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Humanity and Sin
Paul’s point in this section is to display that just
as the human race was condemned based on the transfer of Adam’s first sin to
their moral record, in the same way, believers are declared righteous based on
the transfer of Jesus the Messiah’s righteousness to their moral record. The
main idea here is that humans are saved in precisely the same way that they
were lost—through the act of another. “As Adam, by his one transgression,
brought condemnation to all connected with him, so Christ, by His act of
righteousness (His sinless life and substitutionary death) brought
justification to all connected with Him” (Steele & Thomas 1967).
I. Adam, the first
representative of humanity, by his one sin brought sin and death upon the whole
human race vs. 12-14
A. Paul’s
view of original sin is stated in vs. 12-14
1. Sin
entered the world through one man (Genitive of agency)
2. Death
came because of the original human sin (spiritual, physical, and everlasting
death in the lake of fire)
3. Adam’s
one sin was transferred to the account of all humans yet to be born. We come
into the world with legal guilt because we all sinned when Adam sinned
4. How
do we know Adam’s original sin was placed on our moral account as legal guilt?
Because all humans die, only those with legal guilt die. We were born
spiritually dead; we start dying physically at least after maturity, and we all
are born under the sentence of everlasting death. This proves Adam’s one sin affected
us all
5. Anticipated
question: Since sin is violating the law, and the law did not come until Moses,
how did all those people sin or have guilt without breaking a law?
a) Sin
was in the world before Mount Sinai, Exodus 20 and the Mosaic law
b) The
law given to Adam was not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil in the middle of the garden
c) Since
death, which results from sin, came to every human from Adam to Moses
(including children), then all those humans must have had legal guilt on their
record for violating some law
d) Universal
death cannot be explained by a violation of the law of Moses (people died
before it was given), or the moral law written on the heart (Rom 2:12-16), for
infants and toddlers cannot understand or obey this law, nor are they
accountable for suppressing the rational knowledge of design around them (Rom
1:19-25) which many pre-teens are not even capable of understanding and then
suppressing (this is a teenager/adult sin), but children of all ages are
subject to death
e) Thus,
since death is universal among humans, they must have legal guilt and be
designated as sinners because of Adam’s one sin. His rebellious act and its
consequences were transferred to all human beings’ moral record
f) Many
humans have died who did not knowingly sin and rebel against the Creator and
His clear special revelation by a direct command, nor were they representatives
of the human race
g) Adam
was a representative man just like Jesus the Messiah is also
h) Paul’s
view has implications for acceptable interpretations of Genesis 1-3. It rules
out the gap theory, day-age, and theistic evolution because there was no death
until the original sin in Gen 3. Only dead animals can become fossils
B. Pelagius’s
view contradicts Paul’s view. His followers say that every person must have
their own personal fall into sin; humans are born sinless and without legal
guilt. Adam’s sin was not transferred to their moral record. If they continue
to choose not to sin, they can merit heaven on their own
1. Humans
are born neutral towards sin; therefore, the doctrine of original sin is false
(Pelagius)
2. Humans
voluntarily choose to sin of their own free will; they do not have a sin nature
until they fall like Adam (Pelagius)
3. The
Council of Orange in 529 AD declared Pelagianism as heresy
C. The Generic or Semi-Pelagian view that men are born spiritually alive and only die because of genetic heredity and just have a slight lean towards sin, but by their free will they can choose not to sin, also contradicts the Apostle Paul here
II. The representative actions of Adam and
Jesus have a significant difference vs. 15-17
A. Jesus
did much more for His people than remove legal guilt from their record. He also
satisfied God’s wrath against all their personal and willful sins against God
B. Jesus
transfers his perfect righteousness to His people as a free gift of grace
C. Justification results in the person now reigning in abundant life both currently and in the future glory through the continual work of Jesus in heaven on their behalf
III. The representative
actions of Adam and Jesus and our legal status vs.
18-19
A. Adam’s
sin resulted in the condemnation of all he represented by a transfer
B. Jesus’ cross-work resulted in the justification of all He represented by a transfer
IV. Law and Grace for
those connected to Adam and Jesus vs. 20-21
A. The
revealed law of God increased every human’s guilt before God and everlasting
punishment (death) under the reign of Adam (and thus sin)
B. The revealed grace of God super-abounded by transferred righteousness, bringing loving favor and everlasting life to all those under the reign of Jesus the Messiah and Lord—the believer/slave’s Master
