The Fall and Original Sin: An Exposition of Romans 5:12-21
The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans stands as a monumental theological treatise, systematically unfolding the glorious truth of God’s righteousness and the plan of salvation. Within this profound epistle, Romans 5:12-21 serves as a pivotal passage, illuminating the devastating impact of Adam’s sin and contrasting it sharply with the super-abounding grace and righteousness brought by Jesus Christ. This section not only explains the origin of sin and death but also establishes the foundation for understanding humanity’s universal need for a Redeemer and the incredible scope of God’s provision in Christ. It is a passage that ties together the cosmic consequences of a single act of disobedience with the eternal benefits of one act of perfect obedience.The Universal Reign of Sin and Death Through One Man (Romans 5:12-14)
Paul begins this critical exposition by tracing the origin of sin and death back to a singular event: Adam’s transgression.This verse establishes the foundational truth of original sin. Adam, as the federal head of humanity, acted not merely as an individual but as a representative for all his descendants. When he sinned, sin—understood both as a condition (a fallen nature) and an act (transgression)—entered the perfect creation. The immediate consequence of sin was death, not only physical but also spiritual separation from God. The phrase "death passed upon all men" signifies the universal reach of this consequence. The subsequent clause, "for that all have sinned," has been interpreted in various ways, but the most consistent understanding within the context of Romans 5 is that all men are implicated in Adam’s sin, either by inheriting a sinful nature that inevitably leads to personal acts of sin, or by being judicially condemned through Adam’s representative act. The former is a strong implication: because we are all descended from Adam, we inherit his fallen nature, leading us to commit actual sins. Paul then clarifies the presence of sin even before the Law was given:Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Sin existed and exerted its power even before the Mosaic Law. The Law merely clarified and defined sin, making transgressions explicit. While specific acts of transgression against a known law might not have been "imputed" (reckoned) in the same way as after Sinai, the underlying reality of sin was present, and its consequence—death—reigned universally. This is crucial: death reigned "even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression." This refers to infants or those without the capacity to knowingly transgress a divine command. Their death demonstrates that the reign of death is not solely due to personal, conscious acts of sin, but fundamentally due to the inherited condition of being "in Adam." This further reinforces the concept of original sin and its universal reach. Paul then introduces a vital theological concept: Adam is "the figure of him that was to come"—a type or pattern of Christ. This sets the stage for the grand comparison.For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
The Abundance of Grace and Righteousness Through One Man (Romans 5:15-17)
Having established the dire consequences of Adam’s sin, Paul shifts to the glorious contrast, emphasizing the superiority and super-abundance of God’s grace through Jesus Christ.Here, Paul makes it clear that the impact of Christ’s work is not merely a counter-balance to Adam’s sin, but infinitely greater. The "free gift" (salvation, justification, eternal life) is qualitatively and quantitatively superior to the "offence." If Adam’s single sin brought death to "many" (humanity), then God’s grace and the gift by grace through Jesus Christ have "abounded unto many" in a far more glorious way. The word "much more" (Romans 5:15, Romans 5:17, Romans 5:20) is a key theme, highlighting the overwhelming superiority of grace over sin. Paul elaborates on this distinction:But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
The consequences of Adam’s sin and Christ’s righteousness are not merely opposite but operate on different scales.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.
The Grand Parallel: Disobedience and Obedience (Romans 5:18-19)
Paul now presents the parallel in a concise and powerful summary, emphasizing the federal headship of both Adam and Christ.These verses are the theological linchpin of the passage, explaining the mechanism of imputation:Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
- Made Sinners: Through Adam’s disobedience, humanity was constituted (or made) sinners. This means that not only do we commit sins, but we are also inherently sinful by nature and by legal standing due to our connection to Adam. This is the doctrine of imputed sin.
- Made Righteous: Through Christ’s obedience (which includes His perfect life and His death on the cross), believers are constituted (or made) righteous. This is the doctrine of imputed righteousness, where Christ’s perfect righteousness is credited to the account of those who believe.
The Law and the Triumph of Grace (Romans 5:20-21)
Finally, Paul addresses the role of the Law in this grand narrative and culminates with the ultimate triumph of grace.The Law did not enter to provide a way out of sin but rather "that the offence might abound." It served to expose the depth and pervasiveness of sin, making humanity’s need for salvation abundantly clear. The Law showed how utterly incapable humanity was of achieving righteousness on its own. But this revelation of sin’s abundance served a greater purpose: "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." This is the glorious crescendo of the passage. No matter how deep or widespread sin became, God’s grace proved to be infinitely greater, overflowing and surpassing it. The final verse summarizes the entire exposition: "That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord." Sin, personified as a king, reigned supreme, leading all to death. But now, another King has emerged: Grace. Grace reigns, not arbitrarily, but "through righteousness"—the righteousness of Christ. This reign of grace leads not to death, but to "eternal life," a life that begins now in fellowship with God and continues into eternity. This is all made possible "by Jesus Christ our Lord."Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Conclusion
Romans 5:12-21 is a foundational text for understanding the human condition and the nature of God’s salvation. It teaches us several crucial truths:- The Universality of Sin and Death: Through Adam’s one act of disobedience, sin and death entered the world and spread to all humanity, making us all sinners by nature and by imputation.
- The Federal Headship of Adam and Christ: Adam acted as the representative of fallen humanity, just as Christ acts as the representative of redeemed humanity.
- The Imputation of Sin and Righteousness: Adam’s sin is imputed to us, leading to condemnation, while Christ’s perfect righteousness is imputed to believers, leading to justification.
- The Super-Abundance of Grace: God’s grace in Christ is not merely sufficient but overwhelmingly abundant, far surpassing the destructive power of sin.
- The Reign of Grace: While sin reigned unto death, grace now reigns through righteousness, offering eternal life to all who believe in Jesus Christ.