Christ, The Better Adam Part 2

¹⁵ 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.

¹⁶ And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification.

¹⁷ or if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

Here we see that Christ is better than Adam in at least four ways:

1. Because His gift is better than Adam’s trespass.

This might seem a very obvious point; indeed, it is. Certainly, gifts are better than trespasses. After all, which would you prefer to receive? But the point to realise is not just that gifts are better, but to see just how much Christ’s gift is better than Adam’s trespass, and also to recognise what this gift really is. It’s the “free gift of righteousness.”

2. Because Christ’s gift is much more abounding than Adam’s trespass.

We see this in verse 15. Death is certainly very abounding, but there is something much more abounding even than death—life in Christ. Because God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, Christ’s gift is also much more abounding to repentant sinners.

3. Christ’s gift is gracious and follows many trespasses, while judgment followed only one.

This is an interesting point from verse 16. It’s easy to understand how judgment could follow one trespass; it’s much harder to see how grace and salvation could follow many trespasses. How is this possible? It’s because while one sin is enough to condemn the world, the death of Christ is enough to save the whole world.

4. Adam’s sin made death reign over us; Christ’s gift makes us reign in life through Jesus Christ.

This is a profound truth. You expect Paul to say, “Adam made death to reign; Christ makes life to reign.” But Paul says something even better. He says, “Adam made death to reign, but Christ makes you reign in life through Jesus Christ!” How amazing Christ is, and how beyond all comparison is His gift for us!