God's gift to us is greater than Adam's trespass!

Another challenging passage, but a gem of knowledge is within these versus when understood! Document here in case I forget.

Romans 15:17
15But the gift is not like the trespass.
- the gift refers to the gift of God, specifically the gift of righteousness ascribed to all of us believers on account of Jesus
- the trespass is Adam's original sin of disobeying God in the Garden of Eden.
- Here Paul explains that God's gift is "greater" than Adam's sin.

For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!
- because of the ONE sin from ONE man (Adam), death came to all his descendants, the entire human race.
- In response, firstly God gave us grace by sending Jesus to die for us when we were yet sinners. We did nothing to deserve this grace.
- Second, God gave us the gift of righteousness.
- because of one man, Jesus, this grace and gift extended to all men.
- the reason that God's gift is greater than Adam's trespass is not yet revealed clearly for now

16Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.
- this verse makes it clear why the gift of God is greater than Adam's trespass.
- Imagine drawing a line down the centre of a piece of paper.
- On the left, write down:
1) One man, Adam
2) One sin, disobedience
3) Result, death came to all men
- On the right, write down:
1) One man, Jesus.
2) Righteous perfect life before the Law, died on the cross for all
3) Result, MANY sins of MANY men forgiven, eternal life

When we compare the two, we can see that Adam brought death through only ONE sin. Yet Christ, by his sacrifice, justified the MANY sins of MANY men. Thus the gift is greater than the trespass.

If the gift had not been greater than the trespass, then Christ's death would only have justified ALL men of ONE sin. Thank God this is not so!

17For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
- again we see the gift is greater than the trespass
- death reigned (had mastery and dominion) over all men through Adam's sin
- God's gift of grace, and righteousness (gift because we did not earn it) caused us to REIGN in (eternal) life!
- so in this third way, Paul shows that the gift is greater than the trespass!

Praise and thank God for his generosity and grace towards us!