This is the order of things on the part of Adam:–
(1.) Paraptoma, the one sin;
(2.) Krima, the guilt that thereon ensued unto all;
(3.) Katakrima, the condemnation which that guilt deserved.
And their “antitheta,” or opposites, in the second Adam are:–
(1.) Charisma, the free donation of God;
(2.) Dorema, the gift of grace itself, or the righteousness of Christ;
(3.) Dikaioma, or dikaiosis zoes, “justification of life.”
It is worth observation with what variety of expressions the apostle
sets forth the grace of God in the justification of believers:
Dikaioma, dorema, charis, charisma, perisseia charitos, dorea tes
dikaiosunes.
Nothing is omitted that may any way express the freedom,
sufficiency, and efficacy of grace unto that end. And although these
terms seem some of them to be coincident in their signification, and to
be used by him promiscuously, yet do they every one include something
that is peculiar, and all of them set forth the whole work of grace.
Dikaioma seems to me to be used in this argument for dikaiologema,
which is the foundation of a cause in trial, the matter pleaded,
whereon the person tried is to be acquitted and justified; and this is
the righteousness of Christ, “of one.” Dorema, or a free donation, is
exclusive of all desert and conditions on our part who do receive it;
and it is that whereby we are freed from condemnation, and have a right
unto the justification of life. Charis is the free grace and favour of
God, which is the original or efficient cause of our justification, as
was declared, chap. iii. 24. Charisma has been explained before.
Perisseia charitos, — “The abundance of grace,” — is added to secure
believers of the certainty of the effect. It is that whereunto nothing
is wanting unto our justification. Dorea tes dikaiosunes expresses the
free grant of that righteousness which is imputed unto us unto the
justification of life, afterward called “the obedience of Christ.” Be
men as wise and learned as they please, it becomes us all to learn to
think and speak of these divine mysteries from this blessed apostle,
who knew them better than we all, and, besides, wrote by divine
inspiration.