In Romans 5.15-17, Paul compares and contrasts the trespass of Adam and the gift of Jesus Christ.Here’s what he writes:

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

Paul compares Adam and Jesus at one point. For both, the action of “the one man” affects “the many.” Adam and Jesus are representative men. Their actions uniquely affect us.

But Paul quickly overwhelms this single point of comparison with several strong contrasts. The first contrast he draws is between the nature of Adam’s and Jesus’ respective actions. Paul describes Adam’s act as a “trespass,” but Jesus’ act as a “gift.” A trespass is an illegal border crossing. Adam crossed the boundary between permitted and prohibited when he ate the forbidden fruit. He deserved to be judged. By contrast, a gift has nothing to do with what a person deserves. It is “grace,” that is, an undeserved favor.

The second contrast Paul draws is between the result of Adam’s and Jesus’ actions. Adam’s action is a trespass. It deserves judgment. And so, Paul writes, “the judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation.” The condemnation Paul speaks of is not merely Adam’s condemnation. It is ours too. In various ways, we also are trespassers of the boundary between permitted and prohibited. Thankfully, however, “the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.” Despite the fact that we have sinned again and again, Jesus’ death and resurrection makes it possible for us to experience God’s grace, again and again.

The final contrast Paul draws is between how Adam’s and Jesus’ actions affect our lives in the here and now. The choice before us is between life and death. For those stuck in Adam, “death reigned through the one man.” But those who have responded to faith in Jesus “reign in life.” Pay attention to the grammar here. For unbelievers, death reigns. It is the subject of the verb. It is in control. But by contrast, believers “reign in life through…Jesus Christ.” By the grace of God, we become the subjects of the verb. We are in control. We might say that sin makes us victims, but salvation makes us victors.

When you set Adam and Jesus side by side and contrast their respective actions, you see how much damage Adam’s trespass did to humanity, especially when we repeat his mistake. But you can also see how much more powerful Jesus’ gift of salvation is. And that gift is only the beginning of “God’s abundant provision of grace.”