While I do not intend to make this series a commentary on Romans, there are some passages, which are so basic to the entire message of the Bible, that we must pause, and consider them in greater detail. Religious leaders and teachers have spun off theories about the concepts introduced here, which not only do not fit into the entire purposes of the Christian message, but actually are a misinterpretation of the things Paul says. As you will see, when we explore the passage, it doesn't take a theological scholar to understand this, once a careful examination is made in the light of the entire Bible story.
Romans 5:12-14 "...just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned--for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when 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..."
In the Garden of Eden, Adam had one choice, i.e., "Do what God says, or don't." After Adam rebelled against God, he was put out of the Garden, into a world of pain and problems. In this world, it became necessary for him to make his own decisions
about right and wrong. That is what he had chosen to do when he heeded the tempting voice of Satan. From that time on, man, with imperfect knowledge and human weakness, continued to do that which God did not want. Men were not breaking commandments, but were, through weakness and ignorance, breaking the laws of righteous behavior. The death of Christ on the Cross did not make men righteous in their behavior. It made them forgiven by the grace of God.
Many have been taught that we are born in sin, having inherited the sin of Adam. However, this passage does not say that, and it would make God unjust to condemn us for that for which we were not responsible. This passage tells us that we inherited Adam's world, not his sin. He chose to leave the world protected by the perfect will of God, where there was life, and go out into a world without God's will, where there was death. All who are born into that world are subject to death, not because of Adam's sin, but because of their own sins. The penalty for walking contrary to the Giver of all life is death. The word for death means separation, and those who sin are separated from God, the source of life, whether they have a law to go by or not.
We cannot escape living in Adam's world, for we are born into the world he introduced. However, we can move, spiritually, from that world of death, into God's world of life, by accepting the bridge He has built in the sacrifice of His Son on the Cross. The complicated reasons for that sacrifice are beyond the reasoning of mere men. God's ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. However, knowing our weakness of understanding, He has lovingly made the way simple. Place your faith in Him, believe in the ultimate value of that sacrifice, strive to pattern your life after His will, and, even when you fail, His grace is sufficient, and you can enjoy the hope of eternal life.
It is very important for us to remember that we are not talking about God as a King, who has laid down the law, and expects all His subjects to obey it in every respect. We are talking about a God who is a Father, and who wants a loving relationship with all of His children. Therefore, He is willing, as earthly parents are, to forgive the mistakes and trespasses of them, and maintain that loving relationship with them, so long as they want to be His children, to respect His perfect will, and place their faith in Him to guide their lives.
Faith is the acceptance of His righteousness, as the way we should live, even when our human failures cause us to do otherwise. The life of faith must always be accompanied by a constant attitude of penitence, and a desire to follow, and glorify Him as the ultimate truth.
The bottom line of all of this is very important in this age of self-indulgence and self-centered demands for our rights, in competition with all others. The new birth should mean just that. Born into a new way of life, with a new Master in control.
Those who claim the benefits of the new birth simply because they have made a proclamation of faith, and have joined some religious organization called a church, but who continue to look for that which satisfies their worldly desires and balances
their bank account, have missed the point. God's world, in contrast to Adam's world, is a state in which God's moral will is the deciding factor, and the children submit their human will and desires to the will of the Father.
