Devotion on First Man (Adam) and Second Man (Christ) 22 October 2015 Anno Domini
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 that I would dare compare Adam with the glorious Lord Jesus Christ. Actually, I did not, but the Holy Bible does. I fully understand the readers consternation in believing that I was arguing that Adam was LIKE 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 KJV) – 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 KJV) 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 to 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: “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. ” 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.