How does Christ conquer the reign of death?

In Romans 5:17 Paul emphasizes that with Christ, the reversal of the damnation of sin begins. Death may seem to be irreversible, for through the transgression of one man death has gained a hold over all and no one is able to escape this reign of death, which is the ultimate end of all. However, now God launches the counter-revolution—the counter-revolution of grace through the gift of righteousness. Those who receive this gift will partake in the life of Christ. Through this one Jesus Christ they will reign eternally. The dying are made alive and those under the rule of death are made rulers.

In Romans 5:18–19 Paul repeats this by rephrasing it as follows: Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Paul does not mean this in a static, but in a historic sense. As such he can also speak about the meaning and significance of the law in the time between the first man and second Man (Romans 5:20). The apostle does not speak about punishment and acquittal in an abstract sense but rather about a concrete historical event through which the long-hidden mystery is made known, on time (Romans 5:6) and at long last (Romans 16:25–26). The mystery of a Redeemer of life, who descends into the seemingly invincible kingdom of death that has already ruled for so long. This is the Man who concludes the reign of death by conquering over all the havoc that was wrought by the man at the beginning.¹