#DailyDevotion It’s Not Fair!

Romans 5¹²One man brought sin into the world, and his sin brought death. And so because all have sinned, death spread to all people. ¹³There was sin in the world before the Law was given, but where there is no Law, sin isn’t counted. ¹⁴Still death ruled from Adam to Moses even over those who, when they sinned, didn’t break a law as Adam did. He was a picture of Him Who was to come. ¹⁵But the gift is more than the sin. If one man’s sin brought death to all people, we are all the more certain God’s grace and the gracious gift of the one Man, Jesus Christ, have been richly poured out on all people. ¹⁶The gift also does more than that one man’s sin. The sentence, due to one man, condemns us, but the gift, following many sins, declares us righteous. ¹⁷Yes, if death ruled through one man as a result of his sin, we who have received God’s overflowing grace and His gift of righteousness, will live and rule even more through the one Man, Jesus Christ.

Well I don’t know about you but I often hear the adage, “It’s not fair we get blamed for one man’s sin!” Yet I don’t hear too many complaining, though there are a few, “It’s not fair. We all get declared innocent and righteous because of one man’s obedience!” We all sinned in Adam and that’s just the metaphysics of the situation that we have to deal with. By Adam’s rebellion sin came into the world and by that sin death. Since we share in Adam’s image we also participate in his sin by sinning all the more. Sin brings death. While no one had any commandments from God like Adam did till Moses (we do get don’t murder after the flood) men still sinned against their consciences. If you sin against your conscience it’s just as bad as trespassing a written law to your soul. Death reigned over the children of Adam because of sin.

Adam was a type (picture) of him to come, i.e. Jesus the second Adam. This infers that the LORD was always going to become man despite Adam’s rebellion. He always intended to commune with us in this manner, drawing humanity into the Godhead. Something to think about.

Jesus, the LORD, came to give us a gift. It is more than the sin of Adam. Adam’s sin brought death to all people. Jesus’ obedience and the gift of his obedience is poured out on all people. The gift is greater because it is not earned. It was given by God’s grace and is a gracious gift. For while we were in Adam when he sinned, we were not automatically in Jesus when he obeyed. Yet, God graciously considers it to be so.

His gift is greater than the trespass Paul says because though we die because of one man’s sin, we sinned on top of that. We added to Adam’s sin with our own sins and trespasses. The gift, the free gift we are given in Christ Jesus, declares us righteous. Through faith in Jesus we have received the overflowing gift of his righteousness. His grace is overflowing, that is to say, his grace towards us and for us is more than the sins we commit. Or rather, we can’t sin so much that God’s grace in Christ Jesus isn’t more. We lost our dominion in Adam’s sin. In Christ Jesus we live and rule again through the one Man, Jesus Christ. Yes eternal life is our gift in Christ Jesus. Having been joined to him through baptism, we sit and rule with him at the right hand of God. We were brought to lowest depths by Adam’s sin. We are brought to a higher place than Adam’s original one through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Merciful God and Father, though we dead in trespasses and sin through Adam’s sin you have lifted us up to your throne in Christ Jesus. Grant that this good news overcomes all our sinful thoughts that we may live out your will in our lives. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.