Romans 5 (Part 2)

Thanks for tuning in to No Compromise Radio with pastor and author, Dr. Mike Abendroth.

Today on No Compromise Radio, we'll be hearing Pastor Mike open the Word of God in a recent message he preached at Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston, Massachusetts.

Now let's join Pastor Mike in progress as he preaches through the scriptures, verse by verse, with No Compromise.

Now while I don't want to go too far back in my past and live in my past sin of unbelief before I was a

Christian, because even here Paul has got the focus on Christ Jesus, it only takes just a little turnaround in your life before you got saved.

And you just take a little whiff of the mal -odor that your lifestyle was and who you were to make you think,

I know who I was, I know what I deserve, and then now I know who I am, but more importantly, I know who

God is and I know where I'm going. You see, if you think of God's work as, well, he's a little holy but not too holy, and I'm not so bad, the difference is between these two,

God, you know, he's okay and I'm not too bad, I'm to die for. I'll tell you what the difference is here.

The difference is a yawn. But if you say God is so holy and if he were to mark iniquities, who could stand?

And I'm so sinful, and yet because this gap has been bridged by the

Pontifus Maximus, the great bridge builder alone, a word only for Christ Jesus, the mediator, if he's bridged that gap, then

I should be happy and thankful and joyful, have confidence I get to go to heaven.

It's one thing to say, you know what, I'm happy that I don't go to hell, but look at verse 11. We exalt in God.

It's another thing to delight in God. It's one thing to go, I'm sure glad I don't have to go to hell, but I get to delight in God. Salvation was done to me.

I deserve nothing. Back in the days of selling food in London, one pastor said, remember those sandwich boards?

Remember, they've even kind of got a sandwich board when Dagwood's Deli used to be open. You'd drive by every

Sunday after church and there'd be a guy in a chicken outfit or something, you know, eat more chicken or whatever, eat more beef here, whatever he said.

How do you advertise things? Well, back in those days, you'd hire people to walk around with a, it's like plywood here and plywood here and a couple of pieces of rope, and you'd advertise that way.

And so they'd pick these guys who were bums on the street, but their sandwich board would read best dinners in London.

So Pastor Jowett said, famished wretches advertising the best dinners, cheerless men and women advertising the joy of the

Lord. This is designed to make you praise the Lord. This is designed to make you say, focus off of self, focus off all these people that are around me that I think they should meet all my needs and my husband doesn't meet my needs, my wife doesn't meet my needs, my employer doesn't meet my needs.

Friends, they're not supposed to. They can't. Something is broken.

And what's broken is the thinking that says they're to meet all your needs. And so then you come on a Sunday and you say, you know what,

Christ Jesus is everything. That's why it's such a travesty to tell churches, you're good.

You're going to have an all right work week this week, top of the morning to you. How about, you know what?

Come one and come all, let me remind you who the Savior is. Joyless Christians, I know something about them.

They need to look at the Savior. Yeah, but you know what, Mike? How can one person die for a bunch of other people?

When the Jehovah's Witnesses came to my house a couple of weeks ago, I asked the lady the question, how can one person,

Jesus, die for my sins? She didn't have an answer. So I said, I have an answer. And then the other one said,

Jesus never said he was God, said he never said he was God. I said, that's a lie.

And here you are on my property lying to me about Jesus, the God who created you. That's a bald faced lie.

Before Abraham was, I am, you mean he didn't call himself God. Back to the text here because we have a lot of verses to cover.

Later she said, I didn't mean to upset you. And I said, you're upsetting me. You're trying to damn my family and you're going straight to hell too.

Unless you believe in the Bibles, Jesus, the eternal son of God, the God man who can die for other people.

How does that happen? Take a look at verse one, through our Lord Jesus. How can one person die?

How can you be saved through the work of another? That's the theme here. Look at verse 21 of the same chapter.

So last five English words through Jesus Christ, our Lord. How can you die through someone?

How can someone die for you? And so now we take a look at Romans chapter five, verses 12 through 21 with its main theme.

This just as one person,

Adam affected lots of other people as a representative.

So too, Jesus and his work will affect lots of other people as a representative.

This is called federal headship, Romans chapter five, verses 12 through 21.

People are saved in the precise manner in which they were lost through the work of another.

So here's what Paul's going to do. How can people be saved through Jesus? And early on, he's going to argue, well, the same way people were lost through Adam.

That's the answer to the question. How can people be saved through one man? Well, we'd all admit that people were lost through one man and there's going to be a comparison.

In other words, federal representation isn't anything new and it shouldn't be new to anybody here in the

Congress. Expect more out of you if you're in the

Congress. When our Congress, our senators, our presidents say, we are at war with North Korea, if that ever were to happen, you know what

I know about you? If you're an American citizen, you are at war with North Korea because you have representatives.

It's just the way the world works in God's eyes. We have representatives. Chapter five, verse 12, it says, therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man,

Adam, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sin.

Paul is beginning to paint the picture of solidarity, of federal headship, one person acting in the place of others.

Now, I want to just give you a teaser, spoiler rather first. You read a movie review, it's a spoiler, but I need to do it so you'll get it.

God, we're going to learn quickly that God gave you credit for Adam's sin in the garden.

Not all of his sins, not his second sin, not his third sin, not his tenth sin, but his first sin. He didn't give you credit for Eve's sin,

Adam was the federal representative, and God gave you credit for Adam's sin in the garden.

You weren't there, you didn't earn it, God gave you credit for it.

Federal representative, that's what we're going to learn. But here's the spoiler part, you're going to be really glad for that because your initial wrong thinking is going to go, that's not what?

Fair. Well, you don't want fair, believe me. God works by representation, and so at Calvary, were you there?

Were you there when they crucified my Lord? You weren't there. You didn't earn that salvation, did you?

And you didn't merit that salvation. So before you say, federal representation, covenant representation,

I don't like. You've got to remember Calvary too. This is amazing. People are sinners because God legally made them sinners before they even sinned one time.

Federal representation. Adam was what we call, the Puritans call, a public person.

Because what he did wasn't just for his own self privately, he was your representative.

And you're going to say, well, I think I might have done better. Really? I think if we would all get together and say, who should we vote for to stand in the garden on probation and not sin?

I think I'd pick Adam. What are we going to do if Adam wasn't the person picked?

Every time we have a new baby, we say to the little baby who's at eight days old, we say, okay baby, now it's time for you to live on probation and you make sure you don't sin.

That wouldn't work. One acting on the behalf of another. That's just the way

God does it. A legal agent standing in the stead of others.

Now take a look at verse 12. Because all sinned. What does that mean? Now Pelagians would say, everybody sins by example.

How does everybody sin? Well, Adam sinned, we look at our bad example, we sin. That can't work because think about Jesus and think about the analogy and think about symmetry.

That means we look at Jesus as a good example on the cross and we then do the good example and therefore we save. Does that make sense?

All sinned? How do infants die? Why do infants die?

Infants haven't been able to process sin and rebellion and who's it against? You can be assured of the fact that when an infant who's one day old dies, you know for sure that infant was credited with Adam's sin.

We're going to see that in just a minute. Some people say, well you know what? Adam just, when he reproduced, he just reproduces sinners.

Is that what that means here? Hereditary depravity? I think we do reproduce sinners, but that's not the point here.

It's one sin, one sin, one sin, one sin through federal representation. Take a look at verse 15.

Tucked in the middle. For if by the transgression of the one. Verse 16, tucked in the middle.

Arose from one transgression. Verse 17. For if by the transgression.

Verse 18. So then as through one transgression. Verse 19.

As through the one man's disobedience, single. That one sin was credited to our account.

The Westminster Larger Catechism says, The covenant being made with Adam as a public person.

Not for him only, but for his posterity all mankind. Descending from him by ordinary generation.

Sinned in him and fell with him in that first transgression. Of course we produce sinful people.

And inherit the corruption of our parents. But that's not what's talked about here in Romans chapter 5 at all.

We're not responsible for Adam's later sins. We have a representative. A representative by imputation.

A federal representation. Adam's one act. The first sin of Adam credited to our account.

Adam represented us. And what Paul's trying to do is. What Adam did in your place.

Should make you think about another one who did something in your place. That's the whole point. All sinned.

I have a question for you. What if Adam as our representative never sinned?

Who would we be praising? It was the plan of God for Adam to fall. Because that would give him more glory.

And that would lead us to our federal representative. Jesus Christ.

Take a look at verse 13. There's a little bit of more bad news before there's a glimmer of hope.

You know the Jews were having their focus on father Abraham. They weren't really thinking a lot about the doctrine of universal sinfulness.

And the wrath of God. So Paul takes them right back to their father

Adam. Before I read verse 13 and 14. Is there any reason why you think that people are attacking the credibility of Adam today?

A literal Adam? We don't need a literal Adam. That's just poetry. Evangelicals are saying this too.

Genesis 1 is just poetry. The American Atheist Journal said. Destroy Adam and Eve and original sin.

And in the rubble you will find the sorry remains of the son of God. They're right.

They're right. Men are saved precisely in the same manner in which they were lost.

And here it says in verse 13. For sin indeed was in the world before the law was given.

So think for a minute. There was sin in the world when Adam was there. Moses hasn't come along yet.

No Mosaic law. No Bible. But sin is not counted where there's no law.

God is not unjust to say. You know what? I don't have any law for you. But you broke a law that I really have but I didn't give to you.

And now I'm going to give you credit for the law you broke that you didn't know you broke. But sin is not counted where there's no law.

Yet. Did anybody die between Adam and Moses? Verse 14.

Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam.

Other people weren't told by God. Don't eat of the fruit of this tree. They weren't told that.

They weren't told anything. Why are any of them dead? Why are they all dead?

Because Paul is wanting you to think something. What's he wanting you to think? He wants you to think that they died because of God's imputation.

Where he imputes Adam's first sin to their account and they die.

Adam was the federal head. Of course if we had been present we would have done the same thing but faster.

The proof of verse 12 is found in verses 13 and 14. Death reigned from those who lived from Adam to Moses including infants.

They were counted guilty of a law but the law hadn't been given so it had to be they were counted guilty of Adam's sin. That's the conclusion.

An earlier law was broken by Adam. There's a glimmer of hope though at the end of verse 14.

And everything turns upward now. Let's take our eyes off that first Adam and put on the last Adam who was a federal representative as well.

Who was a type of the one who was to come. Adam sinned.

Everybody was lost. Christ Jesus obeys. People are going to be saved.

Thomas Goodwin said every person hangs on Adam's girdle. Until a second representative comes along,

Christ Jesus. Federal headship isn't new. And in verses 15 to 19.

Our federal head Jesus is greater than Adam. He's better. How are you saved?

Through the work of another. Verse 15. But the free gift.

Look at the comparison between gift and trespass. Trespass is not like the singular trespass.

Gift and trespass. They're not the same. Why? One's way better. For if many died through the one man's trespass.

Much more have the grace of God. And the free gift by the grace of God. By the grace of that one man.

Jesus Christ abounded for many. Much more. Contrast is great.

Abounding. Verse 16. This is just pile on with praise and wonder.

And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. The judgment following one trespass.

Brought condemnation. Which is the opposite word of justification. But the free gift of the following.

The free gift following many trespasses. Jesus the last Adam died for lots of sins.

Brought justification. Adam's act was one act of disobedience. Our Lord's act involved taking care of lots of sins.

Verse 17. For if because of one man's trespass. Death reigned through.

Remember 5 .1? Through Christ. Remember 5 .21? Through Christ. How can you be saved through one person?

Well, you can be condemned through one person. Through that one man. Much more will those who receive the abundance of grace.

And the free gift of righteousness. Reign in life. Here it is again. Through the one man

Jesus Christ. Therefore.

As one trespass led to condemnation for all men. All who were in Adam died. So one act of righteousness.

Paul takes all of Christ's perfect life. And just like he bounds it up into one big unity.

So there's nice parallelism here between Adam's one act. And Christ's act. Even though he lived a perfect life.

And even though he merited God's favor by honoring his parents. And by worshiping him. Culminating in that great death on the cross.

That final act. So one act of righteousness. Leads to justification and life for all men.

He's not talking about universalism. He's saying everybody in Adam got what Adam did. And everybody in Christ got what

Christ did. Here's some good news friends.

What Adam did in the garden is not the final determination for your salvation. Because it would have been damnation.

I love what S. Lewis Johnson says. This is federal representation. When a father strikes oil.

The children get rich. And we have hit a gusher in the last

Adam. Men are justified on the ground of imputed righteousness of Christ.

Just like they were condemned on the ground of imputed sin of Adam. The acts differ in a degree.

But they still are the acts of another. How are you saved through one man? Well, you're lost through a man.

You're saved through a man. Yeah, but you know. There are other issues.

Before we get to those issues. Take a look at verse 19. Which confirms verse 18. For as by the one man's disobedience.

The many were placed in the category of sinners. This is still in a legal context.

A forensic context. They were put in the class of sinners. That's what the

Greek word means. Placed in the category of sinners. So by the one man's obedience. The many will be placed in the category of righteous.

So we've been talking about. The works of the law we can't be declared righteous. So Jesus Christ does those works in our place and in our stead.

And we're put in the class now of righteous. Legal standing. Justify the same way people are condemned by the work of another.

Spurgeon said man must have a righteousness. Or God cannot accept him. Man must have a perfect obedience.

Or else God cannot reward him. Well, some

Jews might say friends. What about the law? I thought Adam sinned.

So God gave the law. So they'd stop sinning and they could earn their own salvation. No, let's find out what 520 and 521 says.

You want to know what the law does? If you see don't touch wet paint, what do you do? Well, I know what

I do. Now the law came into what?

For anybody who thinks you can get saved by keeping the law. It came into increase the trespass. But where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.

So that as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. See what those Jehovah's Witnesses didn't know at the door.

Was that one man can affect a lot of other people. And the good news is since Jesus is God and he's divine.

He has enough righteousness to give to all those who would ever believe. He lived a perfect life, kept

God's law. Friends, as you look at this, could you ever hear people say, you know what, you better do all these things.

Because if you don't, you're going to lose your salvation. People say, well, you know, I don't like this once lost, once saved, always saved.

Well, I don't like really what they believe. If you think you can lose your salvation once lost, always lost, see

Hebrews 6. This is all about what God did through the work of another. And I end the way

I began. If you think you can lose your salvation, then the greatest thing about salvation is damaged.

And the greatest thing about salvation isn't your salvation, it's God's glory. What God does, he finishes.

And he finishes perfectly through Christ Jesus. Do you like this hymn?

When he shall come with trumpet sound, oh, may I then in him be found, dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before his throne.

Who else but God could figure out a way to keep his holiness, but then wisely figure out how to not condemn his people.

Now, many times we have the Lord's Supper here. And we have a special message for the Lord's Supper to make us think properly about the

Lord before we come to the table. We don't need that today, do we? We don't need that today.

Here's what we do today. We're going to hand out this bread and hand out this cup soon. And here's what

I want you to do. This is my pastoral request. Sometimes we look at 1

Corinthians and we automatically default to examine yourself to see. Examine yourself.

Check yourself out. Well, you know what? That's not a bad thing to do. And I think you should do it for a few seconds. If you're carnal like Corinth, then you should do it for longer.

But you're supposed to look to Christ to remember him. And you're supposed to have joy.

Well, it's time to have the funeral procession, or I mean the Lord's Supper. Everybody head down.

You're rotten. You're filthy. You deserve nothing. How could you measure up? Well, you know what? All that's true.

But you know what? When you hold that bread, here's what I want you to think. I didn't pray this week like I should have, but Jesus did.

Now and in his life. I didn't love my neighbor like I should have yesterday, but Jesus on this earth did.

I never really studied the Bible this week like I should, but Jesus did. I used to be an enemy of God, but now

I'm a friend. I used to have no access. Now I have access. I used to have trials, and they did me nothing except give me pain.

Now they give me endurance and character. I have the hope of heaven. I'm going to heaven. And I have a representative who died for me.

And then you say, do this in remembrance of me. That's what the Lord's Supper is, because I know something about you because I'm one of you.

By the last day of the week, Saturday, I think like the world thinks too often. Work, merit, sola bootstrapsa, take care of these things, earn

God's favor. Favor of God has been earned. God's favor has been earned.

Time for the funeral procession. Of course I'm not saying don't examine yourself.

You should examine yourself. And then quickly, after you've got that whiff of examining yourself, then I want you to examine through Christ Jesus.

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