1221. In Adam Death Passed Upon All–In Christ Jesus Life Passed Upon All Who Believe

In Adam Death Passed Upon All–In Christ Jesus Life Passed Upon All Who Believe

"But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be 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).

1. "The wages of sin is death." The unrighteous cannot inherit eternal life. "There shall no unclean thing go in thereat," are the words spoken of that glorified city.

In the final message of the Bible we read the words, "For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie" (Rev_22:15).

The very expression "for without," signified the death, the separation, which is the wages of sin.

The Book of Romans puts it this way: "Who will render to every man according to his deeds * * unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the Truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath; tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil" (Rom_2:6-9).

We have before us the unfailing law of sin–"death." "Sin when it is finished bringeth forth death." "The soul that sinneth it shall die."

This is what God said to Adam, "In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." In Adam this sentence of death, passed upon all men, because all have sinned.

2. "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." There has been with some a misgiving in the study of Romans, because eternal life seems, sometimes, to be placed upon a basis of right living.

These misgivings are all removed when it is remembered that right living in the Book of Romans (and everywhere else in the Bible) is placed upon the possession of the righteous life begotten in those who believe, by Christ Jesus.

In Romans 2 we read, "Who will render to every man according to his deeds: to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour, and immortality, eternal life."

At first glance it would seem that this passage places salvation upon a basis of works. But when one remembers that the passage just quoted is set in the midst of passage after passage that positively avers the utter impossibility of the flesh producing any good, then the true light begins to shine. Besides this, the passage quoted above concludes with a passage which places all under sin, and the whole world sits condemned, with mouths stopped. One now begins to see that the right living that is a basis of eternal life, is the right living of the believer, who has been saved by grace and born anew.

If the wages of sin is death; and if the wages of righteousness is eternal life: then we would have expected Rom_3:23 to read that way. However, Rom_6:23 says, "The gift of God is eternal life."

However, God also says: "That he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap everlasting life."

What we need to understand is that salvation is wholly of grace through faith, and altogether apart from works and their merits. In the necessity of the case this must be so. For the old man, cannot bring forth the works of righteousness.

Again we need to understand, that only the regenerate can sow to the Spirit, and thus reap eternal life. Those who enter in through the gates into the City will be the ones who are born of God, and who have the fruit unto righteousness and eternal life.

Rev_22:14 reads in the Authorized Version, "Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." The Revised Version reads: "Blessed are they who wash their robes," etc.

Some say that one version makes salvation a matter of law works, and that the other version makes it a matter of blood atonement. This is not true, for those who are not Blood-washed, are unredeemed; they are walking in the flesh, and they cannot keep His commandments. The carnal mind is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

However, those who are God's, those Who are in Christ Jesus, those who walk after the Spirit, have the righteousness of the Law fulfilled in them. Therefore, the Blood-washed, and Blood-washed alone, can keep His commandments. Born-again ones, saved by grace, can alone bring forth the works of righteousness unto eternal life. Stated differently: Only the works of born-again ones, can enter into eternal life–it is the "gold, silver and precious stones" (the works of the Spirit) that abide.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR