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Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works
and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

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Thoughts To Ponder

 God, who made
the world and
everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples
made with hands.
(Acts 17:24)

 

 


University church of Christ

 

Assembly Times

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   Bible Classes (9:30)

   AM Worship (10:20)

   PM Worship (6:00 pm)

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Location

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Auburn, AL 36830
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Elders

Larry Rouse
1174 Terrace Acres Drive
Auburn, AL 36830

Cell:    (334) 734-2133
Home:
(334) 209-9165

Walker Davis
1653 Millbranch Drive,
Auburn, AL 36832

Cell:    (334) 703-0050
Home: (334) 826-3690


Contact Us

 University
church of Christ

449 North Gay Street

Auburn, AL 36830

 

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A Study of the Local Church
Wed. Night Adult Bible Class by Larry Rouse
Download the outlines:
Lesson1 - Attitudes Towards Open Study and Resolving Differences
Lesson 2 - The Need to Find Bible Authority
Lesson 3 - The Local Church and the Individual Christian
Lesson 4 - The Work of a Local Church
Lesson 5 - The Organization of a Local Church
Lesson 6 - The Fellowship of a Christian

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Click Here to Hear:

A Friendly Discussion on Mormonism

Held at the University church of Christ -
February 17, 2011

 


Following the Footsteps of Jesus
Bible Class by Larry Rouse

Download the current outlines:
Lesson1 - Follow the Footsteps of Jesus in Baptism
Lesson 2 - Follow the Footsteps of Jesus in Praying
Lesson 3 - Follow the Footsteps of Jesus in Teaching
Lesson4 - Follow the Footsteps of Jesus to the Cross

Lesson 5 - Follow the Footsteps of Jesus to Heaven

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Building a Biblical  Faith

College Class

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A Study of Evangelism
(Studies in the Cross of Christ)
College Bible Class by Larry Rouse

 

A Study of the Life of Joseph



Adult Bible Class by Larry Rouse

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Building a Biblical Home Bible Class Series

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The Sin of Adam - The Gift of Christ
(Rom 15:12-21)
 

by Robert F. Turner

 

Righteousness through faith in Christ has been presented in the first four chapters of Paul's letter to the Romans; and man's individual responsibility for his sin, for his condemnation, and for his response to Christ has been emphasized in clear prosaic language. Now Paul sums up this thesis in a dramatic contrast of Adam (representing sinful mankind) and Christ (the gracious response of heaven). You are urged to restudy the earlier chapters, for this summation states the same truth that has already been argued at length. The complicated wording of some scenes may pose problems, but should al-ways be interpreted in conformance with Paul's previous material, and in the context of the total Bible teaching on these subjects.

In this dramatic presentation Adam and Christ appear upon the stage of inspiration in five closely related sequences, each showing the overwhelming superiority of God's grace to sin and its consequence. What Adam introduced, Christ countered and always victoriously.

Verse twelve is the key to what follows, and must be carefully considered. "Therefore" shows relation to earlier verses; "as through one man (Adam) sin entered into the world . . ." The "as" anticipates a counterpart the contrast with Christ which will be made in verse fifteen. Through (dia) Adam sin entered, or was introduced into the world. Compare 2 John 7 where the Gnostic deceivers "entered into the world."

Adam's sin no more made (immediately) the people of the world sinners, than the Gnostics made (immediately) early Christians to apostatize. Nor is (the) death (viewed abstractly) of this verse the immediate consequence of Adam's sin. Adam introduced sin into the world, but Adam did not directly produce universal condemnation. That death came through (dia) sin. Look carefully at the Greek text. It is "dia one man, sin" but it is "dia sin, death." Adam was separated from God (spiritual death) because Adam sinned. "And so . . ." (houtos, in this manner; cf. Rom. 11:26) "death passed unto all men" (a reference to the degenerate condition of mankind, as shown in chapters one through three) "for that all sinned." Each one's sin is the causative ground for his spiritual death. This individual responsibility was declared in Paul's earlier teaching (pantes harmarton, 3:23) and now here. It is to be under-stood in all which follows.

"For" (v. 13) relates what follows to verse twelve, but makes a parenthetic point. Prior to Moses, no general codified law for the identification of sin had been given. Yet, sin related death reigned (v. 14). If this sin was "in Adam" it would have been like his sin violation of a positive precept. But Paul says their sin was unlike that of Adam's. He has earlier shown that sin may be a violation of the individual's moral sense of "ought" (Rom. 2:14-15).

Now, with verse 15, we see completed the contrast be-gun in verse 12. Following Adam's example "the many" died ("for that all have sinned"), and brought upon them-selves spiritual death. But the antagonistic spirit of the sinner (first seen in Adam), is countered by the exceedingly abounding grace of God. This grace is expressed in Jesus Christ, the means whereby whosoever will ("the many") may live. The effect is secondary in this scene; emphasis being given to that which brings about spiritual death and life.

In the second contrast (v. 16), seeing the offense of Adam, God gave a judgment (krima, decree) regarding punishment, that resulted in condemnation for all who sin. But being merciful and knowing there would be many offenses, the same God (also decreed) the free gift  Christ on the cross, "an act of righteousness" (cf. ASV f.n.) who became the sinner's justification (Cf. v. 18).

In verse 17, third scene, one (Adam's) offense initiated a reign of (the) death (viewed abstractly) "for that all have sinned." In contrast, we see saints reigning in life by one, Jesus Christ. Death reigned in the first instance, but in the second, saints "shall reign" as conquerors in Christ (Rom. 8:37). The future tense of "shall reign" contemplates ultimate glory "the Life" far exceeding "the Death" to which sin subjects its followers.

Adam

Christ

Introduced sin in world mercy

Gift of abounding grace,

So, condemnation decreed

So, justification decreed

And The Death" reigned

And saints reign in "The Life"

All sinned, all condemned

All have redemption available

By disobedience primordial

"father" of many sinners

By his obedience (on cross) many were made righteous

 

The fourth antithesis (v. 18) is similar to the second (v. 16). The condemnation was initiated by one (Adam), and (the means of) justification is by one, the Christ. But here Paul stresses the universality of results. The decree of punishment (v. 16) passed on all ("for that all have sinned"), and Christ's (one act of) righteousness was for all. In each case, all people are accountable for their own sins, and are equally invited to come to Christ for mercy (John 3:16; Mark 16:15-16).

The last contrast (v. 19) concerns the subjective and practical results of the two categories. Adam's way was one of disobedience, while Christ's way was that of obedience. "The many" who follow the way of Adam are "made (constituted) sinners," and "the many" who submit to Christ shall, through him, be "made righteous."

Throughout these comments on Romans 5 we have considered the "death" to be spiritual. This is in keeping with the earlier context of Romans, and the immediate association of our text with justification through Christ. The argument here is entirely different from 1 Corinthians 15 where mortality, the grave, and resurrection establish a physical context for that Adam-Christ contrast. "In the day" Adam ate of the forbidden tree he did  some way "surely die" (Gen. 2:17). Adam had a physical body prior to his sin. He was to reproduce (Gen. 1:28), ate physical foods (1:29), had natural appetites and desires (2:9; 3:6) prior to his sin. This natural life continued for many years. True, his sin caused his expulsion from Eden and the tree of life (Gen. 3:22). In that sense sin emphasized mortality for him and his descendants. But for us, this is an unconditional inheritance from Adam, unconditionally replaced by the physical resurrection of saint and sinner (John 5:28-29).

Sin related (spiritual) "death" is conditioned upon individual sin, and that sin is conditionally forgiven, upon obedient faith in Jesus Christ (1:5; 3:26; 5:1). The prophet Ezekiel said, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son . . ." (Ezek.18:20). This so accords with the teaching of the Scriptures as a whole that we must read the sometimes difficult language of the above dramatic scenes in the light of the larger concept.

These colorful contrasts were dramatic illustrations in the midst of Paul's arguments on law versus grace. He now returns to that theme with a summary that reads almost like a doxology. "The law entered" (v. 20) or came between the promise to Abraham (Gen.12:1-3) and its fulfillment in Christ (Gal. 3:16-29). Why? "That the offense might abound," i.e., be the more apparent (Rom. 3:19-20; 7:13). Man sinned in the absence of a codified law; but specific, positive precepts clearly identified man's transgressions and emphasized the futility of seeking justification via law. Paul said the Law served "to bring us to Christ" (Gal. 3:24); and law has not lost that function to-day. So, Paul closes this section of his letter with Romans 5:21: "But where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly: that, as sin reigned in death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Guardian of Truth - February 15, 1996

Other Articles by Robert F. Turner
Behold the Heretic

Prayer and Fasting
Local Church is no Sham
Those "Other" Sinners

A Bit of Methodist History on Instrumental Music
Careful to Answer
A Man Called David






 

Listen Now to the Auburn Weekend Study - January 16-17, 2015

For All Audio and Singing Click here!


The Place and Work of the Apostles

Wednesday Night Adult Bible Class by Larry Rouse
Download the current outlines:
Lesson 1 - Learning How God Works
Lesson 2 - God's Authentication of the Apostles (Part 1)
Lesson 3 - God's Authentication of the Apostles (Part 2)

Lesson 4 - The Words Delivered to the Apostles
Lesson 5 - Local Churches and the Apostles
Lesson 6 - Defending the Place of the Apostles

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How to Study the Bible
College Class

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You are Invited to Hear
Dee Bowman of Pasadena, Texas

In a Series of Bible Lectures
August 21-24, Sunday - Wednesday
at the University church of Christ in Auburn, AL

 

For More Details Click Here

 


Messianic Prophecies in the Book of Isaiah
Adult Bible Class by Larry Rouse
Sunday Mornings at 9:30
Download the current outlines:
Lesson 1 - The Time and Reign of the Messiah
Lesson 2 - The Servant Songs (Isaiah 42)
Lesson 3 - The Servant Songs (Isaiah 49)
Lesson 4 - The Servant Songs (Isaiah 50)
Lesson 5 - The Servant Songs (Isaiah 52-53)
Lesson 6 - The Virgin Birth (Isaiah 7)

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Sermon Series on the Book of 1 John
by Robert Harkrider

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Hear Mark Broyles on "Marriage as God Designed It"

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A Study of Religious Beliefs

Wednesday Night College Bible Class

Download the current outlines:
Lesson 1 - Introduction and Approach
Lesson 2 - The Roman Catholic Church
Lesson 3 - An Overview of Islam
Lesson 4 - An Overview of Mormonism
Lesson 5 - An Overview of Pentecostalism
Lesson 6 - An Overview of Calvinism

 


Student Sunday Night Home Study and Singing

 

 

For Additional Information and Past Audio and Outlines Click Here
 

 
 
 
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