The Gift of Love and Grace

Romans 5: 12-21 (March 13, 2011)

1) The Text

12Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned— 13sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. 14Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come. 15But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. 16And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. 17If, because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. 18Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. 19For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20But law came in, with the result that the trespass multiplied; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21so that, just as sin exercised dominion in death, so grace might also exercise dominion through justification leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

2) The Context

Romans is the first epistle in the New Testament. Paul wrote it to the church at Rome, which included both Jews and Gentiles. The book was probably written in 57 AD, when Paul was at the end of his third missionary journey around the Eastern Mediterranean. It is unusual in that it was written to a church that Paul had not visited. Therefore, unlike the other epistles that address issues and conflicts within a specific community, this epistle is written to present the gospel; his understanding of who Jesus was and how the death and resurrection of Christ had brought about a new creation. It is in this book that Paul presents his most sustained and complete theology.

In this selected passage, Paul views salvation from the curse of Adam to God’s cure in Christ. Adam’s one act of disobedience brought both sin and death upon mankind. Christ’s one act of obedience, on the cross, brought about the solution to this curse. The work of Christ offers all men not only the promise of the forgiveness of their sins, but a new identity and beginning, in Christ. The text falls into three sections. Verses 12-14 describe the similarity between the act of Adam and that of Christ. Both men are “federal heads” of mankind, whose actions affect all men. Verses 15-17 emphasize the many significant contrasts between the act of Adam and the act of Christ. The differences between them are the basis for His becoming the cure for the curse which Adam brought upon the human race. Verses 18-21 sum up the results of Christ’s work relative to the action of Adam and defines the role of Law in relation to man’s sin and God’s grace.

3) Interpretation

Paul paints on a broad canvas. He has just celebrated reconciliation, grounded in love and the foundation of hope (5:1-11). This world view now receives further elaboration in a complicated, repetitive statement about Adam and Christ (5:12-21). It introduces us to two major processes which Paul sees at work in humanity. The two processes head in opposite directions. One brings people into the state of sin, produces sins and leads to death in more than just a literal sense. The other produces life and goodness. Paul's intellectual world assumes that the human race began with Adam. Adam's sin or disobedience started a process. Paul speaks of this process in terms of rule or reign (5:13). It is a process which brought sin's negativity to all people.

Matching Adam's sin is Christ's goodness. Paul focuses not on Christ as a life story, but as an event. He speaks of an act of grace or goodness. For Paul that usually means Christ's death, but this must not be seen in isolation from his life, ministry, or resurrection. Just as something happened which started a process of decay and destruction through Adam's sin, so something creative and liberating happened in Christ which began a new process. In Paul's repetitive text are the links between goodness/grace and its fruits in people's lives. Some of his statements could be read as though the process is automatic, but that misreads Paul. Paul never forgets we are dealing with people and relationships and thus personal response matters. This is true of the sin/death process - people choose to sin just as people choose to respond to the good news.

Paul has Christ match Adam. Christ makes it possible to become free from the process which Adam inaugurated. Ultimately that will not reach fulfillment until we reach an entirely renewed creation; everything needs to be liberated in Paul's view not just individual human beings. But in the interim we don't need to be caught in the power system which produces sin and hate and death. We can live, instead, by the Spirit, which produces goodness, and love and hope.

Sin is much more than individual acts of sin. Negative, destructive influence is more than what confronts one in the choice between good and evil. Such influences are also systemic in groups, organizations and families. We are very good at creating contexts that are destructive for people. We also know that "saving" means more than forgiveness of individuals' sins. It is a process. It is the undoing of the destructive forces and influences which we inherit and which find their form in our structures and settings. Organizations can be destructive even though they are peopled with loving individuals and exist for good. Churches and congregations can be prime examples.

Paul helps us be aware that sin in something big and sins are just the outworking of the malaise - which he can sometimes call death. Paul is therefore also making us aware that salvation is big. It is about getting things into right relationship ("righteousness", "justification'). This is not a one-off experience but a life-long process which may be dotted with dramatic episodes or may be simply a steady surge of maturity towards love. It includes more than individuals. It is the source of our passion for ecumenism and ultimately for a world of peace and a creation cared for.

Paul's final point is that the Law was powerless to bring the kind of change which was needed. Only the gift of love and grace could outrun the "gift" of sin and death (5:20). The focus on grace and love rather than law and rule as the basis for human transformation takes us to the heart of the good news and of hope for humanity.

4) Thought Exercise

In what ways are you choosing to respond to the good news?

How can we better incorporate grace and love in our groups or organizations?