(Continued from page 47.)

9. JUSTIFICATION OF LIFE.

Rom. 5:18 :"So then as it was by one offence toward all men to condemnation, so by one righteousness toward all men for justification of life."

We must briefly consider the context of this passage. The verse is plainly a summing up of the actual bearing of the acts of Adam and of Christ toward the whole race. Adam's offence resulted in the introduction of sin, and consequent death which became the portion of all, because all have sinned; the bearing of his offence, therefore, was to condemnation of all his race. So, too, through one righteousness accomplished, by "the obedience of One" (ver. 19), the bearing, or consequence of it, is towards all His race in "justification of life." Mark that it is forwards all, but does not apply to all, as verse 19 clearly shows ; for there are two companies-one, the family or race of the first and fallen Adam, linked with the offence and disobedience, therefore constituted sinners, and the other linked with the righteousness and obedience of the Second Adam, Christ, therefore constituted righteous. This last company are those of faith, those born of God, who have eternal life, and are to reign in life eternal with Him :justification attaches to their life – received in new birth, born of God. They are therefore constituted righteous; as "in Christ" they are brought into the state of righteousness and perfect acceptance with God. Nothing can possibly affect their possession of this life; it is secured to them in this absolutely perfect way. Now the term justification also occurs in verse 16. It would be better rendered "an accomplished righteousness," called the "gift of righteousness" in verse 17. Thus " the gracious gift is of (out of) many offences to (into) an accomplished righteousness."The way we come into this is as being "in Christ," the Head of the new race, and Source of the new life to which justification attaches. John Bloore

( To be continued.)