THE APOSTLE OF THE RECONCILIATION

What is this secret which has been kept silent? The inner portion of Romans will answer - Adam. The

Scriptures apart from Romans 5 to 8 and 1 Corinthians 15 contain no doctrine of Adam's guilt and Christ's

redemptive work connected therewith. The nations were treated for their own apostasy and were accounted

inexcusable. Israel were held accountable for their personal doings under the law. The gospel had been preached

during the Acts and men of all nations had been urged to repentance, but no word had been breathed concerning the

mystery of Adam and Christ. When we know that, we are at the very centre of things. Then we face not merely

national issues, but the destiny of the race. Then Christ becomes even more than `Son of David' or `Son of

Abraham' (Matt. 1:1); He becomes the last Adam and the second Man.

SECTION 5

We will now consider Romans 5:12 to 8:39. Adam's fall brought in sin and death (chapter 5). It enslaved men

in a dominion from which nothing but the death and resurrection of Christ could ever set them free (chapter 6). This

dominion was strengthened by a law - not the law of Moses, but something deeper and more awful - `the law of sin

and death' (chapters 7 and 8). The effects of sin when viewed from this inner standpoint extend through the whole

realm of nature. `The whole creation groans, waiting' (chapter 8). We also read of `sin that dwelleth in me' (chapter

7), and of the `spirit that dwelleth in us' (chapter 8).

Turning then to Romans 5:12 we observe that the inner revelation commences with the words dia touto, `on

account of this'. We rightly ask, `on account of what?' The closing verses of the preceding section have been

emphasizing the reconciliation, and the `much more' of salvation. The inner section is entirely in line with this.

Here we shall see the first great sin, from which all other sins flow; and here we shall see the great reconciliation

which forms the basis for the national and ecclesiastical reconciliations that follow (the latter includes the mystery of

Ephesians which cannot be dealt with in this volume). The `much more' of the outer section is an echo of the greater

`much more' of the inner.

The reconciliation of the world, which was connected with Israel's fall echoes the deeper reconciliation of the

world that is connected with the fall of man himself. Romans 5:12-21 is involved, and the sense of the passage is

most easily followed by realizing that verses 15-17 are an explanatory parenthesis. Instead of giving the structural

outline we will set out the whole passage in its corresponding parts.

A 5:12-14. a `Wherefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and through sin, death; and so death

passed through unto all men, seeing that all sinned.

b For until the law, sin was in the world; but sin is not put to account when there is no law.

c Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those that had not sinned after the

similitude of Adam's transgression who is a type of Him that was to come.

d But not as the offence, so also is the grace gift.

e For if by the offence of the one the many have died,

f  Much more the grace of God, and the free gift in grace, which is by one man

Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

d And not as by one that sinned is the gift. For the judgment was of one unto condemnation;

but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

e For if by the offence of one death reigned through that one,

f  Much more they that receive the abundance of the grace, and of the free gift of

righteousness, shall reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ.

A 5:18-21. a Therefore, as through one offence judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so through

one righteousness the grace gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as through the

one man's disobedience the many have been constituted sinners; so through the obedience of the

one shall the many be constituted righteous.