Peter Barnes | Romans 5:15-21
SERMON NOTES
A SECOND ADAM TO THE RESCUE CAME
(Romans 5:15-21)
In Adam’s fall,/ We sinned all.
1. What Adam wrought.
(a) the offence or trespass or sin – 5:15-18. In verse 19 it is called disobedience. This comes from Genesis 2:16-17; 3:6.
John Donne: ‘Adam sold the world.’
(b) the reign of death – 5:15, 17, 21; Genesis 3:19.
(c) condemnation – read 5:16, 18; see John 5:28-29.
2. What Christ achieved.
(a) His act of righteousness and obedience – 5:18-19; Phil.2:8.
(b) grace for us – 5:15-16. We deserve Adam, not Christ.
(c) justification – 5:16, 18.
(d) life – 5:18, 21.
O loving wisdom of our God!
When all was sin and shame,
A second Adam to the fight,
And to the rescue came.
(John Henry Newman)
3. Who wins?
Grace ‘superabounds’ or ‘hyper-increased’ – 5:15, 17, 20. Isaac Watts:
In Him the tribes of Adam boast
More blessing than their father lost.
To be in Adam, all we have to do is be born (Ps.51:5). To be in Christ, we need to be born again (John 3:3-6). If we are in Adam, we are in sin, death and condemnation. If we are in Christ, we are in grace, justification and life.
Calvin: ‘Christ is much more powerful to save than Adam was to ruin.’