Sermon Discussion: Am I in Adam or in Christ?
Romans 5:12–21
Main Idea: Our right standing with God and our freedom from condemnation are forever anchored in the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Discussion Questions:
1. Before this sermon how would you have described what it means to be “personally bound to Adam’s rebellion”? What verses would you have used to support your understanding?
2. How does Paul use the fact that humans died between Adam and the Law of Moses to demonstrate that “Human beings are held personally liable for Adam’s sin?”
3. How does Adam’s failure help us understand the true impact of Jesus’ obedience? (i.e., what is the pattern he wants us to see between Adam and Jesus?)
4. How does the “one” and “all” comparison in Rom 5:18 help us grasp the incomparable difference of being “in Adam” or “in Christ”?
6. How are human beings “doubly guilty in Adam”?
Application Questions:
5. What impacted you the most in this message?
6. How might the theological principle of “imputation” or “crediting” protect us from the “double-edged sword” of personal identity?
7. How might the objective difference between being “in Adam” and in Christ” (below) protect us from our subjective thoughts and feelings about ourselves when we fail: God, other people, or our expectations of ourselves?
Negatively: every human being on the face of the planet is counted just as if we sinned “in Adam” even though we never sinned like Adam.
Positively: every true believer on the face of the planet is counted just as if we perfectly obeyed “in Jesus” even though our righteous deeds are nowhere close the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ.
8. How might the objective difference between being “in Adam” and in Christ” (above) help you council a fellow believer:
Who feels hopelessly defined by their failures.
Who is constantly comparing themselves to other people?
Who use their Biblical knowledge or “impeccable” rule-keeping to demean fellow Christians.
9. How can the unalterable truth that God has credited you with the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ fuel your personal pursuit of God?
10. What do you sense God calling you to do as a result of this message?