Continued from previous post.
“Now the free gift (justification to life) is not like the offense. For if through the offense of one (man, Adam) many be dead (under condemnation to death), much more the grace of God (the gracious plan of salvation), and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many." (Rom 5:15) Paul here begins to zero in on his main subject, a contrast between original sin and the act, which brings redemption. Although the ransom is a corresponding price, a perfect life for a perfect life, Paul is emphasizing the differences between the redemption and the sin for which it atones. The original sin was of one man; the atoning act covered the sins of many. The original sentence was for one act of disobedience; the atonement covers a multitude of transgressions, i.e. the sins of the whole world.
The fact is that Jesus’ death was the equivalent or corresponding price for Adam’s sin and penalty, and quite sufficient to legally effect the release of every member of the race.
The economical feature of the Divine Plan is a most wonderful thought. By one man's disobedience God permitted the results of that transgression to affect all of Adam's children. All mankind were involved under the original sin, of the one man.
"Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men." (Rom 5:12)
Then in due time God so arranged that the sin of the one man, Adam, would be met by the Man Christ Jesus; that thus Adam would in due time be freed from the death penalty; and that all his children, who inherited death as well as weakness and imperfection through him, would also be amenable to this one redemption--that the one Ransom-price was sufficient for Adam and all his posterity.
“Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment (i.e. the sentence or curse) came to all men (extensively) resulting in condemnation… (All fall short of the glory of God, there is none righteous, no not one) even so through one man’s righteous act (the Man Christ Jesus who gave his life a ransom for all) the free gift (redemption from the Adamic curse) came to all men (co-extensively) resulting in (the sentence of) justification of life.” (Rom 5:18)
God’s justice which is very precise and exacting cannot be changed nor altered, thus what he declares to be, shall be. “My counsel (my purpose or will) shall stand” Isa 46:10; 55:11
God has declared that the “wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23), therefore in no way can he free the sinner from this sentence, the penalty must be fully met and that in accordance with the law which he himself has laid down as he expressed to Israel, “Life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth” (Exod 21:23-24).
It was a perfect man who had sinned therefore in order to meet the claims of justice it must be a perfect man who must pay the penalty, nothing short of this would do.
And so Christ taking the form of a bond-servant (Phil 2:7) became flesh NOT simply part flesh, for example 50% flesh and 50% spirit, nor 100% human and 100% spirit as some of our Trinitarian friends suggest, No! This would not do he must of needs in order to fulfill divine justice become an ACTUAL 100% human being, howbeit a perfect human being, for as you recall it was a perfect human being who had sinned. God’s justice being very exact, very precise cannot accept anything less than the exact requirements of the law, an exact corresponding price, something of equal value NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS; to be otherwise would be UN-just.
The Scriptures are quite clear on this matter Adam was created a fleshly being, flesh and blood; there is absolutely no mention anywhere in the Scriptures that he was anything more than this. He was not possessed of a dual nature, part spirit and part human, but was completely flesh, besides God’s own law as expressed in the Genesis account forbids the combination of two natures, besides being evil like their parents why do you imagine the LORD destroyed the offspring (the Nephilim) of the fallen angels, it was because God had not authorized such a race of beings a mixture of both angelic and human natures, spirit and flesh.
What we are trying to say here is that our Lord in order to become mans ransom or anti-lutron a corresponding price must under the terms of divine justice in order to fulfill the law become an actual man, be made flesh as fleshly and as human as Adam was.
And thus it was that he was “made (brought forth) a little lower than angels for the suffering of death (this lower nature the perfect human nature is but one step below that of the perfect spirit nature, this nature he took in order that he might become the ransom a corresponding price, a perfect man for a perfect man) …that he by the grace of God, might taste death (the penalty, the wages of sin) for everyone.” (Heb 2:9)
So then shall we understand that the resurrection of the dead is optional or compulsory upon Justice?
Christ having "tasted death for every man," it is certainly compulsory on Justice to release the prisoners held for sin. Christ's sacrifice having been accepted as "the propitiation (settlement) of our sins, and not of ours (believers) only, but also for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD," all must go free because God is Just.
“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; who will have (unconditionally) ALL MEN to be saved (from the original Adamic curse), and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom FOR ALL, to be testified in due time.” (1 Tim 2:3-6)
Understand that we are not Universalist, God having saved (redeemed) all men from the original curse which was upon Adam and his race does not guarantee everlasting life to any, he merely releases us from the original sentence, brought upon us by Adam’s sin. Eternal salvation will be determined upon the conclusion of the trial (a new trial) of each individual, the Church presently during this the Gospel Age as each prospective member of the body passes beyond the Vail of death, and the remainder of the world by the end of the Mediatorial reign at the end of the millennial age.
