In our last post the question was asked by Brother C. as to,
How the life of one could purchase the life of many?
A.--By the rule of SUBSTITUTION
Rather than try each individual separately (the Lord knowing that they would all fail eventually for the very same reasons that Adam failed) chose rather to have all mankind represented in just one man, and in his trial. Thus Adam was substituted for the race as a whole, and through his trial, and his failure "death passed upon all men," and ALL were counted sinners, even before birth, so the obedience of death in Christ justified ALL men to a return to life. Paul so expresses it in Rom 5:18,
"For as through the disobedience of ONE man, the many (ALL) will be constituted sinners, so also through the obedience of the ONE, the many (ALL) will be constituted (reckoned) righteous;" and, "as through one offense, sentence came on all men to condemnation (condemning them to death), so also, through one righteous act, sentence came on all men to justification of life," justifying their living again.
Another way of looking at it is thus:
“Therefore as through one man’s offense the sentence (or curse) came (extensively) to ALL MEN resulting in condemnation (to death)…”
Viz.
“The fathers (Adam) have eaten a sour grape (sinned), and the children’s (all of Adam’s children) teeth are set on edge (The nature of the fathers, being polluted by sin, therefore is transmitted to the children, who come under the same death sentence for having the same nature or disposition as the fathers).” Jer 31:29
or as stated in Rom 5:12
“…by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men…”
But God in his mercy foresaw the fall of Adam due to his inexperience with evil, and so provided a remedy, the “ransom”:
“For if through the offense of one many be (counted) dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.” (Rom 5:15)
“…so also through one righteous act, the judgment or sentence to justification of life came (co-extensively) to ALL MEN.
B.--Shall we understand, then, that the resurrection of the dead is optional or compulsory on Justice?
A.--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 to forgive us our sins"—the price having been paid. (1 John 1:9)
B.--Does this imply universal, eternal salvation?
A.--NO, it implies the saving or salvation of all men from the Adamic death (the curse), but as many of them will be liable to the "second death," on account of their own sin, it cannot be eternal salvation. The second Adam will eventually restore to the race all that it lost by the first Adam's sin.
Continued with next post.
How the life of one could purchase the life of many?
A.--By the rule of SUBSTITUTION
Rather than try each individual separately (the Lord knowing that they would all fail eventually for the very same reasons that Adam failed) chose rather to have all mankind represented in just one man, and in his trial. Thus Adam was substituted for the race as a whole, and through his trial, and his failure "death passed upon all men," and ALL were counted sinners, even before birth, so the obedience of death in Christ justified ALL men to a return to life. Paul so expresses it in Rom 5:18,
"For as through the disobedience of ONE man, the many (ALL) will be constituted sinners, so also through the obedience of the ONE, the many (ALL) will be constituted (reckoned) righteous;" and, "as through one offense, sentence came on all men to condemnation (condemning them to death), so also, through one righteous act, sentence came on all men to justification of life," justifying their living again.
Another way of looking at it is thus:
“Therefore as through one man’s offense the sentence (or curse) came (extensively) to ALL MEN resulting in condemnation (to death)…”
Viz.
“The fathers (Adam) have eaten a sour grape (sinned), and the children’s (all of Adam’s children) teeth are set on edge (The nature of the fathers, being polluted by sin, therefore is transmitted to the children, who come under the same death sentence for having the same nature or disposition as the fathers).” Jer 31:29
or as stated in Rom 5:12
“…by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men…”
But God in his mercy foresaw the fall of Adam due to his inexperience with evil, and so provided a remedy, the “ransom”:
“For if through the offense of one many be (counted) dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.” (Rom 5:15)
“…so also through one righteous act, the judgment or sentence to justification of life came (co-extensively) to ALL MEN.
B.--Shall we understand, then, that the resurrection of the dead is optional or compulsory on Justice?
A.--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 to forgive us our sins"—the price having been paid. (1 John 1:9)
B.--Does this imply universal, eternal salvation?
A.--NO, it implies the saving or salvation of all men from the Adamic death (the curse), but as many of them will be liable to the "second death," on account of their own sin, it cannot be eternal salvation. The second Adam will eventually restore to the race all that it lost by the first Adam's sin.
Continued with next post.
