Romans 5:21

Romans 5:21 is the grand conclusion of the argument in this section (Romans 5:12-21). It brings together the main concepts of sin and death, and righteousness and life. Effectively Paul played down Adam and exalted Jesus Christ. Here Paul contrasted the dominions of Adam’s act and Christ’s act: sin reigning in death and grace reigning to eternal life.

"Paul often thinks in terms of ’spheres’ or ’dominions,’ and the language of ’reigning’ is particularly well suited to this idea. Death has its own dominion: humanity as determined, and dominated, by Adam. And in this dominion, sin is in control. But those who ’receive the gift’ (Romans 5:17) enjoy a transfer from this domain to another, the domain of righteousness, in which grace reigns and where life is the eventual outcome." [Note: Moo, p. 350.]

This section (Romans 5:12-21) shows that humankind is guilty before God because all of Adam’s descendants are sinners due to Adam’s sin. Earlier Paul wrote that we are all guilty because we have all committed acts of sin (chs. 3-4). Ultimately, we sin and die because Adam sinned and died. Jesus Christ’s death has removed both causes for condemnation righteously, guilt for our sins and punishment for Adam’s sin. This section stresses our union with Christ that Paul explained further in chapter 6.

IV. THE IMPARTATION OF GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS CHS. 6-8

The apostle moved on from questions about why people need salvation (Romans 1:18 to Romans 3:20), what God has done to provide it, and how we can appropriate it (Romans 3:21 to Romans 5:21). He next explained that salvation involves more than a right standing before God, which justification affords. God also provides salvation from the present power of sin in the redeemed sinner’s daily experience. This is progressive sanctification (chs. 6-8).

When a sinner experiences redemption-"converted" is the subjective term-he or she simultaneously experiences justification. Justification imparts God’s righteousness to him or her. Justification is the same thing as "positional sanctification." This term means that God views the believer as completely holy in his or her standing before God. Consequently, that person is no longer guilty because of his or her sins (cf. Romans 8:1; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Corinthians 6:11).

When a sinner experiences redemption, he or she begins a process of progressive practical sanctification. This process of becoming progressively more righteous (holy) in his or her daily experience is not automatic. It involves growth and requires the believer to cooperate with God to produce holiness in daily life. God leads the believer and provides the enablement for him or her to follow, but the believer must choose to follow and make use of the resources for sanctification that God provides. [Note: See Ryrie, So Great . . ., pp. 152-54.] Our progressive sanctification will end at death or the Rapture, whichever occurs first. Then the believer will experience glorification. Then his experiential condition will finally conform to his legal standing before God. He or she will then be completely righteous as well as having been declared righteous. God will remove our sinful nature and will conform our lives fully to His will (Romans 8:29).

In chapters 6-8 Paul explained how justified sinners can become more holy (godly, righteous) in daily living before our glorification. We need to understand our relationship as believers to sin (i.e., victory, ch. 6), to the Law (i.e., liberty, ch. 7), and to God (i.e., security, ch. 8) to attain that worthy goal.

". . . the fundamental thought is that the believer is united to Christ. This new principle makes him dead to sin (ch. vi.); but it also provides a new power which enables him to be free from law (ch. vii.); and still more, it includes a new possibility, for in the gift of the Holy Spirit there is a new position for holiness (ch. viii.)." [Note: Griffith Thomas, St. Paul’s Epistle . . ., p. 164.]