Verses 12-21 deal with the topic of understanding how the entire human race becomes guilty of sin.

The Scripture teaches that it was Adam's sin that brought about God’s condemnation on himself, but it also brought about God’s condemnation on all humanity. Why? Because Adam was designated as the head of the human race. So, as a result of his sin, all of his descendants became guilty as well.

You see, Adam represented the entire human race, so when he fell, his entire lineage fell also. We are born spiritually dead because of Adam’s sin.

Some people say that's not fair, that's a choice Adam made, but I would've made a different choice. Oh really? How do you know that? Such a statement comes from biblical ignorance and is an insult to the righteousness and justice of God.

God set up Adam as the original human being and delegated that responsibility to him so his decision to sin against God would have consequences that would affect his entire progeny. God is omniscient and knew that if any other human being were put in that position, they would do the same thing.

Verse 12 begins with a comparison and contrast between Adam and Christ and then verses 13 and 14 show the contrast in the relation between sin and death, and then 15 through 17 contrast Adam's sin with God's grace through Jesus Christ, then in 18 and 19, Adam’s sin and condemnation are contrasted with Christ's obedience and justification. So, all this answers the question as to how does death spreads to all men?

Romans 5:12-13 Therefore [litterly – for this reason], just as through one man (Adam) sin (OSN) entered into the world, and (sp. & phy.) death through sin, and so (spiritual) death spread to all men because all sinned (when Adam sinned),

Humans are not sinners because they sin, but rather they sin because they are sinners.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of (Adam’s) sin is (sp. & phy.) death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:13 - for until the Law sin was (v. iai) in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

FROM ADAM TO MOSES: Sin was in the world, death was in the world. But with the Law, we now have the revelation of personal acts of sin. Once the Law was given we have the charge of God's Righteousness made against man. These sins, now defined, have to be imputed.

The OT Law brought to man the reality of personal acts of sin:
Principles: 1. Adam's sin is imputed to the human race. In Adam, we all sinned.

2. The Law defines personal acts of sins. Thou shalt and thou shalt not...

3. Personal acts of sin are not imputed to any member of the human race. You cannot impute something to someone who is already dead and we are dead because of the imputation of Adam's sin. We’re born spiritually dead!

4. Personal Acts of sin were covered by God in the OT and then, at the Cross imputed to Christ.

5. The OT Law describes what would be imputed to Christ at the Cross

6. Prior to the OT Law, personal acts of sin were not specifically defined.


7. It took the OT Law to define personal acts of sin so they
could be imputed to Christ at the Cross.