Romans 5:15-21 In this lesson we back away a bit from our passage in order to make sure we can see the whole forest, rather than only the trees. What is a protasis and an apodisis? How is that important in understanding this passage? What are the three ways in which Paul illustrates the difference between Christ and Adam? Many people understand that Paul teaches that Adam is a "type" of Christ. However, two chief questions remain: How is Adam a type of Christ? And why is it important that Adam is a type of Christ? Who are the two all important characters in Paul's grand panoply of human history? Who is missing from Paul's grand story, and why is that significant? How do Paul's remarks about the coming of the Law tie in to His point about Adam as a type of Christ? (58 min)

Keywords Types, Adam, Christ, Death, Grace, Law

Romans 5:15 In showing the exceeding greatness of Christ's death as the basis of the certainty of our hope, Paul continues his comparison of Christ's death to Adam's one act of transgression. First he introduces the concept of Adam as a type of Christ. What does this mean? Having introduced such an idea, Paul seems almost to back away from it in the following verses. Why? What are the three ways in which Christ's death is different from Adam's sin? Why is Paul contrasting Christ's act of atonement with Adam's transgression? What was the extent of the consequences of Adam's sin? What is the key word revealing the contrast between Adam and Christ? Who are "the many?” How should we understand the second use of "the many" in this verse? Why? Why does the idea of the atonement being intended for all who sinned, even those who will not believe, not degrade the glory of Christ's death? How would the view that the intent of the atonement was limited only to those who would ultimately be saved eviscerate Paul's very argument? How can the truth of the abundance of grace in Christ's atonement bring comfort to us? (42 min)

Keywords Death, Christ, Atonement, Adam

Romans 5:12-14 The passage we are beginning in this lesson is critically important to understanding the Christian faith, yet it can also be difficult to understand. We will take our time to be certain we understand it fully. What is a protasis and an apodosis? In this passage what is Paul's protasis? Where do we find the apodosis? What is Paul setting out to establish in this section? Why is sin not the chief theme of these verses? Why is what Paul says about sin so important to grasp? What is original sin? How did we become sinners? What did Paul mean by saying that sin is not imputed where there is no Law? How do we know that men were sinners between the time of Adam and Moses? (62 min)

Keywords Sin, Death, Adam, Law

Romans 5:6-11 Having shown how we can be assured of the certainty of our hope because we have the down payment of God's Spirit in us, Paul now gives another evidence of the certainty of our hope. That is the demonstration of God's love in the timing of the death of Christ. What does Paul mean when he speaks of the "right time" for Christ to die? Is he speaking historically or personally? What is the greatest extent or evidence of human love? How does God's love surpass that? What were you like when Christ died for you? What does Paul conclude is true in light of the timing of Christ's death? At the end of this passage Paul returns to the theme of exultation. What is a mark of the justified sinner? Why is it now possible for us to exult in God? What are some of the things about God in which we can exult? (55 min)

Keywords Love, Hope