Adam's Sin Imputed to all Mankind

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 456.

Definition

The word “impute” means to declare a credit or charge to someone. If a king says that a person is responsible for 1000 gold pieces of tax for his home. Then you could say that 1000 pieces of gold debt has been imputed to that person. They now legally and really owe that money.

The king has the right to make a declaration that is binding and true. So the creator/owner/king of the universe has the same right to do that to you and me.

In Romans 5:12-19 we are told that we sinned when Adam sinned. Our account has been imputed with Adam's sin. Adam is seen as the “federal” representative of mankind.

Federal” = One person is the representative for many.

Romans 5:12 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

We clearly see Adam was the first man to sin and bring Sin into the world. But it goes on to say that all men sinned. This is used to indicate that it happened in the past and is including all men, whether they have physically performed an act of sin or not. Verse 14 indicates that they are accounted as sinners (which is evidenced by the fact that they die) even if they did not sin “like” Adam. So God equates Adam's choice to act in sin as true for all men and thus we see every person born is under the curse of sin. They are legally declared to have sinned.

This means that Adam's Sin was “Imputed” to all of us. _thus all are considered guilty sinners by legal judgment.

Romans 5:13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 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

We can't specify what is sin clearly without a law or command telling us what is sin. So Adam clearly had a law regarding what was Sin and he broke it. But then since all men were kicked out of the Garden, no one else can repeat his sin. And no law was given it. But then since all men were kicked out of the garden, no on e else can repeat his sin. And no law was given until the days of Moses. People still died. Some were babies and had no chance to sin. Some were mentally handicapped and didn't understand sin. Yet they died. So their sin was counted without them needing to DO personal sin. They many not seem fair.

GOD's DECISIONS ARE FINAL AND GOOD

Imputed charges do not need to be defended. They are charges made by authority and are not focused on fairness. The statement becomes true by declaration rather than logic. God is the ultimate authority and His decisions do not need defense. His actions are GOOD! And this is good.

-before we were born

-without us doing anything to desire it

-Our federal head sinned

There we are legally marked as Sinners and under the curse of death

(Sin was imputed because of ADAM)

However

-before we were born

-without us doing anything to deserve it

-Christ (as a federal head) died to sin

-Therefore we can legally be marked as JUSTIFIED and under the blessing of Eternal Life.

(Righteousness is imputed because of Christ)

Romans 5:15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.

If God had only chosen to see people who sin as sinners then some people might not have needed His mercy and help. God decided to see all in Sin that He might make it possible to have mercy on all.

Romans 11:30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

(God chose to see all in Sin so that he could choose to see all as righteous.)

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen

(Only He deserves the Glory and Praise!)