I thought it might be a good idea to go back through the last several verses and look at the different points that Paul made concerning Adam and Jesus Christ.
Sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned
- our sinfulness is genetic, passed down to us, affecting each and every one of us. Adam was the path through which sinfulness came to affect man, yet he was a perfect representation of what each one of us would have chosen. Death (spiritual and physical) affects all men, because all men are sinners - all men choose to sin, willfully, in accordance with their nature.
Many died through one man's trespass
- a result one man's single trespass was death for many - meaning all those affected. We know that this is speaking of all that came after Adam. One man's single trespass was enough to be sentenced to death - a physical death when life leaves the body, and a spiritual death - eternal separation from God both now and forever.
The judgment following one trespass brought condemnation
- God's just judgement for one trespass was condemnation for all who are affected. The judgement of a perfect God means that all who are condemned are condemned justly. This means that each person is accountable, there is no one to blame but ourselves for our willful sinning.
Because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man
- The one man's single trespass allowed death to enter. However, death not only entered, but it now reigns over lost man, as a result of a single trespass. Death controls us, it affects what we do, it affects how we think, and it dictates where we will spend eternity.
One trespass led to condemnation for all men
- Restating the point of condemnation, the emphasis here is that one single trespass was enough for all men to be condemned. This proves that keeping the law to the best of our ability has no power over the death that reigns over us, one small trespass is enough to be justly condemned.
By the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners
- We see here the trespass that caused the fall of man: disobedience. Of all the sins that we are guilty of, the one that caused our separation from God from the very beginning was disobedience - not perfectly obeying God. None of us is able to perfectly obey God, thus we are all as guilty as Adam, we are all sinners.
Paul lays out in detail the great problem that every person who has ever lived has to face: we are in a dire situation. As sinners, death reigns over us, physically and spiritually. We stand perfectly and justly condemned for our sinfulness. This is a situation that cannot be remedied by trying to live a 'better' life. There is only one solution, and Paul reveals it to us:
Much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many
- I love how Paul uses the words much more - meaning surpassing/to a greater degree. Man is lost and sinful - but the grace of God and the free gift of eternal life are effective and powerful - surpassing the power of sin and death, able to save us to a greater degree than sin can bring death!
The free gift following many trespasses brought justification
- While one trespass against God was all it took for man fall, one free gift is able to overcome many trespasses, and allow us to be judged by a perfect God as justified instead of condemned. Not because of anything we have done whatsoever - our justification rests solely on the free gift, through the perfect sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ
- Again, though death reigns over us, the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness are able, much more so, to defeat this curse, allowing those who receive to no longer be reigned over by death, but to reign in life. Who made this possible? Not us, only one man, the Son of God Jesus Christ.
One act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men
- In our sinfulness, we are guilty of many sins, many trespasses against our God. Yet, it took only one act of pure righteousness to set us free, to allow us to stand justified before our Holy Father. Nothing we do is capable of producing this result, only Christ was/is able. All men who find themselves justified must recognize their freedom rests on the act of One.
By the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous
- One man's disobedience led to the fall of man. That one act of disobedience led to acts of disobedience too many to count...millions upon millions upon millions. We inherit the sinfulness, and add to the many acts of disobedience through our willful sinning. How many rights does it take to correct all of these wrongs? Paul gives us the answer - it took one man's obedience, perfect obedience. All who find themselves righteous can be sure that this is not because of their obedience to God, but because of the obedience of the one man Jesus Christ!
Father, thank you so much that we are not left to die in our sinful state as we deserve! Thank You for having mercy on us while we were yet sinners! Thank You for offering the solution to our desire situation, a solution that is effective to a greater degree than the condemnation! Thank You for not leaving us to die, physically and spiritually, but instead offering us the gift of eternal life through Your Son...Thank You! In His Name, Amen.
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