5:14
How does Paul know that the Law is not the focal point? Because death reigned from the time of Adam. Adam was judged guilty and death entered in. The time of Noah is a prime example that sin was rampant and was taken into account, for that is why the flood came. Sin has reigned since the time of Adam. The Law is far less central to human history than the Jews thought. The Law was and is important, but it does not have the place or purpose that the Jews thought it did.
5:15
There are similarities between Adam and Christ, but also enormous differences. The chief similarity is that everything stems from the actions of one man. Sin and death entered in through one man, likewise life entered in through the one man Jesus Christ. As an aside, there is debate over exactly what death means, namely whether it is spiritual death or physical death. Part of the argument is that Adam did not actually die immediately, but lived for hundreds of years. However, he did die physically, and death is certainly part of the human condition. I think we have to take it as physical and spiritual death, the two are inextricably linked. If Adam had never sinned he would never have died. Likewise, in the new heaven and new earth there will be no more death. This then leads to the question of animal death and the age of the earth. Some say death in Romans 5 is applying only to mankind made in the image of God, others say it includes all death, animals and humans. I tend to favour the former view on this question, and at least think that you cannot make a watertight argument for animal death and human death being equated.
The argument here is also a further counter to the Law position. If the effects of one man’s sin extended to all humanity, surely the effect of the the Son of God’s act of grace will also extend to all humanity?
How does Paul know that the Law is not the focal point? Because death reigned from the time of Adam. Adam was judged guilty and death entered in. The time of Noah is a prime example that sin was rampant and was taken into account, for that is why the flood came. Sin has reigned since the time of Adam. The Law is far less central to human history than the Jews thought. The Law was and is important, but it does not have the place or purpose that the Jews thought it did.
5:15
There are similarities between Adam and Christ, but also enormous differences. The chief similarity is that everything stems from the actions of one man. Sin and death entered in through one man, likewise life entered in through the one man Jesus Christ. As an aside, there is debate over exactly what death means, namely whether it is spiritual death or physical death. Part of the argument is that Adam did not actually die immediately, but lived for hundreds of years. However, he did die physically, and death is certainly part of the human condition. I think we have to take it as physical and spiritual death, the two are inextricably linked. If Adam had never sinned he would never have died. Likewise, in the new heaven and new earth there will be no more death. This then leads to the question of animal death and the age of the earth. Some say death in Romans 5 is applying only to mankind made in the image of God, others say it includes all death, animals and humans. I tend to favour the former view on this question, and at least think that you cannot make a watertight argument for animal death and human death being equated.
The argument here is also a further counter to the Law position. If the effects of one man’s sin extended to all humanity, surely the effect of the the Son of God’s act of grace will also extend to all humanity?
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