As in Adam; so in Christ
A Sermon on Romans 5:12-21
Originally preached Feb. 21, 1958
Scripture
12Wherefore, 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: 13(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14Nevertheless death …
Sermon Description
Sin destroys everything. It ruins relationships, perverts what is pure, and undoes the underpinnings of society. In this passage, the apostle Paul explains the effect of sin on the world and the salvation that Christ has brought from sin. Because of Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden, all have sinned because all are descendants of Adam. That guilt and condemnation is on all people. However, just as all are related to Adam, all who are saved are related to Jesus Christ! In the sermon on Romans 5:12–21, “As in Adam, So in Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones argues that Romans 5:12 is one of the most important verses in the whole Bible in terms of theology. This verse confronts with two facts: the universality of sin and the universality of death. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains the biblical and non-biblical view of this passage. It would be easy to create excuses for sin or to become angry that all are guilty because Adam is guilty, but the passage clearly points out that sin is active and so now there is death by sin. Instead of condemning the sin that Adam passed on, the Christian should be rejoicing that Christ’s work on the cross has also passed on.
Sermon Breakdown
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The sermon begins by reviewing the context of Romans 5:12-21 and how it connects what came before and after. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says this passage is the "turning point" and "center" of the epistle that states the "great essential message" of the whole letter.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones then gives a "general analysis" of the scope and structure of Romans 5:12-21. He notes how verse 12 begins a comparison that is not completed until verses 18-19. Verses 13-17 are a "parenthesis" that provides explanation and elaboration. Verses 20-21 are a "postscript" addressing potential objections about the law.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones focuses in on verse 12, calling it one of the most important verses in the Bible for understanding theology and God's ways. It deals with the "universality of sin" and the "universality of death" and provides the biblical explanation for these realities.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrasts the "non-biblical view" and the "biblical view" in their explanations of sin and death. The non-biblical view sees sin as a lack of development and death as natural. The biblical view sees sin as an invasion and death as punishment.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones examines several key phrases in verse 12. "Sin" is personified, showing its active and reigning power. "Entered into the world" shows sin invaded where once there was no sin. "Death by sin" shows death came as punishment for sin, not naturally. "Death passed upon all men" means death spread to all people. "By one man" emphasizes that one individual, Adam, caused this, not humanity in general.
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Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes that verse 12 teaches that both sin and death entered through Adam's one act of disobedience. This is the teaching of the whole Bible.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Romans 5:12-21
What is the central message of Romans 5:12-21 according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Romans 5:12-21 is "the turning point, as it were, the center of the epistle, where the apostle states in these few verses the great essential message of the whole epistle." The central message is the comparison between our relationship to Adam and our relationship to Christ: "As we were related to Adam, so we who are Christians are related to the Lord Jesus Christ." This parallel relationship structure is the key framework through which Paul explains how sin entered through one man (Adam) and salvation comes through one man (Christ).
How does Lloyd-Jones explain the structure of Romans 5:12?
Lloyd-Jones explains that Romans 5:12 begins with the word "as" which indicates a comparison is starting, but Paul doesn't complete the comparison in this verse. Instead of providing the "even so" part immediately, Paul goes into a parenthetical explanation in verses 13-17 before finally completing his comparison in verses 18-19. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that the "and so" in verse 12 is not the completion of the comparison but rather a continuation of the first part of the argument.
What are the two universal facts about humanity that Paul addresses in Romans 5:12?
According to Lloyd-Jones, every person concerned with the problems of life is confronted by two universal facts: 1. The universality of sin - everybody prefers to do wrong rather than right 2. The universality of death - "every man who lives is born to die"
The key question Paul addresses is how to account for these two universal realities, and he provides the biblical explanation for both in this passage.
How does the biblical view of sin differ from non-biblical views according to Lloyd-Jones?
Lloyd-Jones contrasts the biblical and non-biblical views of sin:
The non-biblical view: - Man has never been perfect but is evolving from animal nature - There is no such thing as sin, just negative qualities that haven't yet developed - Man is not bad, he just lacks good qualities - Death is just part of the natural cycle of life
The biblical view: - Sin is personified as active and positive, not just a lack of qualities - Sin "entered" or "invaded" the world, implying a time when sin was not present - Sin came through the act of disobedience, leading to guilt and depravity - Death is not natural but penal - the punishment for sin - Both sin and death entered through one literal man, Adam
Why does Lloyd-Jones emphasize that Adam was a literal individual person?
Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that Paul refers to "one man" 12 times in this passage to make it clear that Adam was a literal, individual person, not a symbol for humanity. He argues that this is crucial because the entire parallel between Adam and Christ breaks down if Adam is merely symbolic. If Adam represents humanity rather than being a real individual, then Christ could also be interpreted as representing an idea rather than being a real individual. Lloyd-Jones states, "The whole point of the entire section is to compare and to contrast the one man Adam with the one man Jesus Christ."
What does Lloyd-Jones say about death and its relationship to sin?
Lloyd-Jones teaches that according to the Bible, death is not a natural part of life's cycle but rather the direct result of sin. He explains: "Death, my friends, is something penal. Death is something that came in as the punishment of sin. It wasn't here. Death has been brought in by sin." He references Genesis 2:17 where God warns Adam that on the day he eats the forbidden fruit, he "shall surely die." Lloyd-Jones argues that had Adam not sinned, he would not have died, though he would still have needed to be glorified.
Why does Lloyd-Jones believe it matters whether Genesis 1-3 is taken as literal history?
Lloyd-Jones argues that taking Genesis 1-3 as literal history is essential to Christian doctrine. He states: "If you say that you don't believe that there was a literal Adam, why is there any need of forgiveness? Why is there any need of atonement? Why did Christ have to take human nature upon him? The whole case of the Christian faith and the Christian message, it seems to me, collapses." He emphasizes that the Bible is "a consistent whole and each part leads to others," so rejecting the historicity of Adam undermines the entire gospel message.
How does Lloyd-Jones describe Paul's writing style in this passage?
Lloyd-Jones notes that Paul's writing style includes parentheses within parentheses, which might be considered "bad style" by literary standards. He comments: "Style has almost killed the Christian church. And her message, it seems to me about a hundred years ago they began to get very interested in style." He appreciates that Paul was "carried away by the great rush of his thought, by the majesty of the conceptions, by his anxiety to make things plain and clear" rather than being concerned with literary style.
The Book of Romans
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.