Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sin – (13) (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. (14) Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. (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 grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.
When sin entered the world through Adam’s act of disobedience God established a union between the first man and his posterity. Adam acted, was judged and condemned by God, His sin became the Pandora’s box of human history. All men became corrupt in their hearts and behavior. Man doesn’t just sin, this became his/her depraved nature.
When sin entered the world no man could break the judgment for no man was free from sin. Sin was in the world but not the Law so no one was guilty of sin but all died. But in Genesis, God told man that the remedy for this judgment was the promise of the Messiah to come. Adam was a type (shadow) of this second man, Christ Jesus. Christ was true God and true man, He was born without sin and was the only one who could break the transgression of Adam. It’s faith, not our acts or deeds that save us, just as it was Adam’s act, not our independent deeds that condemned us
Justification of the faithful is based not on man’s deeds but only Christ’s. This justification corresponds to Adam’s one deed resulting in condemnation of all – not of mans deeds but the actions of the first man. THe Bible is the story of God’s remedy in Christ as God reckoned to us the righteousness of Christ. Our sins are covered through faith and our sanctification is progressive from the moment of faith. Justification is by faith, not by our deeds. We are pardoned and purified in faith in the saving act of Christ Jesus. The doctrine of original sin and our subsequent release from damnation in Christ should make us wild with joy and gratitude.
It’s hard to understand and accept this doctrine of original sin but it sure explains what we see in this world – the universality of evil and our constant battle against our basest instincts. Only one man inserted into history, Christ Jesus, could and did get us right with God. Only Christianity teaches this remedy.