Paul here wants to make the connection between Christ and the first man, Adam. If we recall the story in Genesis 3 we see that through Adam’s sin death was introduced to the world. His eventual death, as a result of his sin, became the pattern for all of humankind. In thinking about this concept one is reminded of the Preacher in Ecclesiastes who writes that there is a time for everything, “a time to be born and a time to die.” As a result of sin entering the world, death is a reality in this life. It is unavoidable.
Given that example, Paul now turns to Christ and points out that, in a similar way to Adam, Jesus’ resurrection sets the pattern for all those who are in Christ. In this verse, Christ is affirmed as the means through which believers are made alive. Paul here invites us as readers to reaffirm our identity in Christ. The point is that the death produced by our solidarity with Adam has been overcome in Christ. So there is hope! Hope that Jesus is the bringer of life.