V.1-2 “Therefore” what a lovely word! What peace floods our soul. Through Christ, we, pardoned sinners, are lifted right up into the glory of God.
V.10 Notice the two sides of God’s salvation. One side (the past), through the death of the Lord Jesus. The other side (present) through the life of the Lord Jesus now. Up to the end of verse 11, “sins” (not sin) have been the subject. But starting with verse 12 “sin” is spoken about. “Sin” is the fallen nature, “sins” the acts of that nature. “Sin” is the root: “sins” are the fruit.
V.12-21 Adam was a picture of the old life. Christ is the new life. Each is head of a family. We all were born once into Adam’s family. We must be born again into Christ’s family. “Sin, trespass, disobedience, condemnation and death” are contrasted (the opposite) with “righteousness justification and obedience.” We are all in one or the other position.
V.21 Sin is like a king. Like a slave-owner. We were the slaves. Sin is a power outside us. It is an enemy. The world today, apart from Christ, is under the power or control of sin (go back to Rom. 3:99What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; (Romans 3:9)). Christ had to come down and defeat sin on its own ground (Rom. 8:33For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (Romans 8:3)). If you are in Christ (a believer in Him) you have entered into this victory, and are delivered from that awful power of sin (Rom. 6:18; 7:24-2518Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. (Romans 6:18)
24O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. (Romans 7:24‑25)). But now “grace” is the king. Grace reigns! But we are not yet delivered from the presence of sin. This subject comes up tomorrow. Chapter 5 tells us what we have through Christ. Chapter 6 what we are in Christ.