“As though one man’s offense judgment come to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteousness act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life” (Rom. 5:18)

We are inheritors of a sinful nature through Adam. We cannot complain that we are unjustly dealt with, and the Lord recognizes the fact. So He provides that just as in Adam we were made partakers of a sinful nature, even so in Christ we shall be made partakers of the divine nature.

But “much more.” The life of which we are made partakers in Christ is much stronger for righteousness than the life which we received from Adam is for unrighteousness. God does not do things by halves. He gives “abundance of grace.”

There has not a man lived on earth ever whom death has not reigned, nor will there be until the end of the world. There are no exceptions, for the Scripture says that “death passed upon all men.” For the reign of death is simply the reign of sin. Enoch was righteous only by faith; his nature was as sinful as that of any other man. Remember that this present going into the grave is not the punishment of sin. It is simply the evidence of our mortality. Good and bad alike die. This is not the condemnation, because men die rejoicing in the Lord, and even singing songs of triumph.

“Through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to men, resulting in justification of life.” There is no exception here. As the condemnation came upon all, so the justification comes upon all. Christ has tasted death for every man. He has given Himself for all. Nay, He has given Himself to every man. The free gift has come upon all. The fact that it is a free gift is evidence that there is no exception. If it came only on those who have some special qualification, then it would not be a free gift.

Waggoner, Waggoner on Romans, pp.100, 101