11.

How the gift of the right standing was lost and restored

Romans 5: 12-21

  • Session: 11
  • Week: 2
  • Day: 3
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Introduction

In this session, Romans 5: 12-21: We will also study how the right standing before God was lost through the sinning of the first Adam and how the right standing before God was restored through the death of the second Adam.

Objectives

By the end of this session, the learner will have:

  • Compared how the right standing was lost through Adam and how the right standing was restored through the second Adam, Jesus Christ.
  • Appreciated that the act of one person could affect other people either positively or negativity

Outline

  • The gift of right standing lost and restored
  • We are God’s friends
  • Gifts credited into our account

Group Study Time

Romans 5: 12-21

Connecting

  • Gather with two or more people for a community discovery bible study session.
  • Start with a heartfelt prayer, inviting God to guide and bless your understanding.
  • Explore the passage by reading it at least twice, using different Bible versions if available, then retell the story together as a group.
  • Reflect and share the challenges and blessings you experienced from the previous study.

Comprehending

  • Read Romans 5: 12-21. Describe how the right standing before God was lost through 1st Adam.
  • Describe how the right standing before God was restored through the 2nd Adam, Jesus Christ. Romans 5: 12-31
  • Compare the acts of the first Adam and the second Adam
  • What lessons do you learn about God’s gift of righteousness being put into our account?

Committing

  • Engage with the Bible—read, study, memorize, meditate, pray, listen, and live it out.
  • List three lessons you have learnt as an agent of change that you would like to put into practice and teach others about.
  • Take time and worship Jesus with the attributes revealed about Christ.
  • Use the SPACEPETS model, to assist you in putting God’s word into practice. Look for:
    • Sin to confess
    • Promise to claim
    • Attitude to change
    • Command to keep
    • Error to change
    • Prayer to make
    • Example to copy
    • Truth to obey and
    • Something praiseworthy

Communicating

  • Identify one person you can connect with and share the valuable insights and lessons you gained from this session.
  • Reach out to a new believer—either in person or by phone—and pray with them to support them through their challenges, including any concerns about attending church.
  • Create a new group and guide others through this study to help them grow in their understanding.

Post Lesson Teaching Summary

Great job completing the study! Take a moment to listen to this summary to reinforce your group’s understanding of the text and ensure you’re all on the same page. We’re here to support your learning journey!

How the gift of the right standing was lost and restored

Romans 5: 12-21

Romans 5:12-21

  • Context:
    • Guilt, a consuming fear of punishment for breaking God’s law, hinders believers; Romans 5:12-21 confronts this using the Luke 15 two-sons analogy.
    • Both sons (Jew and Gentile) inherit guilt from Adam, but Christ’s sacrifice frees them to serve without fear.
  • Guilt’s Origin (Romans 5:12-14):
    • Sin entered through Adam’s trespass (Genesis 3), bringing death and guilt to all descendants—Jews and Gentiles alike—before the law defined it.
    • Example: Adam and Eve hid, covering themselves futilely; God’s sacrifice (animal skins) foreshadowed grace, not their effort.
  • Condemnation vs. Gift (Romans 5:15-17):
    • Adam’s sin condemned many to death (separation from God); Christ’s righteous act (death) gifts grace and justification, overflowing to many.
    • One trespass brought judgment; Christ’s gift, despite many sins, restores right standing.
  • Two Adams Compared (Romans 5:18-21):
    • First Adam’s sin universally condemned; Second Adam (Jesus) universally justifies those who believe, reversing death with life.
    • Law amplified guilt, but grace abounds more through Christ’s sacrifice, paying sin’s wage (death, Ezekiel 18:20).
  • Application:
    • Jews aren’t superior—both sons share Adam’s guilt; faith in Christ’s payment removes it, enabling guilt-free service at the father’s table, not self-effort or fear.