in Genesis 3 broke God’s command. The first problem is that sin entered the world (“sin came into the world”) and affected us all. The second problem is that, as a consequence of sin, humanity became subject to death. By “death” Paul means not only physical death, but spiritual death (i.e. total separation from God). Since Adam sinned, these remain two of humanity’s biggest problems: sin and death.
Romans 5:13 (ESV)
13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.
On verse 13: By the “law”, Paul is referring to the laws which God gave Moses for the Israelites to obey and which are found in the books of Exodus through Deuteronomy in the Old Testament, also known as “the law of Moses”. Paul’s point in verse 13 is to say that sin existed even before the law of Moses did. When verse 13 says that “sin is not counted where there is no law”, that’s not to say that sin cannot exist apart from law, but rather that it is much easier to measure sin when there are specific, written laws in place to govern our behaviour. But just because the law of Moses did not exist prior to Moses’ time doesn’t mean that there was no such thing as sin before Moses’ time. Rather, sin was in the world long before Moses laid down God’s laws for the Israelites.
Romans 5:14 (ESV)
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.
On verse 14: Here Paul is saying that from the time that Adam sinned to the time of Moses, everyone was subject to death, even those who did not break the same specific command that Adam broke in Genesis 3. Paul here is showing how extensive was the impact of Adam’s sin – how as a result death affected everybody who came after him.
Romans 5:15 (ESV)
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.
On verse 15: Starting in verse 15, Paul compares the results that Adam’s sin brought versus the results that the free gift of Christ’s sacrifice brought. Whereas Adam’s sin resulted in death for many, the free gift that Jesus gave resulted in God’s grace (undeserved kindness) for many.
Romans 5:16 (ESV)
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.
On verse 16: Here Paul compares the power of Adam’s sin to the power of Jesus’ sacrifice. Whereas condemnation came to humanity after Adam had sinned just once, justification (being declared righteous) through Jesus came to humanity even after many sins had taken place.
Romans 5:17 (ESV)
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.
On verse 17: Whereas Adam’s sin resulted in death reigning over humanity, Christ’s sacrifice resulted in people reigning over death.
Romans 5:18-19 (ESV)
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.
On verses 18-19: Whereas Adam’s one sin led to everyone being condemned as sinners, Christ’s one sacrifice led to justification and life being made available to everyone.
Romans 5:20 (ESV)
20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,
On verse 20: Paul says that the law was introduced to “increase the trespass”, that is, to make it that much clearer where and in what ways we have sinned. Yet as much as our awareness of sin increased because of the law, God made His grace available to us in even greater ways. Praise God that His mercy outstretches our sins, even when our sins seem to be increasing.
Romans 5:21 (ESV)
21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
On verse 21: Whereas death is the territory where sin reigns, righteousness and eternal life are the territory where grace reigns. God would not let sin and death have the final word. So when our sins (or our awareness of our sins) increased with the coming of God’s law, God made sure that His grace increased that much more so that grace, righteousness and eternal life would reign in the end. He did so by sending Jesus to die on the cross and to rise again from the grave. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus conquered our two biggest problems for us: sin and death.
Father, thank You for how powerful, important and far reaching was Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for all of us. Thank You that Your mercy outstretches our mistakes, and that through Jesus we now can reign over death and sin. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
