A Difficult Verse: Romans 5:12

This text has been used to teach the false doctrine of original sin. Under the influence of Augustine of Hippo, the primary developer of this teaching (later systematized by John Calvin), this doctrine says that, because of Adam’s sin, all human beings are born into a sinful state of guilt and total depravity. This means we inherit the sin, guilt, and consequences of Adam’s sin. Under this understanding, each person’s will is completely bound and unable to respond to God or do anything good. 

Sadly, this misses the entire point of the passage. Paul has emphasized in Romans that we are all sinners by personal choice and are without excuse before God (Romans 1:18-3:20). Paul has also made clear that salvation comes through the redemptive work of Christ (Romans 3:21-26). We are therefore justified by faith in Jesus (Romans 4). Even now, because of God’s grace in Christ, we can have assurance of our salvation (Romans 5:1-11) as we also “rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2, ESV throughout). 

These truths seem almost too good to be true. As sinners by choice, how can any person, or every person potentially, be saved from sin by one man’s redemptive act? Paul forcefully states that the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus are surely sufficient to provide salvation for all sinners. His salvation is universally available, but it is only personally applied to those who exercise faith in Christ, repentance toward Christ, confession of Christ, and are baptized into Christ. However, as Dr. Jack Cottrell notes, this seems quite unrealistic to expect from the work of one man, i even the perfect God-Man, Jesus Christ. 

Beginning in verse 12, Paul shows that salvation in and through the one man Jesus Christ is not a stretch at all. How can we be sure of this? Paul tells us to look at the impact the one sin of Adam brought to the world. By way of typology (see verse 14), Paul presents a contrast between Adam and Jesus. Adam is a type of Christ. Both brought something into the world.  Adam brought sin and death. Christ brought forgiveness and spiritual life. 

The main point Paul makes in this section of Scripture is this: “Whatever the whole human race got (or would have got) from Adam has been completely canceled out for the whole human race by the gracious atoning work of Jesus Christ.” ii Dr. Gareth Reese sums up this passage as follows, “What we lost in Adam through no act of our own, we have regained in Christ through no act of our own, and much more.” iii. 

Adam’s sin has indeed had an impact on all humanity, especially bringing physical death (1 Corinthians 15:21-22), but the redemptive work of Jesus has had an even greater impact on all people by negating the spiritual consequences of Adam’s sin. The absolute certainty of the redemptive work of Jesus (which is now accomplished) counteracts the effects of Adam’s sin. This means specifically that no infant is born in a state of guilt and depravity. The efficacy of the saving work of Jesus guarantees that every baby is born in a state of innocence, not sin and guilt. This state changes later for each person when they choose to sin against God. It is at this point that a state of guilt and spiritual death is entered, and each soul must then come to Jesus to be saved from his/her own sin and guilt in the sight of God. 

This brings us to the specific focus of our study. We are examining the phrase in verse 12, where Paul states, “and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” The full verse is, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” 

It is not difficult to understand the idea that sin came into the world through the one man, Adam, and his sinful act (Genesis 3). It is also not hard to comprehend death coming to all people as a result of Adam’s sin (Romans 5:15, 17). We notice that it is death that spreads to all men, not sin. What is confusing is the last part of verse 12, where Paul mentions that death spread to all men because all sinned. Paul speaks with clarity that physical death comes to all because of Adam’s sin. How are we to understand death spreading to all men “because all sinned?” How can death come because of Adam’s sin and, seemingly, at the same time, because of our own sin? This is what we are trying to discover. I understand it will be difficult to reach any unanimity of understanding on this phrase, but we must seek the meaning of this verse and its language in a way that makes the most sense in the context within which it sits. 

First, we must rule out the possibility that each person dies because of their personal sin. Of course, people die sometimes because of a particular personal sin (i.e., drunk driving), but this is not what Paul has in mind. Paul tells us in verse 14 that death reigned from the time of Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin like Adam. The ESV is somewhat misleading here since it translates the verse as “those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam.” This gives the impression that sin had taken place, just not by transgressing a specific command as did Adam. The Greek negative particle translated not, should precede the participle sinning not follow it. Several other versions are more precise in translation. The NASB has, “even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam.” The NKJV renders this, “even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression.” The NIV says it best, “even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam.” 

Second, if people do not die because of their own sin, then the phrase “because all sinned” cannot be referring to personal sin as the reason why people die. I do not know why Paul included this phrase in his discussion, but it must mean something consequential, or Paul would not have written it. “Because all sinned” cannot be a throwaway statement. 

What is Paul trying to say? Let’s remember the nature of the language in this section. Paul is using “representative” language to explain his point that the redemptive work of Jesus counteracts the impact of the sin of Adam for all people. Adam’s one act has had consequences on the whole human race, but the redemptive work of Christ has had an even greater impact. The only thing remaining from the legacy of Adam’s sin is physical death. Nothing else is passed along because of the cross and the empty tomb. 

Having this representative language in view, Paul’s point seems to be that all sinned in a representative sense in Adam, not a literal sense. Adam represents the whole human race, since he is the first human being. We all sinned in him since he represents humanity. This is what Cottrell calls “a kind of collective sinning of all in Adam’s one act of disobedience in the Garden of Eden.” I agree with Cottrell that Paul is presenting Adam as representing mankind when he sinned by eating of the forbidden tree.iv 

It is my conviction that Paul is saying “because all sinned” means that all sinned representatively in Adam, not personally, and certainly not by inheriting his guilt and depravity. Remember, there was a group of people who did not sin during the time of Adam through Moses, yet they still died. Paul is talking about infants and very young children. They sinned representatively in Adam (“because all sinned”) but were without personal sin. This is the sense of the phrase in verse 14 as the NIV translates it, “even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam.” I understand not everyone agrees with this conclusion, but in my mind, it makes the most sense considering the nature of the language Paul uses. (The concept of “representative” language is not limited to this passage and is a valid device used in other places in the Bible. See 2 Corinthians 5:14–15; Hebrews 7:9–10.) 

We conclude that this difficult phrase means that since Adam represents us as the first man, we sin in a representative sense in him. This allows Paul’s words to make more sense and not contradict each other. May we always celebrate the “much more” of Christ’s “one act of righteousness.”