Paul draws a contrast between the actions of Adam and Christ. He also outlines the outcome of the actions of these two men. He compares the man that disobeyed God's command with the One that obeyed His Word - contrasting the one that sinned against God with the One that did only those things that He heard from His Father in heaven.
It was the result of one act of disobedience, which was carried out by Adam that condemned the entire human race. Adam was the federal head of God's creation and he was given one simple test - but Adam failed. It was because of this one offence that Adam brought condemnation upon all men. Adam was told: of every tree of the garden you may truly eat but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for the day you eat of it you will surely die.
The result of this one sin of Adam brought calamity of the entire human race and placed everyone under God's condemnation and death. As the single representative of all humanity, Adam's one transgression resulted in the condemnation of all men. We are sinners - not only because we sin but also because we are imputed with a sin nature because of Adam's transgression. In addition to our imputed sin nature from Adam, we inherit a fallen nature from our parents.. and we were born in sin. We were born dead in trespasses and sins, at enmity with God and without hope in the world - and the soul that sins shall die, for the wages of sin is death.
It was this ONE transgression that resulted in the condemnation of all men, but it was also through ONE amazing act of righteousness, that resulted in justification of life to all men. It was one act of disobedience that placed us under God's eternal condemnation, and one act of willing obedience, that brought justification of life to all men - and it is received simply by faith in the finished work of Christ.
Many like to bemoan the fact that we are made sinners because of Adam's sin. Many feel it is unfair that we have to inherit the sin nature from our forefathers, because of their sin.. but this is failure to recognise God's incredible grace in His simple plan for man's redemption - for as by ONE sin we were all made sinners.. so by ONE act of obedience we can all be declared righteous and receive justification of life. It was Adam's one sin that rendered us sinners and inputed us with a sin nature.. so too by Christ's one act of obedience we are declared righteous and receive justification of life- by faith in Him. By His one act of obedience we are inputed with Christ's righteousness - and it is ours simply by faith - by believing in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin and life everlasting.
It was by God's grace that Adam's condemnation rested on ONE single act of disobedience - in order that by God's grace man's redemption could also rest on ONE act of obedience - one single act of sacrifice which made possible the justification of all who will believe.
All who are born IN ADAM are eternally condemned and all who are born-again IN CHRIST are not condemned but declared righteous by God and given eternal life - for there is no condemnation to those that are IN CHRIST.
The wages of being IN ADAM is death.. for by one man's transgression we are all made sinners.. but the gift of God is eternal life for those that are IN CHRIST, for His one act of righteousness results in justification of life for all who believe. By faith we are placed in eternal union with Christ - the God-Man Who is our kinsman-Redeemer and the federal Head of God's New Creation.
So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.
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