The cry of Romans 7:24 `O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me

from the body of this death?' will startle us, as though we heard the echo of

our own heart's beat cry back to us.  One great dominant theme runs through

Romans 5:12 to 8:39, and this may be expressed in the language of Romans 8:2,

`For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the

law of sin and death'.  A study of this section will reveal what is the

nature and effect of this law of sin and death, and what is the nature and

effect of this law of the spirit of life.  The one we shall see is derived

from Adam, the first man, the other comes alone from Christ as the last Adam,

the second Man.  Both of these titles of Christ belong to Him in resurrection

triumph, and lead up to the words, `The sting of death is sin; and the

strength of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the

victory through our Lord Jesus Christ' (1 Cor. 15:56,57).

Here, in this quotation of 1 Corinthians 15 is written an anticipation

of Romans 5:12 to 8:39.  Romans 5:12-21 shows that by one man sin entered

into the world and death by sin -- `The sting of death is sin'.  Romans 6 to

8 proclaims that sin shall not have dominion over those who are not under the

law, but under grace; that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he

liveth, and that this dominion can be broken only by death and resurrection -

- `The strength of sin is the law'.  Romans 7 ends in the cry for

deliverance, which is answered, in Romans 8, by the law of the spirit of life

in Christ Jesus, the spirit of sonship, the spirit whereby we cry, Abba,

Father.  It reveals the present intercession of Christ -- `saved by His life'

-- and ends with the triumphant words, `more than conquerors', words which

echo 1 Corinthians 15:57: `Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory

through our Lord Jesus Christ'.

We enter, therefore, upon the study of Romans 5 in no unchastened

spirit of curiosity.  Too often the deep things revealed in Romans 5 have

been abused by immature reasonings concerning election and predestination,

all of which partake somewhat of the spirit of rebellion rather than

humility.  Here we are going to be told simple facts, not the underlying

principles hidden in the heart of God.  And yet, in His condescension, Romans

5:12 does open with a revelation of grace showing that all the true seed were

included in Adam that they may be also included in Christ.  (See the article

In Adam2).  This gracious purpose is found in the words of Romans 5:12

`Wherefore as' (dia touto hosper).  Dia touto means `because of this', `on

this account', and is translated `wherefore' in Ephesians 1:15 and 6:13,

where the connection with that which goes before is obvious.

The Ephesian saints were sealed until the redemption of the purchased

possession, and had the earnest of their inheritance in the Spirit of

promise.  Because of this, Paul could pray that they might know what is the

hope and the glory of this inheritance, and the power of present

anticipation.  So in Ephesians 6:13, the wrestling, being not with flesh and

blood, but with spiritual wickednesses; the necessity for the whole armour of

God is introduced by the words, `because of this'.  In Romans itself dia

touto is found in 1:26; 13:6 and 15:9 translated `for this cause', and in

4:16, `therefore', where the reader will find that the full sense is given by

rendering the words each time `because of this'.  Hosper, `as', is translated

`like as' in Romans 6:4, and when read with Romans 5:12 brings into vivid

contrast the two chief actors in the scene, Adam and Christ: