Romans 5:13
13 (For [gar] until [achri] the law [nomos] sin [hamartia] was [en] in [en] the world [kosmos]: but [de] sin [hamartia] is [ellogeo] not [ou] imputed [ellogeo] when there is [on] no [me] law [nomos]. KJV-Interlinear
13 for sin indeed was in the
world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. ESV
All too often people point to the Mosaic law or the
ten Commandments, as their guide for life. But they fail to realize that the
ten Commandments are only a small part of the Mosaic law, all of which form the
basis for death.
God is fair. Where there is no law, then there is no
transgression. Where there is no law, there is no sin.
But the law is not restricted to the writings of
Moses, but extends backward and forward throughout all time.
If there were no law, then there would be no sin. And
if there is no sin then there will be no death. And yet from the time of Adam
there has been both sin and death, which proves that there is a law even though
it was not written.
Paul points out in this verse and in the next seven
verses through verse twenty, that the grace of God covers three major periods
of time. The first period, relates to the time of Adam, where Adam had direct
contact and instruction from Christ while in the garden.
The second period, relates to the long interval of
time occurring between Adam and Moses, where there was no written law.
The third period, follows the written law from the
time of Moses forward into the future.
The grace of God, and Gods Plan, took into
consideration all aspects of each of these three phases of time.
Adam had direct instruction from God, and he failed. Humanity
had moral instruction, even though there was no written law. And humanity
failed between the time of Adam and Moses. Since the time of Moses, and the
written Mosaic law, the failure of humanity is even more documented as a
failure in sin, resulting in death.
One does not need a written law in order to know the
difference between right and wrong. Right is right, and wrong is wrong. And
behind all of that lies the intent of man, and that is the foundation from
which man fails in sin.
Adam had direct contact with Christ in the garden, and
therefore Adam is a type, or pattern, of Christ because of that instruction.
All of humanity is in Adam, and therefore in sin, because of their genetic
relationship to Adam.
Those who believe in Christ, become descendants of
Christ not through genetics but by means of faith, which establishes their
spiritual second birth, which is a better birth than the original physical
first birth.
So regardless of whether there is a written law, or
regardless of whether a person is aware of a written law, is irrelevant. The
Israelites possessed the written law and they failed. The people of the world
prior to Moses had no written law, and the people of the world outside of
Israel had no access to a written law, but everyone had moral law, from which
all have failed.
So regardless of your state or status in the world,
failure is still failure. But in Christ is the answer to all failure, and the
solution to sin and death.
God is fair. If there were no law, then there would be
no death. But such is not the case. Because since the time of Adam, all have
sinned, all have failed, and all are subject to the repercussions of sin, which
is death. And death in this respect means eternal separation from God.
These
studies, are a part of the massive daily study web site at DailyBibeStudy.Org,
that is easily accessible, and are written, so that you can come to Christ if
you have not done so already, and therefore not be lost forever.
And
if you have already believed in Christ, then these studies are written so you
can learn and understand and grow in your spiritual life, so that you can come
to the full knowledge of Christ, so that you can fulfill your meaning and
purpose in life as God intended for you, and so you can qualify for a
phenomenal eternal reward which you will have forever.
To
ignore this opportunity to pursue a daily study means you will be incomplete,
unfulfilled and you will lose out, big time.
The
Daily Bible Study is online, making it possible as never before in all of human
history, to advance in ones relationship with God, through Christ, and to complete
yourself beyond your imagination.
But
you have to decide to make that commitment.
No one else can study for you.
You have to do that yourself.
