Romans 5:12-21

Rules matter; rules keep us safe.  I am the father of three girls, and they lived by my rules until they grew old enough to rule themselves.  My rules were not harsh or arbitrary.  My rules were to keep them safe.  I told them to look before crossing the street.  I told them, never play with my power tools, and never handle a gun without supervision.  Quite often, children break the rules and nothing bad happens.  Parents must make sure that their children know when they break the rules there are consequences;otherwise breaking the rules becomes a habit, and tragedy strikes. 

God was the father of Adam, and he gave Adam some rules.  Adam deliberately disobeyed God.  Adam sinned, and the whole world died.  It does not sound fair, but it does sound true.  At least it sounds true when you understand the destructive power of sin. Adam’s disobedience broke his relationship with God.  It ended his immortality, and sentenced him and all his offspring to death.  It also released a power of sin/evil into the world. Bodies that God created to live forever are now subject to disease and decay.  Children, who God intended to be born in right relationship with him, are now born estranged from Him.  Instead of growing in grace, children now grow up in conflict and selfishness.

Theologians debate the nature and root cause of Adam’s sin.  Eve surrendered to the temptation of disbelief.  Adam desired to please Eve more than he desired to obey God.  Both desired to find a shortcut to wisdom and knowledge.  Was the deadly sin selfishness, disbelief, or was it limited to disobedience?  Perhaps it was a combination of all three.  Regardless Adam sinned and humanity died.

Sin is still deadly. Personal sin still has destructive consequences for our children, our communities and our world.  Sin still releases the power of evil.  We cannot choose to rule our own lives; that is not an option.  We have only one choice; either sin or Christ will reign.