What is the Penalty of Sin?

Dr. Walter · Aug 18, 2010

HP - The below post pulverized your theory.

Dr. Walter said: ↑

12 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:

Paul's rationale is that "death BY SIN" and "so death PASSED UPON ALL MEN" and the only way "death BY SIN" can pass upon "ALL MEN" is for all men to have sinned as "death" only comes "BY SIN." However, death came upon all men by only ONE MAN's sin. This is what Paul is going to defend in the following verses by logic and then by repeated direct and explicit teaching.

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.

First proof that all men sin in Adam and death passed upon all men by the sin of ONE MAN is that between Adam and Moses there was no law for any man to sin against and yet they died. For "sin is not imputed where there is no law" and yet death only comes "by sin. The only explanation for their death is THE SIN committed by Adam.

Second proof, there are those who did not sin after the similatude of Adam's transgression and yet they died. Paul tells us that Adam sinned WILLFULLY (I Tim. 2:12-13). Infants and mental incapacitated persons who have no ability to make a willful determination as did Adam still die. Since death is "BY SIN" the only explanation for their death is that THE SIN committed by Adam and thus death came upon them by THAT SIN.

15 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.
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 offences unto justification.

In verse 14 Paul says Adam was the "figure" of him to come - Christ. In I Cor. 15 he refers to them as the "first" and "second" Adam. In verses 15-19 he makes a comparison between the disobedience of Adam and its impact upon all in Adam by physical birth and the obedience of Christ and its impact upon all in Christ by spiritual birth. He first considers the comparisons that are contrasted or negative comparisons in verse 15-16:

Notice that he explicitly says "though THE OFFENCE of ONE many be dead." He does not say through the offences of MANY, many be dead." In a contrasting comparison "BY ONE" the many offences are justified by the ACT OF ONE. Hence, you cannot deny the representative action of Adam upon many without at the same time deny the representative action of Christ upon many. If ONE MAN and ONE ACT can bring death upon many, so also can ONE MAN"s OBEDIENCE bring justification upon many.

In verse 16 he makes the second negative comparison. One sin brought many under condemnation but in Christ many sins are justified by one man's obedience. If Adam's sin did not condemn many to death then neither could Christ obedience justify many sins.

17 For if by one man’s offence 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 offence 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.

In verse 17 Paul demands that "ONE MAN'S OFFENCE" is totally responsible for death upon all his offspring rather than their own individual offences. Likewise, Paul demands that "ONE MAN" is totally responsible for all the blessings of salvation bestowed upon many others rather than their own personal actions.

In verse 18 Paul demands that ONE MAN is responsible for judgement that has come upon all those in Adam and likewise ONE MAN's obedience is responsible for all those who receive justification of life.

In verse 19 Paul demands that ONE MAN'S DISOBEDIENCE "made many sinners" rather than their own individual acts made them sinners. His sin made them sinners by nature and that is why they are sinners by practice. In direct contrast "ONE MAN'S OBEDIENCE" has made many righteous rather than their own personal individual obedience. His obedience made them righteous and that is why they are righteous by practice.

You may not like the fact that ALL IN ADAM HAVE SINNED when Adam sinned and it is that ACT OF SIN that MADE MANY SINNERS but that is what Paul is explcitly saying. If you deny it you have to deny that Christ could act in behalf of others and that God could justify many due to His OWN righteousness and his OWN Death for sin.
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What is the Penalty of Sin?

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