J N Andrews: Adam, Christ, and Inherited Sin

The relationship between the first Adam and the second Adam, especially concerning original sin and inherited guilt, is a profound truth. It is clear that the transgression of the first Adam brought sin and death upon all humanity, while the second Adam, Jesus Christ, through His obedience and death, brings righteousness and life to all who obey Him.SOSL 38.3+1

The original man, Adam, possessed a perfect copy of God's law inscribed upon his heart. However, his act of sinning against God marred this perfect work, resulting in his inability to transmit anything but a defaced and partially obliterated copy of that law to his descendants. In stark contrast, the second Adam, who is Christ, maintained the law in its perfect form within His heart and never, in any instance, marred it. Consequently, He bestows upon all His followers a perfect rendition of this divine law, writing it through His Spirit upon their hearts.SOSL 26.3+1

It is a certain and undeniable truth that Adam's sin was, in essence, a violation of God's moral law. Similarly, the death of Christ serves the purpose of offering a sin-offering that the law can indeed accept. If God's law entered with terrible majesty to reveal the enormity of that singular offense which introduced death and suffering into the world, then it is beyond dispute that this law has always been the standard of righteousness from the very beginning. Sin, therefore, remains the same in all ages of the world. The law could not have revealed the true nature of Adam's transgression if its principles were not binding in Adam's time. The entry of the law was to demonstrate the full extent of humanity's transgression. Adam's sin was the foundational trunk of the great tree of iniquity, and the sins of his posterity are its branches. The law's arrival unveiled the awful wickedness of humankind and illuminated, with the clearest light, the purity of God's character. It also revealed the immense task undertaken by the Son of God, the second Adam, to save people from their sins while preserving the untarnished justice and truthfulness of God, as revealed in His law. Christ accomplished this in such a way that, though the law caused sin to abound by exposing it in all its scope, the grace of God superabounded through the great sacrificial offering of the Son of God, who tasted death for every person. The law of God led to the death of the first Adam because he became its transgressor; it led to the death of the second Adam because He willingly took upon Himself the sin of the world. Beyond all dispute, the law of God extends from the first Adam to the second Adam.SOSL 39.5+1

The entry of the law, as described in Romans 5:20 is a momentous event that occurred in the days of Moses. Yet, great care is taken to explain that this entry did not signify the law's inception, nor the commencement of humanity's obligation to obey it. The presence of death unequivocally proves the existence of sin in the world. Furthermore, sin cannot be imputed to individuals, nor can it even exist, unless God's law also exists. Therefore, the order of their existence is: first, the law, as God's rule of right; second, sin, which is the transgression of that law; and third, death, which is the consequence of forfeiting life through sin. The continuous reign of death from Adam's time demonstrates that sin has existed throughout that entire period. The very existence of sin since the fall of Adam shows that the law of God existed prior to that event. Moreover, the universal prevalence of death, not only from Abraham to Moses but from that time until death itself ceases in the lake of fire, provides absolute proof: 1. That sin has been present with all humankind throughout all ages. 2. That God's law has been in full force during all this time, and all humankind has been obligated to govern their lives by it.SOSL 31.2+1

The term "the offense" in Romans 5:20 plainly refers to Adam's sin, which led to all humankind becoming sinners. Before the second Adam came to die, the law had to enter to reveal the immense magnitude of the first Adam's transgression.SOSL 36.13+1

Here are the top closely matching quotes:

...ness of Adam’s offense, and the exceeding sinfulness of sin as everywhere existing among men. But as Paul lays such great stress on what one man, viz., the first Adam, did in introducing sin and death into the world, so does he also lay equal stress upon what one other man, viz., Adam the second, has done to bring righteousness and life to the wretched sons of men. Observe what he says of this other Adam— SOSL 38.3 (1870)

Such is the wonderful series of antitheses between Adam and Christ, presented in Romans 5. The first Adam, by his transgression, brought sin and death upon all his race. The second Adam, by his obedience and his death, brings righteousness and life to all who obey him. Hebrews 5:9— SOSL 39.5 (1870)

Such is the wonderful series of antitheses between Adam and Christ, presented in Romans 5. The first Adam, by his transgression, brought sin and death upon all his race. The second Adam, by his obedience and his death, brings righteousness and life to all who obey him. Hebrews 5:9. It is certain that the sin of Adam was in reality the valuation of the moral law; and that the death of Christ is for the purpose of making such sin-offering as that law can accept. If the law of God entered in awful majesty to show the greatness of that one offense which brought ...— SOSL 39.5 (1870)

7. Thus we see that the first Adam had a perfect copy of the law of God upon his heart; but, sinning against God, he marred that perfect work, and could only transmit to his posterity a defaced and partially-obliterated copy; but the second Adam, having that law in its perfection upon his heart, and never, in a single particular, marring it, he transmits to all his people a perfect copy of that divine law, writing it by his Spirit upon their hearts— SOSL 26.3 (1870)

...man possesses by nature a copy of the law of God, though marred by the fall, clearly indicates that the first man in his unfallen condition had a perfect copy of that law upon his heart. For the new covenant, in restoring man from the ruins of the fall, gives him a perfect transcript of the law upon his heart. The fall did not put the law into man’s heart. It only marred the copy he had there by virtue...— SOSL 26.2 (1870)

...nt to the death of any person until sin has caused that person’s life to be justly forfeited. It is certain, therefore, that the moral law is older than sin. And when Paul seized upon the fact that death reigned from Adam to Moses, to prove that sin was imputed to men, and that the law of God did therefore exist during that period, for without it sin could not have been imputed, he did seize upon the most mighty and convincing proof of the existence of these two great forces, the law of God, and its deadly antagonist, sin. Death is the wages of sin. Sin is the transgression of the law of God. Sin is therefore certainly o...— SOSL 20.1 (1870)

...he transgression of that law; and third, death, which is the consequence of forfeiting life by sin. The existence of death from the time of Adam proves that sin has existed for that whole period; and the existence of sin from the fall of Adam shows that the law of God did exist prior to that event. And what is more, the universal prevalence of death, not only from Abraham till Moses, but from the...— SOSL 31.2 (1870)

“Moreover the law entered, that THE OFFENSE might abound.” Romans 5:20. What is meant by this term, “the offense”? It is plain that Adam’s sin is intended. See the language of the previous verses— SOSL 36.1 (1870)

“The offense” spoken of in these verses is thus seen to be the transgression of Adam, which made sinners of all the human race. Before the second Adam comes to die, the law must enter, to show the greatness of the first Adam’s transgression— SOSL 36.13 (1870)