“A Story of Comparisons”

(Romans 5:12-21)

Series: Romans – United in the Gospel [on screen]

Rev. Matthew C. McCraw, EdD

First Baptist Church, Bartow, Florida

April 3, 2022

Introductory Comments:

Think with me for a moment about some of the greatest comparisons and contrasts in history. I asked some folks to help me with this on Facebook yesterday. Here are some that we came up with. Coke VS Pepsi. Chevrolet VS Ford. The Gators VS the Seminoles. Living in the city VS living in the country. Mac VS PC or Apple VS Android. The beach VS the mountains. Capitalism VS Communism. David VS Goliath. Backstreet Boys VS Nsync. Night VS Day. Warm VS Cold. Sweet VS Sour. You see, with some of these comparisons, one can make a case why they think one is better than another. They may have their preferences, traditions, and biases. Sometimes the one that is better is not so obvious. 

Today, Paul is going to set up some comparisons for us in this passage and there will be no doubt which one is better. In fact, today’s sermon is entitled, “A Story of Comparisons.” [on screen]

Before we dive into this passage let’s go to God in prayer and ask Him to speak to us powerfully and miraculously. 

(prayer)

Paul has just spent some time in last week’s passage, Romans 5:1-11, showing us how great and powerful faith is. Now, Paul is going to set up some contrasts to show even more how great faith in God is. 

We’re going to look first at some consequences and then a set of two contrasts. 

First, let’s look at . . .

I. The sin and the sickness (12-14) [on screen]

Paul starts off this passage with the word, “Therefore.” This “therefore” basically applies to everything Paul has said thus far in the entire letter. As Paul gives us these contrasts, he’s also giving us a recap of much of what he’s already said. 

So, then. Let us look at this passage. Look at Romans 5:12-14:

12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned. 13 In fact, sin was in the world before the law, but sin is not charged to a person’s account when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam’s transgression. He is a type of the Coming One.

Verse 12 gives us a reminder of what has already been said in Romans: all of us have sinned. Paul points out here in chapter 5 where it all began: with Adam. 

Adam was sort of a representative of all of humanity in that when he sinned a sickness came upon all of us. We too were struck with the sickness of sin in our lives. 

Now, some of us may immediately start to think, “Well, it’s not fair that I would be charged with sin simply because Adam sinned.” To be clear, as our representative, Adam brought sin into the world. However, we also sinned as well. I like to say that Adam brought sin into the world but we have kept it in the world. 

Paul said very clearly in Romans 3:10, “There is no one righteous, not even one.” [on screen]

He says also in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” [on screen]

Sin started with Adam but it continued with all of us. 

The sickness that came as a result of sin is death. Well, how do we know that sin has affected all people? Paul tells us, “ . . . in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned.”

In other words, death is the proof that the sickness of sin has affected all of us. Everyone since Adam (with a few miraculous exceptions) has experienced death because we have all been affected by sin. 

Even Jesus suffered death as a result of sin. Now, the difference is that we suffer death as the result of the sickness of sin in our own lives, whereas Jesus suffered death as a result of the sin of others. Jesus paid the death penalty so that we could live again (more on that later). 

Paul points out that death reigned from Adam to Moses; th