October 13, 2024 – Romans 5:12-21

Lesson Date: October 13, 2024

Focal Scripture Passage: Romans 5:12-21

AIM: To lead students to discover ways that Adam and Jesus influence our lives today, and to determine if they are in Adam or in Christ so they can trust Jesus for salvation.

Before class: Read the notes on Romans 5:12-21 found in the Sunday School Teacher Book.  Write the word “One” on the board.

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Remind the students that this is an election year, and very soon we will cast our votes for President of the United States and many other state and local offices.  Direct everyone’s attention to the word “One” written on the board.  Tell them it would be easy to feel that our vote doesn’t matter, but there are many examples of elections being decided by only one vote, for example:

• In 1801, Thomas Jefferson won the presidency by one vote.
• In 1845, Texas was admitted to the union by one vote.
• In 1868, President Andrew Johnson survived impeachment by one vote.
• In 1923, Adolph Hitler was elected leader of the Nazi party by one vote.

Tell the class there are other examples of one person having a profound impact on all of humanity, such as Thomas Edison’s invention of the light bulb, Alexander Graham Bell’s invention of the telephone, and Henry Ford’s development of the automobile assembly line.  State that these individuals changed the way all of us live our lives.

Tell the students that today’s lesson is about the two most influential individuals who ever lived.  Explain that the life of one of them literally impacted everyone who has ever lived, and the life of the other has dramatically changed billions of lives.  Tell the class that the title of today’s lesson is The Power of One.  Tell them we will learn how these two individuals touch our lives today.

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Remind the class that we are studying the New Testament book of Romans.
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson about?” (Blessings of Justification; we discovered many wonderful blessings that come as a result of being justified by faith in Jesus Christ).
   • Ask if any volunteer would recite last week’s memory verse (Romans 5:8).
2. One Man Brought Sin and Death Upon All.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 5:12.
   • Ask: “Who is the ‘one man’ spoken of in this verse?” (Adam, the first man).
   • Ask: “What came into the world because of Adam?” (sin).
   • Explain the following:
     • God created Adam and Eve on the sixth day of creation week (Gen. 1:26).
     • He placed Adam and Eve in a beautiful garden where all their needs were met and they enjoyed personal fellowship with Him (Gen. 2:8).
     • God gave them only one prohibition: they were not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17).
     • Instead of obeying the Lord, Adam and Eve chose to eat the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:6).
     • When they did, they died spiritually and made themselves subject to physical death (Gen. 2:17).
     • Since Adam was the first man, he is the father of the human race; in other words, we are all descended from Adam.
     • Adam’s sin caused all of his descendants (us) to be born under sin and with a sin nature.
   • Ask: “In addition to sin, what else did Adam’s sin bring upon mankind?” (death).
   • Stress the fact that one man’s sin brought sin and death upon every person who has ever lived.
   • Read Romans 5:13-14.
   • Tell the class that verse 13 says sin has been in the world ever since Adam’s sin, even before God gave the Old Testament Law to the Jews.
   • Ask: “According to verse 14, what reigned from Adam to Moses?” (death).
   • Ask: “Was this true even for those who did not sin exactly the same way Adam did?” (yes).
   • Explain that the phrase, “who is the figure of Him that was to come” means Adam, as our fleshly head, pointed to Jesus, who was coming to be our spiritual head.
   • Summarize: The sin of one man, Adam, brought sin and death upon all people, including all of us.
3. One Man Brought Justification and Life.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 5:15.
   • Ask: “In addition to Adam, this verse speaks of another individual; who is that one man?” (Jesus Christ).
   • Ask: “In contrast to Adam bringing death upon us all, what did Jesus cause to abound to many?” (the grace of God).
   • Remind the class that grace is something good done for us that we don’t deserve and cannot earn or achieve on our own; it is an undeserved free gift.
   • Read Romans 5:16-17.
   • Tell the class that verse 16 says Adam’s one sin condemned us all.
   • Ask: “What did Christ’s free gift provide for us?” (justification; being made right with God, as we have learned about in our previous lessons).
   • Tell the students that verse 17 once again says that one man’s sin caused death to reign over all humanity.
   • Ask: “According to verse 17, who is the one man who gives righteousness and life?” (Jesus Christ).
   • Ask: “Who gets to experience that wonderful gift?” (those who receive the abundant grace of Jesus).
   • Tell the class 1 Corinthians 15:22 states it very simply, when it says, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 5:18.
   • Ask: “What did the offense of one man (Adam) do?” (brought judgment and condemnation upon all people).
   • Ask: “What did the righteousness of one man (Jesus) do?” (made justification and life available to all people).
   • Summarize: The righteous life and sacrificial death of one man, Jesus Christ, brought justification and life to all who will receive His gift of grace.
4. One Way to Receive Grace and Eternal Life.
   • Read Romans 5:19-20.
   • Ask: “According to the first half of verse 19, what did the disobedience of one man (Adam) do?” (made many people into sinners).
   • Explain that the word “many” in that context actually refers to all of humanity: every person who has ever lived.
   • Ask: “According to the last half of verse 19, what did the obedience of one man (Jesus) do?” (enabled many to be made righteous).
   • Explain that the word “many” in that context refers to everyone who receives Christ’s free gift of justification by grace through faith, as we learned about in our previous lessons.
   • Tell the class that verse 20 says the Old Testament Law established a code of conduct that made man’s sinfulness even more apparent.
   • Ask: “What does verse 20 say happened when sin abounded?” (grace abounded even more).
   • Stress the fact that our God is so loving, kind, and merciful, that He provided abundant grace to sinful humanity, making a way for us to be forgiven and made right with Him.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 5:21.
   • Ask: “What does the reign of sin over humanity cause?” (death).
   • Ask: “What happens when God’s grace reigns in an individual’s life?” (it brings righteousness and eternal life).
   • Ask: “According to the last words of that verse, how does one receive eternal life?” (through Jesus Christ our Lord).
   • Tell the students that John 14:6 says, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
   • Summarize: Just as one man’s sin brought sin and death and one man’s righteousness brings justification and life, there is only one way to receive grace and eternal life: faith in Jesus Christ.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Direct everyone’s attention once again to the word “One” written on the board, and remind them that the title of today’s lesson is The Power of One.  Tell them that we have learned about the global impact of two very important individuals.  Briefly review the lesson by asking the following questions:

“What did the sin of one man, Adam, do?” (it brought sin and death upon all humanity, causing all of us to be born with a sin nature).

“What did the righteous life and sacrificial death of one man, Jesus Christ, do?” (it brought grace to mankind, proving forgiveness and eternal life to anyone who has faith in Jesus).

Remind the class that 1 Corinthians 15:22 says, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”

Tell the students that everyone on earth is either “in Adam” or “in Christ.”  Explain that we are all born “in Adam,” but only those who repent of their sins and place their faith (trust) in Jesus are “in Christ.”  Stress the fact that there is no third choice or intermediate state: ALL of us are either “in Adam” or “in Christ.”

Tell the class you’ve asked them a lot of questions through the course of this Bible study, but here is the most important question: “Are you in Adam or are you in Christ?”

Ask everyone to bow their head and close their eyes.  Ask: “Are you in Christ?  If so, take a moment right now to thank Him for His free gift of grace and eternal life.”  Ask: “Are you still in Adam?  If so, I beg you to turn from your sins and trust Jesus Christ for salvation right now.”  Allow a moment for silent prayer, and then voice a closing prayer.

CONCLUSION: Ask everyone to memorize 1 Corinthians 15:22.  Tell them if they know someone who is still in Adam, to share with them how they can have new life in Christ.  Encourage everyone to invite their unsaved friends to our revival services, which begin two weeks from today.