When Satan met with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, he introduced a concept that has troubled humanity ever since: the doubt of God’s goodness. He suggested that God was withholding something from them, implying that they could only rectify this by taking matters into their own hands.
This was the origin of sin and death for humanity. It took place before the giving of the Torah/law.
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned—sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law.
Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come (Romans 5.12-14).
Adam serves as a type or representation of every person who has ever lived. Each day, we face the temptation to believe that we know better than God and that true happiness comes from pursuing our own path, regardless of His guidance.
In reality, happiness is found only when we walk with God, but we are often deceived and fail to remain close to him and follow His direction.
Just as Adam didn’t die immediately after his disobedience, neither do we when we go against God’s guidance for our lives. One of my seminary professors emphasized that although we don’t experience immediate physical death, a part of us dies each time we sin.
When we separate ourselves from God, our spiritual life—and eventually our physical life—diminishes with every sinful act we commit.
God’s Alternative to Adam
Adam was the archetype of sinful humanity. In contrast, Jesus is the example of a sinless human who fully obeyed God, suffered, and died on the cross. He was then raised from the dead to restore us to a right relationship with God.
But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many.
And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification (Romans 5.15-16).
One of my favorite courses in college emphasized that “the word is not the thing.” When we read the words “free gift” that brings about justification, those words can’t fully capture the depth of what that gift involved.
Jesus suffered on the cross for the sins of every human being. We can only imagine the intense suffering our Lord experienced to provide us access to friendship with God.
Ruling Power
Jesus began his ministry with these words, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news” (Mark 1.15).
Jesus proclaimed the arrival of God’s rule on earth, essentially putting up a sign that said, “Under New Management.”
Paul used the term “dominion” to describe the transformation that occurs in human lives with the arrival of God’s kingdom on earth.
If, because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ (Romans 5.17).
Earthly kingdoms rely on coercion and the threat of death to enforce their rule. In contrast, God establishes life in His followers through grace and the gift of righteousness, made possible through Jesus Christ.
When Jesus announced the kingdom, He called people to repent, or change their minds. He also urged them to believe that this is truly good news.
We won’t live under God’s rule unless we genuinely believe it is good news. Once we do, our minds and behavior will naturally change in response to that truth.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross and I discussed this passage on YouTube today. It can be found on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 