Romans 5:12-14 (ESV)
"Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 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."
Devotion:
Imagine throwing a single stone into a calm pond. The moment it hits the water, it creates a series of ripples that spread far beyond the initial impact point. This imagery captures the essence of Romans 5:12-14, illustrating how the actions of one can have far-reaching effects on many.
The passage presents a thought-provoking contrast between the introduction of sin and death into the world by one man, Adam, and the anticipation of redemption through another, Jesus. Just as a single act of disobedience set off a chain reaction affecting all of humanity, the text foreshadows the arrival of a "new Adam" capable of initiating a wave of grace capable of reversing the curse.
The reality that death reigned even before the Law was given teaches us something really shocking to our modern sensibilities. Humanity's problem with sin isn't primarily that we have broken some cosmic rules, but rather that the fact that we sin has to do with our nature. We aren’t sinners because sin. In fact we sin because we are sinners at our very core. Sin has woven itself into the fabric of human existence, manifesting in ways that go beyond direct transgressions of the law.
But our sin nature is not the end of the story. Paul here introduces a bit of hope. Adam's role as a "type" of Christ hints at a divine plan for restoration. Just as one man's action had catastrophic consequences, so too would the act of another—this time, an act of obedience and sacrifice—bring about a wave of redemption and life.
Those who believe are transferred into the line of Christ, and because we get a new spiritual forefather, we are given a new nature. In Christ our very sin nature is redeemed and that changes everything.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Reformed Devotionals Daily to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.