Romans 5 Part 3
New King James Version 15. But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.
The Resultant Version 15. But not as the offense is the gracious gift, for if by the offense of the one the many died, much greater the grace of God, and the gift in grace by one Man, Jesus Christ, unto the many superabounded.
The “free gift” is the Greek word charisma, which indicates a free or gracious gift. It is used many times of the gracious gifts of the Acts period, which is why some call themselves “charismatics” today, because they seek to revive these gifts. Yet here the free gift is not the powerful gifts of the Acts period, but rather the free gift of righteousness, the greatest gift of all that God bestows on poor, unworthy sinners like we are.
He says that the gracious gift is not the same as the offense. By the offense, of course, he means Adam’s original offense and sin, when he ate of the forbidden fruit and by eating brought sin, death, and rebellion into the world of all his descendants. Many died, are dying, and yet will die because of Adam. But now the gracious gift of God, which is much greater than the offense of Adam, is going to bring in this man of the resurrection who shall no longer have sin and death working in him. This gracious gift is not like the offense because it is much greater than the original transgression. Certainly by studying through Ephesians, we see that God not only gives us forgiveness of sins and salvation, but so much more. It is not just reversing the offense, but it goes far, far beyond to bless us with every spiritual blessing among the most exalted in Christ. So the gift in grace by one Man, that is Jesus Christ, unto the many who received it super-abounded. It didn’t just give us the minimum we needed in order to live in the kingdom. It super-abounded towards us in the gift by Jesus Christ. In other words he is telling us here that God’s free gift immeasurably outweighs the transgression.
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