Sin was in the world before the law was given

[Romans 5:12-21]

Please refer to Romans 5:13-14:
"To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come."

The Bible states that sin was present in the world even before the law was given (verse 13). Here, the "law" refers to the commandments that God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai after the Israelites had left Egypt (Exodus 20:1-17; see also Deuteronomy 5:6-21). Therefore, when the text says "before the law," it refers to the time from Adam’s sin (Genesis 3) to the giving of the law to Moses on Mount Sinai (Exodus 20), a period of about 2,500 years. During this time, sin was still present.

In fact, from Genesis 3 to Exodus 20, there are many instances of sin recorded in the Bible. For example, Cain, the firstborn of Adam, murdered his brother Abel (Genesis 4). When humans began to multiply on the earth (Genesis 6:1), the Lord saw that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time (Genesis 6:5). The world at that time was exceedingly wicked, corrupt, and filled with sin (Genesis 6:11, Modern Bible). This led to the flood during Noah’s time (Genesis 6-8). Another example is the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, who were exceedingly wicked and committed great sin (Genesis 18:20, Modern Bible). Even before the Israelites left Egypt, Pharaoh had committed many sins.

Romans 5:13 says, "For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law." From the time Adam sinned until Moses received the law from God on Mount Sinai (from Genesis 3 to Exodus 20), a span of approximately 2,500 years, people committed many sins, but they did not recognize them as sin. They did not fully understand the severity of sin or its consequences. As a result, they treated sin lightly and did not consider it seriously. However, the "law" makes sin known.

Consider Romans 3:20:
"Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin."
Here, we need to consider three purposes of the law (Internet):

1. To make us aware of sin and lead sinners to Christ,

2. To restrain sin through the fear of punishment,

3. As a rule of life for believers.

Therefore, the more we know God’s word, the more we understand sin and its gravity. However, if we are not familiar with the Bible, we commit sins unknowingly, not recognizing them as sin. The sins we commit unknowingly are far greater than those we commit knowingly. Thus, in order to fight against and overcome sin, we must earnestly learn and understand God’s word.

See Psalm 119:9, 11 (Modern Bible):
"How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."

Also, see Ephesians 6:11, 13:
"Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."
The first piece of armor mentioned is "Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist" (Ephesians 6:14).

We must be devoted to learning the truth. We should keep God’s word close and meditate on it day and night.

Romans 5:14 says:
"Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the same way that Adam did."

For about 2,500 years, people who lived from Adam to Moses did not commit the same sin as Adam. The "sin of Adam" refers to the disobedience in breaking God's command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17). This act of disobedience (Genesis 3:6) was an unlawful act (1 John 3:4), and it represented the breaking of the covenant of works that Adam, as the representative of humanity, had with God. This sin was unique to Adam.

From Adam to Moses, the sins committed by people were not the same as the sin Adam committed. In other words, they did not break the covenant of works with God in the way Adam did. To be more precise, the sins committed by people from Adam to Moses were the result of the sin that entered the world through one man, Adam (Romans 5:12). Even infants, who cannot break any law, cannot sin in the traditional sense, but the Bible says that through one man, Adam, sin entered the world, and as a result, all people sinned (Romans 5:12). This "all people" includes infants who cannot break any law.

So how can it be explained that infants also sinned? The answer is imputation. Because Adam, as the representative of humanity, sinned, his sin was imputed to all people. The Bible teaches that all people sinned in Adam (Romans 5:12). Adam's sin was passed down through generations, and it is not just the guilt of Adam's sin that is imputed to us, but also the corruption and fall of human nature (original sin). Consider Psalm 51:5:
"Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me."

Also, consider the Westminster Confession of Faith, 6.3:
"They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed to all their posterity, descending from them by ordinary generation, and the same death and corruption of nature was conveyed to all their posterity."

Romans 5:14 continues:
"Death reigned from Adam to Moses."

This phrase means that because of the sin of one man (Adam), death entered the world, and through sin, death came and reigned over all people (Romans 5:12). In other words, all people were subject to death. Therefore, there was no one who could overcome death. Even though Methuselah, Noah's grandfather, lived 969 years (Genesis 5:21), he still eventually died. Additionally, Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, who reigned from 230 BC to 221 BC and unified China, desperately sought the elixir of immortality, thinking it would make him immortal. However, after taking it, he shortened his own life. In the end, his dream of immortality was in vain, and he also died.

Romans 5:14 says, "Adam is a type of the one who was to come."
Who is "the one who was to come"? It is Jesus Christ.
In the second half of Romans 5:14, the Contemporary Bible translates it as: “… Adam is a type of Christ, who was to come."

The word "type" means that it is similar but not exactly the same. In other words, the first Adam and the second or last Adam, Jesus Christ, are alike, but also different. In Romans 5:12-14, there are both similarities and differences between Adam and Jesus Christ:

1. Similarities:

   • Representation: Both Adam and Jesus Christ are representatives. Adam is the representative of the old covenant, and Jesus Christ is the representative of the new covenant.

   • Imputation: Just as Adam's sin was imputed to all people, the righteousness of Jesus Christ has been imputed to all believers who trust in Him.

2. Differences:

   • Reigning as king: Through Adam's sin, death reigned over all (v. 14), but through Jesus Christ's righteous act (v. 18), believers will reign in life through Jesus Christ (v. 17).

Before the Law, there were people who did not die. One of them was Enoch. Enoch walked with God and was taken up without dying (Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5).
After the Law, there was also someone who did not die—his name was Elijah. He did not taste death but was taken up in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:1-11).
Those who are in Christ are those who overcome death. When Jesus returns, the saints who are alive will be transformed and enter heaven without experiencing death.

Another point is that "this gift" (Romans 5:15) and "this gift" (v. 16) are important. We were sinners and enemies of God, but the righteousness of Jesus Christ has been imputed to us, and God has declared us righteous. Through the grace of Jesus Christ, we have received the gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23).

Therefore, we must strive to know Jesus Christ!
Here is hymn 453 from the new hymnal, "I Want to Know More of Jesus":

Verse 1:
I want to know more of Jesus,
His great and wide grace,
And the love that redeemed me,
I want to know more of Him.

Verse 2:
The Holy Spirit be my Teacher,
And teach me the truth,
That I may understand His holy will
And come to know Jesus more.

Verse 3:
Receiving the influence of the Spirit,
I learn the Word of God,
Each verse, each line
Becomes a lesson to my heart.

Verse 4:
The throne where Jesus sits is surrounded by glory,
The Prince of Peace is coming,
And His kingdom will be established.

Chorus:
My lifelong wish, my lifelong wish,
Is to know the redeeming love of Jesus.

Look at Philippians 3:7-8:
"But whatever was gain to me, I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord..."
(Contemporary Bible:
"All the things that were once gain to me, I have now considered a loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I consider everything a loss because the knowledge of my Lord Christ Jesus is far more valuable...")

Let us strive to know Jesus Christ, and as we do, may we be thankful, rejoice, and praise and worship the Lord.