This verse, as it stands in our translation, teaches Universalism out and out; for the unqualified statement is that as all "were made sinners" 'by Adam, so all shall be made righteous by Christ; and if "were made" really means what the words imply, that all men actually become simpers through Adam, then all men must actually become righteous through Christ, and Universalism is the logical result.

Now, the word translated "were made" occurs in the New Testament twenty-one times. In all the other places where Paul uses it it means to ordain or appoint as a ruler, conductor, overseer, judge, eider, or priest; but in no other one of them does it mean "were made," as here translated. And in neither of the other three places where it is used by other New Testament writers does it necessarily need the translation "were made.," The exact meaning of the word is to put, place, or lay down-that is, to put in a position; and the meaning of the statement in v.19, which seems the most natural, is this -- That as all are made subject to temporal death for Adam's sin, and are so far put in the position of sinners for his sake, so by the obedience of Christ, all are put in the position of the righteous so far as to receive with them the benefits of Christ’s redemption -- the offer of pardon and the blessings of probation.

A condensed summary of the entire passage is as follows:

First -- The apostle says (v.12) that by one man sin entered into the world, and death entered by it, and so' death passed upon all men - that is, the condemning sentence of temporal death was passed upon the entire race for Adam's sin. "In Adam all die." (1 Cor. xv:22). "By one man's offense death reigned" -- that is, the mortality which Adam in -- cursed by sinning was transmitted, by God's. arrangement, to the entire race.

In other words, God determined that Adam, inasmuch as he had become mortal by sinning, should beget only mortal descendants. Hence the statement, "As in Adam all die." (1 Cor. xv:22.)

Secondly-He represents the work of Christ as equaling, and even in some respects surpassing, in its effects the results of Adam's sin. For example -

V.15. By one, death comes to all; by One grace abounds to all.

V.16. The judgment - the condemning sentence of temporal death -- follows "one" offense; the "free gift" follows "many."

V.17. By one sinner, and he a mere man, death temporal reigns; much more by the Infinite Savior, the elect shall reign in life eternal.

V.18. By "one offense" (Greek) all come under a condemning sentence of temporal death; by "one righteousness" (Greek) all come under a provision designed and adapted for justification unto life.

V.19. As, therefore, by the disobedience of one all are put in the position of "sinners" (by thus suffering temporal death for his sin), so, by the obedience of One, all are put in the position of the "righteous" (by the blessings they enjoy in common with them).

V.20. This verse should be especially noticed in its bearings on the doctrine of hereditary depravity. In v.12 sin entered (eiselthe) and death entered by it. Now, v.20, the law (pareiselthen) entered in addition, so that (as a consequence) the fall (paraptoma) "abounded" - filled up, extended, filled up the world; but grace met even this additional exigency, so that even where "sin abounded grace super-abounded."

[NOTE-If we are to believe that the fall extended beyond Adam-"abounded"-embraced the race for the reason that his descendants were connected with him, then here in this 20th verse, if anywhere, we should expect that doctrine would be stated. But this verse says nothing about it, and only mentions, as the occasion of this universal sinfulness, that the law came in-either natural or revealed, or both -- implying that men now become sinners just as Adam did, by an intelligent transgression of it; no allusion being made directly or indirectly to him as the occasion of this universal sinfulness.]

V.21. That as sin hath reigned in or with death temporal (en to thanato) meaning, perhaps, in connection with it -- attended by it -- and commensurate in extent with it, so might grace reign through righteousness unto life eternal -- that is, sin reigns unto death temporal, while grace reigns unto life eternal. Thus the apostle shows that, at every point, the system of Grace through Christ had transcended in blessings to mankind the entire train of evils that had come upon the race from the sin of Adam.