How does Romans 5:19 connect with the concept of original sin in Genesis? Setting the Stage: Romans 5:19 “For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the One man the many will be made righteous.” Tracing the Line Back to Eden • Genesis 2:16-17 — God draws a clear boundary: “but you must not eat… for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.” • Genesis 3:6-7 — Adam and Eve cross that boundary; innocence is lost, and death enters the scene. • Genesis 3:17-19 — The ground is cursed, toil is certain, mortality is guaranteed. • Romans 5:12 — Paul sums up the historical fallout: “sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.” Original Sin Defined • Adam’s act was not a private failure; it was a covenant-breaking rebellion that carried his entire posterity with him. • Sin and death now flow through the human bloodstream—by nature as well as by choice (Psalm 51:5). • Humanity’s default setting became separation from God, not fellowship with Him. One Man’s Disobedience → Many Made Sinners Romans 5:19 looks back to Eden and states the consequence succinctly: 1. “The disobedience of the one man” = Adam’s single, historical act. 2. “The many were made sinners” = every descendant inherits both guilt and a bent toward sin. One Man’s Obedience → Many Made Righteous • Philippians 2:8 — Jesus “became obedient to death—even death on a cross.” • 1 Corinthians 15:22 — “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” • Through Christ’s perfect obedience—His sinless life, atoning death, and victorious resurrection—He rewrites Adam’s story for all who believe. Key Parallels and Contrasts • Two representatives: Adam vs. Christ. • Two acts: disobedience vs. obedience. • Two outcomes: condemnation vs. justification. • Two humanities: born in Adam or born again in Christ (John 3:3-6). Why the Connection Matters Today • It explains why every person instinctively wrestles with sin. • It highlights the necessity—not optionality—of Christ’s saving work. • It assures believers that Christ’s righteousness is as real, concrete, and historical as Adam’s sin. • It anchors hope: what was lost in the garden is more than restored in the gospel (Romans 5:20-21). Walking in the Better Story • Receive the gift (Romans 5:17). • Reckon the old self dead with Adam; reckon the new self alive in Christ (Romans 6:11). • Live out the righteousness already credited, confident that Christ’s obedience defines your standing before God. |
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