“But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many” (Romans 5:15).

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul the Apostle made use of an important literary tool here in Romans 5:14. His implement of choice was a literary device known as “contrast.” This involves placing two elements in opposition to one another. That provides an easy way to compare those elements and highlight their differences.

The remaining verses of Romans chapter five will contrast Adam’s transgression in the Garden of Eden and Jesus’ work to reverse the effects of that choice. Romans 5:15 presents us with one such contrast in speaking of “one man’s offense” in contrast to the “free gift” offered by “he grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ.”

This reference to a gift points to Jesus’ sacrificial, atoning death on the cross. That redemptive gift brings life to many, while Adam’s offense brought death to his descendants. Several Biblical translations use the word “trespass” to identify the nature of Adam’s offense in this verse. As mentioned earlier, that reference is highly instructive, for “trespassing” implies an act of willful disobedience.

Much like the person who knowingly takes a shortcut across a neighboring property only to be reprimanded by the property owner, this term highlights Adam’s deliberate act of insubordination. Romans 5:15 thus emphasizes the abundance of God’s grace in bringing many to salvation through Christ. Yet, to borrow a phrase from this passage, this gift involves much more…

“The free gift was not like the effect of an individual who sinned. The effect of Adam’s sin was merely negative: guilt was established; the effect of Christ’s sacrifice was not only negative — guilt cancelled — but positive, in that it included the bestowal of an imputed righteousness upon those who receive him, as well as an imparted righteousness in the person of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Hence the Atonement does not simply put us back where Adam was prior to the Fall; we are lifted far above the level from which Adam fell, because we partake of the divine nature…” ₍₁₎

So, Christ’s finished work effected a reconciliation between the Creator and His creation. God, in His mercy, chose to impute our trespasses to Christ, instead of holding us personally accountable for them when we accept Christ as Savior. Here again, we should note that Adam’s heritage is disobedience leading to death, while Jesus’ heritage is obedience leading to life.

(1) Archer, Gleason Leonard. The Epistle to the Romans. 1959. pg. 32

“Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam’s transgression. He is a prototype of the Coming One” (Romans 5:14 HCSB).

Biblical translators have employed several different strategies to communicate Adam’s role as a type of Christ. For example, consider how translators present Adam’s relationship to Christ in the various renderings of this verse. Here in Romans 5:14, Adam is depicted as…

• a figure [GNB].
• an image [GW].
• a pattern [NIV].
• a symbol or representation [NLT].

While these depictions are closely related, the Holman Christian Standard Bible (quoted above) takes a different approach. That version identifies Adam as a “prototype” of Christ. This is an apt depiction, for a prototype refers to the very first example of something. We can illustrate this idea with two modern-day expressions of this concept.

In a manufacturing environment, a company will often test a prototype before it releases that item for production. If the prototype fails in some respect, the company has an opportunity to make corrections in a controlled environment. In a similar manner, software developers often release alpha and beta versions of a product for testing and evaluation. Any issues or defects that emerge during the testing phase can then be rectified before the final product goes to market.

These examples serve to illustrate our text from Romans 5:14. Adam and Jesus were similar in the sense that their actions produced an effect on many others. However, Adam was much like a prototype that failed in the testing stage. That failure brought slavery, bondage, and death into the world.

In one sense, this Adamic prototype did not perform according to its intended specifications. We find those specifications in Genesis 1:28…

“And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.'”

By following the serpent’s enticement in Genesis chapter three, Adam relinquished his God-ordained dominion over the natural realm. We see the ultimate result of that decision in the account of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness…

“And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, ‘To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will'” (Luke 4:5-6 ESV).

But now, the last Adam has succeeded where the prototype failed by reversing the effect produced by His forerunner’s sin. We’ll look at another contrasting element in this relationship between the first and second Adam next.

“Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come” (Romans 5:14).

As we continue with our sub-study of Biblical typology from Romans 5:14, we now stop to examine various aspects of Adam’s role as a type of Christ.

We can begin by noting Adam’s foundational position as the first human person who ever came into existence. Through Adam’s act of disobedience, sin and death entered the human realm. But now, Christ has come as the “last Adam” according to 1 Corinthians 15:45: “…’The first man Adam became a living being.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.”

To illustrate the relationship between the first Adam and the second Adam, Paul the Apostle will establish a series of contrasts beginning here in Romans 5:14 and continuing in the verses that follow…

In Adam, we have:	In Christ, we have:
Offense	Grace
Transgression	Justification
Judgment	Righteousness
Condemnation	Acceptance
Disobedience	Obedience
Death	Life

As we consider these characteristics, it becomes clear that the second Adam counteracts the negative effects that were brought about by the first Adam. Just as Adam caused many to be sinners through his act of disobedience, Christ has also caused many to be made righteous through His obedience. Paul expands on this idea in 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, where he says…

“Death came into the world because of what one man (Adam) did, and it is because of what this other man (Christ) has done that now there is the resurrection from the dead. Everyone dies because all of us are related to Adam, being members of his sinful race, and wherever there is sin, death results. But all who are related to Christ shall be made alive” (TLB).

Our shared lineage with Adam means that physical death is an inevitable part of our existence. In like manner, eternal life is a certain reality for those who are in Christ. Therefore, our eternal life in Christ is just as certain as our mortal death in Adam.

Adam’s heritage is disobedience leading to death, but Jesus’ heritage is obedience leading to life for all who accept Him. As we’re told in the New Testament Gospel of John…

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13).

“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. (Romans 5:14 ESV).

Romans 5:14 employs typology as a literary device by presenting Adam as a “type” of the one who was to come. Typology involves the study of figures, representations, or symbols that stand for something else. In the original language of this passage, the word translated “type” evokes the image of a mark that results from a forceful impact. It can also refer to a pattern or model for making copies. ₍₁₎

A mechanical typewriter from the early twentieth century offers a fitting illustration. A mechanical typewriter works by converting the physical action of a keystroke into a printed character.

When a user presses a key, it activates a hammer that features a corresponding letter or symbol. The hammer strikes an inked ribbon that sits between the hammer and a sheet of paper, thus allowing the raised metal form to make an impression on the page.

So, just as a typewriter leaves a mark upon a sheet of paper, typology involves the use of patterns or metaphors that serve to represent other things. Some examples of Biblical typology include…

• A national entity (1 Corinthians 10:1-6).
• A structure (Hebrews 8:3-5).
• An action (1 Peter 3:18-21).

One of the more common expressions of Biblical typology involves the example of an individual person. For instance, Jesus cited the prophet Jonah’s experience as a type (or representation) of His death, burial, and resurrection (Matthew 12:38-40). In addition, the Biblical book of Hebrews presents Melchizedek, the king-priest of Salem (Genesis 14:18-20, Psalm 110:4) as a type of Christ (Hebrews 6:19-20).

Among all the Biblical personalities we encounter in the pages of the Old Testament, Adam is the only one who is described as a “type” in the New Testament. Adam received that designation for several reasons…

• Adam and Jesus are both seen as the first in a series of others who will follow.
• Adam’s disobedience produced a global effect upon his descendants, as did Christ’s atoning death on behalf of sinful humanity.
• Each man left an inheritance, and each brought forth significant life changes in his respective followers.

So, much like the first Adam, the last Adam (Christ) leads those who follow. Just as our common humanity links us to Adam, so too is Christ united with those who are in Him. Those who are associated with Adam share in his characteristics, but those who are in Christ share in a very different set of characteristics that we’ll explore in our next study.

“(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law” (Romans 5:13).

Romans 5:13 presents us with a statement that may seem out of place within the surrounding text. However, this type of digression is a hallmark of Paul the Apostle’s literary style. In reading through Paul’s New Testament epistles, we often find that he goes “off topic” to discuss related subjects before returning to his primary thought.

We can find one example of this approach in 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen. There, Paul momentarily shifted his focus to the topic of love while in the midst of a comprehensive, three-chapter exploration of spiritual gifts. That brief diversion served an important purpose, for it established love as the foremost priority in the exercise of our God-given gifts.

This brief digression in Romans chapter five serves a similar purpose, for it reminds us that sin was present before the advent of the Mosaic Law. However, it is impossible to charge an offender with a violation of the law when there are no laws to violate. Nevertheless, a verdict of “not guilty” is not synonymous with a declaration of innocence in this instance, for sin was in the world prior to the law, as evidenced by the presence of death.

The following sources help clarify this idea. The first offers a helpful explanation, while the second provides a useful analogy…

“The term impute is used both legally and financially and means ‘to designate any action, word, or thing as credited to another person’s account.’ Biblically, Adam’s sin was imputed to all his descendants, and they are to be dealt with as guilty. It does not mean they are personally guilty of Adam’s sin, only that his sin was credited to their account, and thus every person participates in the guilt and penalty of that original transgression.” ₍₁₎

“How many of you have driven down your street for years and never had to stop at a certain intersection because there was nothing that required it. Then one day a stop sign is erected. Now the law has come in. From that time on, to fail to stop at that intersection is to break a command. If you fail to stop, you are subject to a penalty, even though you have been driving through that intersection without stopping for years without any penalty. But now the law has come in, and thus you break a command if you fail to stop.

In order to have death, Paul says, there had to be a command to break. But people were dying long before the Law was ever given. People died from the time of Adam to Moses, even people who never had a command to break. How could that be, if death is the result of breaking a command? Paul’s conclusion is: The whole race actually sinned when Adam sinned. We broke the command in Adam.” ₍₂₎

(1) GotQuestions.org. What is imputed sin? (2022, January 4). https://www.gotquestions.org/imputed-sin.html

(2) Excerpted with permission from Rejoicing In God © 1976 by Ray Stedman Ministries. All rights reserved. Visit www.RayStedman.org for the complete library of Ray Stedman material. Please direct any questions to webmaster@RayStedman.org. https://www.raystedman.org/new-testament/romans/rejoicing-in-god

“Sin came into the world through one man, and his sin brought death with it. As a result, death has spread to the whole human race because everyone has sinned” (Romans 5:12 GNB).

In the final installment of our look at this pivotal verse, we will finish with a topic that most of us probably seek to avoid: death. The core concept underlying the term “death” is rooted in the idea of “separation.” From a Biblical perspective, this act of separation takes three distinct forms…

• Physical death. Physical death occurs when a person’s spirit separates from his or her body, for “…the body without the spirit is dead…” according to James 2:26. In spiritual terms, we commonly associate the end of our mortal lives with the idea of a “first death.”
• Spiritual death. Spiritual death involves one’s separation from God. As discussed earlier, Adam’s deliberate act of disobedience severed the relationship he previously enjoyed with his Creator. The Scriptures characterize this state as a form of death. While physical death eventually came to Adam, the immediate result was spiritual death, or separation from God.
• Eternal death. The Biblical book of Revelation uses the term “second death” to describe one’s eternal separation from his or her Creator. This involves the idea of permanent severance from one’s Creator in a place of outer darkness and torment, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

So, the central theme of this passage revolves around the global impact of Adam’s transgression in the Garden. As one New Testament scholar observed, “The literal Greek which follows is, ‘And thus into all men death came throughout.’ That is, when death entered the race, it went throughout the race, affecting everyone.” ₍₁₎

The following source will close our look at this passage with a helpful analogy that illustrates this universal condition and God’s gracious act of reconciliation through Christ…

“If the leader of your country declares war on another nation, even though you personally may not fire a shot, be called to serve, or have your personal property threatened, you are at war with that nation. Because your leader is your federal head, your commander in chief, you are now at war with the other nation. It matters not whether you disagree with the war. You are a citizen, and you are at war. Thus, with Adam as our federal head (Rom. 5:12–21; 1 Cor. 15:21–22), we are, as a race, at war with God. In Christ, our new federal head, we are at peace with God (Rom. 5:1).” ₍₂₎

(1) Kenneth S. Wuest, Word Studies in the Greek New Testament [Romans 5:12-14] Copyright © 1942-55 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

(2) Persuasively preaching pronouns | Tabletalk. (2023, August 11). https://tabletalkmagazine.com/daily-study/2001/02/persuasively-preaching-pronouns/

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12 KJV).

Our text from Romans 5:12 offers an opportunity to discuss another important theological concept: original sin. St. Augustine of Hippo (354 to 430 AD) introduced this term in the 5th century AD to explain the pervasive sinfulness of humanity and the need for God’s grace.

At first glance, the phrase “original sin” might lead us to believe that it refers to the first sin ever committed. However, this term describes the repercussions that arose from Adam’s decision to disobey God’s commandment in the Garden of Eden. As one theologian explains, “It is ‘original’ in that it comes from Adam, and it is also original in that we have it from the beginning of our existence as persons, but it is still our sin, not Adam’s sin, that is meant.” ₍₁₎

So, original sin (also known as inherited sin) denotes the sinful nature that is present in all human beings at the outset of their lives. Another Biblical scholar offers the following analogy to help explain this idea…

“As our legal representative, Adam sinned on our behalf, and we received the legal consequences of his choice. In other words, Adam had the God-given power of attorney for the whole human race, and when he exercised it for ill, the consequences of his sin were directly imputed to all of his posterity—which is all of us.” ₍₂₎

So this term offers a quick way to reference the effects of Adam’s act of disobedience as described here in Romans 5:12. The Biblical book of Ephesians also speaks of that effect and its resultant behaviors…

“Among these we as well as you once lived and conducted ourselves in the passions of our flesh [our behavior governed by our corrupt and sensual nature], obeying the impulses of the flesh and the thoughts of the mind [our cravings dictated by our senses and our dark imaginings]. We were then by nature children of [God’s] wrath and heirs of [His] indignation, like the rest of mankind” (Ephesians 2:3 AMPC).

However, the following verses highlight Jesus’ work to reverse that effect and bring us into right standing with God…

“However, God is rich in mercy. He brought us to life with Christ while we were dead as a result of those things that we did wrong. He did this because of the great love that he has for us. You are saved by God’s grace!” (Ephesians 2:4-5 CEB).

Thus, as Paul the Apostle concluded in his epistle to the church at Colossae…

“Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds as expressed in your evil actions. But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through his death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before him” (Colossians 1:21-22 CSB).

(1) Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, Second Edition (Grand Rapids, Ml: Zondervan Academic, 2020).

(2) Geisler, N. L. (2004). Systematic Theology: Sin/Salvation. Bethany House Publishers.

“Sin came into the world through one man, and his sin brought death with it. As a result, death has spread to the whole human race because everyone has sinned” (Romans 5:12 GNB).

As we continue our extended look at this passage, let’s consider a few analogies that serve to illustrate the way our choices and decisions influence others. For example…

• A soldier on deployment, or a vacationer in a foreign land, may meet and marry a local resident and then return home with him or her. That decision will impact their descendants for generations to come.
• An expectant mother can promote the health and well-being of her unborn child by carefully managing her diet and lifestyle, as well as by limiting her exposure to harmful substances. In like manner, an expectant mother who engages in irresponsible behaviors may negatively affect the development of her baby.
• A decision to partake in drug or alcohol abuse often leads to pain and sorrow among one’s friends, family members, and others.

So, much like the consequences that follow our actions and behaviors, Adam’s descendants inherited his fallen condition as a consequence of his decision to sin. However, we also engage in sinful behaviors because we make conscious and deliberate choices to do so. In the words of James 1:14, “…each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires” (HCSB). Thus, we sin because we are sinners by choice and nature.

This leads us to a frequent question concerning the events that transpired in the Garden of Eden. Since Eve was the first person to partake of the forbidden fruit, we might ask why Adam shoulders the blame for that offense (Hosea 6:7).

The answer lies in Adam’s duty and obligation. First, God conveyed His directive to Adam concerning the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Thus, God entrusted Adam with the responsibility to follow those instructions. Unfortunately, Adam failed to take the initiative and neglected to ensure that he and his wife adhered to God’s command.

If Adam had intervened during Eve’s discourse with the serpent, things might be very different today. But Adam chose to remain silent during their interaction. Furthermore, Eve was deceived according to 2 Corinthians 11:3 and her own testimony. On the other hand, Adam sinned deliberately (1 Timothy 2:14). That’s why Romans 5:14 will later refer to Adam’s sin as a “transgression.”

So while Eve was responsible for her sin, Adam was responsible and accountable as well. That’s why he gets the blame.

“So then, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all people because all sinned –” (Romans 5:12 NET).

The following author’s commentary on this passage warrants an extended quotation. Consider this insight concerning Adam’s role as humanity’s representative before God…

“Can I be held responsible for what someone else does? More particularly, can I be held responsible for what someone else does for me? The answer to these questions is yes. If I hire a gunman to kill someone, I am still responsible, even though I am not the person who pulled the trigger…

Have you ever asked someone to represent you at a meeting or in public office and then been disappointed in how he or she acted? I think most of us have experienced this. Your representative is fallible. You are also fallible in selecting your representative. Suppose God himself selected a representative who was completely sinless. We would have to agree that such a situation would be unobjectionable. That is exactly what happened when God created Adam to be our perfect representative. He acted as we would have had we been there.

Adam was created sinless and was perfectly designed for his job. Further, we cannot object that we would have better represented ourselves, presuming that we would never have fallen to sin. The all-wise God did not see fit to give us that opportunity; to protest would only suggest that our wisdom exceeds the Lord’s…

If someone could not act for me in Eden, no one could die for me on Golgotha. That rejects the only means of redemption offered by God.” ₍₁₎

This same author adds…

“…in the case of Adam, God selected our representative, and that was the only time, apart from the cross, in all of human history when we were perfectly represented. This is because God’s choice of a representative was a righteous choice by a perfectly holy being, and it was made on the basis of His perfect knowledge. He knew us in advance, and He knew our representative.

Therefore, we cannot say to God that Adam misrepresented us, which is the basic assumption we make when we try to escape the transfer of guilt. We think we would have acted differently than Adam if we had been in the garden. However, Adam represented us flawlessly because he was God’s chosen representative…

The point is that Adam was chosen perfectly by an omniscient, righteous God, and Adam did our work for us, according to God’s judgment. That is why the sin of one man brought about our ruin, and our only hope to escape from it is the righteousness of another representative.” ₍₂₎

(1) Sproul, R. C. (1993). Before The Face of God: Book 2: A daily guide for living from the Gospel of Luke (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House; Ligonier Ministries.

(2) Sproul, R. C. (2014). Everyone’s a Theologian: An Introduction to Systematic Theology. Reformation Trust Pub. [pg. 118]

“Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12 CSB).

The singular “man” referenced here in Romans 5:12 relates to Adam, the very first human being. This raises a valid (and important) question: “Why should Adam’s transgression affect me?” In response, there are two reasons that help explain why Adam’s sin continues to impact us today.

First, theologians refer to Adam as the “federal representative” of the human race. In other words, Adam represents everyone who follows him. As the very first human being, every subsequent member of the human family maintains an intrinsic link to him.

The International Olympic Games help to illustrate this idea. For instance, every athlete who takes part in the Olympic Games is someone who represents his or her nation. Thus, if the Canadian ice hockey team wins an Olympic medal, we acknowledge “Canada” as the winner, even though a relatively small number of Canadians actually took part in the event.

Much like an individual team or athlete who represents his or her country in the Olympics, Adam represented humanity as well. Because of this, everyone who follows Adam is impacted by his sin. Of course, Jesus also serves as a representative of a very different sort, and we’ll examine that aspect of His ministry as we progress through the remaining verses of this chapter.

Adam’s transgression also affects us in another way. Just as a parent sets an example for his or her child, Adam also set an example for his descendants through his act of disobedience. Having only the example of Adam’s sin to emulate, his descendants continued to follow that example even to our present day. These illustrations help explain why Romans 5:12 tells us, “Just as through one human being sin came into the world, and death came through sin, so death has come to everyone, since everyone has sinned” (CEB).

Finally, those who object to Adam’s role as our Federal Representative may wish to consider how they might have responded if they were in Adam’s position. Remember that Adam was flawless and perfect in every respect when he came into existence. In light of this, can any of us reasonably maintain that we would have chosen differently if our roles were reversed? Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that God selected a representative who responded exactly as we ourselves would have responded if He had placed us in the Garden of Eden instead.