Rom 5:19  For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one shall the many be made righteous. ASV

Rom 5:19  For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. KJV

Rom 5:19  For as through the one man's disobedience the many were constituted sinners, so also through the obedience of the One the many shall be constituted righteous. LITV
________________________________________________________

                                       COMMENTARY

  The question that needs to be addressed to this verse is;  
When Paul uses the word  >kathistemi<  is he talking about "imputation" or "impartation"? When people are "made" sinners and/or "made" righteous, are they so only in an objective sense with no reference to either their Character or Conduct? The Scriptures do indeed teach that even in this very passage. Is that what Paul is talking about in this verse? Or is he referring to a person's inward Character, whereby the person is in actuality and reality either a "sinner" or a "righteous" person. That is to say, in a personal subjective sense. Both are taught in Scripture and in fact one must have both or he is not a Christian. For example Romans 4 is the doctrine of imputed righteousness, while 1John 3 teaches imparted righteousness.

  As you can see, the LIT translates 'constituted'. This cannot be speaking of -Imputation-! The Greek word, according to Uses Loquendi means to actually become something. One example;

Ac 7:10  and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he  *made*  him governor over Egypt and all his house.  

Joseph did not become the governor by 'imputation' while in actuality he was not the governor. He actually became the governor and functioned as such. A modern-day example is when someone is elected president. Once he takes office he's not just the president by imputation while in actuality he is still a plain citizen with no powers. He is in actuality the president and is entitled to all the power that goes along with it. See also; Mat 24:45,47  Mat 25:21 etc.

  One commentator says the word..   ">kathistemi<  never, in the NT means 'to make' in the sense of effecting, or causing a person or thing, to be in its character or nature other than it was before."  C. Hodge; Romans commentary.

  If that's true then Joseph was never the governor over Egypt and all Pharaoh's house!  I know.. I just committed the unpardonable sin of showing Hodge to be wrong!

  It may help to keep in mind the difference between Imputation and Impartation. Imputation is the activity of God whereby He ~says~ something ~about~ us.
Impartation is the operation of God whereby He ~does~  something ~to~  or  ~in~ us.

   Here we have the doctrine of the -Impartation- of the Adamic, sinful nature to the entire human race. That means that everybody is conceived and born a sinner by nature. Human nature in its natural, unregenerate state is inherently sinful and that nature is Imparted to everyone by natural generation. So by one man’s disobedience sin was ~Imparted~ to the creature. They are actually made to be sinners.  So too, by one Man’s obedience, righteousness is ~Imparted~ to the creature; Or.. the many were ‘constituted’ righteous [creatures]. That is, people are made righteous in the same way they were made sinners; by impartation. All men by their natural, fleshly birth are sinners by nature, while all Christians, by their spiritual rebirth are righteous by nature. I was born a sinner.. but I was Born Again, or Born from Above, a righteous person.
That can only mean that Christians are no longer sinners; they are righteous. This is in harmony with the rest of the NT as well as the Old that one who has been Regenerated has a New "heart" which is Righteous.

Romans

Main Index