How to Really Live. (Romans 5:12-21)

Episode Title: How to Really Live
📖 Bible Passage: Romans 5:12–21
🎧 Series: The Bible Project Daily Podcast – Romans

Episode Summary:
Are you just existing—or truly living?

In this episode, we explore one of Paul’s most theologically rich passages in the book of Romans. Romans 5:12–21 presents a dramatic contrast between two representatives of humanity: Adam and Christ. Through Adam came sin, death, and condemnation. But through Jesus Christ comes grace, righteousness, and life.

We wrestle with how Adam’s sin affects us all—and how Jesus’ obedience opens the way to real life, not just survival. Whether you’re curious about theological views on inherited sin, or longing to understand how the gospel can bring hope and transformation to your life, this episode is for you.

Key Themes:

• The contrast between Adam and Christ
• The meaning of “because all sinned”
• Imputed sin, inherited guilt, and personal responsibility
• The powerful promise of “justification of life”
• What it means to “reign in life” through Christ

Main Takeaway:
We don’t have to stay in Adam, trapped by sin and death. In Christ, we’re offered a new identity—marked by grace, righteousness, and true, abundant life.

The Balance of Gray
God, doubt, and proof walk into a podcast... it goes better than you’d expect!

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Chapters

• 24:39 [Ad] The Balance of Gray
• 25:27 (Cont.) How to Really Live. (Romans 5:12-21)

Transcript

How to Really Live. (Romans 5:12-21)

Transcript: 

Some people seem to be merely existing—drifting through life, going through the motions, but never really living.

Others, however, seem to have something different going on. Despite life's difficulties, they possess an inner peace, a deep sense of gratitude, and a feeling of being favoured. They radiate joy, hope, and resilience. When trials come, they don't just survive—they seem to thrive.

Perhaps you've noticed this in some of the people around you and wondered: How is it possible? How do some people truly live rather than just exist?

From a biblical perspective, Scripture teaches that believers in Jesus Christ are meant to live abundant lives—not just get by. But how is that kind of life really possible? 

Well, some would argue that half the New Testament, tells us how to do that. But today I want to focus on Romans 5:12-21 which gives us a crucial insight….

In today’s passage, the apostle Paul explains how this abundant life is made possible. He begins in verse 12:

"Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned..."

Now straight away, at this point, Paul interrupts himself. In fact, in many Bibles verses 13-17 are set off in parentheses because they function as an aside. He says this :

To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.

(Romans 5: 13-14)

Paul then contrasts Adam with Jesus Christ, emphasizing that while Adam’s sin only brought judgment and death to humanity, Jesus Christ’s act of selfless sacrifice brought grace and justification:

"For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many."

This passage is complex, and scholars have debated its nuances for centuries. One commentator I read called it “one of the most difficult and complex passages in the bible.” Yet, at its core, it attempts to show us a straightforward contrast: Adam versus Christ.

·         In verse 12: Paul introduces the comparison between Adam and Christ.

·         Then in verses 13-17: Paul interrupts himself with a contrast.

·         Then in verse 18: Paul resumes and completes the comparison.

Now, let’s focus on Adam’s part of this comparison. Paul says:

"Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned..."

Notice the phrase "just as." This signals the beginning of a comparison, but the expected "so also" (completing the comparison with Christ) is delayed until verse 18.

For now, let’s zero in on Adam’s role:

·         Through Adam, sin entered the world.

·         Sin led to death.

·         Death spread to all humanity.

If sin entered the world through Adam, that implies it already existed elsewhere. And indeed, sin in fact originated with Satan but entered the human race through Adam.

Now, as we delve deeper into this passage, particularly the phrase in Romans 5:12: "because all sinned." These three little words have sparked intense theological debate throughout church history.

I believe Paul is laying out a sequence for us:

1.     Adam sinned.

2.     Sin brought death.

3.     Death spread to all people.

Why? “Because all sinned.”

But what does Paul mean when he says, "because all sinned" in Romans 5:12? 

Different interpretations have been proposed:

1.             The Personal Sin View.

This view says Paul is talking about individual acts of sin. Romans 3:23 supports this idea: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." If this is what Paul means in Romans 5:12, then death spreads because each person sins personally.

However, some challenge this and say because some people, like infants, die even though they haven't personally sinned. This view also struggles to explain the direct connection between Adam’s sin and the fact that everyone dies.

2.             The Realism View (All Sinned in Adam)

This idea suggests that when Adam sinned, all humanity sinned with him because we were "in" him in some way. 

However, some challenge this also and say we didn’t exist yet when Adam sinned. Can we really be responsible for something we weren’t conscious of?

3.             The Imputation View.

This view says Adam’s sin was passed down to us in a legal sense. There are two ways people explain this:

Intermediate Imputation. Adam’s sin corrupted human nature, and that sinful nature was inherited by all his descendants. Because of this, we all inevitably sin.

Immediate Imputation – God directly counted Adam’s sin against all humanity from the moment he sinned.

However, some challenge this as well as it seems unfair. Why should we be held guilty for Adam’s sin when we weren’t personally involved?

This debate has been ongoing for centuries, but the key issue remains: How does Adam’s sin affect all of us?

A Balanced Conclusion???

After wrestling with this issue, I believe the best explanation involves a combination of two views. At one level, Romans 5:12 affirms that all of us sin personally and are therefore deserving of receiving God’s judgment upon that sin also. At the same time, there is a strong implication of imputation in that Adam’s sin affected all of us, whether through inheritance or direct imputation.

However, we explain the mechanics of sin’s transmission, the fact remains: we are all sinners, and we all die. And this is the first part of Paul’s argument.

Now as I said before continuing his comparison with Christ, Paul takes a brief detour and says:

To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no  law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.

(Romans 5: 13-14)

With this foundational argument in place, Paul now continues his argument by emphasizing the distinction between Adam and Moses. 

Between Adam and Moses, there was no formal law, no explicit commandments like the ones given at Sinai. However, despite the absence of law, sin was still present in the world. How do we know? Because people died. Death is the proof that sin was at work even before the law was given. 

As we heard earlier, Adam sinned, which led to death, and that death spread to all. The very fact that death reigned from Adam to Moses confirms the presence of sin during that time.

Now, Paul makes a crucial contrast. In verse 15, he states,

But the gift is not like the offence. 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!

The offense refers to is Adam's sin, while the free gift refers to what comes through Jesus Christ.

Here, Paul is setting up the contrast—through Adam came death, but through Christ comes grace.

In verse 16, Paul further explains:

" Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification."

Here, we need to understand two key terms: Condemnation and justification. The Greek word for condemnation used here appears only three times in the New Testament—Romans 5:16, Romans 5:18, and Romans 8:1. 

Some scholars argue that this word carries the enslavement to sin.

Thus, through Adam came death, which included this servitude to sin. In contrast, through Jesus Christ comes grace, righteousness, and the gift of life. Paul emphasizes this further 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!

Notice the wording—Paul does not simply say that righteousness will reign. Instead, he says that those who receive God’s grace will reign in life.

This is a remarkable reversal. In Adam, death reigned, controlling and corrupting humanity. But in Christ, we are given the ability to reign in life, experiencing the fullness of what God intends.

This passage shows that death is not merely the end of physical life; it is a realm, a state of existence characterized by separation from God.

When Adam sinned, he did not immediately die physically, but he did die spiritually in the sense his connection with God was broken, and he became enslaved to sin. This spiritual death leads to all the suffering and consequences we see in the world.

However, through Christ, all that was lost in Adam can be restored. Jesus brings grace, righteousness, and life. 

Paul is talking about more than just the funeral at the end of your life. Not only does death come to us at the end of our life because of Adam, but spiritual death hold sway throughout our lives. Paul is talking about forms of death more profound than just the mere cessation of life.

True life consists of love, joy, vitality, enrichment, and fulfillment. Death, on the other hand, is marked by emptiness, loneliness, misery, depression, and restlessness. 

Many people experience this kind of "living death" right now, daily, weighed down by the consequences of their wrong choices in life. 

But now, Paul tells us that through Christ, we can reign in life. We can experience joy, peace, and fulfillment even in the midst of difficulties.

The contrast is clear:

·         In Adam: Sin, death, condemnation, servitude to sin.

·         In Christ: Grace, righteousness, life, the ability to reign in life.

Paul is laying the foundation for understanding how Christ’s work not only reverses the effects of Adam’s fall but also brings us into a new realm of existence—true, abundant life in God.

Now, we haven't yet seen the full contrast—Paul has got ahead of himself. Up to this point, he has been in a parenthetical discussion, but now he sums it all up for us.

" Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people.

(Romans 5: 18)

This brings everything together for us. In Adam, we inherited sin, which led to judgment and enslavement.

In contrast, through Christ, we receive grace, the gift of eternal life, justification, and righteousness.

There’s a phrase in verse 18 that is unique in the New Testament: "justification of life." This is crucial. If you mark your Bible, underline or circle that phrase, because it serves as the hinge between the first and second parts of Romans.

Earlier in Romans, we established that justification is a legal term, it means being declared righteous. So, when we realize that we are sinners in Adam, and that Jesus Christ died for us and rose again, trusting in Him leads to God declaring us righteous. 

But here, Paul doesn’t just say justification, he says "justification of life." This is significant because it implies that justification isn’t merely a legal declaration; it also brings life. Justification and life are inextricably linked.

To put it in theological terms: Justification is God declaring us righteous; regeneration is God giving us new life. This unique phrase links the two ideas together.

So, in Adam, we had sin, servitude, and death. In Christ, we receive grace, the gift of eternal life, and true life instead of death. That’s the essential contrast. Rather than walking in the sphere of death, which leads to things like loneliness, boredom, and despair, we can experience true life in Christ. We can really live.

He continues in verse 19:

For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

Again, we see the contrast—Adam’s disobedience led to our sinfulness, whereas Christ’s obedience brings righteousness.

Finally verse 20 introduces the role of the law:

"Moreover, the law entered that the offense might increase/abound."

Paul hasn’t spoken much about the law yet in this passage, but here he points out its effect. Sin existed before the law, but the law magnified it.

Sin, by its nature, is anything contrary to the character of God. But once God explicitly commanded, "Do not do this," and people did it anyway, sin became even more obvious. 

The law made sin abound (Better word) only in the sense that it highlighted its seriousness and its consequences.

Think of it like when a child disobeys without fully realizing it, but when a mother says, "I told you not to do that," the offense becomes more serious.

Similarly, when God gave the law through Moses, it made sin all the more evident.

But here’s the good news:

"Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more"

(Romand 5: 20).

Verse 21 concludes the thought:

"So that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

In Adam, sin and death ruled. In Christ, grace and righteousness reign, leading to eternal life.

So, through Adam came sin, servitude, and death. Through Christ came grace, justification, and life.

At the beginning of this study, I quoted a commentator who said this was one of the most difficult passages in Romans. But that same commentator also said that the main message is simple: I quote.

"As the sin of Adam brought sin and death to all mankind, so the redeeming work of Christ brings righteousness and life to all who are united to Him by faith."

Despite the complexity of this passage, the central truth is clear: Adam brought sin and death; Christ brings grace, justification, and life. 

Some people choose to remain in Adam and merely exist, living under the reign of death. But in Christ, we can truly live.

This passage tells the tale of two men. Adam’ and his sin which led to slavery and death, capturing all of us.

That’s the reality of being in Adam—our heritage is sin, servitude, and death.

But in Christ, we are given a new identity—one of grace, righteousness, and life. Sin reigned in Adam. 

But this passage is the tale of two men, not just one. 

The second Adam is Jesus Christ, and in Him, grace reigns. Look at your Bible one more time at verse 21: "As sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign." Grace reigns! 

Now, look back at verse 17: " For if, by the offense 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!." 

Verse 21 says, "Grace reigns." When you are in Christ, grace reigns, and that means you can truly live. That’s the point—you can have life, an abundant and free life, all because of the grace of God.

If you listened yesterday when I covered the first part of Romans 5, you’ll recall that Paul began this chapter by saying that if you have trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are not only justified by faith, not only at peace with God, but, according to Romans 5:2, you also have access by faith into grace. 

If you have done that you stand in a place and position of favor with God. That grace brings peace, hope, and love. It means that even in tribulation, you can rejoice and live a victorious life.

So I return to this phrase: You can truly live and abundant and blessed life. You don’t have to be bound by the slavery of sin and death. Because of the grace of God, which now reigns over those who trust in Christ, can reign in your life.

You can live the kind of life filled with love, joy, peace, and hope, even in the midst of trials. That is the message of this passage.

That’s it! You can have life in Jesus Christ. You can reign over circumstances rather than succumbing to them.

One more important thing: Paul repeatedly uses the phrase "much more." This passage is not just a comparison between Adam and Christ, nor merely a contrast. Paul emphasizes that grace "much more" reigns, "much more" it “abounds”. 

In Christ, we don’t just escape death—we gain life, and much more than we ever had in Adam! It’s not just existing, it’s really living.

Now, you might be wondering, "How do I experience this kind of life?" Well, tune in next time as we explore Romans 6, which explains the mechanics of how to live in Christ. 

In fact, to fully grasp this, you need to understand Romans 6, 7, and 8. I’ll tell you now, those chapters aren’t as complex as the latter part of Romans 5, but they will help you understand how to walk in this new life.

For now, I want you to hold onto this: In Adam, there is sin and death. In Jesus Christ, there is grace and life. And life is the key theme that introduces Romans 6. Not only do we have life, but we gain much more than anything we ever lost in Adam.

In Jesus Christ, we  can have a better life than ever before. We have abundant life! 

Even in the midst of trials, we have hope and can experience joy. 

Anybody can have joy when life is easy. But the secret blessing we can tap into here is the life that is in Jesus Christ and say I can rejoice also in times of hardship. We can say, "I won’t live like Adam—I’ll live in Christ! I will really live and I will rejoice in Christ!"

Paul sums it up in the first verse today, verse 11: "But now we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation."

That word rejoice literally means glory! Because of Christ, we can truly live. We are forgiven. We are declared righteous. We have been given spiritual life in Jesus Christ. We have the guarantee of heaven.

So, we can rejoice! Hallelujah! We can glory in God, and with God!