“The gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:15).

 

In the last half of Romans chapter 5 Paul presents the contrast between the first Adam and the second Adam, Jesus Christ. The dreadful consequences of the sin of the first Adam are still being experienced in the human race, to an exponential degree. The wonderful benefit resulting from the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the second Adam, is an amazing gift to all who believe. 

 

Listen to Romans 5:15, “But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!” Again in verse 17, “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.” 

 

Commentator Vincent explains “that the emphatic point of the comparison is in the word ‘reigned.’ The effect of the second Adam cannot fall behind that of the first. If death reigned, there must also be a reign of life.” Dr. Kenneth Wuest translates the verse, “Much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness in life will reign as kings through the One, Jesus Christ.” 

 

We are given the right to reign as kings over the natural human tendency to sin passed on to us by the failure of the first Adam. If you have received God’s abundant grace and the gift of righteousness, then you don’t have to sin anymore. You no doubt will sin, but you don’t have to.