If you believed that Paul is saying our works have a part to play in eternal life,
It's not what I believe. It's what the Bible says.
Again, Paul suggests (by the use of other words) that after we are saved by God's grace through faith in Christ, we need works of faith (via the working of God in our lives) as a part of the salvation process.
Paul said you can deny God by a lack of works:
"They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." (Titus 1:16).
Paul says if any man does not consent (does not agree) with the words of Jesus, and the doctrine according to godliness, they are proud, and they know nothing:
"If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, "(1 Timothy 6:3-4).
Jesus agreed with the lawyer on the truth that we need to love God, and love our neighbor as a part of inheriting eternal life (See Luke 10:25-28). Jesus said to the rich young ruler that if you will enter into life, keep the commandments (Which is the "moral law" such as: Do not murder, do not covet, do not steal, etc.) (See Matthew 19:17-19). Paul says if any man does not agree with the words of Jesus (Which would include these words in Luke 10:25-28, and Matthew 19:17-19, they are proud and they know nothing). James 4:6 says God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.
Paul says if you live after the flesh, you will die, but if you put to death the deeds of the body (sin), you shall live:
“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” (Romans 8:13).
So a person has two choices. They can live one way (after the flesh or sin) and die spiritually, or they can live another way (by putting away sin via the Spirit) and live spiritually.
There is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus who WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH (sin), but who who walk after the Spirit.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1).
In other words, in order to not be condemned, one cannot walk after their own flesh or sinful lusts, but they must walk after the Spirit instead.
You said:
...would you mind sharing how you interpret Romans 5:12-19?
I interpret Romans 5:12-19 as talking about Initial and or Ultimate Salvation.
Romans 5:2 says,
"By whom also
we have access by faith into this grace [Initial Salvation] wherein we stand
[Ultimate Salvation or the Foundation of our Faith by which we can stand so as to obey the Lord],"
Romans 5:12-19 says,
12 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
15 But not as the offence, so also is the
free gift [Note: Gifts are received one time, which means this is focusing on how we are "Initially Saved"]. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the
gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is
the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of
the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one
the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life
[Note: This is saying the free gift has become available to all men, and their past sins can be forgiven].
19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous
[Note: Many shall be made righteous by Christ's sacrifice because Christ can forgive our past sins or clean our past slate clean so as to then live or walk righteously. 1 John 3:7 says he that does righteousness is righteous]."
Note: The above brackets (with words in blue) are my commentaries to the text.
Anyways, we are initially and ultimately saved by God's grace through faith in Christ and not by works. For if we sin, do we become forgiven by doing another good work? No. It is by confessing our sins whereby we can be forgiven and be cleansed of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9; 1 John 2:1). Grace gives us the ability to then walk uprightly. We will always trust in the grace of Jesus Christ for salvation in how we are ultimately saved, but if we do not enter into the Sanctification process by the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit, we will be under the Condemnation (See again Romans 8:1). For if one lives after the flesh (sin), they will die spiritually; For they have to put to death the sinful deeds of the body by the Spirit (See again Romans 8:13).
You said:
Did our works had a part to play in condemning us to sin and death before we accepted Christ's obedience?
Yes.
5 "...
God
6 ...
will render to every man according to his deeds:
7
To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8
But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9
Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10
But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with God."
(Romans 2:5-11).
"And shall come forth;
they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and
they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." (John 5:29).
"His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." (Matthew 25:23).
"And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 25:30).
"
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." (James 2:24).
18 "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble."
(James 2:18-19).
"
He that rejecteth me, and
receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him:
the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." (John 12:48).
What words of Jesus can we reject that can judge us on the last day?
Jesus said if any man looks upon a woman in lust, he has committed adultery in his heart (Matthew 5:28-30).
Jesus said if we do not forgive, we will not be forgiven (Matthew 6:15).
Even after the cross, the apostle John says that if we hate our brother, no eternal life abides in us (See 1 John 3:15).
Jesus says to certain believers,
"...
I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:23).
This is context to obeying Jesus and doing what He says.
For those who do not do what Jesus says they are likened unto fools whose homes were destroyed by a storm.
26 "And
every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it." (Matthew 7:26-27).
Are you doing what Jesus says?
Jesus warns us if we do not do what He says, we are like a house that is destroyed by a storm.