still not “all mankind”?

From a visitor to the Goedbericht-site, I received a question and I will  quote some excerpts from it:

Good Day André, Sunday morning, I listened to your study about 1 Corinthians 15 (section 30). It is totally different from what I had heard, so far. Amazing, what a good news message! I wonder, who are “those” mentioned in Rom.5:17? (…) Theology says, “that it are the believers/the elect.”So, after all, only a limited number, certainly not all, and they base that apparently on Rom.5:17 (…) The comments of popular theology reduce the number, it only applies to believers, i.e., those who accept the gift (…) *I’d love to hear/read your explanation about this.

Let me, in answering, start with Romans 5 verse 17. There we read the following (ClV):

For if, by the offense of the one, death reigns through the one, much rather, those obtaining the superabundance of grace and the gratuity of righteousness shall be reigning in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

It is undeniable that “those obtaining the superabundance of grace and the gratuity of righteousness” refers to those who now believe. “Obtaining” is in the present tense. And they shall be (=future tense) “reigning in life”, i.e. they will, in the life of the resurrection, be kings, reigning together with Christ in the oncoming eons. This privilege shall accrue to those who today obtain the superabundance of grace. And now, Romans 5:18:

Consequently, then, as it was through one offense for all mankind for condemnation, thus also it is through one just award for all mankind for life’s justifying. (CLV)

This sentence, contains, in Greek (in which Paul wrote this), not even one verb. Due to this telegram-style, it almost seems to be a mathematical equation. All mankind is sentenced to death by a single act (=eating the forbidden fruit). Thus, also, through one act (=obedience to the death of the cross), all mankind will be justified and made alive (See also: 1Cor.15:22). If the first “all mankind” is, indeed, literal and without exception, then the second “all mankind” cannot be fewer in number. Otherwise the comparison does not stand up to scrutiny. In this 18th verse, Paul is speaking about the totality of humanity that, through one act, will actually experience the impact of the condemnation and death, as well as, that of justification and life. It is the simplicity of the equation that shows the overwhelming glory of this truth. Therefore, the comments of popular theology, made with reference to “all mankind, are completely inappropriate:

Namely, those who believe in Him; or who accept this gift, Rom. 5:17.

Or, as Prof. Dr. Willem Ouweneel wrote (in, “what is justification?” pg. 25):

But returning to Rom.5:18, we saw, there, the consequences of both, Adam’s act, as well as that of Christ’s act, for all mankind. This we may not literally interpret to mean that, actually, all mankind will be justified.

The orthodox attempts to limit the universal effect of the “one act of righteousness” are appalling and disastrous! It is not only completely illogical, but also deadly to the Evangel. The core of the good news  especially is that all mankind will be gratuitously justified and receive life beyond the reach of death, “each in his own order” (1Cor.15:23,24). The attempt to limit “all mankind” in 5:18, by referring to 5:17, fails for yet another reason. The word “consequently”, wherewith Paul begins in 5:18, is in fact a conclusion from the above argument, where Paul explains that Christ is “much more” (:15.17) than Adam. How out of place would it, therefore, be to claim that the scope of Adam’s act would be much greater than that of Christ’s! Bear in mind also that Romans 5:13 to and including 5:17 is a parenthesis. Romans 5:18 does not refer back to 5:17, but to verse 12, where Paul begins with a comparison:

Therefore, even as through one man sin entered into the world, and through sin death, and thus death passed through into all mankind, on which all sinned –

Verse 13 through verse 17 are comments that clarify, but without the comparison of 5:12 being completed. That only happens in 5:18. Romans 5:18 is the culmination of an argument in which Paul leaves Christ triumphantly shine and sparkle against the dark background of Adam, of sin, of condemnation and of death.

Delen: