The Offense and the Free Gift
Adam was a type of Him who was to come (Rom 5:14), that is, Jesus Christ, the last Adam (1 Cor 15:45). In Romans 5:12–21, these two are compared and contrasted. The reason Adam and Christ are so important to us is because of our relationship to both of them.
Adam committed one act, one transgression that resulted in condemnation to all men (Rom 5:18). We relate to Adam, physically. When each soul is conjoined with his or her physical body at conception, we earn our title, “natural man (1 Cor 2:14).” The natural state of fleshly man, with his natural body (1 Cor 15:44, 46), is sin. We are conceived with original sin (Ps 51:5; Rom 5:12). Our nature is sin (Eph 2:3), and all we think, say, and do is sin…all the time (Gen 6:5; Rom 3:23).
Adam committed his offense, and judgment was immediate (Gen 3). He was warned of the consequence of sin, which was death (Rom 6:23). Adam’s soul was rendered dead to God (Eph 2:1), and his body commenced entropy. Adam’s progeny follow this same course (Rom 5:12; 1 Cor 15:22a). We are conceived in sin (Ps 51:5), shapen in iniquity, born as children of wrath (Eph 2:3), dead to God (Lk 9:60; Jn 5:25; Rom 6:11, 13; 7:4). Spiritually, man is dead. Biologically, he is animated, but this natural life is limited to seventy or eighty years, on average (Ps 90:10).
It is appointed for men to die once, and after this comes the judgment (Heb 9:27). Jesus Christ is the righteous Judge (Gen 18:25), appointed by God (Acts 17:31), of both the living and the dead (Acts 10:42; 2 Tim 4:1; 1 Pet 4:5). The Lord Jesus Christ’s judgment is just (Jn 5:30). There is a day of judgment coming, when all will give an account (Mt 12:36). The punishment is eternal (Mt 26:46; Jude 1:7), and the sentence is hell and the lake of fire (Rev 20:14–15).
The first death is when the natural man, in his natural state, dies in his fleshly body. The second death follows the resurrection (body/soul), in which those who died apart from Christ will be raised unto His judgment seat on the last day (Jn 5:28–29; Rom 14:10; 2 Cor 5:10; Rev 20:11).
There is another man, who is not hurt by the second death (Rev 2:11). He is the recipient of the free gift, by the grace of the one God-man, Jesus Christ (Rom 5:15). This free gift is eternal life in Christ Jesus (Rom 6:23; 1 Jn 5:11). The Son of God gives life to whom He wishes (Jn 5:21; 6:63), and he who has (believes in) the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life (Jn 3:36; 1 Jn 5:12).
If God has given this free gift of eternal life (1 Jn 5:11), resulting in justification (Rom 5:16), it will be evident in the faith of the one who received Christ, by the will of God (Jn 1:12–13). For it is the will of God the Father that everyone who beholds the Son, and believes in Him, will have eternal life, and Jesus Christ Himself will resurrect that man, body and soul, on the last day (Jn 6:40).
Just as death is certain for sinners, much more certain is the blessed assurance of eternal life for recipients of abounding grace (Rom 5:17). Grace is God’s favor. It is the work of God to bring salvation to His elect, redeemed, believing people (1 Thess 5:9; 2 Thess 2:13; 2 Tim 2:10; Titus 2:11; Heb 2:10; 1 Pet 1:1).
The gift of eternal life, written into the will of God, as the eternal inheritance of His chosen race of people (1 Pet 2:9), is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. His one act of righteousness resulted in the justification of life to all who are in Him (Rom 5:18).
Adam, and those in him, have always been outside of God, being without God in the world (Eph 2:12). Even Adam, in his original state of innocence, was apart from Christ. Thus, the free gift is much more than a restoration to Adam’s sinless state. The gift of salvation includes the forgiveness of sins, but it is so much more (Mt 9:6; 26:28; Eph 1:7).
Our reconciliation to God, through the death of His Son (Rom 5:10), has positioned us in union with Christ (Rom 8:11; Gal 2:20; 1 Jn 4:13; 5:20). As Christ stands holy and blameless before God the Father, so He will present His bride, that is, the church made holy and blameless, before His Father (Eph 1:4; 5:27; Col 1:22), at the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:9), the great, eternal wedding feast (Mt 22).
These images are why the Apostle Paul used such language as, “the exceeding riches of His grace (Eph 2:7),” and, “the unsearchable riches of Christ (Eph 3:8).” As this grace upon grace, is poured out on God’s people, by His Spirit given to us (Rom 5:5), we exult in God (Rom 5:11). We also exult in the hope of glory (Rom 5:2; 8:18; Col 1:27), even exulting in the tribulations appointed for us to suffer for the sake of His Name (Rom 5:3; Col 1:24).
The comparison between Adam and Christ shows how one action, imputed to us in relationship to each man, results in condemnation (Rom 5:16) or no condemnation (Rom 8:1). The offense of Adam reached all people, but the free gift reaches only those chosen for salvation (Rom 8:30; Eph 1:4–5), by the free will and gracious choice of God, who has mercy upon whom He has mercy (Rom 9:15), according to His sovereign will (Jn 1:13; Rom 9:16)
Seeing how great a salvation has been bequeathed to us, and having the token of our inheritance in our hearts (2 Cor 5:5), that is, the Spirit of Christ, we boast in the Lord our God (1 Cor 1:30). We give thanks in all humility, and forever (1 Thess 5:17–18), because of His abounding grace that saved us from the wrath to come (1 Thess 1:10). Hallelujah! What a Savior!
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
May 14, 2022
