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— (ESV)

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned— (NIV)

Have you ever wondered, “What is wrong with the world?” …Me too. You don’t have to scroll the news or social media very long before you realize that the world is a broken place. That’s not to say, there is nothing good in the world. As we’ve followed the Story of Redemption, we’ve seen that God created the world and made it good. The entire cosmos is marked by the glory of God. The ocean shows us the creativity of God. The sunrise shows us the beauty of God. And the stars show us the vastness of God. There is beauty to be found everywhere you look. And yet, in spite of all the beauty we see, there is still a profound brokenness and death that we also see and feel.

The Bible teaches that the brokenness we see in the world is the result of sin. As God chose to create man, He also had a desire to be loved by His creation. He told Adam and Eve that all the He was and all the He gave them in the garden, was enough. Enough to sustain them, to satisfy them, and to give them everlasting joy and glory. But, He didn’t create us and  force us to love Him, for that wouldn’t be love. Therefore, He placed a tree in the center of His creation, and told our parents, Adam and Eve, not to eat from it or it would bring death upon them. In the first chapters of scripture we see them almost immediately, willfully rebel against these very instructions by eating from the forbidden tree. Sin and death immediately entered this world. Now, although Adam and Eve didn’t physically die until a couple hundred years later, they did experience an immediate spiritual death which resulted in shame, fear, curse, and separation from almighty God. They were cast from the Garden and the presence of God. 

As we continue to read the rest of the old testament scroll, we see murder, war, death, and a whole lot of other evil, but behind the scenes we can see a Creator who is working to redeem all His creation, through His chosen people. God continued to write His story for redemption, and although man intended for many things for evil, God intended it for their good. He remains faithful, even as men time and time again reveal their unfaithfulness to Him. 

By the suffering, exodus, and deliverance of God’s people, the stage is set for the Second Adam, Jesus. We see in Romans 5 that just as death came to all men through the trespasses of Adam, much more will forgiveness and life come through the Son of God, Jesus. Jesus is our perfect Adam by living a faithful life, dying for the unfaithful, and raising from the dead three days later. Through death, life has been brought forth. 

Although corruption is not a fun or hope filled theme, we must start with understanding our need for salvation in order to truly desire it. So bear with us for three more weeks as we seek to understand the true meaning and weight of our corruption and condemnation, so that we can begin to truly thirst for the salvation found in Christ alone!

In the Kingdom of God, there is power in weakness, steadfastness in suffering, hope where there is none, and even eternal salvation for those greatly corrupt. What man intends for evil, God intends for good. 

–But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. Romans 15:5 (ESV)