Picking the flow back up with verse 6 in Chapter 5 of Romans with "the results of our justification" or "peace with GOD through our faith," as this area has been subtitles in two of my study Bible translations, before we look at "death by Adam and Life in Christ." Oh, the power of suggestion at times is so overwhelming.
Romans 5:6-11 "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled (G2644) to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement." (KJV)
Romans 5:6-11 "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled (G2644) to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." (ESV)
Romans 5:6-11 "GOD's timing was absolutely perfect; humanity was at their weakest when Christ died their death. (We were bankrupt and naked in our efforts to save ourselves.) It is most unlikely that someone will die for another person, even if they are righteous; yet it is remotely possible that someone can brave such devotion that one would actually lay down one's own life in an effort to save the life of an extraordinary good person. Herein is the extremity of GOD's Love gift: humanity was rotten to the core when Christ died their death. If GOD could love us that much when we were ungodly and guilty, how much more are we free to realize his love now that we are declared innocent by his blood? (GOD does not love us more now that we are reconciled to him; we are now free to realize how much he loves us all along! [Colossians 2:14 and Romans 4:25] ) Our hostility and indifference towards GOD did not reduce his love for us; he saw equal value in us when he exchanged the life of his Son for ours. Now that the act of [1; G2644] reconciliation is complete, his life in us saves us from the gutter-most to the uttermost. (Reconciliation, is from [1; G2644, from G2596 and G236] katallasso, meaning a mutual exchange of equal value. The Thrayer's definition: to exchange, as coins for others of equivalent value. "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to GOD by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life."---RSV ) Thus, our joyful boasting in GOD continues; Jesus Christ has made reconciliation a reality.: (The Mirror)
Romans 5:12-14, 15-17 "Wherefore, as by one man sin [G266] entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law (Genesis 4:7-11, 6:5-6, 6:11, 8:21, 13:13, 18:20, 19:4, 19:32, 19:36, 38:7, 38:10) sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law (Romans 4:15; 1Corinthians 15:56; 1John3:4, 14). Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression [G3847], who is the figure of him that was to come.
But not as the offence [G3900], so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead [G599], much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)" (KJV)
Romans 5:12-14, 15-17 "Therefore, just as sin [G266] 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 [G3847] of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.
But the free gift is not like the trespass [G3900]. For if many died [G599] through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ." (ESV)
Romans 5:12-14, 15-17 "One person opened the door to [1; G266] sin. Sin introduced (spiritual) death. Both sin and death had a global impact. No one escaped its tyranny. (The word translated sin, is the word [1; G266, from G264, from G1 and G3313] hamartia, and it is from ha, a negative and meros, portion or form, thus to be without your allotted portion or without form, pointing to a disorientated, distorted identity; the word meros , is the stem of morphe, as in 2Corinthians 3:18. Where the word [change, G3339 is from G3326 and G3445 with G3444] metamorphe, is used with form, is the opposite of hamartia - without form. Sin is to live out of context with the original blueprint of one's design; to behave out of tune with GOD's original harmony.) The Law did not introduce sin; it was just not pointed out yet. In the mean time death dominated everyone's lifestyle, from Adam till Moses, (2500 years before the Law was given) no one was excluded; even those whose sins were different from Adam's. The fact is that Adam's [1; G3847] deviation set sin into motion - what happened to humanity because of one man, Adam, is in principle typical of what was about to happen to the same humanity because of the one man, Jesus! (Paul now employs a word that only he uses in his epistles [x9] (G3847) parabasis instead of the usual word for sin, hamartia - parabasis has two components, (G3844 and G939) para, which points to a close proximity/union and bainos, step, footprint - in this sense, a deviation; out of step - out of sync. In Adam humanity became out of sync with their true identity but didn't know it until the Law revealed it - in Christ the same humanity became exceedingly righteous but humanity does not realize it until the gospel reveals it.)
The only similarity in the comparison between the [1; G3900] crash-landing and the gift, is that both Adam and Christ represent the masses. However, the grace gift lavished upon humanity in the one man Jesus Christ supersedes the effect of Adam's failure by far and is beyond comparison in significance to the idea of [2; G599] death and separation. ( Now Paul introduces the word [1; G3900, from G3844 and G4098] paraptoma, which is from para closest possible proximity and pipto, to descend from a higher place to a lower - to stop flying. No wonder he urges us in Colossians 3:1-3 to engage our thoughts with the things that are above, where we are co-elevated and jointly enthroned in the heavenliest together with Christ! The word [2; G599 and G575] apothnesko, death, suggests a separation; and it is from apo, meaning any kind of separation of one thing from another by which the union or fellowship of the two is destroyed; also of a state of separation and distance. The word [G2348], thnesko means death.
"But GOD's free gift immeasurably outweighs the transgression. For if through the transgression of the one individual the masses of humanity have died, infinitely greater is the generosity wherewith GOD's grace, and the gift given in his grace which found expression in the one man Jesus Christ, have been bestowed on the mass of humanity."---Weymouth, 1912. ) The principle of the gift speaks a different language and brings a radically different equation to the table. Whereas a single sin resulted in a judgment that concluded in condemnation; grace translates countless deviations into acquittal and innocence. Death no longer has the final say. Life rules! If the effect of one man's crash-landing engaged humanity in a death-dominated lifestyle how much more advantage is the very same humanity now that they are the recipients of the boundless reservoir of grace, empowering them to enjoy the dominion of life through the gift of righteousness because of that one man, Jesus Christ. Grace is out of all proportion in superiority to the transgression. (No, grace is not something you qualify for by receiving it! Grace already belongs to humanity without their permission! The words oi lambanontes do not mean, to believing accept, but simply the recipients! [the Present Active Participle Nominative] The word persseia, means super abundantly; that which exceeds all boundaries. Of course it doesn't take faith out of the equation! It gives context to faith! Look at verses 1&2. Faith isn't what you do in order to; it's what happens to you because of it!)
Until next time where we shall finish the last few verses the LORD willing.
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