GOD’S FREE GIFT

Romans 5:12-17
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Adam and Christ Contrasted

12 When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. 13 Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. 14 Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. 15 But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. 16 And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.


In these last days, there are false teachers. God told us this would be so through Peter two thousand years ago (2nd Peter 3). Some are teaching universal salvation … everyone is saved. This is NOT so. A skimming of today’s passage might lead you to the thought of universal salvation but careful reading makes it clear that this is not Paul’s message (remember to whom Roman’s was written – Romans 1:7 – the saints).

In verse 17, Paul says “… for all who receive…”. All who receive God’s free gift will be saved. The gift is available universally but there are those who refuse to hear; refuse to believe; refuse to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. All who DON’T receive God’s free gift remain in the condemnation of Adam’s sin.

Don’t miss out on heaven by refusing to receive God’s free gift!