One for All

David J. Mullins: Hey, podcast listeners. Thanks for streaming today's podcast from Pathway to Victory. Pathway to Victory is a non-profit ministry featuring the Bible teaching of Dr. Robert Jeffress. Our mission is to pierce the darkness with the light of God's Word through the most effective media available, like this podcast. To support Pathway to Victory, go to ptv.org/donate or follow the link in our show notes. Now, here's today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.
Dr. Robert Jeffress: Hi, this is Robert Jeffress, and I'm glad to study God's Word with you every day on this Bible teaching program. On today's edition of Pathway to Victory. To help you along, what I'm going to do is summarize what Paul is going to say, and then we're going to get into the text. Here's Paul's message. Write it down. Just as Adam's disobedience brought condemnation to everyone, Christ's obedience to God brought salvation for some.
David J. Mullins: Welcome to Pathway to Victory with author and pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress. At the beginning of the world, Adam and Eve were God's most treasured creations. Then one bad choice destroyed their relationship with their heavenly father and condemned the entire human race. Today on Pathway to Victory, Dr. Robert Jeffress shares how Jesus Christ reversed the effects of Adam and Eve's transgression. But first, let's take a moment to hear some important ministry updates.
Dr. Robert Jeffress: Thanks, David, and welcome again to Pathway to Victory. In just a moment, we'll begin a special five-day mini series in the book of Romans. Perhaps you'll recall that just last Thursday, we completed a brand new teaching series on miracles called Divine Invasions. And friend, the response has been remarkable. So many of you requested the book that we've decided to extend this special offer for just a few more days because I don't want anyone to miss out. Let me tell you why this book matters so much to me. We live in a world that has widely concluded that the age of miracles is behind us. But in my book, also called Divine Invasions, I take you straight to the scriptures to show you that God still breaks into our lives with his extraordinary power. He still provides. He still protects. He still heals. When you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory, I'll make sure a hardcover copy is sent to your home right away. And here's what your generosity accomplishes. When you give to support Pathway to Victory, you help us carry this hope into homes where despair has settled in, reaching the discouraged, the doubting, and the searching with the truth of God's Word because the word of God doesn't just change lives, it saves lives. And you make that possible. So get in touch with us today and request your copy of Divine Invasions while there's still time. And now, let's begin today's study in Romans 5. I titled my sermon One for All. Never underestimate the power of one person to make a difference. Every few years when the election cycle rolls around, there is an email that seems to make the rounds in everybody's inbox. It's an email that's sent out to point out how one vote can make a difference. And it goes something like this. In 1645, one vote gave Oliver Cromwell control of England. In 1776, one vote gave America the English language instead of the German language. In 1836, one vote elected Marcus Morton, governor of Massachusetts. In 1868, one vote saved President Andrew Johnson from impeachment. In 1875, just one vote changed France from a monarchy to a republic. In 1941, just one vote saved the Selective Service System just 12 weeks before Pearl Harbor was attacked. But one person also has the power for great evil. In 1923, just one vote gave Adolf Hitler the control of the Nazi party. That's pretty powerful evidence, isn't it, for the power of one vote? Friday afternoon as I was going over this, getting ready for today, I read that again, and I said something doesn't seem right about a couple of these things. So I went back and I researched it. And guess what? Every one of those things I just read to you is not true. It is a part of internet mythology. Not one of those things actually happened, which saying here is a great reason don't do your research on the internet. You better check out what you pick up on the internet. I thought Friday afternoon, what am I going to do? This was the way I was going to open the sermon today. And here's one great illustration ruined by the facts, you know. So I had to scramble Friday afternoon. I was in a panic. What am I going to do? But I'm happy to tell you that I found two historically reliable instances in which one vote vote actually did make a difference. One vote affected many many lives. The first historical instance in which one vote made a difference was when one man, his name was Adam, voted for disobedience to God. And the result was every human being who ever lived was condemned to death. The other instance is when another man named Jesus Christ voted for obedience to God. And his obedience has resulted in eternal life for millions who have trusted in him. And it's those two votes, the one vote for disobedience, the one vote for obedience to God that we're going to look at today. If you have your Bibles, I want you to turn to Romans chapter 5. Paul is going to share a fifth and perhaps the most important benefit of a right relationship with God. And that is it gives us union with a powerful savior, a union, a connection with a powerful savior. Look at chapter 5 verse 10. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his son, much more having been reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Now, that little preposition by, you can underline it and write in the word in. That's a better translation. We shall be saved in his life. Now, the last half of Romans 5 that we're looking at today introduces this concept of our connection with our our union with Jesus Christ. And the way Paul explains our union with Jesus is by contrasting it by our union, our oneness with Adam. Here's Paul message. Write it down. Just as Adam's disobedience brought condemnation to everyone, Christ's obedience to God brought salvation for some. Let me say it again. Just as Adam's disobedience brought condemnation to everyone, Christ's obedience brought salvation to some. Now, let's see how Paul develops that thought beginning in verse 12. Let's look at the first Adam. Look at verse 12. Therefore, just as through one man, he's talking about Adam, sin entered into the world and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned. Paul anticipates a lot of people are going to object to that saying that's just not fair that I would be held accountable for what somebody else did. Well, he talks about our connection to Adam in verse 13. Now, this is where I need you to stay with me. Look at what he says. For until the law, he's talking about the mosaic law, sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed. That means counted against you where there is no law. God gave Adam a law. Don't eat of this tree. But from the time to Adam until Moses, thousands, perhaps more years afterwards, from Adam until Moses, there was no specific law given to man. The law did not come until the time of Moses. Was there sin in the world during that time? Of course there was. But what Paul is saying is a legal truth. You can't charge somebody with violation of a specific command if that specific command is not known and is not there. That's what he's saying. Sin is not imputed, counted against a person where there is no law. But notice what he says in verse 14. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam until Moses, even those over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam. Even though there was no law from the time of Adam to Moses, did people die during that time? Of course they did. Were people sinning during that time? Of course they were. Think of the people in Noah's day. They were sinning. But they could not be charged for any specific sin because there was no specific law from the time of Adam and Moses. And yet they continued to die. So Paul says let's add up all the facts then to come to this answer, why do we sin and why do we die? Write this down. Here are four facts. Death is God's judgment for breaking his law. Everybody agree with that? The soul that sins shall die. Death is God's judgment for breaking his law. Secondly, Adam broke God's law and died. No doubt about that. Number three, not everyone since Adam has broken a specific law of God's. That's true. From Adam until Moses, there was no specific law. Number four, but everyone still dies. Even though they had no specific law, those from Adam to Moses still died. So why did they die? The same reason you and I die because of our connection to Adam. For as in Adam, Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:22, all die. But the fact is we are held guilty for Adam's sin. But if you think that is unjust, Paul's going to show us something even more unjust. Look at chapter 5 verse 14. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam until Moses even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, that is who had a commandment to break. Adam, who is a type of Jesus who is to come. In other words, just as Adam represented all of mankind and by his one act of disobedience, death came to everyone, so through another man, Jesus Christ, the last Adam, he made a decision that has the possibility of affecting millions and billions of people as well. It's the possibility of salvation. Look at verse 15 of chapter 5. But the free gift is not unlocked the transgression for if by the transgression of the one many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. Now, some of you, I can tell are a little bit angry about this. I can just see the mental emails being composed in some people's minds right now. I do not like this idea. It is unfair that I would inherit not only the tendency to sin, but I would absolutely inherit the guilt of Adam. That's not right to be held responsible for what somebody else does. What Paul is saying is if you think that's unfair, I'll show you something even more unfair, that you and I should get credited with the righteousness of Jesus Christ because of what he did on the cross for us. That's an unfairness, so to speak, that works for our benefit. And so beginning in verse 15, Paul is going to contrast the disobedience of Adam that led to the condemnation of everyone to the salvation that comes by Christ's obedience to God. And he does so by pointing out three contrast between the condemnation that came from Adam's sin and the salvation that came from Christ's obedience. Write these statements down. Condemnation. Condemnation came after one sin. Salvation came after many sins. Look at verse 16. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For on the one hand, the judgment arose from the one transgression resulting in condemnation. But on the other hand, the free gift arose after many transgressions resulting in justification. If you want to know how intolerant God is towards sin, just look at what he did to Adam in the garden. One measly sin. One bite from that apple or kumquat or whatever it was. One little sin. And God damns the entire human race. Now, isn't that a little bit of an overreaction on God's part? I mean, why can't God be more tolerant and more forgiving? I mean, we just don't understand why God would react in such a harsh way. You know the reason we think that way? We think God is just as indifferent towards sin as we are. We sin and we don't think anything about it because we don't understand the holiness of God. It just took one sin to bring God's judgment against all mankind. But here's the difference, and here is the the testimony to the grace of God. Condemnation came after one sin. But salvation came after many sins. And that is a message of hope for some of you today. Some of you are not yet Christians. You think God could never forgive me because of what I've done. You don't understand the kind of sin that I've been involved in. God could never forgive me. Notice what he says in verse 20. And the law came in that the transgression might increase, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more. That word abounded literally means super abounded. As the sin of mankind increased, the grace of God even increased more. And ladies and gentlemen, the good news of the gospel is you cannot out sin the grace of Jesus Christ. His blood is sufficient to cover you of all of your sin. Now, listen to me. This is not an excuse for a Christian to keep on sinning. In fact, Paul anticipates that response when we get to chapter 6 next week. He says, shall sin increase that grace may abound? In other words, if I enjoy sinning and God enjoys forgiving, why don't we both have a good time? I'll just sin more and God can forgive more and we both get what we want. Shall sin increase so that grace may abound more? He says, may it never be. For how can those who have died to sin still live in it? A word I have is Christians the same attitude towards sin that God has, a zero tolerance level for it. But this is a passage that talks about before we become a Christian. You cannot out sin the grace of God. Condemnation was the result of one sin. Salvation came after many sins. Secondly, contrast between Adam and Christ. Condemnation resulted in death. Salvation results in life. Imagine you work for a company whose CEO makes a terrible decision, sends the company into a tail spin, there are massive layoffs, thousands of people including you lose your job. The board of directors finally realizes they've got a dunce as a CEO. They fire him and put a new guy in there who turns the company around. And so he goes back and he rehires everybody including you who had lost his job. But not only does he give you back your original position, he promotes you to a brand new higher position. That last CEO was certainly better than the first one was, isn't he? That's the same thing that happens when we become a Christian. Through Jesus Christ, we have not only been restored to where Adam was. We get a promotion from Adam. Did you know that? See, Adam was sinless, but he wasn't righteous. To be sinless means simply he hadn't sinned yet. But if Adam hadn't Adam had not sinned that first time, he could have sinned any time after that. He was sinless, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to sin. He had the choice. But when we become a Christian and trust in Christ, God declares us righteous. That's different. Righteous means we are in a right standing with God and nothing can ever change that position with God. And not only are we declared righteous, notice he says in verse 17, we have been elevated to reign through the one Jesus Christ. God promotes us to be a co-ruler with Jesus Christ over this entire universe. Condemnation it resulted in death. Salvation results in life. Third, and this is the most important contrast. Condemnation is automatic. Salvation is optional. Look at verse 17 again of chapter 5. For if by the transgression of the one death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one Jesus Christ. Now, listen to me. If you read this passage today and don't read it carefully, here's the conclusion you could come up with. And it's a deadly conclusion. You could say, okay through one man, Adam, everybody was condemned. Through Jesus and his death on the cross everybody is saved. Seems like a logical conclusion until you read the text. Notice in verse 17 he says, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign through Jesus Christ. Here's where Adam's actions and Christ's actions are contrasted. Everybody is affected by Adam's sin. But only those who receive God's gift of forgiveness are affected by Christ's righteousness. Paul said it this way in 1 Corinthians 15:22, as in Adam all die. So in Christ all shall be made alive. Who is in Adam? Who's connected to Adam? Everyone. So we are automatically condemned because we are connected to Adam. In Adam all die. But only those who are in Christ shall be made alive. Who's in Christ? Not everyone, only those who receive verse 17 says the gift of righteousness. Let me illustrate it for you this way. This principle that condemnation is automatic, salvation is optional. When we used to live in Wichita Falls, if you wanted to fly anywhere, you had to come to Dallas first in a little puddle jumper of a plane. Then you would switch planes and you'd go to wherever you wanted to go and the same thing coming back. So let's say I want to go to Los Angeles. I'd come to Dallas, switch planes, go to Los Angeles, and then on the way back home when I was ready to come home I couldn't come directly home. I'd get in this big airplane and go from Los Angeles to Dallas. Now, everybody on that big airplane was headed to one destination to Dallas. Los Angeles to Dallas, everybody on that plane was going to land in Dallas. But if I wanted to go someplace else other than Dallas, I had to unstrap myself from that plane. I had to get another ticket, and I had to get on a much smaller plane to take me where I really wanted to go home. Ladies and gentlemen, it's the same way with your eternal destination. Whether you know it or not right now, you're headed to a destination called hell. Every one of us who is ever born into this world is automatically on that plane, so to speak, headed to that destination. It's because of our connection to Adam we are in Adam. If you don't believe that, the fact that you begin to die the moment you're born is proof that you've inherited Adam's corruption and his guilt as well. We're all headed there. In fact, if you want to go to hell you don't have to do anything. Just a few moments when we give our invitation, you just stay right where you are in your pew. Just keep your hands on the top of the pew there. Figure that this invitation isn't for you. Leave here today the same way you came in, and guess what? You'll end up in that destination separated from God forever. But if you've come to the point that you want a different destination, a different home it takes another ticket. It takes another transport, so to speak, to get you to heaven. You have to get off, do a U-turn in the direction you're headed. You need another ticket that will take you to your intended destination, heaven. Here's the good news of the gospel. That ticket has already been purchased for you. There's no way you and I could ever earn it. There's no amount of money, no amount of good works we could ever perform to merit it. It's available to everyone who receives it as a gift. That's what he says in verse 17. Those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign through Jesus Christ. Condemnation is automatic. Salvation is optional. John said it this way in John 1:12, but as many as received him, Christ to them he gave the power to become the children of God, even those who believe on his name. At Pathway to Victory, it's our mandate to teach the clear doctrinal truth of the Bible. And this one-week mini study in Romans called Grace-Powered Living falls right in line with our mission. You see, the whole message of Romans is that we can't earn our way to God. Salvation isn't a wage we work for. It's a gift we receive. And that truth changes everything about how we live. When you stop striving to earn what Christ has already purchased, you're finally free to live in the fullness of his grace. That's what Grace-Powered Living is all about. And this is exactly the kind of teaching your partnership makes possible. Every day thanks to friends like you, Pathway to Victory carries the clear truth of God's Word into cars and homes across our country and around the world, reaching people who've never understood that a right relationship with God is available to them as a gift. Now, let me remind you that for just a few more days I'd love to send you my brand new book Divine Invasions as my thanks for your generous gift to support Pathway to Victory. In it, I'll show you from scripture how God still invades our ordinary lives with his extraordinary power. You'll also receive a set of eight Divine Invasions Encouragement Cards. But please don't wait. This extended offer won't last long. So please get in touch with us today. Here's David to tell you more.
David J. Mullins: You're invited to request a hardcover copy of Dr. Jeffress's brand new book Divine Invasions when you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory. Just call 866-999-2965. Visit ptv.org or text PTV to 78800. And when your gift is $100 or more, we'll also send you in addition to the book this month's teaching series on audio and video disc along with the companion study guide. To request these resources, call 866-999-2965 or make your request online at ptv.org. You could always write to us if you'd like, PO Box 223609, Dallas, Texas 75222. That's PO Box 223609, Dallas, Texas 75222. I'm David J. Mullins. If God is willing to forgive all of our sins, past and future then why can't we just keep on sinning after we're saved? Dr. Jeffress answers that very important question Tuesday here on Pathway to Victory. Pathway to Victory with Dr. Robert Jeffress comes from the pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. The apostle Paul sailed these waters, walked these streets, and the church was never the same.
Dr. Robert Jeffress: I'm inviting you to follow in Paul 's footsteps on the Pathway to Victory Journeys of Paul Cruise through the stunning Greek islands into ancient Ephesus and many other destinations as well. This is purposeful travel at its finest. Set sail May 14, 2027. Call 888-280-6747 or visit ptv.org. You made it to the end of today's podcast from Pathway to Victory. And we're so glad you're here. Pathway to Victory relies on the generosity of loyal listeners like you to make this podcast possible. One of the most impactful ways you can give is by becoming a Pathway partner. Your monthly gift will empower Pathway to Victory to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and help others become rooted more firmly in his word. To become a Pathway partner, go to ptv.org/donate or you can follow the link in our show notes. We hope you've been blessed by today's podcast from Pathway to Victory. Oh, and one last thing before we go, don't forget to reserve your spot on the 2027 Journeys of Paul Mediterranean Cruise. Now, you've heard me and Dr. Jeffress talk about this Bible conference at sea. And cabins, well, they're going quickly. Just picture yourself aboard the beautiful Celebrity Infinity sailing round trip from Athens. Now, each day you'll gather for biblical teaching, worship, and fellowship. And then you'll step ashore to stand where Paul stood in Ephesus and walk the streets of Thessaloniki where his letters still speak to the church today. Nine unforgettable nights with more biblical destinations along the way. Every meal prepared, every detail taken care of, plus the joy of traveling with like-minded believers. There's also an optional pre-cruise extension in Athens. To book your spot, go to ptv.org.