Abundance of Grace. Romans 5:15-19 There is no question that because of Adam's trespass, death has been passed on to all of the human race. The evidence is seen in our hospitals, funeral parlors, and cemeteries. No one can avoid that appointment. One man brought death. Because of that one man's act, judgment and condemnation not only came on him but on all men because of that sinful nature and accompanying guilt we have inherited. By that one man's offense or trespass, death has reigned as king over every person in every part of the world. By Adam's self-will and disobedience, every human being is born a sinner. Of that fact, there is no doubt. There is nothing we can do to preserve our children from that sinful nature they have inherited through us.
V.15. Adam’s sin had a universal impact on all humanity because of his choice to disobey God, all people similarly exercise their choice. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” The opposite is true of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because the sinless Savior died to “take away the sin of the world,” all people can exercise their choice to accept His payment for sin or reject Him. The impact of His substitutional sacrifice on our behalf is universal, and the results of the choices people make are eternal.
V.16. The “free gift” is salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. The sin (trespass) of Adam is the offense that led to the condemnation and just punishment for the sin of disobedience. By God’s grace, the free gift offers new life, justification before God, and forgiveness, which overcomes the many offenses of mankind. The “cause and effect” principle is for disobedience and also when we put personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
V.17. Standing out in its gleaming glory against such a black background is the "abundant grace" and the "gift of righteousness" in beautiful evidence in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Far greater in importance than the fact of our condemnation is the grace of God and the righteousness gifted to those who believe in the Lord Jesus because of that grace extended to us. From one sinful act, there came judgment on us all. But now, from one righteous act in which many trespasses were laid on Christ, there comes justification for all those who will receive that abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness.
When we receive the "abundance of grace," we experience the blessing of all God's claims against us being met by Christ on the cross. God acts toward us in grace that abounds to sinners because of His inherent love. From His great heart of love comes this gracious kindness, and we give Him honor and glory because of that abundance of grace.
The "gift of righteousness" that comes from God apart from any works of man, whether ordinances, attempts at law-keeping, or any worth that we think we have, comes from Himself. This is truly a gift of the greatest importance we were so unworthy of. This opens up a whole new life of liberty to one experiencing the blessings of the abundance of grace. When we have received such a gift of righteousness and believe in the Person who gave it to us, we rejoice in that, without fear of having it taken away or lost by some act we might do.
V.18. Death no longer reigns as king over the once condemned man. Now we reign as kings through the One who brought this abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness to us: our Lord Jesus Christ. We do not have to wait for a future day because this day of righteousness has already begun for the children of God, the "children of the King." We are sons and daughters in the kingdom of God now, and we will be forever through the One who brought the free gift to us.
In the past we were condemned in Adam, our representative. Now, by the work of Christ on the cross, and the fact of this sinless Person justifying us by His blood, our present standing is in Jesus Christ. This standing is real because our federal head, our representative, is the risen Christ. The penalty of sin was taken by Him in the past when He was on the cross. Our old humanity led to death for sin. Our new humanity in Christ brings eternal life. Our place now is in the risen Lord Jesus Christ. Our history in Adam is now done with. Christ’s obedience overcame the effect of Adam’s sin that infected all humanity. As ungodly (Adam-condemned) sinners we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and at the cross, our old history ended. "He was made sin for us." Now we are made righteous by God in Christ. We are in Christ and are accepted by God in Him.
V.19. In the past, we were those who committed sins because of the guilt of one man, Adam's disobedience. Now, because of the obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ to the Father, we are made righteous. This is not because He was obedient to the law. He was not under the authority of the law. The law did not condemn the first Adam. There was no law. He was condemned because his self-will led him to be disobedient to God. The Lord Jesus was not under the law, and neither were we. In our self-will, we were disobedient to God. By obeying our Lord, our risen Lord, we have been accepted by God because He is our righteousness.
Romans 5:20. “Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:”