In his recent book on pneumatology, J. V. Fesko wrote that:
The most succinct presentation of imputation appears in
Romans 5, where Paul contrasts the respective consequence of the (dis)obedience
of Adam and Christ: "Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for
all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all
men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were appointed sinners, so
by the one man's disobedience the many will be appointed righteous" (Rom
5:18-19). God imputes Adam's sin to those whom he represents and thus appoints
(καθιστημι) them as sinners; conversely, God imputes the disobedience of Christ
in order to appoint sinners as righteous. The imputation of the representative
(dis)obedience of the first and last Adams lies at the heart of covenant
theology, or federal representation. (J. V. Fesko, The Giver of Life: The
Biblical Doctrine of the Holy Spirit [We Believe: Studies in Reformed
Biblical Doctrine 6; Bellingham, Wash.: Lexham Academic, 2024], 146)
In a footnote, we read that:
Here in Rom 5:18-19 English translations render καθιστημι
as "made" (ESV), "result(ed)" (NIV, NAS), "came"
(KJV), "led to/leads to" (NRSV), yet the term "appoint"
best captures its meaning (see Matt 24:45, 27; 25:21, 23; Luke 12:14; Acts 6:3;
7:10, 27, 35). (Ibid., 146 n. 23)
To see why Fesko is
dead-wrong about imputed righteous, as well as his understanding of Rom 5:18-19,
see:
Response to a Recent Attempt to Defend Imputed Righteousness
