Posted by Jesse Morrell on [09 Jan 2010 12:04AM]
In Reply to: Jessie and Webbie, please tell me what is going on in Romans 5:12 - 19 posted by a on [28 Dec 2009 07:17AM]
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'For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.' Romans 5:19

1.If we are going to apply the first section of the passage unconditionally and universally, we must also apply the second section of the passage unconditionally and universally, since the language for both is the same. If the first section means mankind is universally and unconditionally condemned in Adam, then the second section would mean that mankind is universally and unconditionally justified through Jesus. This verse also cannot mean that all men have the imputed sinfulness of Adam because then it would be saying that all men have the imputed righteousness of Christ. Nor can this verse be saying that all men inherit a sinful nature from Adam because then it would be saying that all men inherit a righteous nature from Christ.

2.The Augustinian interpretation of this passage, that all the children of Adam are automatically and unconditionally damned under the wrath of God for the sin of their Father, which occurred without their knowledge and without their consent, is contrary to the explicit justice of God (Deut. 24:16,2 Kng. 14:6, 2 Chron. 25:4, Jer. 31:29-30, Eze. 18:2-4, Eze. 18:19-20).

3.By Adam's disobedience of eating from the tree, Adam provided all mankind with the opportunity of choosing to be sinners, since moral knowledge has been granted to all men. A sinner is an individual who voluntarily chooses contrary to their moral knowledge. To say 'many were made sinners' means that many have chosen to sin, since a sinner is someone who first chooses to sin. The result of one man's disobedience (eating from the tree of knowledge) was that many were made sinners (men have chosen to be sinners). 'And the Lord God said, behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil' (Gen. 3:22). 'Jesus said unto them, if ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, we see; therefore your sin remaineth.' (John 9:41). 'Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.' (Jas. 4:17).

4.By Christ's obedience of hanging on the tree, Christ has provided all mankind with the opportunity of choosing to be saved, since remission of sin has been offered to all men upon condition of their repentance and faith.

5.This passage is not teaching that we contributed to Adam's sin, but that Adam contributed to our sin. It says by Adam's actions we have become sinners (We have chosen to sin).

6.The word 'made' used in these passages is not referring to a constitutional change, but referring to a conditional position which requires the consent of the will. Being a sinner is conditional upon choosing to sin. Likewise, being justified is conditional upon choosing to repent and believe. No man is damned without first his choice to sin and no man is justified without first his choice to repent. Man's damnation and man's justification both first require man's choice.

7.The idea that moral character can exist without the choice of the will is an absurdity and presupposes a Gnostic moral philosophy. Any interpretation that makes a man sinful or a sinner independent of his choice must be false. Moral character and consequently moral depravity is always voluntary.

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