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by
Rev. W. H. Griffith Thomas, D. D.
"As the Judgement came unto all men, even
so
the free gift came unto all men."
Rom. 5:18-19
Copied from "The Presbyterian"
June 1932
By Permission
Scripture Studies Concern
1050 East Grand Boulevard
Corona, California
1956
As mankind's connection with
Adam involved him in certain death, through sin, so his relation
to Christ insures to him life without fail. Thus these verses
give us the logical centre of the Epistle. They are the very central point
to which everything that precedes converges, and out of which everything
that follows will flow. The great ideas of sin, death and judgement
are here shown to be involved in the connection of the human race with
Adam, but over against this we have the blessed fact of a union with Christ,
and in this union, righteousness and life. This double headship of mankind
in Adam and Christ shows the significance of the work of redemption for
THE ENTIRE RACE.
Up to the present point the Apostle has been dealing with sins, as they
are expressed in human life but now he proceeds to deal with sin, the principle
from which all expressions proceed. He thus goes to the root of
the trouble-- original sin, and shows the disease and its remedy.
Although he has clearly proved our justification from sins, there still
remains the question of the old nature, and now he is about to show how
we obtain deliverance from SIN as well as from sins. He ranges mankind
under two heads-- Adam and Christ. There are two men, two acts, and
two results. In this profound teaching we have the spiritual and
theological illustrations of the great modern principle of solidarity.
There is a solidarity of good, but the latter far surpasses the former
in the quality of the obedience of Christ as compared with Adam, and in
the effects of the work of Christ for justification and life. It
will be seen that the purpose of the section is not to teach original sin,
but assuming it as a fact, to show how divine grace overcomes it in ALL
(5:18) . . . God points out that every aspect of 3:21-26 has hitherto been
elaborated except one, that which deals with "unto all them that believe,"
and thus the UNIVERSALITY of Christ's salvation is here treated in relation
to THE ENTIRE RACE. This view of the passage, giving the great central
feature and focus of the Epistle is really vital to the true interpretation
of Romans.
Verse 18. We have on the one side as the cause one lapse and the
effects extending to all mankind for condemnation. We have on
the other side one just sentence of acquittal, and the effect extending
to all mankind for justifying that carries with it LIFE . . . If "the many"
were involved in sin and death through the agency of the one man Adam,
"much more" may we believe that "the many" will be involved in righteousness
and life through the agency of the One Man, Christ Jesus."
In
the following arrangement the two parts of the passage are placed in parallel
columns as an aid in comparing them. Notice the close correspondence
of the of the clauses. (See the American Standard Revised Version).
A
STRIKING COMPARISON
Rom. 5:18-19
Consequently then,
AS EVEN SO
Through one trespass
Through one righteous act
The judgment came
The free gift came
Unto all men
Unto all men
To condemnation
To justification of Life
FOR
AS
EVEN SO
Through the disobedience
Through the obedience
Of the one man
Of the One
The many
The many
Were made sinners
Shall be made righteous
Adam's one offense brought judgment to all men to their condemnation. None escape this condemnation to death. "All are dying" (1Corth. 15:22). EVEN SO, Christ's one act of righteousness brings the free gift unto all men to their justification of life. Not one will be left out. "All shall be made alive" (1 Corth. 15:22).
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