” …so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”. Romans 5: 19b
Friends, by one man’s disobedience, many were made sinners. This one man was Adam, who’s fame is recorded at the outset of the Bible, in the book of Genesis. With his wife, Eve, Adam disobeyed God’s prohibition on the tree of knowledge. Because of this act of disobedience, all of Adam’s future generations received the sentence of death upon their lives, though not themselves sinning as Adam’s act did. Nevertheless, sin also was determined upon all men.
“But the scripture hath concluded all under sin,” Galatians 3:22
Howbeit, before the Law was given to Moses years later, that sin against God, which was imputed by God to Men, was not brought into awareness in men’s consciousness fully.
” … But sin, that it might appear sin; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.” Romans 7, and “Romans 5:20 “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound.” and, “Galatians 3:24 “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ.”
At this point the scripture teaches in Romans 5:15-17,
“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. “
Notice, that in reference to Christ’ work, we find this little phrase, “much more.”
- “much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.’
- much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ..”
And we find this word of comparison: “So”
- “And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift:” –the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. ( in essence, Adam himself received judgment for sin, but in contrast that judgment. having been passed upon entire human race, was erased by the one gift of Christ.)
- 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. (the free gift equals the offence).
- ‘For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. “
- That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Beloved, not only was sin removed by Christ’ atonement, so was the judgment on sin removed from believers, so was the instrument of judgment made unnecessary, so was the grace of God exalted in its place above all.
In the losers circle we have these words, sin , death , disobedience of one, offence and offences.
In the winner’s circle we have these words; righteousness of one , grace , free gift, obedience of one.
Beloved, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.”
Folks, not one time is our name placed as the doer of the victorious act. In fact all of it brings us to the end of self — sin , offense, death, judgment, hell.
Now, the just live by faith.
This was a great discovery of Martin Luther at a time when religion overwhelmed the simplicity of the Christian gospel and life. The onus being placed on man’s ability to perform, the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness were lost in the shuffle. Faith was no longer faith, man’s obedience superseded the obedience of the one , yes, Christ.
Now, Romans chapter 6 follows Romans chapter 5. These points are very pertinent: we do not continue in sin not because of our adherence to the law, but because we are dead to sin. We have been baptized into Christ, and also his burial. Any resurrection that we may experience is also found only in Christ. We recognize that the old man has been crucified. We are free from sin. We believe that we shall live with him. The one who died once and dies no more, death has no more dominion over him or US. We reckon upon it. And we yield through a very fixed and positioned focus on nothing of the past, but only on His obedience in going to the cross. All of this produces a change, a transformation, a renewal, or in other terms an illumination of our new heart, received at the point of salvation , Ezekiel 36:26
We follow Christ through the Holy Spirit. Love ya
