Romans 5:12-21
“Our Family Tree”

Introduction
1. ‘You look like your father.’ ‘You walk like your father.’ To change the situation, I would need a new set of parents. I need a different father! He passed something very negative…very
deadly on to me. I passed that something on to my children.
2. In Romans 5:12-21 we run into a similar situation. Up to this point Paul has dealt with sins
(plural). This is what we do. In chapter 5 he focuses on sin (singular). This is our nature of sin. It is what we are by birth. (Romans 3:10, 23)
3. Romans 5:12-21 what we are by birth: How did we get where we are? What can we do about it?

I need a different father.
I. OUR ARRIVAL 5:12-14 How did we get where we are?
As by one man sin entered the world.
A.The Presence of Sin 12a
1.The one man is Adam. Adam and Eve is no myth, but Paul recites an actual event.
2.The story in Genesis chapter 3: Of that tree shall ye not eat of it…for in the day you eat thereof you shall surely die. (Genesis 2:17) Adam fell. And all unborn generations were ‘in Adam’. Adam represented us and contained us in his DNA.
3.Illustration in chart #1 Through one man…One man is the key. People in Bible times understood that the race was ‘in Adam’. He was not just our representative…mankind was present. Mankind sinned. In Hebrews Abraham gave tithes to Mel. All Israel gave tithes. What he did…we did.
4.Sin did not originate with Adam. Sin originated with Satan. This is sin (singular) not sins (plural) The nature of sin and its depravity is passed on from generation to generation.
B.The Penalty of Sin 12b
Wherefore as by one man sin entered the world and death by sin.
1.Death speaks of separation. Spiritual Death…man is separated from God. Physical Death…the grave is a reminder along with all disease. Eternal Death…the second death is the lake of fire.
2.So death passed upon all men for all have sinned. We don’t have to do anything. It has already been done! Something has gone wrong in humanity. Some kind of twist has come in…a taint…a moral poison…so that even when we know something is wrong or hurtful or harmful we do it any way.
3.When a baby is born, we say, ‘Here is someone starting to live.’ In actuality we begin to die the day we are born.
C. The Power of Sin 13-14
Do not eat the fruit…on that day you shall surely die. In every human being: Sin is the
King…Death is the Queen.
1.There was not a Law at that time. In order to have death there had to be a command to break. How could that be?
2.In Adam we all broke the command. Law makes sin apparent and sharply defined. What He did…we did!
3.“That isn’t fair!” “God is punishing us for Adam’s sin.” You misunderstand the nature of humanity. If God had put us in Adam’s place, we would have done the same thing!
4.All have sinned…we all die!

I need a different father.
II. OUR ANSWER 5:15-21 What can we do about it?
I need a new head…a new representative…a new father. The only true analogy (who is a
figure) is between Adam and Christ. One is the key word. One man/One act. One man’s
act…one man’s sin brought death. By One man (Jesus Christ) salvation is available to all.
Much more…this trumps that! (verses 9, 10, 15, 17, 20). The gift…(verses 15, 16, 17, 18)
Grace…(verses 17, 20, 21)
Two fold answer:
A. The Gift of God 15-19
5 contrasts between Adam (judgment, condemnation) Christ…Releases us:
1. Releases us from the bankruptcy 15 Note ‘the Gift’ (Rom. 6:23). Sin brought death. Grace (Free Gift) brought life. It not only did away with death, but restored what had been destroyed. We can take life from Christ a thousand times a day!
2. Releases us from the blame 16 In Adam…blame. Christ died once, and despite millions of transgressions, He brought justification (declared righteous) to all who are in Him. No matter how many sins are on my record there is freedom in Christ and forgiveness for every sin. Sin’s guilt is gone!
3.Releases us from the bondage 17 In Adam…bondage. Much more (15, 17) Adam’s sin permitted death to reign over the whole human race. This isn’t talking merely of a funeral at the end of life. This is forms of death…how much of life is made up of death: Emptiness, loneliness, misery, depression, boredom, restlessness, bitterness, anger, some never seem to have anything but death.
4.Releases us from the Burden 18 In Adam there is judgment, condemnation, hell. In Christ I am declared right…justified.
5.Releases us from the Barrier 19 In Adam there is disobedience. We are sinners. In Christ One Way we are made righteous!
C.The Grace of God 20-21
It’s all a free gift. It’s all of grace. Notice chart #2 Those who receive God’s gift shall reign in life. The Answer to sin and death is not only the gift of God by One Jesus Christ:
1.The Abundant Supply of God’s Grace 20 When the Law was finally given it was never meant to save or give life. It was to show mankind his guilt…sin might become apparent. It was to show man his filth. Where sin abounded grace super abounded! No matter how much we’ve sinned God’s grace is greater.
John Newton was a rapist, vulgar, blasphemer, a drunk…God’s grace stepped in, He wrote Amazing Grace!
2.The Absolute Sovereignty of God’s Grace 21 Nothing can stand in the road of God’s grace. Eternal life is assured.

Are you “in Adam” or “In Christ”?
Have you rested your full weight on Christ and you now order your whole life on that decision?
There must come a point where you personally receive God’s gift…Jesus Christ!