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.
(Romans 5:12-14)
A few years ago, I wrote a devotion entitled, Adam as a Type of
Christ, to which one reader took umbrage I would dare compare Adam with the
glorious Lord Jesus Christ. Actually, I did not, but the Holy Bible does. I
fully understand the reader’s consternation in believing I was arguing Adam was
LIKE[1]
Christ - he was not! But the Holy Bible draws common lines of similarity in
order to contrast the great difference between the two. Adam was a figure of
Him who was to come (Jesus Christ) in several, and often contrasting,
particulars. 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.
In what points are Adam and Christ similarly? Before looking below,
see if you can count the ways.
1.
Adam had God alone to be his Father Cainan,
Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of
Adam, which was the son of God. (Luke 3:37-38) - Jesus Christ
had God alone to be His Father. He shall
be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall
give unto him the throne of his father David:" (Luke
1:32)
2.
Adam was born sinless, but later sinned - Christ
was born sinless and never sinned.
3.
Adam, being the first physical man, became the
federal head of all men - Jesus, being the first man to defeat death and hell,
became the federal head of all who are the Elect of God, namely, the spiritual
Creation of God. There are only two families under heaven - those who are
worldly (Adam's family); and those who are spiritual and righteous (the family
of Christ), bearing in mind that it is not our righteousness that makes us
worthy of the name of Christ, but His obedience that gives the title.
4.
With or without our own sins, we inherit the
sinful nature from father Adam - by the means of the 'imputed righteousness of
Christ, we inherit that righteous nature of Jesus Christ.
5.
Death passed upon all living by the sin of one
man, Adam - but life eternal passed upon all of the Elect of God by the
righteousness of one man, Jesus Christ. 20 But now is
Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For
since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For
as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (1
Cor 15:20-22) This is the difference between Adam and Christ that makes all of the
difference in Heaven or Earth! The tremendous and eternal loss brought upon
mankind by Adam falls far short of the greater and blessed work of Christ for
our eternal good.
At the very moment of Adam's sin, grace
and redemption began to flow from Christ. It was granted Abraham by means of
the Promise of a Messiah, and fulfilled centuries later in the birth of Jesus.
6.
Men fall heir to one of the other families -
Adam, or Christ - by means of birth. All are born into the perishing family of
Adam, but those who are chosen and answer the call, are born anew into the
family of God.
7.
Another point of similarity is the fact that none
living today have a direct and personal relation to either Adam or Christ.
Though born in the likeness and lineage of Adam, we inherited his sinful nature
through our fathers. The same is true of the family of God. We have no
genealogical relationship to Christ, but have been granted a mercy and grace in
adoption into His family when we have received Him in our hearts.
8.
Both Adam and Christ died, but one arose from the
tomb having defeated death and hell.
There are many other parallels in the life of Adam and Jesus, but time
precludes our discussing all in the format of a devotion. At the outset, we
must acknowledge than none are righteous - all have fallen short of the glory
of God - and incapable of earning our salvation. We can never be good enough to
EARN our salvation. So we need a Savior who is sinless and able to pay for our
sins in our stead. One who could conquer death and hell and bring us too to
where He is today. That Person is Jesus Christ!
Speculations on the wisdom of God's mode of salvation is vain and more
than dangerous. We are mere mortals with a short lease and narrow boundary. It
is best for us to simply know that the wisdom of God is all wisdom, and what
little wisdom we have comes from Him.
It is a comfort to note that the Holy Bible does not make particular
mention of any apostle dying after the resurrection of Christ. It makes
referenced to the saints falling asleep. Perhaps, if we take the Lord at His
Word, that we should not constantly make reference to the dead in Christ in the
past tense for they surely live more starkly now than ever before!
Considering once more the sinful nature of Adam as opposed to that
nature of perfect righteousness of Christ, you will recall that all that God
created was good. He did not create sin in the world. Sin came from without the
world. Its sponsor was the Fallen Angel, Lucifer, who spoke with Eve from that
ill-natured Tree in the Garden at Eden. Prior to that moment, there was no sin
in the earth. All creatures were destined to live forever in bliss. The ONLY
tree that Adam and Eve were distinctly told not to partake of is the exact tree
of which they did partake. They passed by the Tree of Life (symbolizing Christ)
and chose the devil's fruit instead.
The effect of sin is universal. Once committed, all of Creation came
under the sentence of death, and this was, and still is, the plan of the
Adversary of our souls. He desires to destroy all that God has created -
especially mankind. He advocates abortions, wars, homosexuality (to prevent
increase in the race), and starvation and disease. The first creature to die
was an innocent animal from which skins were made to cover Adam's nakedness
(sin). The blood of that small animal (perhaps a lamb) stood in figure of that
precious Lamb of God who would purchase, with His own blood, our redemption.
(to cover OUR nakedness).
Adam is head of the old Creation: 26
And God said, Let us make man in our
image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,
and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and
over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So
God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and
female created he them. 28
And God blessed them, and God said unto
them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and
have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over
every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Gen 1:26-28) I need not
point out to those with IQ's above that of a tomato that two men, or two women,
could ever "be fruitful and multiply."
Christ is the head of the new Creation. 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And
all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and
hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Cor 5:17-18) For
we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath
before ordained that we should walk in them. (Eph 2:10)
Adam was made a living soul, Christ was made a quickening (i.e. making
alive) Spirit. 45
The first man Adam was made a living soul;
the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 46 Howbeit that was
not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that
which is spiritual. 47
The first man is of the earth, earthy: the
second man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As is the
earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are
they also that are heavenly. 49
And as we have borne the image of the
earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now
this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God;
neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. (1 Cor 15:45-50)
If our hope is solely invested in the things of this world, we are
without hope; for this world shall be consumed with fervent heat, and all that
is worldly shall be consumed thereby. But the holy and spiritual shall not be
consumed. In fact, the righteous will be in the Ark of Christ as was Noah in
the Ark of Noah. the greater the destruction and devastation, the further from
it will the people of God be lifted in the Ark of Christ. But we had better
make our election sure at the immediate present for, like Noah's Ark, once God
closes the door, all who have not entered in shall horribly perish.
[1]
Like means to share
common characteristic(s), not to be identical. Thus, the umbrage was really misplaced due to a
misunderstanding of a word. Not
exactly an unheard of problem.
