Romans 5:15
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-- for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Adrian Rogers explains: “I had rather live in Romans 5 than in the Garden of Eden! You gain much more in Jesus than you ever lost in Adam. That’s the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” (Foundations for our Faith, Vol.II, A Study In Romans Chapters 5-9, p.13, emphasis mine)
Adrian Rogers explains: “One man sinned and got us into trouble; one Man died on the cross and got us out, plus He forgave every sin and promises us eternal life.” (Foundations for our Faith, Vol.II, A Study In Romans Chapters 5-9, p.17, emphasis mine)
John Calvin comments: “If Paul were there maintaining that the grace of Christ extended to all, I should in silence own myself vanquished. But since his purpose is to show how much more powerful in the faithful is the grace of Christ than the curse contracted in Adam, what is there here to shake the election of those whom Christ restores to life, leaving the others to perish?” (Concerning the Eternal Predestination of God, p.152, emphasis mine)
Yes, Paul does indeed show that we gain much more in Christ than we ever lost in Adam, but the source of controversy, here, is regarding extends and reaches vs. offered. John Calvin does agree that the grace of Christ is in fact, “offered to all,” though it does not reach all, so that all are saved:
John Calvin comments: “Paul makes grace common to all men, not because it in fact extends to all, but because it is offered to all. Although Christ suffered for the sins of the world, and is offered by the goodness of God without distinction to all men, yet not all receive Him.” (Calvin’s New Testament Commentaries: Romans and Thessalonians, pp.117-118, emphasis mine)
Calvin adds: “Hence, we conclude that, though reconciliation is offered to all through Him, yet the benefit is peculiar to the elect, that they may be gathered into the society of life. However, while I say it is offered to all, I do not mean that this embassy, by which on Paul’s testimony (II Cor 5:18) God reconciles the world to Himself, reaches to all, but that it is not sealed indiscriminately on the hearts of all to whom it comes so as to be effectual.” (Concerning the Eternal Predestination of God, p.149, emphasis mine)
Calvin concludes: “It is incontestable that Christ came for the expiation of the sins of the whole world.” (Concerning the Eternal Predestination of God, p.149, emphasis mine)
John Goodwin explains: “Again, neither can God, nor any minister of the gospel, say with truth to every particular man, if thou believest thou shalt be saved, unless it be supposed that there is salvation purchased or in being for them all.” (Redemption Redeemed, p.74, emphasis mine)
Carol Floyd asks: “Don’t you think that in God’s eye that the whole world now has been set free through Jesus? If not, then why did He say so? What other is left for God to do to complete the way to bring us back into favor with God? The work is complete, and the price is paid, and the gift is free. We are now free to come and receive our free gift of grace and mercy. There is not one ever born that the price has not been paid for in full. No sin left, that it does not cover.”
- “Death spread to all men, because all sinned.” (v.12)
- “For if by the transgression of the one the many died.” (v.15)
Question: By the transgression of one, Adam, “the many” came under the penalty of death. Therefore, since Paul uses the same term, “the many,” to identify the scope of those to whom the free gift of Christ’s grace abounds, are we not forced to conclude that the same number of people who are held captive by the power of sin, and are offered the grace of salvation from the power of sin?
Answer: 2nd Corinthians 5:14-15 confirms: “For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.”
Consider some Gift Principles:
The children of Israel were given the victory over the Canaanites. But when they sent spies to search out the land, only two came back with a positive report, namely Joshua and Caleb. The rest esteemed themselves as grasshoppers among giants, and they refused to lay hold of the victory that God had given them. As a result, God decreed that Israel must wander in the wilderness for 40 years, and none would enter the Promised Land but Joshua and Caleb. Here God had given them the victory, but because they refused to lay hold of it by faith, they lost what God had given them. Now would that somehow make God a failure? Only the crazed logic of a Calvinist would deem it so. They failed themselves. The larger point at hand is the fact that they were given the gift of victory and they forfeited it. Similarly, Jesus offers all men the free gift of His grace, as per Romans 5:15. If men should refuse to lay hold of His gift, it too will be forfeited, and they will not see God’s Promised Land in Heaven.
Adrian Rogers states: “Many times we lose the war because we don’t show up for the battle.”
(From the Palace to the Pit: Ezekiel 28:8)
This certainly was true of the Israelites who had forfeited their free gift of victory, and this serves as a lesson for us today, not to forfeit the victory that Christ purchased at Calvary.
Next consider some Choice Principles:
Adrian Rogers states: “Jesus came to deliver you. Jesus came to set you free. He came to give you peace and power, forgiveness of sin and a home in heaven, but He will not force it upon you. The same God that gave to Lucifer the power of choice, gives to you the power of choice. ‘Choose you this day whom you will serve.’” (From the Palace to the Pit: Ezekiel 28:8, emphasis mine)
Adrian Rogers explains: “God is a God who gives us the choice. Now I want to give you some Choice Principles. You are free to choose God. God says, ‘I set before you life and death, blessing and cursing.’ Here you’re in the Valley of Decision. There’s a mountain of misery and a mountain of mercy. You can choose. You are free to choose. Now, I am a Calvinist to the degree that I believe that God is sovereign. But I am not a Calvinist to the degree that I believe that God does not enable anybody to choose, or that God chooses for anybody. God gives you the choice. You must choose. And God says to all of us, ‘Choose you this day.’” (Choices Made in the Valley of Decision: Joshua 8:1, emphasis mine)
Adrian Rogers explains: “Your responsibility is your response to His ability. … Now you must choose. Listen, you can’t do it without Him; He will not do it without you. You must yield. … When temptation comes, you must yield, and you will yield. That much is settled. The only question is, which way you will yield? Will you yield to Satan, or will you yield to Christ?” (Abounding Victory Thru Amazing Grace: Romans 6:6-7, emphasis mine)
What Romans 5:18 tells us is that there is a symmetrical correspondence between those to whom Adam’s transgression abounds vs. those to whom the scope of Christ’s atonement abounds.
- “one transgression...resulted condemnation to all men.”
- “one act of righteousness...resulted justification of life to all men.”
John Goodwin comments: “The persons upon whom the gift of justification cometh by Christ, are made equal in number unto those upon whom the judgment of condemnation came by Adam. For as the offense of Adam is here said to have come upon all men unto condemnation, so also is the gift of justification of life....” (Redemption Redeemed, p.65, emphasis mine)
Question: How can you offer Jesus to all, if Jesus is not the Savior of all, and did not die for all?
Answer: Obviously, then, a universal “offer” of salvation makes the doctrine of a non-universal scope Atonement, erroneous.
