The Doctrine of Imputation - Romans 5-6

Romans 5:12-14 (ESV)

Death in Adam, Life in Christ

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

In the above passage, Paul  is picking up his argument he started in Romans 1:18

Romans 1:18 (ESV)

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

In these verses from chapter eight, Paul is making three arguments:

1.  No man can escape the condition of sin. 

2.  Sin has a consequence in our life: Death.

3. Jesus came to give us righteousness that overcomes the death that comes from the sin of Adam.

His argument is more basic than when we might first read these verses. He is telling these Roman believers that before Christ came to their lives they were in complete sin against God.  Sin is being defined as something in the world, even before God gave the Law to Moses.   There were some in the church at Rome who thought they could keep the Law and therefore be saved from sin.  But Paul tells them sin was in the world before the Law was even given to Moses.  Sin began when Adam and Even broke God’s word in the Garden of Eden.  Our sin condition began with Adam.   Because he sinned, we are sinners.   Now most logical people would reject an argument that becomes of someone else’s sin, we are all condemned.   What Paul is writing about is the imputation of Adam’s sin onto all mankind.   That seems totally unfair.   But this sin of Adams was like a type that is really quite awesome for us.   Because of this concept of imputation, yes, we had sin imputed to us with no fault of our own (supposedly .... yet, every day we personally sin, as well).   But becuase of imputation we also can benefit from Christ’s paying for our sin and imputing His righteousness onto us.   Yes, sin has been inputted to us as a result of one man’s sin (Adam).  But righteousness has been inputted to us as a result of one man’s righteousness (Jesus).  So, if we reject the first imputation we do not benefit from the second imputations. That is Paul’s argument in the above passage.  We may not like the fact that Adam represented us for sin.  But we can rejoice because Jesus can then represent us regarding righteousness and escape the wrath of God that comes onto all those who are in sin.   Faith in Jesus means righteousness inputted.  Righteousness inputted means no wrath to come.