ROMANS UNWRAPPED 91

Romans 5v18-19:
The authorised version somewhat masks the true meaning here, with the addition of the italics: the verses should read as follows;
"Therefore as by one offence unto all men unto condemnation, even so one righteousness unto all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were constituted sinners, so also by the obedience of one shall many be constituted righteous."

This is Paul's summing up of all he has said before: repetition is a necessary way of communication, particularly on something so important. This is without doubt a vital truth, we can depend upon it. Notice how he puts it;
"ONE OFFENCE.......ONE ACT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS." v18
"ONE MAN'S DISOBEDIENCE...........ONE MAN'S OBEDIENCE" v19

There is nothing clearer, God is dealing with the human race under two heads, Adam and Christ.
The one offence of one man(Adam) was imputed to all men bringing condemnation: the one obedience of one man(Christ) is imputed to all believers bringing justification. You see the truth of imputation? The best illustration of this is in Paul's letter to Philemon, Philemon 1v18,  writing to his friend about the runaway slave, Onesimus, who was returning to his master, "but if he wronged you or owes you ought PUT THAT ON MINE ACCOUNT". In other words, says Paul transfer all his wrongs and all his debts to me! This is the meaning of imputation, and applied here in Romans 5 the one sin of Adam was transferred to every member of Adam's race, we were born in sin, we were born under condemnation: in like manner the one accomplished righteousness of Jesus Christ can be transferred to us!!! What an absolutely amazing truth this is!; it is good news indeed, it is gospel truth and you can depend upon it. You see how he brings these two things together?  MAN'S RUIN and GOD'S REMEDY!........ V18 "As by one offence........even so by one righteousness" then in V19 he says "As by one man's disobedience..........so also by one man's obedience".

You see the beauty of this, the wonderful Divine symmetry? You may protest at the idea of another man's sin condemning you, especially before you were born, but you'll take the thought of one perfect man's goodness being transferred to you. There is not one sinner outside of the mercy of God; the only thing keeping you from salvation is your self-will. Get right with God and do it now.

The word he uses in v19 is interesting- "constituted". In Adam we are constituted sinners, in Christ we are constituted righteous. This word is similar to imputation, and means "set down in the rank of" or "placed in the category of". In the matter of our standing with Him, He is dealing with us in groups,  two groups, in Adam, or in Christ. Now most of us have lived to make our situation worse, by committing sin upon sin upon sin:  Christ has dealt with all that, as well as original sin received from Adam. There is a huge misunderstanding surrounding all this: believing Christian people are no better than those who do not believe, the only difference is they are in Christ, and not in Adam; they contributed nothing to their salvation, in the words of bishop Lightfoot, "only the sin that needed to be removed". Jesus said to the woman accused of adultery "neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more". Only He could say that for He is the Saviour.


Condemnation, and Justification are legal terms, a JUDICIAL ACT OF GOD. They are "set in stone", they will not be altered. Tis bad enough if we go on sinning, either by ignoring Him, or actively rebelling against Him, it is impossible to reverse His judicial condemnation on all of us except through Christ.

We are thus confronted with the stark truth of the universality of sin, and the universality of death from one sin of one man. We are also informed that the work of the second man is more than enough to make it right. This is not a matter of feelings, it is based on verifiable, historical facts; you either believe them or you don't. What is laid before us is a choice, a choice between eternal condemnation, or eternal righteousness in Christ: either to suffer the penalty of Adam's sin and that of your own forever, or to enjoy unsearchable riches with God.


Tomorrow d.v. the obedience of Christ.