June 20
Bible Reading: Romans 5
Romans 5:12-15, “ Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned — for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.”
Our recent experience with the COVID pandemic has worked to better educate us regarding such health contagions. We learned, for example, that Covid is highly transmissible, and it can be deadly (especially for the elderly or those who have low immunity). We learned about social distancing, mask wearing, and vaccines. Sadly, we all likely knew of someone who has had COVID or maybe even someone who has died from it. We should all take precautions to minimize our risk in any such situation, but there’s another pandemic which is even more “transmissible.” It has a 100% mortality rate. We read about here in Romans 5 and how it happened in Genesis 3.
Contrary to God’s explicit command and despite His dire warning of the deadly consequences, the woman having been devil-deceived, partook of the forbidden fruit. Then she gave to her husband, and he ate as well. They had experienced intimate fellowship with God and had been well provisioned in an idyllic paradise. But all of that would suddenly and radically change. Their eyes were opened, and they realized they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together to make themselves loincloths—mankind’s first attempt to rectify the effects of his lost condition according to his own wisdom and by his own self efforts. In desperate fear, they hid from God. Spiritual death had entered into man’s existence. Physical death would likewise come soon enough (see Genesis chapters 4 and 5).
God declared a curse: on the serpent, on the woman, on Adam, and on the earth itself. Our predecessors could hardly have imagined the tragic and far-reaching consequences of their sin, for their sin unleashed a sin contagion upon all of humanity. Romans 5:12 explains: “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” There you have it. The transmission rate for sin = 100% (all sinned). Likewise, the mortality rate for sin = 100% (death spread to all men). We are all born into this world with a nature to sin, deserving of death (Romans 3:23, 6:23).
There’s good news amidst the bad in this sad account. In cursing the serpent, God spoke of One who would come from the woman who would render a fatal wound to the serpent. This promise looked forward through the centuries to the incarnation of God’s Own Son who, through His own death, would destroy the devil (Hebrews 2:14). God was faithful to that promise! Despite the man and woman’s tragic choice, and by way of contrast to their ill devised fig leaf clothing scheme, God Himself clothed Adam and Eve with garments of skin (Genesis 3:20-21). Those garments, provided through animal sacrifice, were prophetic of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God on a cross for sins.
Death reigned through the trespass of Adam, but Jesus came to reverse the curse for those who will put their trust in Him (Romans 5:12-15). Instead of death and judgment, they experience the grace of God in forgiveness and salvation. God’s truth, righteousness, and justice were all demonstrated in the judgment He bestowed, his love, grace, and mercy were likewise revealed in His provision for Adam and Eve.
Who can measure the loss, pain, and sorrow that was unleashed on that fateful day when sin entered into the world! And to this day, we live in a broken world that groans under the weight of sin’s corruption. The sin pandemic has scarred us all and unleashed immeasurable heartache. But praise be to God that He has worked in His love and wisdom to send His Son to rescue us. In the majesty of His grace and mercy, we find and experience hope!
Every gravestone gives a silent testimony to the spread and reign of sin since the time of Adam. The cross, on the other hand, bears testimony to the salvation availed to all through Jesus Christ.
One day when heaven was filled with His praises,
One day when sin was as black as could be,
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin,
Dwelt amongst men, my example is He!
Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away,
Rising, He justified freely for ever:
One day He’s coming—oh, glorious day!
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