The Superiority of God’s Gift – Romans 5:15-19
Bethel Baptist Church – David Rising
Romans 5:15-19; September 13, 2026 Sunday AM
The Superiority of God’s Gift
The bible presents a real individual by the name of Adam. He is the first human we encounter in the bible. We believe he truly was a real person, not just some mythical person who the biblical writers used to make a point, just as we believe Jesus was a real person.
Paul presents in Romans 5 the fatal consequences of his sin: through Adam, sin entered the world. Because sin entered the world, death also entered and spread to all men.
We covered this last week in Romans 5:12-14. Because everyone is born a sinner and because everyone sins, we are in a big mess. We need someone to rescue us, and the bible presents Jesus Christ as that One, the Savior, the One who gave His life to redeem those who were under the bondage of sin and death.
Despite the fact that the Law of Moses did not come into existence as a recorded reality until the time of Moses, still sin and death reigned from the time of Adam to Moses. This shows that sin did not begin when the Law was given to Moses, but that sin as sin has existed from the beginning.
In our study today in Romans 5 we will see Adam and Jesus compared. That comparison helps us to see once again the great and marvelous grace of God for those who believe. Pray.
We ended last week by looking briefly at the end of verse 14:
Adam… who is a type of Him who was to come.
ὅς ἐστιν τύπος τοῦ μέλλοντος.
Adam was mentioned and described as a type of Jesus, the One who was to come. Jesus did, of course, come, but Moses writes here from the perspective of Adam’s time. Adam is given here as a pattern of Jesus.
What is the comparison? What is the contrast? That is what we will discovery today. We will learn that for the most part, Adam is a type of Christ by way of sharp contrast as we will see in the points of this message.
Let’s notice the first point:
1. Bountiful Gift Rather Than Death (5:15)
15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.
15Ἀλλ̓ οὐχ ὡς τὸ παράπτωμα, οὕτως καὶ τὸ χάρισμα· εἰ γὰρ τῷ τοῦ ἑνὸς παραπτώματι οἱ πολλοὶ ἀπέθανον, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡ χάρις τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἡ δωρεὰ ἐν χάριτι τῇ τοῦ ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς τοὺς πολλοὺς ἐπερίσσευσεν.
There are several ways one can organize this discussion to make it understandable, but I simply want to show the contrast as best as I can.
Adam is a type of Christ, but they are miles apart. Verse 15 begins by describing what Christ did, which is described as a gift. Adam is described as committing the offense – his disobedient act against God.
Adam sinned. His one action affected many. His action was negative. Jesus did a marvelous work by willingly giving His life for our sins.
Christ gave a gift.
Adam committed an offense.
The result of what Adam did through his offense resulted in the death of “many.” This was not only physical death but also spiritual death. Adam and Eve died spiritually and eventually they died physically. All their children – you and me – were born spiritually dead and one day we will die physically.
But God did not leave us in our misery. God the Father sent His Son, Jesus, and by His action as Paul says, ‘much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.’
The work of Christ is superior to Adam’s “work.”
Notice that the work of Christ is described as God’s grace. It is also noted as the gift by grace.
God’s grace, God’s gift abounded, it multiplied. This emphasizes the magnificent nature of God’s bounty toward us. He gives and He gives and He gives.
Paul emphasizes the bountiful gift of God’s grace to us through Jesus Christ. God is not stingy with His grace toward us.
This bountiful grace is a major contrast to the effect of Adam’s offense upon the human race. That effect is death. God’s work in Christ is a free gift.
Second point:
2. Justification Rather Than Condemnation (5:16, 18)
16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification.
God’s gift to us is very different than what Adam achieved for us.
To say that Adam is a type of Christ sounds strange because the contrast is very severe. The comparison of Adam to Christ is not in the effect, but in the action. Both did something that affected others, and the effect is what Paul here is contrasting.
The comparison is similar to this idea. We are all examples in our lives. People see us. Some of us are good examples and others are bad examples.
Adam is an example to us, but he is a bad example.
What Adam did through his sin resulted in judgment and condemnation. We stood before the Judge of all the earth, as it were, and we were pronounced guilty! The condemnation is devastating – we gained physical death, and spiritual death.
This was the point we saw in verses 12-14. Sin entered the world, and along with that came death. This spread to all, and as a result all sin. Sinners sin, and sinners die. This was what Adam did.
John 3:18 (NKJV) 18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Our default position before God is condemnation.
Notice in this comparison of a gift and condemnation we see the issue of quantity noted.
God’s judgment and condemnation came after one offense. Adam did one thing wrong. He disobeyed God’s command. One sin. That resulted in a judgment that determined we were guilty.
However, God’s free gift of justification – being declared righteous – came after a multitude of offenses.
We sometimes hear of individuals in court trial who are facing a multitude of charges against them. They did many things wrong, and the expectation is that a multitude of offenses will result in a multitude of penalties.
But with God through Christ this simply resulted in justification – to have the judge declare us righteous on the basis of the sacrifice of Jesus for us.
This illustrates for us the bountiful grace of God toward us. There is no reason for our pardon other than the grace and mercy of God which is exceedingly great!
The work of Christ on our behalf is magnificent. We are no longer in trouble, but can enjoy a righteous standing before God because of the work of grace by a loving God.
This is why we are told in scripture that we should offer forgiveness toward others at the rate of 70 x 7 times (Matthew 18:22).
If Christ forgave our multitude of sins, then let us be like Christ to extend to others forgiveness over and over.
What a contrast we see here. Justification rather than condemnation.
People do not like to hear that they are sinners.
I do not like to hear that I am a sinner. I don’t always want to know the truth. I prefer my own view about myself.
But the diagnosis from God’s word is clear. Apart from God’s intervention, we are sinners.
The solution to our guilt and condemnation is not to be found in some therapied Adam. That is all the world can offer.
Rather, the solution is found in the One Who took upon Himself our sin, became like Adam – a human being – and without bore our sin in His body. As a result, He paid the ultimate price. His death, that sacrifice, was accepted by God the Father and made payment to secure the salvation of His people.
Notice a third point:
3. Life in Christ rather than Death (5:17)
17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
Remember what Paul said earlier. How do we know that sin was in the world even before the Law was given? Verse 14:
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
Death reigned from the time of Adam to Moses.
By contrast, God’s gift of righteousness will reign in life through Jesus.
Notice again the math: One man’s offense. One man’s gift of grace and righteousness.
Instead of death reigning, now God’s bountiful grace and righteousness will reign in life. Life rather than death.
Adam brought sin and death.
Christ brings grace and life.
It is just that simple. This life we enjoy through Christ will one day, in the final day, be seen in all of its glory and we will be changed finally. But we can enjoy that same blessing in the present, although still thwarted at times by the sin that dwells within the flesh. We will see this spoken about in chapter 6 as walking in newness of life.
That is the reality of the Christian life: we are changed and we must live differently.
Verse 17 ends Paul’s rabbit trail that started in verse 13. This section made the comparison between Adam and Christ as plain as possible, but now we return to Paul’s initial focus from verse 12.
Let us now read verse 12 and then go right into verse 18:
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— … 18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
This restates the second point from verse 16: justification through Christ rather than condemnation through Adam.
Adam disobeyed and affected all men. Christ obeyed and brought the free gift to all resulting in justification of life.
All who are in Christ are justified and have escaped the effect of Adam’s sin. The work of Christ reverses what Adam did.
The final verse, 19, succinctly summarizes this second point and further explains it, and so let’s consider a fourth point:
19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.
4. Righteous rather than a Sinner (5:19)
Adam disobeyed and his offspring were made sinners.
By the obedience of Christ, many will be made righteous.
Now many have discussed this phrase “made righteous.” I think this is pointing not to the immediate phase of the Christian life, but the ultimate when we are fully transformed by God’s grace.
Justification is God declaring us righteous. It is a judicial assessment and announcement. We are granted an instant standing before God that is based on the righteousness of our Savior, Jesus.
When we are born-again, regenerated, given new life, we begin a transformation grace of our hearts and actions that we describe as sanctification – God cleaning us up.
Day after day, as we look at the Word of God, as the Spirit of God brings conviction of sin, we grow. We mature in Christ. As we face trials and persevere in them, God develops character in us.
Eventually, when we are transformed in the last day, what God has begun in us will be completed at that day of Christ.
Where the confusion comes is when people confuse sanctification with justification. Roman Catholic theology tends to conflate the two such that one may never really have any sense of their eternal state with God. Through the faithful participation in the seven sacraments and in the purging of purgatory, there is the potential for eternal hope. One never can really know. I think this is a very heavy burden to bear, especially for the one who tries very hard.
But I don’t think the bible teaches this. Rather, we believe and teach that justification is God instantaneously declaring us righteous in Christ. It has nothing to do with our behavior, and everything to do with Christ’s work.
He will make us righteous in our behavior and perfection, but that perfection will only take place in the final day. Some Wesleyan theology teaches that one can potentially achieve perfection in this life with strong piety through strict methods, but we don’t think scripture teaches this either.
Yes, scripture teaches us to be diligent and work hard:
Philippians 3:12–14 (NKJV) 12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
We work out of our lives what Christ puts into our lives.
We enjoy a righteous standing at present, and when Christ returns He will complete that process and we will be made righteous. We enjoy that blessing in the present while we wait for the consummation of all things at the return of Christ.
And so we have seen today:
Adam is a type of Christ. He did something that affected others.
Christ did something (very great!) and it affected others.
What Adam did brought about devastation.
What Christ did brought about the reversal of what Adam did.
Adam’s damage automatically affected everyone.
Christ’s work on the cross is a blessing for those who have faith in Christ. All who are justified are recipients of the work of Christ, characterized here as grace, as the gift that came by that grace. This grace is bountiful and results in life.
Application
1. Praise God for the free gift of salvation in Christ!
Our response as before should be praise to God for what He has done. He could have left us in our sin to suffer the eternal consequences. Thank God for his bountiful gift rather than having to face the reality of a 2nd death – the death that follows our physical death. Thank Him for the gift of justification rather than His judgment.
2. Pass it on!
Romans 1:16–17 (NKJV) 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
Next week we will look at verses 20-21 and work our way into Romans 6 where we will be challenged to think about sin and how it continues to affect us. May God be glorified through his Word today.