The Human Dilemma and Deliverance (Romans 5:12,18-21)
Sermon Summary
Pastor David Yan
9 June 2024
Our country faces serious problems socially and economically.
Many of our problems can be traced to human nature, that is, people’s attitudes. There seems no answer to the issue of poor human conduct. This is our dilemma.
The apostle Paul makes a clear statement in Romans 5:12. He speaks of sin coming into the world through one man and death through sin. The man referred to is Adam. Through Adam sin entered the human race. Sin, that spiritual cancer, is at the heart of our problems.
But people deny sin. I am told by friends in the medical profession that when someone is told they have terminal disease a common response is denial. It is no different with sin. When people are told of sin they deny it.
Note that Paul says sin came through one man, Adam. Yet Adam was not deceived. Eve was. Adam was created in the image of God. He was unlike the angels who were not created in the image of God. He was unlike Eve who was created out of man. Adam stood in a unique relationship to the Creator. Adam was the head of the family which is why the Lord called to Adam, (not Eve), and said to him, “Where are you?”
Death has spread to the whole human race. Death is the final reality of earthly life. Most of us will leave this life lying on a bed. It is the bed of death. It may be a hospital bed, a hospice bed, or your own bed at home. But you will die. Blessed are you who die trusting in the second Adam, Jesus Christ. He has tasted death for every person. In him alone there is hope of resurrection and life without death.
From sin come the fruits of darkness such as evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies (Matt 15:19).
But the human dilemma is met with hope of deliverance. One man sinned. But another man was sinless. One man brought death. Another man brought life. This second man, the second Adam, is Jesus Christ.
Consider what Jesus Christ has done.
The shedding of his blood was enough for the forgiveness of human sins.
All the sacrifices of the Old Testament were fulfilled by the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. His blood can make the foulest clean.
When dying Jesus cried out “It is finished.” No more needs to be done. His death is sufficient to reconcile sinners to God the Creator. It is folly to think one can add or detract from the finished work of Jesus Christ. His work is truly complete.
Jesus has reversed the effect of man’s fall. Adam brought alienation. Jesus brought reconciliation. Adam brought death. Jesus brought life. Jesus is God’s message of deliverance from the human dilemma.
If sin is denied we deal only with symptoms. If sin is accepted we deal with cause of the human dilemma. Jesus dealt not only with sins (your personal wrongs) but also with the disease. He has come to deliver us from the power of darkness and convey us into the kingdom of the Son of his love (Col 1:13).
Praise God for such a great deliverance. Through one man’s offence we are condemned but through another man’s righteous act the gift of salvation has come to all peoples resulting in justification of life (Romans 5:18). Believe in Jesus and be delivered from the bondage of sin.