Romans 5:12-19
“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned—” vs. 12
While Paul at times revels in the sheer foolishness of the gospel, he also had a strong appreciation for logic, and, in his letter to the Romans, makes an appeal to rational thought. Basing his argument on Genesis, he says that sin came into the world through Adam, and with sin came death, and so death spread to all because all have sinned. Now it may be that we have some disagreements with Paul’s premise…for instance, we might not link sin and death in the way he does, and we may have some completely different notions about original sin, but two things he concludes are most certainly true. All people sin and all people die! Sin and death are the two constants that we live with every single day of our lives. Of course sin in this context is a power, a kind of incurable cancer that touches all aspects of life from the time we’re born to the day we die. Death has that same kind of influence. Even though we don’t think of it every day, it’s a looming presence and regularly robs us of friends and family, while leaving reminders that it’s waiting for us too. Thankfully Paul doesn’t stop with this pessimistic truth but quickly adds that the new Adam, Jesus, has defeated the powers of sin and death and has brought life and forgiveness. It’s that good news that brings peace and hope for all.
Thought for the Day: What’s the relationship between sin and death?
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