Romans 5:12 (The apostle Paul writes) Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man (Adam) and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned— 13 sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. 14 Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many.

Paul is making a comparison of Adam and Jesus in relationship to sin, death, the law, and the gift of grace. It’s complicated so I won’t say much about it, but the phrase that caught my attention this morning is in v.14 “(Adam) who is a type of the one who was to come (Jesus)”.

Adam was a “type” in that he was literally the first-born of all humanity. His sin, and subsequent judgment by God, resulted in judgment for everyone who came after him. All of us inherited Adam’s predisposition to sin, which leads to judgment, which leads to death. But Jesus broke that cycle.

Jesus was born without sin and, though he died to pay the price for all of our sins, he was raised from the dead on the third day. Death did not have the last word with Jesus as it had with Adam. Resurrection had the last word with Jesus – and with all who receive the gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

With Jesus a new humanity has been born in which sin and death have been defeated.

This is not to say that sin no longer exists. It most certainly does. I see it in my own life every day. I’m not proud of that, but it’s true. However, this morning I’m remembering the incredible gift of resurrection that God the Father brought to us through Jesus the Son. And I’m remembering that it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that I continue to live in the reality of grace, of salvation, of new life in Jesus Christ.

Thank you Jesus! Amen!