How Depraved Is Depravity--Part 2

Condemnation and justification have been explained by Paul in Romans 1:1-5:11. Now he traces these two subjects to their historical sources in Adam and Christ (Rom. 5:12-21). He does that before passing to the subject of sanctification which stresses Christian living. Before one can tackle the problems of daily living in a world which lies in the power of the evil one (I John 5:19), he must understand the background of the dynamic of imparted righteousness. Salvation in Jesus Christ provides life and power for Christian living in the present world system.

Adam is the representative of all mankind in the flesh. Christ is the representative of all included in the eternal covenant of grace. Condemnation is traced to Adam. Justification is traced to Jesus Christ. By Adam’s disobedience death came to all mankind. By Christ’s obedience life comes to all the elect. Through Adam sin abounds; but, through Christ, grace much more abounds. (Study Romans 5:12-21.)

Romans 5:12 begins with a comparison, but it does not complete it. Paul said, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.” At the middle of the verse we have the words “and so.” The comparison is incomplete but the thought is not terminated. Paul did not follow a stereotyped pattern. In the last part of the verse, Paul stated something which required a parenthesis. Verses 13 and 14 give the parenthesis. The emphasis in the first part of the verse is the entrance of sin and death through one man. In the second part of the verse, the emphasis is the universal penetration of death and the sin of all. Thus, the one event can be expressed in terms of singularity and universality. The entrance of sin and death is caused by the sin of Adam and the universal reign of death by the sin of all. The one fact can be expressed in the terms “one man” and “all sinned.”

The total guilt of the first sin which was committed by all men in Adam is imputed to each individual because of the indivisibility of guilt. Adam’s sin was not meant to exclude Eve’s. In fact, she was the first in the transgression, but Adam was Eve’s head. “For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being quite deceived, fell into transgression” (I Tim. 2:13, 14 NASB). They both have the same name. “He created them male and female, and He blessed them and named them Man [Adam] in the day when they were created” (Gen. 5:2 NASB).

The common nature that committed the “one offence” is divisible by propagation. The offence, however, is not divisible. For example, the one common nature that committed the “one offence” has become a family of untold millions. However, it cannot be said that the guilt is divided up among all the untold millions. That would mean, if the guilt were equally divided between the millions, no individual could determine the degree of his guilt. According to law, if two men commit a crime, each is charged with the whole guilt of the act. Therefore, all men die because men sin. “What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:9, 23 NASB). Furthermore, all men sin because of their complicity in Adam’s act. “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive” (I Cor. 15:22 NASB).

To suffer in consequence of the sin of another is not the same as to be punished for it. For example, Ham’s descendants have suffered for their ancestors’ sin, but they have not been under condemnation for it. The descendants of Ham are under condemnation with the rest of mankind because of their complicity with father Adam in his sin and not because of the undivided sin of Ham. Ordinary generation does not transmit personal guilt, but only that guilt which belongs to the whole species. The original nature of the tree is propagated, not the nature of the graft when seed from the graft is planted. A circumcised Jew does not beget circumcised children. Educated parents do not beget educated children. Christians do not beget Christian children. Ezekiel said, “The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself” (Ezek. 18:20 NASB).

Our involvement in Adam’s sin is understood in our representative solidarity with him in his sin. The extent of Adam’s fall is total corruption. However, man remains man in the fall. Although a few remains are retained in the fall, yet it is a Biblical fact that the light which was in created man became darkness in the fall. Paul said to the Ephesians, “For you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:8 NASB). The term “formerly darkness” refers to what they were, not what they did. Regeneration takes the elect who were darkness out of the sphere of darkness and by grace places them in the sphere of God’s marvelous light (I Pet. 2:9; I Thess. 5:4, 5).

Man is depraved intellectually, morally, and physically (Rom 1:18-32). He is made whole intellectually by regeneration, morally by the indwelling Holy Spirit, and physically by glorification. Knowledge of our fall in Adam and our recovery by Christ are the two great hinges upon which the whole structure of Christianity moves. As the first cannot be thoroughly understood without taking a survey of the latter, the latter cannot be apprehended without a sound knowledge of the former.

Original sin consists of two parts: (1) that which is imputed to us; and (2) that which is imparted in us. It is imperative that Christians be acquainted with both in order that we may have a better understanding of Christ’s two-fold righteousness. His righteousness is imputed to us in justification, and it is imparted in us in sanctification.

The imputation of Adam’s sin rests upon a different kind of union from that upon which the imputation of Christ’s righteousness rests. There is no race unity in redemption. All men without exception were in Adam when he disobeyed, but all men without exception were not in Christ when He obeyed. Therefore, the principle of representation lies at the foundation of Christianity. The first principle corrupted all men, but the second principle rescues some men. Union in Adam is natural, but union in Christ is spiritual. Union in Adam is universal, but union in Christ is particular and by choice.

God’s justice is questioned by many on the imputation of Adam’s guilt to his posterity. This is a subject of Divine revelation. Therefore, we are at liberty to ponder the fact and harmonize it with other considerations which shed light on its justice. The following are arguments that favor representation:

1. The principle of representation is found in Deuteronomy 29:14, 15: “Now not with you alone am I making this covenant and this oath, but both with those who stand here with us today in the presence of the LORD our God and with those who are not with us here today” (NASB). In the case of angels, each stood for himself; however, the nonelect angels fell. “…God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment” (II Pet. 2:4 NASB). Parents often oblige their children to keep certain contracts.

2. The angels who stood for themselves fell. Why should men want to stand for themselves? Every popular election proves that a constituency is to act through a representative.

3. It is not unjust to judge mankind guilty in guilty Adam. No one complains about God judging man upright in upright Adam.

4. No person should question the justice of his fall in Adam. If he does, he would be casting doubt concerning the justice of one’s rising in Christ. Since Christ’s obedience is the foundation of our justification, Adam’s disobedience must be the foundation of his condemnation.

5. The fact that we break the commandments and disobey God’s word proves that we are in Adam. Is it unjust for God to judge us guilty in guilty Adam?

6. There is strong objection to man being punished for Adam’s sin. They quote Ezekiel 18:20: “The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity…” (NASB). Subsequent to the flood, the human race started over in Noah. The race in Noah did not fall in Noah, because he was not the head of the race. Like the case of Ezekiel, Noah was not the representative of the race. But that is not true in the case of Adam and his posterity. Adams’s sin ceased to be an act, but the guilt of it continues and is imputed to his posterity.

7. Before the first advent of Christ, the transgressions of the chosen ones under the first Testament were laid upon Him by imputation. “And for this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, in order that since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance” (Heb. 9:15 NASB). Thus, in the same manner were all the sins of the elect laid upon Christ by imputation. Therefore, since Christ’s obedience is the foundation of our justification, Adam’s disobedience must, by contrast, be the foundation of our condemnation.