1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

in the forfeit of the sinner's life, he purchased it back with hisown, and thereby obtained the right to "destroy death,"--theR252 : page 10enemy who for a time is used as the servant of Justice.B.--Then Justice accepted the life of Christ as a substitute for thesinner's life. But it seems unjust to make the innocent suffer forthe guilty.A.--It would be unjust to make or compel such suffering, but"Christ gave himself for us." "He for the joy that was set beforehim endured the cross."C.--But how could the life of one purchase the life of many?A.--By the rule ofSUBSTITUTION.As Adam was substituted for the race in trial, and through hisfailure "death passed upon all men," and all were countedsinners, even before birth, so the obedience of death in Christjustified all men to a return to life. Paul so expresses it in Rom.5:18, [Em. Diaglott]: "For as through the disobedience of ONEman, the many will be constituted sinners, so also through theobedience of the ONE, the many will be constituted (reckoned)righteous;" and, "as through one offense, sentence came on allmen to condemnation (condemning them to death), so also,through one righteous act, sentence came on all men tojustification of life," justifying their living again.B.--Shall we understand, then, that the resurrection of the deadis optional or compulsory on Justice?A.--Christ having "tasted death for every man," it is certainlycompulsory on Justice to release the prisoners held for sin.Christ's sacrifice having been accepted as "the propitiation(settlement) of our sins, and not of ours (believers) only, but alsofor the sins of the WHOLE WORLD," all must go free, becauseGod is just to forgive us our sins."--1 John 1:9.B.--Does this imply universal, eternal salvation?A.--No, it implies the saving or salvation of all men from theAdamic death, but as many of them will be liable to the "secondR252 : page 11death," on account of their own sin, it cannot be eternalsalvation. The second Adam will eventually restore to the raceall that it lost by the first Adam's sin.C.--Was everlasting life one of the things possessed by Adambefore he sinned, and which he lost in death; and is it to berestored to mankind through Christ's ransom?