10/15/23 - The Two Most Influential Men - Romans 5:12-21 - Pastor Jason Fritz

Sunday’s passage in Romans is widely accepted as one of great significance and also one of the most challenging. Our task is to make it simple but not to simplify it.    Sin came into the world through one man, says Paul. That man is Adam. Paul believed Adam was a real human (and so did Jesus.) Paul reaches back to the Garden of Eden when God said to the man, “Just one restriction, don’t eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” And what happened? Adam ate. Then came the result: death was spread through sin.   Since death is the result of sin and because we are descended from Adam, death will get each one of us. Once the sin principle came to dwell in Adam, he would then pass it on to all of his procreation. In other words, if the source of the stream is polluted, everything downstream will be polluted also. I recently read about a man who owns a mortuary and he ends his communication with this,"Eventually yours,”    In other words, one day you will need his services.   Paul explains how Adam is a type of Jesus not because they are similar but because they are dissimilar. Adam’s actions brought a degenerative power that leads to death, but Jesus’ actions brought a regenerative power that leads to eternal life. It’s like when you go to the store and the person adding up your items makes an error. In order to make it right they have to call a manager. Adam made a critical error and only Jesus has the power and authority to override it. Why did Jesus do so? It was God’s love on display. The only thing that is more powerful in the heart of God than his hatred of sin is his love of the sinner.