WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.320 Okay, earlier in the year you were studying through the letter to the Romans, which is 00:00:09.320 --> 00:00:13.120 one of the great letters that we have in the New Testament. 00:00:13.120 --> 00:00:17.600 You reached the middle of chapter 5 I think, and today we are going to resume that study 00:00:17.600 --> 00:00:23.240 and over the next few weeks we're going to continue looking at this wonderful letter 00:00:23.240 --> 00:00:27.519 that Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome. 00:00:27.519 --> 00:00:31.759 It's a big letter, it's one of the longer ones, and it's full, absolutely full of amazing 00:00:31.759 --> 00:00:32.759 teaching. 00:00:32.759 --> 00:00:38.519 But the overall theme of the letter is really quite simple, because the letter to the Romans 00:00:38.519 --> 00:00:40.759 is all about the Gospel. 00:00:40.759 --> 00:00:47.799 It's a marvelous explanation of the good news of Jesus Christ, and Paul wants us to provide 00:00:47.799 --> 00:00:50.239 us with an explanation of how the Gospel works. 00:00:50.239 --> 00:00:54.239 Now, if you weren't here for the series in the first half of the year, or if you can't 00:00:54.240 --> 00:00:58.679 remember much of what was said, don't worry at all, not all of us were here for the first 00:00:58.679 --> 00:01:01.320 part of the series, so it's okay to be like that. 00:01:01.320 --> 00:01:04.519 But if you're new to Romans, or if you haven't looked at Romans, I want to just start with 00:01:04.519 --> 00:01:10.079 a two-minute look at this slide, which basically summarizes what Romans is all about. 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:13.960 It's really like many of Paul's letters, it's in two parts. 00:01:13.960 --> 00:01:17.719 After a brief introduction at the beginning, you've got the first part, which is basically 00:01:17.719 --> 00:01:22.240 all about knowing the Gospel, explaining how the good news of Jesus works. 00:01:22.239 --> 00:01:25.959 That's middle of chapter one to the end of chapter 11. 00:01:25.959 --> 00:01:28.399 You can subdivide that into three parts. 00:01:28.399 --> 00:01:33.719 Paul begins by talking about the problem, the fact that sin has broken our relationship 00:01:33.719 --> 00:01:34.719 with God. 00:01:34.719 --> 00:01:41.039 The world has rebelled against our Creator, and we've exchanged the truth of God for a 00:01:41.039 --> 00:01:42.039 lie. 00:01:42.039 --> 00:01:45.000 We've rejected God and His righteous ways. 00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:49.919 And that problem has affected every single member of the human race. 00:01:49.920 --> 00:01:59.799 And Paul reminds us that it is the most serious and the most urgent problem facing humanity. 00:01:59.799 --> 00:02:01.680 That's what Paul starts with, the problem of sin. 00:02:01.680 --> 00:02:07.320 But he then, in the middle of chapter three, tells us that God has a solution for this 00:02:07.320 --> 00:02:08.319 problem. 00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:12.199 And it's amazing to read of it, because Paul directs her attention to the cross of Jesus 00:02:12.199 --> 00:02:20.719 Christ, showing us that Jesus died in our place, and there an exchange takes place. 00:02:20.719 --> 00:02:26.159 Our sin is placed on Jesus, and His righteousness is placed on us. 00:02:26.159 --> 00:02:27.919 And through that, we have hope. 00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:33.799 And so from chapter three, verse 21, he starts explaining the hope of the Gospel. 00:02:33.799 --> 00:02:38.359 The result of that exchange is that we are justified by faith. 00:02:38.359 --> 00:02:40.839 In other words, we are declared righteous before God. 00:02:40.840 --> 00:02:45.080 He looks at us and His judgment over us is that we are righteous. 00:02:45.080 --> 00:02:49.640 Not because of our works, not because we deserve it, not because we've earned it, but because 00:02:49.640 --> 00:02:56.319 of a free gift from God, which is what we mean when we say it is by grace, is a free 00:02:56.319 --> 00:02:57.599 gift. 00:02:57.599 --> 00:03:03.840 So then in chapter four, Paul talks a little bit more about justification, and he goes 00:03:03.840 --> 00:03:08.360 all the way back to nearly the very beginning of the Old Testament to talk about Abraham 00:03:08.360 --> 00:03:12.800 as an example of somebody who was justified by faith. 00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:16.920 And in doing that, Paul wants to make very, very clear that justification is not a new 00:03:16.920 --> 00:03:17.920 thing. 00:03:17.920 --> 00:03:22.560 That was one of the big problems that Paul and the early Christian leaders faced. 00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:26.760 They were coming with this message of Jesus Christ, and lots of people who held on to 00:03:26.760 --> 00:03:33.000 the Old Testament were saying, hold on a minute, this is new, and you're rewriting our belief. 00:03:33.000 --> 00:03:35.800 And Paul's saying, no, no, no, go right back to the very beginning. 00:03:35.800 --> 00:03:41.320 Go back to Abraham, one of the most important people in the Old Testament, and you'll discover 00:03:41.320 --> 00:03:44.439 that he too was justified by faith. 00:03:44.439 --> 00:03:49.760 This has always been the means through which God is going to save his people. 00:03:49.760 --> 00:03:55.760 So in many ways, Paul's focus in chapter three, chapter four is on justification by faith. 00:03:55.760 --> 00:04:01.360 We then come into chapter five, where Paul goes on to talk about all the blessings that 00:04:01.360 --> 00:04:04.080 come after our justification. 00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:05.840 So if you like, he's taking us on a wee journey. 00:04:05.840 --> 00:04:08.040 We start off with a problem of sin. 00:04:08.040 --> 00:04:13.640 He takes us to the cross where that problem is solved through our justification on account 00:04:13.640 --> 00:04:14.880 of what Jesus has done. 00:04:14.880 --> 00:04:21.720 And then he takes us beyond the cross to show us all the blessings that accompany our justification. 00:04:21.720 --> 00:04:28.240 He's teaching us and reminding us that justification is not the conclusion of the Gospel. 00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:29.800 It's not the end point. 00:04:29.800 --> 00:04:32.160 In fact, it's just the start. 00:04:32.160 --> 00:04:35.360 It's the doorway to a whole multitude of blessings. 00:04:35.360 --> 00:04:39.200 If after the service today, you read the first half of chapter five, you'll see that Paul 00:04:39.200 --> 00:04:42.760 says, now that we've been justified, we've got all sorts of blessings. 00:04:42.760 --> 00:04:44.200 We have peace with God. 00:04:44.200 --> 00:04:45.440 We have access to God. 00:04:45.440 --> 00:04:47.200 We have hope for the future. 00:04:47.200 --> 00:04:52.080 And we have God himself dwelling within us by the Holy Spirit. 00:04:52.080 --> 00:05:01.200 Paul wants us to see all the amazing blessings that are ours through faith in Jesus Christ. 00:05:01.199 --> 00:05:11.279 And then Paul sums it all up by drawing a comparison between two people, between Adam 00:05:11.279 --> 00:05:13.000 and Jesus. 00:05:13.000 --> 00:05:16.560 And that brings us to the passage that we read, which is a really, really interesting 00:05:16.560 --> 00:05:17.560 passage. 00:05:17.560 --> 00:05:21.159 And we're going to read a couple of verses from it again, just from verse 18 to verse 00:05:21.159 --> 00:05:22.159 21. 00:05:22.159 --> 00:05:26.039 And as we read these verses, you have to have in your mind this whole idea that Paul is 00:05:26.039 --> 00:05:29.079 comparing Adam and Christ. 00:05:29.079 --> 00:05:34.319 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads 00:05:34.319 --> 00:05:36.919 to justification and life for all men. 00:05:36.919 --> 00:05:40.240 For as by the one man's disobedience, the many were made sinners. 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:43.719 So by the one man's obedience, the many will be made righteous. 00:05:43.719 --> 00:05:48.680 Now the law came into increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all 00:05:48.680 --> 00:05:51.319 the more so that a sin reigned to death. 00:05:51.319 --> 00:05:57.079 Grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ, 00:05:57.079 --> 00:05:58.079 our Lord. 00:05:58.079 --> 00:06:06.159 So we're summing up the whole of Christianity by drawing a comparison between Adam and Christ. 00:06:06.159 --> 00:06:10.959 And so that means this is a really, really important point that Paul is making. 00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:16.199 But it can be a wee bit confusing. 00:06:16.199 --> 00:06:22.599 And at first glance, this is one of these passages that looks a bit complicated. 00:06:22.599 --> 00:06:26.680 And so do not worry if, as Tom was reading through Romans, you were thinking, I'm not 00:06:26.680 --> 00:06:30.439 totally sure if I'm following this because it is a wee bit complicated. 00:06:30.439 --> 00:06:35.600 But hopefully as we look at it together, it'll all become clear. 00:06:35.600 --> 00:06:41.759 So Paul is basing his argument on the fact that there are two categories into which humanity 00:06:41.759 --> 00:06:42.759 can be divided. 00:06:42.759 --> 00:06:45.759 Now that's something that people often do, isn't it? 00:06:45.759 --> 00:06:48.840 So people divide the human race into two. 00:06:48.840 --> 00:06:52.040 So economically we speak of the rich and the poor. 00:06:52.040 --> 00:06:53.879 Politically we speak of the right. 00:06:53.879 --> 00:06:57.879 And the left, racially we speak about white and black. 00:06:57.879 --> 00:07:02.120 Geographically we speak about the West and then the rest of the world. 00:07:02.120 --> 00:07:05.079 We love dividing people into two categories. 00:07:05.079 --> 00:07:07.759 You can probably think of more examples in your own mind. 00:07:07.759 --> 00:07:14.480 Paul is reminding us that in God's eyes there is only one valid categorization of the human 00:07:14.480 --> 00:07:16.639 race. 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:23.040 You are either in Adam or you are in Christ. 00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:28.520 And so here Paul is telling us that ultimately there are two humanities. 00:07:28.520 --> 00:07:35.120 There is the humanity that is fallen and broken in Adam of which every single one of us are 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:37.400 initially members. 00:07:37.400 --> 00:07:43.280 And then there's the humanity that is being rescued and restored in Christ of which we 00:07:43.280 --> 00:07:47.320 can all become members. 00:07:47.320 --> 00:07:52.280 And every other distinction that we make, whether it's rich, poor, East, West, right, 00:07:52.279 --> 00:07:58.359 left, whatever it may be, every other distinction that we make is going to prove itself totally 00:07:58.359 --> 00:08:08.679 irrelevant in comparison to this distinction as to whether you are in Adam or in Christ. 00:08:08.679 --> 00:08:11.559 That is the most important question. 00:08:11.559 --> 00:08:17.079 Questions of race, economics, politics, yes they are important but they pale into total 00:08:17.079 --> 00:08:21.559 irrelevance compared to this question. 00:08:21.560 --> 00:08:26.079 Are you in Adam or are you in Christ? 00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:28.439 That's the great theme that Paul has in these verses. 00:08:28.439 --> 00:08:31.360 And I want us just to say two things as we look at this together. 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:35.799 We're going to say first of all that Adam and Christ are similar and then we're going 00:08:35.799 --> 00:08:39.480 to say in a bit more detail that Adam and Christ are different. 00:08:39.480 --> 00:08:45.000 So first of all, very, very briefly, how is it that these two individuals, Adam and Christ, 00:08:45.000 --> 00:08:46.000 how are they similar? 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:52.159 Well, Paul kind of reveals what he means in verse 14, he says that Adam is a type of the 00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:53.159 one to come. 00:08:53.159 --> 00:08:54.399 You can see that in red there. 00:08:54.399 --> 00:08:56.759 The one to come, of course, is talking about Jesus. 00:08:56.759 --> 00:09:02.720 So Paul is saying that Adam, the first person who ever lived, is a type of Jesus. 00:09:02.720 --> 00:09:03.720 Now what does that mean? 00:09:03.720 --> 00:09:10.080 Well, it basically means that there's a similarity and a connection in terms of who they are. 00:09:10.080 --> 00:09:17.480 Adam was something and Jesus is something and they both function in a similar way. 00:09:17.480 --> 00:09:18.480 What's the connection? 00:09:18.480 --> 00:09:24.360 Well, the similarity between them is in terms of what we're going to call federal headship. 00:09:24.360 --> 00:09:27.639 Now don't worry if you've never ever heard of that before and don't worry if it sounds 00:09:27.639 --> 00:09:28.639 complicated. 00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:33.200 It's really, it's not complicated, it's quite straightforward. 00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:36.000 The word federal basically means the same word as covenant. 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:40.519 So whenever you see that word federal in terms of theology, think covenant, same word, same 00:09:40.519 --> 00:09:41.519 thing it's been talking about. 00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:46.840 So covenant headship, federal headship, we mean exactly the same thing. 00:09:46.840 --> 00:09:52.840 Adam is a covenant head or a federal head of a larger group of people and Jesus is a 00:09:52.840 --> 00:09:56.679 covenant head or a federal head of a larger group of people. 00:09:56.679 --> 00:10:02.080 That means that in terms of how these two people relate to God, they do not stand as 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:04.879 isolated individuals. 00:10:04.879 --> 00:10:12.360 They are instead representative of a much larger group. 00:10:12.360 --> 00:10:17.759 So when God entered into a covenant relationship with Adam, it wasn't simply just with him. 00:10:17.759 --> 00:10:19.399 It was with all of humanity. 00:10:19.399 --> 00:10:23.600 So when you read about what God says to Adam at the very beginning, that has implications 00:10:23.600 --> 00:10:26.399 for all of Adam's descendants. 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:31.279 Likewise, when God has covenant dealings with his son, Jesus Christ, that doesn't just 00:10:31.279 --> 00:10:33.039 affect Jesus. 00:10:33.039 --> 00:10:36.519 It affects all those who are united to him. 00:10:36.519 --> 00:10:39.879 So Adam and Christ both function as federal heads. 00:10:39.879 --> 00:10:41.799 They represent other people. 00:10:41.799 --> 00:10:46.079 Now, we might think Thomas, this whole idea of federal headship, it sounds so weird. 00:10:46.079 --> 00:10:49.559 It sounds so technical and it sounds very abstract, but it's actually something that 00:10:49.559 --> 00:10:53.079 we live with every single day of life. 00:10:53.079 --> 00:11:00.039 Because if and when Teresa may signs the deal to bring us out of the European Union, is 00:11:00.039 --> 00:11:03.000 she the only one who leaves? 00:11:03.000 --> 00:11:04.759 No. 00:11:04.759 --> 00:11:10.360 You all leave as well, whether you want to or not, because she is functioning as a federal 00:11:10.360 --> 00:11:16.639 head and it happens in politics, it happens in local government, it happens all the time. 00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:20.240 People deciding how to spend taxpayers' money, all of these things, it's all following the 00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:23.240 same principle of federal headship. 00:11:23.240 --> 00:11:28.840 So this is something that we're very familiar with and it's something that's very important 00:11:28.840 --> 00:11:30.840 in terms of understanding the gospel. 00:11:30.840 --> 00:11:36.920 So Adam and Christ both function as federal heads and the key point is that the whole 00:11:36.920 --> 00:11:43.639 of humanity, without exception, is represented by one of these two. 00:11:43.639 --> 00:11:46.639 So there you go, there's a diagram showing you what it's like. 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:51.600 There's a humanity that's in Adam, there's a humanity that is in Christ and there is 00:11:51.600 --> 00:11:56.400 no neutral ground at all. 00:11:56.399 --> 00:12:03.159 If you think about the world, if you look at the world geographically, you've got the 00:12:03.159 --> 00:12:06.879 northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere, don't you? 00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:11.840 If you go on to the world, can you find a neutral ground between the two? 00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:13.720 No, you can't. 00:12:13.720 --> 00:12:15.159 You're either in one or the other. 00:12:15.159 --> 00:12:17.480 You cannot be in neither. 00:12:17.480 --> 00:12:19.360 You have to be in one. 00:12:19.360 --> 00:12:21.240 And it's exactly the same here. 00:12:21.240 --> 00:12:28.240 All of humanity is in one of these two groups and the key point that we have to recognize 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:37.000 first and foremost is that Adam's federal status is not good. 00:12:37.000 --> 00:12:40.600 It's not good. 00:12:40.600 --> 00:12:48.159 Just as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, so death spread 00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:52.039 to all men because all sinned. 00:12:52.039 --> 00:12:57.159 Adam's realm has been ruined by sin and death. 00:12:57.159 --> 00:13:05.319 And the consequence of that are of immense seriousness to us because we initially are 00:13:05.319 --> 00:13:07.360 all under Adam's headship. 00:13:07.360 --> 00:13:10.600 That's how you're born. 00:13:10.600 --> 00:13:17.159 You're born on the Adam side of the diagram, that side. 00:13:17.159 --> 00:13:22.120 And so his status has a massive effect on us. 00:13:22.120 --> 00:13:24.839 And so we are caught up in the guilt of his first sin. 00:13:24.839 --> 00:13:28.079 We lack the original righteousness that we should have had. 00:13:28.079 --> 00:13:30.799 Our whole nature has been corrupted as a result. 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:35.240 All of that summarized by a term we use, original sin, something that we're born with, something 00:13:35.240 --> 00:13:37.279 that we can't escape. 00:13:37.279 --> 00:13:41.959 A good illustration of that is that you can't help what you pass on. 00:13:41.959 --> 00:13:45.720 You can't help what you pass on to the next generation. 00:13:45.720 --> 00:13:49.800 My wife has got beautiful red hair, and I always thought it would be lovely for my children 00:13:49.800 --> 00:13:53.320 to have red hair, but they all got my brown hair. 00:13:53.320 --> 00:13:57.519 It looks better on them than it does on me, but I can't change what gets passed on. 00:13:57.519 --> 00:13:59.560 You can't change it. 00:13:59.560 --> 00:14:01.840 And the same principle applies to this. 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:05.320 The human race, therefore, is broken. 00:14:05.320 --> 00:14:10.000 And you only need to turn on the news to see that that's true, don't you? 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:12.960 So the humanity in Adam is caught up in a desperate state. 00:14:12.960 --> 00:14:17.720 We are caught up in that ourselves, but the amazing truth of the Gospel and the amazing 00:14:17.720 --> 00:14:22.080 message of Romans is that we have hope. 00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:25.960 And the reason that we have hope is because although Adam and Christ are similar in that 00:14:25.960 --> 00:14:34.440 they're both federal heads, there are actually massive, massive differences between the two. 00:14:34.440 --> 00:14:39.400 And that's what I want us to focus on in particular together for the next few minutes. 00:14:39.400 --> 00:14:42.480 What we're going to do is we're going to look at these differences because, essentially, 00:14:42.480 --> 00:14:48.039 as you read through Romans 12 to 21, you're reading about constant differences. 00:14:48.039 --> 00:14:50.800 He says the one, the other, the one, the other. 00:14:50.800 --> 00:14:52.279 And Paul is drawing this comparison. 00:14:52.279 --> 00:14:56.960 And we're going to build things up step by step and see if we can identify these key 00:14:56.960 --> 00:14:59.879 differences between the two humanities. 00:14:59.879 --> 00:15:04.519 In order to see the contrast, we're going to apply, I suppose, if you like, the sort 00:15:04.519 --> 00:15:08.039 of slightly technical terms, but they're not complicated. 00:15:08.039 --> 00:15:09.720 And you all look very smart, so you'll be fine. 00:15:09.720 --> 00:15:11.960 Well, most of you look smart, so you'll be fine. 00:15:11.960 --> 00:15:15.200 Okay, so here's some technical terms. 00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:17.200 We're going to just apply to this passage. 00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:19.400 Sometimes that's a good thing to do. 00:15:19.400 --> 00:15:23.720 When you read a passage of the Bible, have questions in your mind that you want to ask 00:15:23.720 --> 00:15:24.720 this question. 00:15:24.720 --> 00:15:25.720 What's this saying? 00:15:25.720 --> 00:15:26.720 Who's it being written to? 00:15:26.720 --> 00:15:27.720 What's the background? 00:15:27.720 --> 00:15:28.720 What's the context? 00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:30.400 What are the themes being highlighted here? 00:15:30.400 --> 00:15:32.200 Always good to come to the Bible with questions. 00:15:32.200 --> 00:15:35.840 We're going to come with four questions in comparison to these two humanities. 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:39.200 We're going to ask what's the dominant principle in each humanity? 00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:42.560 We're going to ask what's the status of the members in each humanity? 00:15:42.560 --> 00:15:43.560 What's the mode of transaction? 00:15:43.560 --> 00:15:45.280 I'll explain what that means when we come to it. 00:15:45.280 --> 00:15:46.680 And then what's the end result? 00:15:46.680 --> 00:15:48.000 See, it's not that technical at all. 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:49.800 It's quite straightforward, so you'll be fine. 00:15:49.800 --> 00:15:51.720 So let's go through these one by one. 00:15:51.720 --> 00:15:57.840 First of all, in each humanity, there is a difference in dominant principle. 00:15:57.840 --> 00:15:58.840 So in which one? 00:15:58.840 --> 00:16:00.520 In each one, what is the dominant principle? 00:16:00.520 --> 00:16:03.600 Well, if you go to verse 21, you'll see the comparison. 00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:11.639 So that a sin reigned in death, grace might also reign through righteousness. 00:16:11.639 --> 00:16:17.240 And so that's setting before us very clearly the fact that in Adam, sin reigns. 00:16:17.240 --> 00:16:21.840 In Christ's humanity, grace reigns. 00:16:21.840 --> 00:16:25.279 In other words, in Adam's realm, sin is dominant. 00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:29.800 That's why there's lawlessness, pain, misery, and chaos in the world. 00:16:29.800 --> 00:16:32.519 That's why you read chapters 3, 4, 5, 6 of Genesis. 00:16:32.519 --> 00:16:37.360 You see the world descending into a mess because sin has taken charge. 00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:40.879 But in Christ's realm, grace is dominant. 00:16:40.879 --> 00:16:45.519 And the chaos of sin has no power over Christ whatsoever. 00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:48.759 So there's a difference in terms of dominant principle. 00:16:48.759 --> 00:16:54.079 In each humanity, there's also a difference between the status of the members. 00:16:54.079 --> 00:16:58.120 That's what's revealed to us in verses 18 and 19. 00:16:58.120 --> 00:17:02.399 It says, therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men. 00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:04.759 That's the status if you're in Adam. 00:17:04.759 --> 00:17:12.720 So one act of righteousness leads to justification for all and life for all men. 00:17:12.720 --> 00:17:15.240 There's a difference in status. 00:17:15.240 --> 00:17:17.000 Sin leads to condemnation. 00:17:17.000 --> 00:17:21.279 So in Adam, our status before God is that we're guilty. 00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:24.240 Grace, on the other hand, leads to justification. 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:29.000 In Christ, our status before God is righteous. 00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:37.960 Revealed to that is the fact that that status is conferred upon us or transacted in a different way in each humanity. 00:17:37.960 --> 00:17:40.000 So there's a difference in mode of transaction. 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:43.599 So that condemnation comes to us in a certain way in Adam. 00:17:43.599 --> 00:17:47.599 And that justification comes to us in a certain way in Christ. 00:17:47.599 --> 00:17:51.000 And the difference is explained to us in verses 15 and 17. 00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:54.000 I won't read it all, but you can see in the middle there where it's blue and red, 00:17:54.000 --> 00:17:56.680 you can see the difference for the judgment. 00:17:56.680 --> 00:18:00.680 It says there, for the free gift is not like the result of the one man's sin. 00:18:00.680 --> 00:18:05.680 So the difference for the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, 00:18:05.680 --> 00:18:10.680 but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 00:18:10.680 --> 00:18:13.680 So the condemnation of sin is transacted as a judgment. 00:18:13.680 --> 00:18:17.680 In other words, it's what we deserve. 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:24.680 But the justification of grace is transacted as a gift. 00:18:24.680 --> 00:18:30.680 It's freely given and abounding in its scope. 00:18:30.680 --> 00:18:34.680 And all of this means that there's a difference in end result. 00:18:34.680 --> 00:18:38.680 On the one hand, sin results in death. 00:18:38.680 --> 00:18:42.680 Sin came into the world through one man and death through sin. 00:18:42.680 --> 00:18:48.680 And so death spread to all men. 00:18:48.680 --> 00:18:59.680 Here Paul is basically saying that the reality of sin is proved by the reality of death. 00:18:59.680 --> 00:19:03.680 Now that's a really important thing to remember because when you look back at the Old Testament, 00:19:03.680 --> 00:19:06.680 you think, okay, what's the definition of sin? 00:19:06.680 --> 00:19:11.680 Definition of sin is breaking God's law, isn't it? 00:19:11.680 --> 00:19:14.680 Now you'd say, well, okay, hang on a minute. 00:19:14.680 --> 00:19:16.680 The law didn't come till later. 00:19:16.680 --> 00:19:18.680 So you think about the timeline of the Old Testament. 00:19:18.680 --> 00:19:20.680 You're at the beginning here. 00:19:20.680 --> 00:19:24.680 Paul, God makes a covenant with Adam beginning of the human race, 00:19:24.680 --> 00:19:28.680 but you've got to go quite a few books into the Bible before the law comes. 00:19:28.680 --> 00:19:30.680 So we start with Genesis. 00:19:30.680 --> 00:19:32.680 Law doesn't come till the middle of Exodus. 00:19:32.680 --> 00:19:34.680 And so you think to yourself, well, hold on a minute. 00:19:34.680 --> 00:19:40.680 Does that mean there was no sin until the law came because the law, sin is breaking of the law? 00:19:40.680 --> 00:19:43.680 Paul is saying, no, no, no, sin has always been in the world. 00:19:43.680 --> 00:19:48.680 The reason we know that is because people have died 00:19:48.680 --> 00:19:53.680 because that is the real end result of sin. 00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:55.680 And that's reminding us of a crucial point. 00:19:55.680 --> 00:19:59.680 Sin and death are inseparable. 00:19:59.680 --> 00:20:02.680 Now we must, must recognize that. 00:20:02.680 --> 00:20:05.680 Sin and death are inseparable. 00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:10.680 That's highlighted very clearly in this passage because Paul uses the two terms almost interchangeably. 00:20:10.680 --> 00:20:12.680 He talks about sin reigning. 00:20:12.680 --> 00:20:15.680 He talks about sin coming into the world and death coming into the world. 00:20:15.680 --> 00:20:21.680 His key point is that sin will always result in death. 00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:23.680 And that was God's warning from the very beginning. 00:20:23.680 --> 00:20:27.680 He didn't say to Adam, if you eat the fruit, you will become a sinner. 00:20:27.680 --> 00:20:33.680 He says, if you eat the fruit, you will die. 00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:39.680 So even people who did not sin in exactly the same way as Adam, 00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:44.680 and even though they lived before the law came in its detail in Exodus chapter 20, 00:20:44.680 --> 00:20:50.680 they are still affected by Adam's sin because they are still under the power of death. 00:20:50.680 --> 00:20:52.680 And that's why when you read about people in Genesis, 00:20:52.680 --> 00:20:55.680 you see that although some trusted God and followed him, 00:20:55.680 --> 00:20:58.680 people were still corrupt and wicked in their own nature. 00:20:58.680 --> 00:21:01.680 Paul's great point is that sin came into the world through Adam. 00:21:01.680 --> 00:21:06.680 That's affected every one of us because sin is a reality in our nature and death has spread to all. 00:21:06.680 --> 00:21:13.680 And Paul is reminding us of a simple point which is maybe easy to overlook, which is this. 00:21:13.680 --> 00:21:17.680 Only sinners die. 00:21:17.680 --> 00:21:19.680 That's a really important biblical principle. 00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:21.680 Only sinners die. 00:21:21.680 --> 00:21:26.680 If we did not have a sinful nature, we would not die. 00:21:26.680 --> 00:21:32.680 And the fact that we are dying and that we do die proves that we are sinners. 00:21:32.680 --> 00:21:35.680 We were not created to die. 00:21:35.680 --> 00:21:40.680 Death is an unwanted intrusion into human experience. 00:21:40.680 --> 00:21:44.680 It's an enemy, not a friend. 00:21:44.680 --> 00:21:46.680 It's not meant to be there. 00:21:46.680 --> 00:21:49.680 And that is proved by a fact that comes later in the Bible. 00:21:49.680 --> 00:21:52.680 So we're saying only sinners die, yes? 00:21:52.680 --> 00:21:55.680 Okay, you will say, ah, Thomas, you're wrong. 00:21:55.680 --> 00:21:57.680 Jesus died. 00:21:57.680 --> 00:21:58.680 He did. 00:21:58.680 --> 00:22:02.680 But in order to die, what did he have to do? 00:22:02.680 --> 00:22:05.680 He laid down his life of his own accord. 00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:10.680 He said, no one takes my life from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. 00:22:10.680 --> 00:22:13.680 I have authority to lay it down and I have authority to take it up again. 00:22:13.680 --> 00:22:15.680 This charge I receive from my father. 00:22:15.680 --> 00:22:19.680 The only reason Jesus can die is because he lay, he willingly laid down his life. 00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:21.680 That's a crucial difference from us. 00:22:21.680 --> 00:22:23.680 We can't fight off death. 00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:26.680 We can't resist it. 00:22:26.680 --> 00:22:35.680 Sin results in death, but grace is different. 00:22:35.680 --> 00:22:42.680 And the realm of Jesus Christ is different because grace brings life. 00:22:42.680 --> 00:22:44.680 Sin reigned in death. 00:22:44.680 --> 00:22:50.680 Grace might also reign through righteousness, leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 00:22:50.680 --> 00:22:54.680 That's God's great goal, to give you life. 00:22:54.680 --> 00:22:55.680 That is his goal. 00:22:55.680 --> 00:22:59.680 He wants you to have life, and that makes perfect sense because God is the Creator. 00:22:59.680 --> 00:23:00.680 He is the giver of life. 00:23:00.680 --> 00:23:02.680 His plan for us is to have life. 00:23:02.680 --> 00:23:04.680 He didn't create us to die. 00:23:04.680 --> 00:23:06.680 He created us to live. 00:23:06.680 --> 00:23:09.680 Sin has ruined that by making death a reality in our experience. 00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:13.680 And that's why God has come to take away the very thing that sin has taken away. 00:23:13.680 --> 00:23:16.680 He's come to give us life. 00:23:16.680 --> 00:23:19.680 And that's why what is it that lies at the very, very, very heart of the Gospel? 00:23:19.680 --> 00:23:24.680 What is the central truth of the good news of Jesus? 00:23:24.680 --> 00:23:26.680 Resurrection. 00:23:26.680 --> 00:23:32.680 Because Jesus has come to give us life. 00:23:32.680 --> 00:23:35.680 And so let's just go back to our table and summarize the differences. 00:23:35.680 --> 00:23:38.680 In terms of dominant principle, in Adam's sin reigns. 00:23:38.680 --> 00:23:40.680 In Christ, grace reigns. 00:23:40.680 --> 00:23:43.680 The status of the members in Adam is that you're condemned. 00:23:43.680 --> 00:23:45.680 In Christ, you're justified. 00:23:45.680 --> 00:23:48.680 Mode of transaction in Adam is a deserved judgment. 00:23:48.680 --> 00:23:50.680 In Christ, it's a free gift. 00:23:50.680 --> 00:23:53.680 The end result in Adam is death. 00:23:53.680 --> 00:23:57.680 The end result in Christ is life. 00:23:57.680 --> 00:24:01.680 And so although Adam and Christ are similar in that they are both federal heads, 00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:06.680 there are massive, massive differences between these two realms. 00:24:06.680 --> 00:24:09.680 And you might say to yourself, well, what makes the difference? 00:24:09.680 --> 00:24:10.680 Why are they so different? 00:24:10.680 --> 00:24:12.680 Why is one leading to death? 00:24:12.680 --> 00:24:14.680 And why does one lead to life? 00:24:14.680 --> 00:24:16.680 Well, Paul gives us the answer in verse 19. 00:24:16.680 --> 00:24:20.680 He says, for as by one man's disobedience, 00:24:20.680 --> 00:24:23.680 the many were made sinners. 00:24:23.680 --> 00:24:28.680 So by the one man's obedience, the many will be made righteous. 00:24:28.680 --> 00:24:35.680 Federal head Adam disobeyed, but federal head Christ obeyed. 00:24:35.680 --> 00:24:39.680 And if we are in Adam, then we are bound up in his disobedience. 00:24:39.680 --> 00:24:45.680 But if we are in Christ, we are united to his perfect obedience. 00:24:45.680 --> 00:24:54.680 And that is why it is absolutely vital that you put your trust in Jesus. 00:24:54.680 --> 00:24:59.680 Because at the end of the day, there are only two humanities, 00:24:59.680 --> 00:25:04.680 and you are in one or the other. 00:25:04.680 --> 00:25:11.680 And you've got to ask yourself, which one is it going to be? 00:25:11.680 --> 00:25:14.680 But often this can be the point where we hit a problem. 00:25:14.680 --> 00:25:18.680 Because you look at these two humanities and you think, 00:25:18.680 --> 00:25:20.680 we know which one we want to be in. 00:25:20.680 --> 00:25:23.680 It's absolutely obvious. Nobody wants to be in Adam when you see it like that. 00:25:23.680 --> 00:25:25.680 We all want to be in Christ. 00:25:25.680 --> 00:25:28.680 Nobody wants to die. We all want to live. 00:25:28.680 --> 00:25:33.680 But yet we can find ourselves crippled by the fact that we feel that we are too weak, 00:25:33.680 --> 00:25:37.680 or too sinful, or too broken to get from one to the other. 00:25:37.680 --> 00:25:42.680 You talk about Adam's brokenness, failure, weakness, sin, 00:25:42.680 --> 00:25:46.680 and we can think to yourself, well, that's me. 00:25:46.680 --> 00:25:49.680 I'm as weak as Adam. 00:25:49.680 --> 00:25:55.680 And you think, there's no way I can get into Christ. I'm stuck. 00:25:55.680 --> 00:25:57.680 And maybe you feel like that. 00:25:57.680 --> 00:25:59.680 Maybe you think, I would love to be one of these people who could say, 00:25:59.680 --> 00:26:02.680 yes, I'm a Christian. I'm in Christ. I know I've got that life. 00:26:02.680 --> 00:26:05.680 But I just don't know. And I just don't think I can do it. 00:26:05.680 --> 00:26:07.680 I just don't think I am good enough. 00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:14.680 Maybe you feel like sin's reign on your life is too strong. 00:26:14.680 --> 00:26:18.680 Maybe sin has wrecked your life in this past week. 00:26:18.680 --> 00:26:23.680 Maybe nobody else knows, but maybe in your heart you have found it really, really difficult. 00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:29.680 And you think, well, sin's reign, sin's grip is too strong. 00:26:29.680 --> 00:26:36.680 Well, if you feel like that, then you need to see that there's one more crucial difference 00:26:36.680 --> 00:26:40.680 between Adam and Christ that Paul highlights in these verses. 00:26:40.680 --> 00:26:47.680 He says that in Adam and Christ there is a difference in quantity. 00:26:47.680 --> 00:26:49.680 What are you talking about? 00:26:49.680 --> 00:26:54.680 There's a quantitative difference between these two realms. 00:26:54.680 --> 00:26:57.680 There's a difference in bigness, if you like. 00:26:57.680 --> 00:27:00.680 I know that's not a real word, but it's a good word. 00:27:00.680 --> 00:27:03.680 Difference in quantity. 00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:09.680 Paul is highlighting that sin is a massive problem. 00:27:09.680 --> 00:27:13.680 So you look at that and he's saying sin is a massive problem. 00:27:13.680 --> 00:27:15.680 It is spread to all humanity. 00:27:15.680 --> 00:27:22.680 But do you know Paul's main point is not that sin is big. 00:27:22.680 --> 00:27:27.680 Paul's main point is that grace is bigger. 00:27:27.680 --> 00:27:32.680 And no matter how powerful sin is, no matter how much you've been caught up in its web, 00:27:32.680 --> 00:27:36.680 no matter how far short you've fallen, no matter how much sin abounds, 00:27:36.680 --> 00:27:40.680 grace abounds all the more. 00:27:40.680 --> 00:27:42.680 One sin had a devastating effect. 00:27:42.680 --> 00:27:47.680 It led to the sin of many, but the free gift is big enough. 00:27:47.680 --> 00:27:52.680 Not just to fix the one man, Adam, it's big enough to abound over many trespasses. 00:27:52.680 --> 00:27:58.680 And even when the law came in and highlighted the diagnosis, all the more clearly, 00:27:58.680 --> 00:28:01.680 grace responded by abounding all the more. 00:28:01.680 --> 00:28:05.680 That's why where sin increased, grace abounded all the more. 00:28:05.680 --> 00:28:08.680 And that's really the main point that Paul is making. 00:28:08.680 --> 00:28:11.680 And if you remember anything from this sermon, remember this, 00:28:11.680 --> 00:28:13.680 because this is the main point that Paul is making. 00:28:13.680 --> 00:28:15.680 He's saying there's two humanities. 00:28:15.680 --> 00:28:17.680 One has been wrecked by sin. 00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:19.680 The other is being restored by grace. 00:28:19.680 --> 00:28:21.680 One is on a highway to death. 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:23.680 The other is on the pathway to life. 00:28:23.680 --> 00:28:29.680 And the key point is that the federal head who leads to life is far bigger 00:28:29.680 --> 00:28:33.680 and far stronger than the federal head of the humanity leading to death. 00:28:33.680 --> 00:28:38.680 That means that whatever damage has been done to you because of your connection to Adam 00:28:38.680 --> 00:28:41.680 and because of the influence of sin in your life, 00:28:41.680 --> 00:28:47.680 Jesus has abundantly more than enough grace to save you 00:28:47.680 --> 00:28:49.680 and to bring you under his headship. 00:28:49.680 --> 00:28:59.680 Because in Adam, sin spreads, but in Christ, grace abounds. 00:28:59.680 --> 00:29:03.680 And that means that Jesus has got enough grace for you. 00:29:03.680 --> 00:29:08.680 His grace is big enough to take your sin onto his shoulders, 00:29:08.680 --> 00:29:10.680 every single one of them. 00:29:10.680 --> 00:29:17.680 His grace is big enough to forgive and forget every single mistake that you have made. 00:29:17.680 --> 00:29:22.680 His grace is big enough to heal every wound and scar in your heart. 00:29:22.680 --> 00:29:28.680 His grace is big enough to bring you back no matter how far you've wandered. 00:29:28.680 --> 00:29:31.680 Isn't that something we often think we think I've gone too far? 00:29:31.680 --> 00:29:37.680 Rubbish, theologically impossible. 00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:39.680 Because grace abounds. 00:29:39.680 --> 00:29:44.680 And no matter how far you go, his grace is big enough. 00:29:44.680 --> 00:29:48.680 His grace is big enough to catch you every single time you stumble. 00:29:48.680 --> 00:29:54.680 His grace is made perfect in all of your weakness and mine. 00:29:54.680 --> 00:29:57.680 So in other words, if the devil tries to accuse you and say, 00:29:57.680 --> 00:29:59.680 you've done this, you've done that, you've done this, you've done that, 00:29:59.680 --> 00:30:02.680 you fail here, here, here, here, here and here, 00:30:02.680 --> 00:30:05.680 and you're a disappointment in all these different areas. 00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:08.680 No matter how long the devil's list is, Jesus will say, 00:30:08.680 --> 00:30:10.680 I've got enough grace for that. 00:30:10.680 --> 00:30:13.680 Abundantly enough. 00:30:13.680 --> 00:30:18.680 Because if you put your trust in Jesus, his grace will never, ever run out. 00:30:18.680 --> 00:30:27.680 And this is where we see just how amazing the grace of God in Jesus Christ really is. 00:30:27.680 --> 00:30:31.680 Because humanity in Adam is rebellious, wretched and broken, 00:30:31.680 --> 00:30:38.680 but Jesus has grace that's big enough to put it all right. 00:30:38.680 --> 00:30:45.680 And that raises a really important question that we mustn't forget. 00:30:45.680 --> 00:30:49.680 How big is our grace? 00:30:49.680 --> 00:30:52.680 How ready are we to forgive people who hurt us? 00:30:52.680 --> 00:30:56.680 How ready are we to forget the mistakes and errors in other people's lives? 00:30:56.680 --> 00:31:00.680 How ready are we to resist the overwhelming temptation to criticize others, 00:31:00.680 --> 00:31:04.680 to judge others, to hold a grudge, to see the worst in people? 00:31:04.680 --> 00:31:12.680 As believers as a church, our default position should always be towards abundant grace. 00:31:12.680 --> 00:31:18.680 We always want our grace to be as big as it can be. 00:31:18.680 --> 00:31:25.680 So ultimately, there's only two humanities, and they're under two federal heads. 00:31:25.680 --> 00:31:29.680 But the difference between the two is massive. 00:31:29.680 --> 00:31:34.680 In Adam we face death, but in Christ we have life, and all the other privileges 00:31:34.680 --> 00:31:38.680 that being under Christ's headship brings. 00:31:38.680 --> 00:31:44.680 Now, all of that maybe seems a wee bit, I hope that doesn't seem complicated. 00:31:44.680 --> 00:31:47.680 I hope it doesn't seem too technical, because you're looking at all these things, 00:31:47.680 --> 00:31:53.680 you're thinking, well, that's quite technical, that's quite, you know, quite theological. 00:31:53.680 --> 00:31:58.680 And you can look at all that and you can think, you know, that's a really interesting theological topic. 00:31:58.680 --> 00:32:02.680 The whole idea of federal headship, that's fascinating, and it's interesting to be able to categorize it, 00:32:02.680 --> 00:32:05.680 and to use all these terms, dominant, principle, status of members, 00:32:05.680 --> 00:32:08.680 motor transaction, end result, quantitative difference. 00:32:08.680 --> 00:32:13.680 It all sounds very fancy, and all sounds very good, but I want you to see and to remember 00:32:13.680 --> 00:32:18.680 that this is not just a fascinating theological topic. 00:32:18.680 --> 00:32:23.680 When you think about the federal headship of Jesus Christ, it is telling you 00:32:23.680 --> 00:32:28.680 that Christ is your defender, that He is your protector, 00:32:28.680 --> 00:32:33.680 He's your captain, He's your leader, you are on His team, you are under His guard, 00:32:33.680 --> 00:32:38.680 you are under His watch, and He is utterly, totally, forever, 00:32:38.680 --> 00:32:46.680 uncompromisingly committed to looking after you as one of His people, 00:32:46.680 --> 00:32:55.680 and to looking after every other person who comes under His headship by putting their trust in Him. 00:32:55.680 --> 00:33:05.680 All of that is for you, and that's why the Gospel is such good, good news. 00:33:05.680 --> 00:33:12.680 So what's it going to be? Are you staying in Adam, or are you joining in with Christ? 00:33:12.680 --> 00:33:20.680 Let's pray. 00:33:20.680 --> 00:33:26.680 Our Father, we thank You so much for our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ. 00:33:26.680 --> 00:33:33.680 He is our head, He is the one, He is the head in whose humanity we want to be. 00:33:33.680 --> 00:33:39.680 We want to identify ourselves with Jesus, we want to follow after Jesus, 00:33:39.680 --> 00:33:42.680 we want to live every day of our lives for You. 00:33:42.680 --> 00:33:48.680 We thank You so, so much for the good news of the Gospel, and for everything that You've done for us. 00:33:48.680 --> 00:33:57.680 Lord, we are living proof that sin spreads because it's affected our lives and it ruins our lives, 00:33:57.680 --> 00:34:06.680 but how we thank You that where sin increases, grace abounds. 00:34:06.680 --> 00:34:17.680 What an amazing God You are. We want to thank You, and we want to live for You. Amen.