Lord’s Day, Vol. 13 No. 36
Eternal Life by Jesus Christ
Romans 5:21 (KJV) That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Man on earth has accomplished much. He has reached the moon. He has broken the speed barrier of sound. He has broken the communication barrier by being able to communicate with a fellow man across the globe through video calls, seeing each other as it were face to face. But there is one thing he hasn’t been able to accomplish. That is to find a way to prevent death.
Why is death such a great disrupter? Because death permanently separates family members and friends when it strikes. There is no rewinding of time to bring back the deceased. The departed is locked in the memories of time in the mind of the living.
King Solomon wisely said in Ecclesiastes 7:2 (KJV) It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
Is there truly no solution to man’s death problem? There is! That is the purpose of our Gospel Rally, to show you from God’s Word the remedy that is encapsulated in the title of our message “Eternal Life by Jesus Christ.”
First of all, our text in Romans 5:21 tells us that death is the result of human sin when the Apostle Paul said “That as sin hath reigned unto death…”
The word “reign” means “to rule over, control completely” speaking of the dominating quality of sin. [Friberg Lexicon]
How did this happen? Romans 5:12 tells us, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”
Death comes as a result of man’s sin, Romans 6:23 explains “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God iseternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Wages is received as payment for work done. Indulging in sin comes with the payment of death. Just to give us a quick flash of the remedy – the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Who is this “one man” that sinned and died resulting in “death” to be the plight of all men? Verse 14 tells us that one man was “Adam” (Gen. 2:19), the man whom God made in His image out from the dust of the ground. Adam was the first man created and not birthed – Genesis 1:27 (KJV) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Also, Genesis 2:7 (KJV) And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Death is inescapable, death is a certainty, and there is a finality about death. [Lloyd-Jones]
In our passage, the numeral “one” occurs twelve times to help us to understand the truth that sin is passed from “one man” Adam resulting in the death of all his descendants – “through the offence of one many be dead” (v15).
Because Adam sinned, he died. By virtue of being Adam’s descendants, we too will have to die. Adam, being the first man, is the representative head or “federal head” through which the sin nature was transmitted to all man.
So is the remedy – by “the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” (v18).
What does this mean? By one who did not sin, that is, “the righteousness of one”, who? Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God, who entered human history at the pivotal point of human history, “B.C.” before Christ, and A.D. (Anno Domini, the year of the Lord), whose birth was marked by our calendar.
Jesus lived a life without sin obeying all the laws of God on man’s behalf. He was able to do so because Jesus is not only fully man but He is fully God in one Person. He is the sinless Son of God conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit – Luke 1:35 (KJV) And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
Jesus paid the penalty for man’s sin by being crucified on the Roman cross shedding His blood to wash away man’s sin – Romans 5:9 (KJV) Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
The result of man’s sin is not just physical death but what the Bible calls the second death or eternal death, that is, eternal punishment in the lake of fire – Revelation 20:13-14 (KJV) And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
So the curse and the remedy is given in Romans 5:18 (KJV) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment cameupon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
Death is always a part of the punishment of the guilt of sin. Hence, because of this one offence many died. But as death is something that follows as the result of guilt it is necessarily true that death is the just desert of all of us. If we are punished for sin it is obvious that we deserve it. An offence is always deserving of punishment because it involves guilt. And that is what happens to us all because of our relationship to Adam. When Adam sinned we all sinned – “for all have sinned” (v12). [Lloyd-Jones]
God’s plan to save sinful man is by giving to him “eternal life by Jesus Christ”. That is the title of our message which gives the way out for man!
That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord (v21).
Romans 5:17 (KJV) For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
God’s remedy is to receive His “free gift” (v15) – But not as the offence, so also is the free gift.
For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which isby one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
Romans 5:15 (KJV) But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
Because of Adam’s trespass, many died; because of Christ’s obedience the grace of God abounds to many bringing life. Note the “much more”; for the grace of Christ brings not only physical life but spiritual life and abundant life. Christ did conquer death and one day will raise the bodies of all who have died “in Christ”. If He stopped there, He would only reverse the effects of Adam’s sin; but He went on to do “much more.” He gives eternal life abundantly to all who trust Him (Jon 10:10).
John 10:10 (KJV) … I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Adam’s sin brought judgment and condemnation; but Christ’s work on the cross brings justification. When Adam sinned, he was declared unrighteous and condemned. When a sinner trusts Christ, he is justified – declared righteous in Christ. [Wiersbe]
The chapter begins with justification by faith – Romans 5:1-2 (KJV) Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
When a man realizes he is a sinner, therefore stands condemns, humbly comes to Jesus Christ to trust in His atoning sacrifice for his sins, confessing his sins, he is forgiven in Christ and accorded eternal life by faith in Christ’s perfect life lived on his behalf, Christ’s atoning death on the cross and Christ’s resurrection from the dead three days later, he is saved.
Romans 10:9-12 (KJV) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
- Sin Causes Death
- Faith in Jesus Christ Brings Life Eternal
Jesus Christ is not only Saviour but Lord of his life. He has been translated by a new birth in Christ into God’s kingdom. He willingly surrenders himself to Christ who by His abounding grace enables him to overcome sin. Sin no longer has dominion over him. He can say “No” to sin, by the grace of God, overcome sin, living a holy and thus happy life. Amen.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee