“Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life” (Romans 5:18).
The word “therefore” makes its third and final appearance here in Romans chapter five, as the Apostle Paul presents his concluding summary of this section: “One man’s disobedience placed all men under the threat of condemnation, but one man’s obedience has the power to present all men righteous before God” (Romans 5:18-19 Phillips).
Paul addressed a similar topic in the New Testament book of 2 Corinthians, a portion of Scripture that has drawn our attention on several occasions throughout this chapter…
“…God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:19).
This act of reconciliation concerns the restoration of two parties who were formerly in a state of opposition. When it comes to the relationship between God (party number one) and humanity (party number two), the last few verses of Romans chapter five remind us that our need for reconciliation stretches back to the very first members of humanity.
When the first human couple made a conscious decision to disobey God, they severed the relationship they had previously enjoyed with Him. Things were no longer very good between the Creator and His creation as they were in the beginning. That decision has affected every member of the human family ever since.
However, Jesus’ sacrificial work effectively reversed the consequences that originated from that act of disobedience. As Paul tells us in a familiar passage from 1 Timothy 2:5…
“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.”
The Biblical epistle of 1 John offers a further explanation…
“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation [that is, the atoning sacrifice, and the satisfying offering] for our sins [fulfilling God’s requirement for justice against sin and placating His wrath]” (1 John 4:10 AMP).
Finally, one commentary discusses the far-reaching effects that were brought about by this act of reconciliation….
“Adam’s sin and ours bring death, but the obedience of Christ brings life. His obedience parallels Adam’s disobedience in that both acts affect others, but ‘the free gift’ of our salvation that results from His obedience is ‘not like the result of that one man’s sin’ (Rom. 5:15–16a). The latter brings condemnation; the former brings justification. We can add to Adam’s disobedience and incur more legal guilt before the Lord, but we cannot add to Christ’s righteousness and incur more legal righteousness.” (1)
(1) Constituting us Righteous. (2014, April 14). Ligonier Ministries. https://learn.ligonier.org/devotionals/constituting-us-righteous