At least for one more time, turn
to Romans chapter 5. I hadn't originally planned on
doing this. And the reason is, is because
in the beginning of this series from Romans 5, I did not feel
I had the appropriate words to state what I felt in here. And I prayed. And now I want to say it. I didn't find something, God
gave me something. You know what it is? Open your
eyes once again, revived once again to see this word for what
it says. And when God opens your eyes
to see this Word for what it says and bow to it, it will be
plain. Paul, in this chapter, uses the
word ALL three or four times. And the word THE MANY, it's not
translated THE MANY in the KJV, and I'm not here to go into why
that's so, He uses also the phrase the many several times as well
as the word many when he talks of many offenses Here's my title
And I realize probably we preachers often give titles just as some
little thing to catch a person's attention But my title sums it
all up The all In this passage we're talking about Romans chapter
5. The all equals the many. You hear what I said? The all
equals is not one more more than nor one more less than the many. Now having proclaimed efficacious
reconciliation by Christ's death in verse 10 and having proclaimed
the certain salvation of the reconciled by Christ's life in
verse 10. Do you see that? Read it again.
For if when we were enemies, not believers. He's writing to
believers, but he's writing to believers about a time when they
were not believers, when they were enemies. For if when we
were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son.
So how were and when were we reconciled? We were reconciled
by the Son, and we were reconciled when He died. For if when we
were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son,
much more being reconciled, that is the reconciliation having
taken place, we shall be saved by His life. It's clear. Paul is clear. Everyone, all for whom Christ
died, The many that He reconciled were reconciled when He died. And every single one of them,
though He doesn't use the words all and many in this verse, it's
clearly evident, it is inferred without question that those He
died for, He reconciled, and those He reconciled shall be
saved because He is alive. Yea, even more than that, even
the reconciled, active reception of the reconciliation by Christ
is declared by Paul. Next verse, and not only so,
but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom
we have received the reconciliation. You see it? to having proclaimed that in
unassailable language. Don't try to run back to another
chapter. You don't have to run anywhere
else. Paul means exactly what the Spirit of God moved him to
write. Having proclaimed that in unassailable
language. Paul then goes on to show the
veracity and the consistency of reconciliation by using the
language of representation. Immediately then he says, verse
12, wherefore? The problem is we read verse
10 and 11, sometimes, the problem is we read verse 10 and 11, then
we get to verse 12 and we think as though Paul's starting now
upon another subject. He says, Wherefore, as by one
man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin, so that death
passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. And he would
continue in verse 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. For as by one man's disobedience,
The many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one, the
many shall be made righteous. Moreover, the law entered that
the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, right
there where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. That as
sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through
righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. But
then Paul in the parentheses is like saying, but hold it,
let me back up just a minute and give you something. for until
the law, verse 13, sin was in the world. But sin is not imputed
when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from
Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the
similitude, or the similarity, of Adam's transgression, who
is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offense,
so also is the free gift. For if through the offense of
one, the many be dead, that's the way it actually reads, even
in the majority text, Much more the grace of God and the gift
of grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto
the many. 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. For if by one man's offense death
reign by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace
and the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus
Christ. That's the language of representation. He has not left the subject of
reconciliation. He is defining the veracity and
the continuity or consistency, the flow of reconciliation by
using the language of representation. Now there are two major trains
of thought about these verses. There are others, but here are
the two major trains of thought concerning these verses. Here's
number one. And I will admit to you that
for a long time I held to this number one. By my experience in talking with
people, Reading commentaries, and I have access to a whole
lot of commentaries. Even though I don't have the
books, Joe, I've got a little disc that has bunches of them
on it. It seems as though this is the
majority train of thought concerning this verse. Here's the majority
thought. Here's the first one. Adam represented
all without exception in his one sin. And thus all without
exception sinned, died, were judged, were condemned, were
made sinners, and in them all sin abounds through Adam. Both
people of free will and people of free grace hold to this. That's right. People who hold
to free will and free grace both hold to that. That statement
of what I've just said, kind of that summary of verses 12
through 21. They all hold to that thing.
One is consistent with the all and the many, but abandons the
truth that's taught here. That's the free will folk. But
there are free grace folk. Listen, there are free grace
folk. The second group holds to the truth, but confounds consistency
when it comes to the all and the many. And I tell you, if
you hold to the first one, you're dead wrong and you probably don't
even know God. If you hold to the second one,
you have done so because the first one has infiltrated your
mind by nature and you still can't get away from it no matter
how much you despise every drop of free will that may exist within
you. Now some of you may be thinking,
what in the world is he talking about? All without exception are sinners
by nature. I'm giving you the truth now.
All without exception are sinners by nature. All without exception
died spiritually and are judged and condemned and are in the
midst of abounding sin. But Paul's not talking about
that here. He taught that in the latter
part of chapter 1, all of chapter 2, and the first part of chapter
3. Then he moves on to faith in Christ. And then he starts,
as he's often, he starts ascending up. Faith is not the beginning. The beginning began with God
back yonder. and flows this way, but Paul starts with faith. After
he's established, I have proved before that all are under sin. Right? Isn't that what he says?
That's his actual words. And then he goes to show the
veracity of faith. But why does faith have any veracity? Because of reconciliation. And
how can reconciliation be consistent? If Christ only died for some,
and that's the indication, because everybody he died for he reconciled,
everybody he reconciled is going to be saved, and everyone that's
done for, they're going to receive that reconciliation. So where's
the consistency? Paul is showing the truth of
the consistency. So all without exception are
sinners. They all died spiritually and are judged, condemned and
abounding sin. But Paul is not teaching that
here. Here is what Paul writes in Romans chapter 5. And this
is my summary. All that Christ reconciled, Christ
did so by representation. Representation doesn't start
in verse 12. Representation the doctrine of
represent representation technically starts in verse 6 For when we
were yet without strength in due time Christ died for what
the ungodly there's representation You see it in other words. He
stood in the place of an ungodly people And he died for them. That's where it actually starts
so all that Christ reconciled and Christ did so by representation. And this was essential because
or wherefore as by one man. You see it? See how he's working
his way now back. We're so prone, we're brought
up this way. Our minds are taught this when
we go to kindergarten or whatever it is now. And those first grade,
we're taught from the ground up, right? Paul start, that's
where we're starting. Start here and start building
up, building up. Paul actually starts at the end
and works his way back to the beginning. That's what he's doing
here. He says wherefore, verse 12.
They all, they all, who all? What's the thing? Those he died
for. Wherefore as by one man sin entered
into the world. Now what does your mind, maybe
not everybody here, but I know mine did, when I read that word
world, and I go on to read, and death by sin, so that death passed
upon all men, for that all have sinned, I immediately then try
to become universalistic and apply that to everybody. Do you? You ever done that? That's not
to say that that wouldn't be true, but that's not what Paul's
talking about here. They all, they who, who is this
all here? Who's he been talking about?
Those for whom Christ died. Who's the world he's talking
about here? Those for whom Christ died. That's the world he's talking
about. That's the all he's talking about
here. Let us be consistent and not just hold to the truth, dabble
in it here and there. You know why? Because you'll
confound yourself. They all, by Adam's one sin,
they all sinned and spiritually died in Adam. Therefore, read
it properly, for when we were enemies, we were reconciled to
God by the death of His Son, much more being reconciled, we
shall be saved by His life. And not only so, but we, we,
keep saying the we, but we, also joy in God through our Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom we now receive the atonement, wherefore? as
by one man sin entered into and then we start thinking about
we and everybody else. He's still talking about we.
Do you get that? It is that simple. That's being
consistent. That's following the context. Therefore, he says, by one man's
offense, God's judgment was to condemnation of this very all. That's right. Even so, by Christ's
righteousness, the same all, the free gift came. And that's
what he says in the next verse, if you take out the parentheses,
That's the flow of the meaning. Therefore, as by the offense
of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation. What all? All sorts of men. Rich men. Poor men. Males and females. Bond and free. David black and
white. Do you see it? That's the all.
The all for whom he died. Therefore, as by the offense
of one judgment came upon men the condemnation, and even so
by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon, what? The
same all. And yet I find myself before
trying to make those two alls different. You ever done that?
Now some of you, a couple of you may have shook your head,
yeah. Yeah, you have. Some of you have. You're trying
to make the difference between this all and that all in the
same verse. You read a thee many and a thee
many in the same verse. You're trying to make a difference
between them. How do I understand this? You're starting from the
wrong point. That's why I misunderstood it
for years. Because my mind loves to flow back to universalism. I don't care if you've been brought
up under it or not. It is born into you by Adam.
By the very truth that we're talking about here. Free will
is what we really love by nature. We don't love God by nature. They, that is this all, they
are the many made sinners by Adam, and it's the same the many
who shall be made righteous by Christ. Right? If you read that
and not quit fighting with it, you'll see it right there. Therefore, verse 18, as by the
offense of one judgment came upon all men the condemnation.
Even so, by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon
all men and the justification of life. For, as by one man's
disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the obedience
of one shall the many be made righteous." He's talking about
the same group of people throughout the whole chapter. The same all,
the same many. The all equals, in exact number,
the many. And when this dawned on me, I
thought, Walter, what a spiritually ignorant dope you are. Been preaching for 32 years almost. Make me ashamed of myself, Joe. To them, to them, Paul says,
the law enters. Remember that one? From last
Sunday? To them, and them only, the law
enters and the offense abounds. Oh, but thank God, but where
sin abounded, grace did much more abound. That as sin hath
reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness
unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. There and there only is veracity
and consistency. Right? There and there only.
If not, if you take the other train of thought If you're stuck
in the other train of thought, I don't care whether you're free
will or free grace, I don't care whether you're Arminian or Calvinistic,
you're going to be confused. And look at some of your commentaries
and see how confused the commentators are and how everybody tries to
quote somebody else because they think it helps just a little
bit rather than just reading it in context as Paul says it. And this is not inconsistent
with the rest of the scripture. It's not inconsistent with the
forerunner John, is it? Do you remember John the Baptist,
the forerunner? Do you remember what John the
Apostle recorded that John the Baptist, the forerunner, said?
Recorded in John 1 verse 29, Behold the Lamb of God that taketh
away the sin of who? The world! and took it away,
not made it possible for it to be taken away, took it away,
and he uses the word Mason, world. The same word right here, world.
Now is it true that all without exception, sin came into the
world, and that all without exception died at Adam? That's certainly
true. That's the preponderant testimony of scripture. That's
not what Paul's talking about here. He's talking here about
reconciliation by representation. And He's talking about one group
of people. They're called all, and they're called the many.
That's what the forerunner John said. Behold the Lamb of God
that taketh away the sin of the world. What did not even Christ
Himself say these words recorded by John the Apostle in John 12
in verse 42? And I, if I be lifted up from
the earth, I will draw what? All men unto Me. Correct? Now we know that every single
individual without exception has not been lifted up or has
not been drawn unto him. But he didn't say if I'd be lifted
up from the earth that I would try to draw all. He said if I'm
lifted up from the earth, there's cause. I will draw all men unto
me, there's effect. All men in what way? All without
distinction. A poor man's got no advantage
on a rich man. Oh, I know James says, God hath
counted, chosen the poor of this world rich, but it's because
God chose them, not because they're smarter than the rich. A man
got nothing over a woman when it comes to these things right
here. It all comes from God Almighty. David, a white man ain't got
nothing on a black man when it comes to these things right here.
Nothing. Nothing. It's all. If I be lifted up,
I will draw all. That's the same language Paul
is using in verse 12. And yet the mind wants to go
back to some universalistic interpretation, right? Rather than taking Paul's
word for what it says and staying in context. But wait a minute,
what about Paul himself? as recorded by Paul in 2 Corinthians
chapter 5 verses 18 and 19 specifically, where Paul says of Jesus Christ
that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing
their trespasses unto them. Right? So who's the world into
which sin came that Paul's talking about in Romans 5.12? It's the
world of the elect, the world of God's people, the world of
those for whom Christ died, the world of those for whom He reconciled,
the world of those He's going to save, the world of those who
will receive by Him, receive that atonement. There it is.
That's the all. That's the all. But even more
than that. What Paul then declared in the
parentheses confirms this even further. And here is where he
first introduces the phrase the many. Right? He starts with world and all
in verse 12, but then in the parentheses all of a sudden you
start getting the many, Joe. Not the all. The all is then
repeated again in verse 18, which is without the parentheses, which
is the main train of Paul's thought. Do you see what I'm saying? The
many is where it's first introduced. That's in the parentheses. Now
granted, the Greek didn't have parentheses like we do. But those
who knew Greek understood that's what this was. It was a parentheses. Now here's the question. Why?
Mason, isn't that what we talked about the other day, wasn't it?
Why? Why all? Why the many? And you know what? Here's a very simple reason.
But you know what, I ain't gonna give that to you right yet. When you see why, you'll think,
if you didn't see it before, you'll think, it's quite simple.
But first, let's look at what was in parentheses. Number one,
the lack of law did constitute a lack of sins imputation. But
it did not constitute a lack of sins consequences. Death to
all without distinction, that's still the thing here. Now yes,
death to all without exception happened in Adam, but that's
not Paul's point here. He's done established death to
all in chapters 1, 2, and 3. Now he's talking about those
for whom Christ died, those he reconciled, those he represents. And even though God had a people
back then, Joe, and their sin was not imputed to them, yet
they still had sin's consequences. And from Adam to Moses, what
happened? Death reigned. You see it? For until the law,
sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is
no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over
them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression.
That's number one. but here's number two, the last
part of that verse. Adam, why is that there? He says Adam figured Christ,
not vice versa. Right? Look, who is the figure
of him, that's Adam is the figure of him that was to come. What's
that got into, is Paul just throwing in something fancy here? You
know what he's talking about? We were represented by Christ
before we were ever represented by Adam. Thus the wherefore verse
12, when Adam fell, what happened even to those who were God's
elect? They all, the whole world of them, they all fell in Adam. They now must be rescued. You see it? And Adam's the figure
of Christ. Christ is not the figure of Adam.
Yes, when it comes to His condescension, Adam is first. He's called the
first Adam. Remember, the second Adam is
the Lord from heaven. He was before Adam. We were chosen
in Him before Adam ever was. And Mason, we were still chosen
in Him when God said about Adam, it's very good. And we were declared,
as a matter of fact, I could say all of humanity was declared
very good. But then Adam fell and all of
humanity without exception fell in him. But right here Paul is
talking about even the elect of God, even God's people, even
the beloved ones. They fell too. We're not above
them by election because we fell with them. And the specific here
is we fail. That's the whole point. We fail.
We all fail. The whole world of God's people
fail in Adam. Adam figured Christ, not vice
versa. They all were represented by
Christ before they were ever represented by Adam. Adam is
the figure of Christ. Christ is not the figure of Adam. Number three, the same all inferred
in verses 10 and 11. Remember, it's inferred. He doesn't
mention all or many, Paul, in verses 10 and 11, but it's clearly,
everyone Christ died for is reconciled, right? It's there. Everyone reconciled
will be saved by his life. Everyone in that state, they're
gonna receive that reconciliation help by him. By him. The same all inferred in verses
10 and 11, the same world, and the same all mentioned in verse
12, they are the many that he mentions in verse 15. But not
as the offense, so also is the free gift. Though if through
the offense of one, the many be dead, much more the grace
of God and the gift of grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ,
hath abounded unto, and then he says, the many again. Same
people, right? Same people. Why? Now here's
the why. You can say all. You're looking
at the whole world. I mean the whole world without
exception. And you say all, but if your all is all without distinction,
okay? And there's many all's in the
Bible that doesn't mean all without exception. It means all without
distinction. That's clear. Even Armenians
teach that concerning certain passages. They just won't teach
it when it comes to passages like this. You know, all the
world's gone after him. No, not all the world didn't
go after him. Not all without exception, but all without distinction
did. The good folks and the bad folks.
Huh? That's what they were talking
about. Even these lowlife critters have followed after him, as well
as the good folk, too. You see? Why? Well, if you have the world,
you talk about all, and you're talking about a specific all,
that all could be a very small, insignificant number, could it
not? If you've got a million and all
you're talking about is five of them, that ain't much, is
it? But Paul wants to make this clear.
This all is not a little, small, insignificant number. It's the
many. See how simple that is? It's
the many. God's people ain't this poor
little old handful. Joe read it. Remember the stars
of heaven. number the sands on the seashore.
Now, it's not that they are infinite. But you can't number them. You
don't have the capacity, the ability, nor the time to number
them. And let me tell you, God's people are not some poor, little,
small, insignificant group. They're the many. See what he's saying there? The
many. Go back and read. What does it
say? Let me turn it. I can't quote it. Isaiah chapter
53, verse 11, He shall see, that is, the Father shall see the
travail of the Son's soul, and shall be satisfied by His knowledge,
shall my righteous servant justify just a poor little few. Uh-uh. No, how many? Many! I mean, the
book of the Revelation talks about this massive group that
cries out hallelujah to God, and it's as the voice of what?
Many waters. Like standing. I've never been
there, but they say you stand at Niagara and get right up close
to it, Mack, and it's almost deafening. The roar of that water. This is many, Joe. It ain't just some little group.
It's many. And you know what? It's that
simple. It's that simple. Revelation chapter 5 verse 9,
Thou hast redeemed us to God by the blood of what? Every tribe. Every people. Every kindred.
Every tongue. Every nation. Mason, that's a many. That's
a many. A many! Oh, God's going to get
to Himself some good glory. Now I know, in our day and age,
they say, well it must be more than 50%. Especially we live
in this democratic country where we think you've got to have more
than 50% to really be on top. Huh? I've done it now. I don't
care if it's 5%. It's many compared to everything.
When you gather them all together, it's many. I know sometimes,
if you feel anything, sometimes I become discouraged. I look
here. We've got more that left than
are here. I actually have more people make professions of faith
and leave here than we have stayed here. And I mean leave for bad
reasons, not because of providence or whatever. I mean leave because
they didn't want to hear it no more. More! But you know what? We're still many. We ain't by
ourselves. What did you preach this morning
on the radio, Joe? There's poor old, what was it, who was it?
Elijah. Elijah there. Oh, I'm all left alone, and they
gonna kill me? God said, I got 7,000 more. Now if you're one 7,000, pretty
good group, ain't it? Huh? Many. Here's number four. It
was not just Adam's one offense Christ put away, but the many
offenses of the many. Do you see it? And not as it
was by one that sinned, so is the gift. For if the judgment
was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses. Do you see it? I don't care what
your offense is. If He died for you, He died for
all of them. You see? When I say many, I can
still say all. Every sin you ever have, will,
or shall commit, He's already put it away by the sacrifice
of Himself. It wasn't just Adam's fall that
He dealt with. It's our own inner corruption
and wickedness. Many offenses. That's joyful. Because I feel like I've got
many without you all being alongside of me. You understand? Comprehende? You get it? Many offenses. That's sweet news to a sinner
who's got many offenses. That's sweet news to an ungodly
person. Is it not? Now if you think you're
pretty good and it's got a couple that needs a little tweaking,
I'm okay. My sins can't be tweaked. They're too heinous. Judgment and condemnation is
what God said fell on us in Adam. But His love didn't vanquish,
or wasn't vanquished. Mason, His love didn't begin
to sort of dissipate, did it? His love was still right there.
For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, that
is, thee many, so by the obedience of one shall thee many be made
righteous. And moreover, the law entered
that the offense might abound. But, bless God, where sin abounded,
grace did much more abound." This, and this only, presents
veracity and consistency. I hope you see that. I hope you
see that. Because when I did it, it was
like that oasis in the desert. And I'd never even been through
a desert. I got lost one time in the woods and was gone for
several hours with me and Roy Jr. and other fellows hunting.
And that was scary enough. But when I seen that one person,
you know what that was like? An oasis. And that guy, he wasn't
Roy Jr. or the other fella. He was another
fella huntin', and I'm sure this young boy comin' through the
woods whistlin' and hollerin', he probably was quite perturbed
at me, but I was very happy to see him. Just one man. An oasis. Tell me how to get
home. I'm lost. Huh? This one. This is an oasis. Veracity. Truth. Consistency. So true that I now want to read
you all the three or four verses. 2 Corinthians 5. Turn back to
it and just listen as I read. 2 Corinthians 5. Verse 17. Therefore, if any man
be in Christ, he is a new creature. And if you're in Christ, you
know that I am not what I used to be. All of my sins are all still
there, but I'm not what I used to be. There's something different
in me. There's something different about
me. I think differently. I feel very much different about
myself. Joe, even though I still do some of the same things that
I'm ashamed of, now I'm ashamed of them. Now I hate them. The things I used to hate, I
love it now. Now if that's not happened to
you, you're lost! You're not in Christ! Therefore, if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold,
all things are become new. You see them become something
new to you. Don't it? It's different. Takes on Joe
a much more heinous light, at least. Christ is different to
you. Verse 16, we knew Him after the
flesh before, but we don't know Him after the flesh anymore.
He's no longer just a historical figure. He's no longer just a
personal Savior. He's the Lord God of heaven and
earth. Therefore, for any man being
Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold,
all things become new. And all things are of God, who
hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given
to us the ministry, the service of reconciliation. That is to
say, to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world
unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them. You don't
have to wait till you believe. Believing and not having your
sins that your trespasses imputed to you is for your benefit. This
was for divine justice benefit here. Do you see that? Not imputing
their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word
of reconciliation. Now remember what all that Romans
chapter 5 says. There's a reconciliation, it's
already taken place. But eventually all of them, even what, receive
it. Right? And God's ordained means
in this reception. You don't just wake up one morning
and all of a sudden you receive it. God will send you an ambassador. Now then we are ambassadors for
Christ as though, He didn't say God is, as though As though God
did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, lay down
your arms now. The battle's over. Your sins
are dealt with. Quit trying to deal with them
yourself. There's be ye reconciled. Quit trying to make up for them
yourself. Be ye reconciled to God. For
he hath made him to be sin for us. who knew no sin, that we
might be made the righteousness of God in Him." Folks, that to
me is good news. I believed in free will religion
for years, and Neil, I never had the comfort, never had anything
close to the comfort that that message there brings my soul.
That lets me rest. Really rest. As we go our separate ways, be
with us. Help us to be mindful of one another, prayerful for
one another, and to help one another when we can. I ask in
Christ's name, amen. Thank you.