Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (13) (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. (14) Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. (15) But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the offense 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. (16) And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification. (17) For if by one man's offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) (18) Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. (19) For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. (20) Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: (21) That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Apostle having thus raised up the subject to the highest pitch of excellency, in shewing the blessed state of the soul, in being freely, fully, everlastingly justified in, and by, Christ; having received the atonement in the heart, and conscience; being fully applied, and made effectual by the Holy Ghost; and living upon it, having access daily, hourly, to the throne b y it; and constantly from it, rejoicing in hope of the glory of God; goes on now, directed and led by the blessed Spirit, to trace back the wonderful subject even to the very fall of man, which involved our whole nature in one mass of ruin, and which none but Christ could deliver from. And the Apostle, in various ways, and by various statements, draws a parallel, between the Adam - nature of our fallen state, and the grace - union in Christ; to shew, (and which he hath done in a very blessed manner), that as Adam, and Christ, are the two Covenant heads of each family, the relationship brings with it an union interest, and concern, in all that belonged to each, in this Covenant-character. I very earnestly entreat the Reader, to attend with great diligence to the statement the Apostle hath made. May He who taught Paul, teach both Writer and Reader of this Poor Man's Commentary. For, surely, the Apostle's mind was most blessedly led out in the contemplation, when God the Holy Ghost guided his heart and pen to send this sweet scripture to the Church.
The Apostle begins this part of the subject, in drawing the parallel of the two Adams, so called in scripture, (1 Corinthians 15:45.) in order to represent them, as covenant heads of their people. By the sin of the first Adam, the whole race were equally involved in the guilt and punishment due to original corruption, although they had no hand in actual transgression. In like manner, by the righteousness of the second Adam, the whole Church became interested, although they bore no part in the vast work, either by personal holiness in themselves, or by obedience to the law of God.
This doctrine the Apostle prosecutes through several verses. In the instance of Adam, he considers all his children implicated, in all that concerned him. And, as it is said of Levi, the descendant of Abraham, that he was in the loins of his father when Melchizedec met him, and blessed him: Hebrews 7:10. So the whole race of mankind were in the loins of Adam, when he transgressed the commands of God, and were with him involved in the same condemnation. And equally to be considered must the whole Church be in Christ, being chosen in him before the foundation of the world, Ephesians 1:4. Hence that sweet promise: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring, Isaiah 44:3. Reader! pause over this view of the subject, and remember, that it is scriptural. And, do not pass away from it, before that you have fully brought home the doctrine to the mind, under due conviction. You and I both, daily, prove our relationship to Adam, from the Adam - nature we carry about with us, in the common infirmities of that nature, and the remains of in-dwelling corruption. Have we similar testimonies, in our souls' experiences of our grace-union in Christ? It is a grand subject of enquiry. For as it is most certain, that neither of us could have been involved in the sin and condemnation of the first Adam, had we not sprung from him by generation: So, equally certain is it, that we have no interest in the righteousness and justification by the second Adam, even the Lord from heaven, unless we are his in regeneration. The transgression of Adam the sinner, would never have hurted you, or me, had we not been born from him, and his blood ran through our veins; neither will the righteousness of Christ the Savior benefit us, unless we are found new-born in Him, and his Holy Spirit formed in our hearts.
It is very blessed to follow the Apostle, through the several parts of this Chapter, wherein he hath stated the consequence of things, by virtue of the Church's oneness, and interest with Christ. He puts the subject, under various illustrations of it, and in a very beautiful manner goes over it again and again, as if he would have no child of God ignorant, on a point of so much importance. He describes the reign of death in Adam, and the reign of life in Christ, under their different heads; and shews the awful consequence of the former, and the blessed effects of the latter, as set forth in all the circumstances of mankind. Death (said he) reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, A period of two thousand five hundred years, when there was no written law, which by the transgressions of it, might have subjected to the penalty of death. And even on infants also, which never had committed, neither were in a capacity of committing, actual sin. A plain palpable proof of original sin, and death the sure consequence of it. He then argues, and with irresistible force of argument, that if such were the sure events which followed the original apostacy of our nature, in which thousands bore no part; ought not those blissful effects promised to the obedience and blood-shedding of Jesus be equally the privilege of his redeemed, to which they have none of them contributed? If so much evil followed the transgression of one sinner; must it not be equally right, that so much good should be the result from the righteousness of one Almighty Savior? And especially as both the person and sin of Adam, carry with them no proportion to the greatness and glory of the Person, and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The one a finite creature. The other Infinite. The offence of the one, in the time-state only of the Church. The righteousness of the other, everlasting. The sin of Adam of one, that is, of the earth, earthly. The holiness of Christ, the Lord from heaven, Reader! ponder well the subject; and see whether, under divine teaching, your conclusion from the whole, will not join issue with the Apostle's; that if such be the reign of sin unto death, arising from the apostacy of our Adam - nature; how much greater must be the reign of grace through righteousness, unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord!