Thursday: Jesus, the Second Adam
“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. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Rom. 5:18-19). What contrast is presented here to us? What hope is offered us in Christ?
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As humans, we received nothing from Adam but the sentence of death. Christ, however, stepped in and passed over the ground where Adam fell, enduring every test in humans’ behalf. He redeemed Adam’s disgraceful failure and fall, and, thus, as our Substitute, He placed us on vantage ground with God. Hence, Jesus is the “Second Adam.”
“The second Adam was a free moral agent, held responsible for His conduct. Surrounded by intensely subtle and misleading influences, He was much less favorably situated than was the first Adam to lead a sinless life. Yet in the midst of sinners He resisted every temptation to sin, and maintained His innocency. He was ever sinless.” – Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1074.
How are Adam’s and Christ’s acts contrasted in Romans 5:15-19?
Look at the opposing ideas here: death, life; disobedience, obedience; condemnation, justification; sin, righteousness. Jesus came and undid all that Adam had done!
It is fascinating, too, that the word gift occurs five times in Romans 5:15-17. Five times! The point is simple: Paul is emphasizing that justification is not earned; it comes as a gift. It is something that we don’t merit, that we don’t deserve. Like all gifts, we have to reach out and accept them, and in this case, we claim this gift by faith.
| What was the best gift you ever received? What made it so good, so special? How did the fact that it was a gift, as opposed to something you had earned, make you that much more appreciative of it? Yet, how could that gift even begin to compare with that which we have in Jesus? |
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The gift of life! And learning to recognize it as such! Learning to be thankfull for it in all situations!
I believe the condemnation Paul refers to in vs 18 is not a condemnation for our sins, but a reference to the fact that because of Adam's sin, we are all condemned to live in a world of sin and eventually we all will die. I like the NASB translation as it seems to better reflect the Greek as I understand it.
"So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men."
One living in 4 BC might easily have concluded that sin, condemnation, and death were the inevitable consequence of having the misfortune to be born on this planet. After all, 100% had sinned and according to a strict application of the law were doomed to death. It would have been very reasonable to think that it was impossible to keep the law and that our situation was hopeless. Jesus coming and living a perfect life, whether or not one believes he was just like me or not, whether he had a nature like fallen man or like unfallen Adam, shows that God does have power to resist and conquer sin. His dying on the cross shows that He cares enough to offer that same power to us, that there is God given power to live a victorious life.
Spot on Steve.
We are condemned by partaking in 'sin' - not for partaking in sin. It is the sin that produces condemnation to death for that is sins inherent nature. Hence Paul specifically (and accurately) says that the wages of sin is death - and why he did not say the penalty (as this term is most typically understood) or punishment for sin is death.
The power of God is evident by living a victorious life of sacrifice for those whom the Father has called to his salvation that none should perish.
If we are responsible for Adams sin, in what way? When are we aware of our sinfulness? How many sins did Adam commit? When the apostle Paul writes in Romans 5:18,19 about a second Adam the heathen converts that were being instructed, was a new understanding for them. I can't ignore Romans 7. Chief of sinners. This shows the temptations that we yield to. Romans 7:19,24. and 8:1. Adams sin and the technicality involved is much less important to me than my sinfulness and weaknesses.
Except perhaps that the 'technicality' of Adams sin resulted in a change to humanity at a DNA/genetic level whereby every subsequent human (except Jesus) was inescapably born with a predispositional tendency (ie an inherent weakness) to sin as thir start point.
Romans 8:1 does not say that through Jesus God gives us power to obey the law and only therefore we are no longer under the condemnation of The Law. It says there that those who "Walk After The Spirit," are no longer under the condemnation of "The Law." Walking after the Spirit means to acknowledge that I am a sinner and I need Jesus Daily, Hourly, and Moment by Moment even though I also daily sin but I also do what God's word says to do and claim 1 John 1:9, 2:1,2; Hebrews 4:16 for forgiveness daily also.
"For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous". Romans 2:13
When it is in the heart to obey God, when efforts are put forth to this end, Jesus accepts this disposition and effort as man’s best service and he makes up for the deficiency with his own divine merit; for he is the source of every right impulse. {OW December 1, 1909, par. 10}
"Apart from Me you can do nothing." John 15:5
I believe there is power for obedience, but it's God's power, not mine, that makes this possible, and when we come short of the ideal, He makes up the difference. God bless. steve
Amen and amen! But notice that Ellen White says that God "makes up for the deficiency." There is a deficiency that God has to make up in us even after on our part "...Efforts are put forth..." to the end of obeying God. So those who "obey the law" and "ore declared righteous," do this in a joint effort with God and it is God who declares them so even though in reality they have not performed their law keeping 100% "flawlessly and sinlessly," on their part.
I think the part God makes up in relation to our best efforts is that He gives us His Love to make our efforts pure and effective. Then His Love is our motivation instead of our selfishness. We cannot manufacture His Love with our best efforts.
With our natural selfishness as our motivation our best efforts are like "filthy rags." It is God's Love that makes our best efforts the true righteousness of Christ. This is what God gives us to make our motivation right in keeping the law and developing the Character of God in our lives.
All of us by creation are “in Adam.” This is the hopeless situation we inherit by birth into the human race. Hence we are “by nature objects of wrath” [Ephesians 2:3]. But the good news is that God has given us a new identity and history “in Christ.” This is His supreme gift to humanity. Our position “in Adam” is by birth. Our position “in Christ” is by faith. What God has done for the whole human race in Christ is given as a “gift,” something we do not deserve. That is why the gift is referred to as grace or unmerited favor. To be experienced, this gift must be received, and it is made effective by faith alone. .Jack Sequeira beyond belief ch 5
"But the good news is that God has given us a new identity and history “in Christ.”
Yes. Yes. Yes. I've written somewhat disparagingly of those who want to explain the process of salvation as God ignoring my sinful life, but there is a reality to that which seems remarkable.
The lesson skipped it, but the story of Abraham in Romans 4 "He did not waver in unbelief" seems rather surreal when compared with the Genesis story where he is recorded as having laughed at God. Sarah also laughed at God, yet is recorded in Hebrews 11 as having conceived "by faith". Samson is included there too as an example of one of the great men of faith. Never mind a long list of dalliances with prostitutes, ending with him a blind slave who commits suicide to get revenge. Moses "refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter". Well actually he got so angry he murdered someone, then ran away to escape the punishment. Similarly, 1 Kings 14:8 records the history of "My servant David, who kept my commandments, and followed me with all his heart, doing only that which was right in my eyes". Really God? That's not the way I remember it.
These are just a few examples of God rewriting our history, the sins we have committed truly thrown in the depths of the sea and forgotten. Beautiful thoughts. steve
I think that the thing that changed for Adam and Eve that made all the difference was their basic motivation. Of course, I think the basic motivation changes the genetic expression of our body and not the other way around. I think that our most basic motivation comes from our spirit.
Our natural spirit produces a selfish motivation. This is natural and we don't have to choose it to have it. God's Spirit is offered to us and we must choose Him for our motivation if we would have God's Love to motivate our thoughts and feelings. When we choose God's Spirit for motivation we cannot sin as long as He is motivating our thoughts and feelings.
This is what we need to remember as we are watching and praying to avoid falling in temptation. Pray for the Holy Spirit to be the primary motivation of our lives.
Don,& others. I would refer to a text in 1Corithians. We ARE all in the same boat so to speak. 1Corithians 10:13. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful,who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. This is not a unique situation. We are all tempted by the accuser Satan, in any way he can. It is a matter of life and death. Ours Eternally .
If you received a $100 million lottery ticket, wouldn’t you immediately tell others? Who would you tell first? How long could you keep it a secret?
Isn't Christ's gift at the cross infinitely more valuable? Shouldn't we be telling everyone we know about it, especially since they can have it too simply by believing the One Who gave it to us?
Hmmn! I am not sure I would tell anyone I had won $100 million! There are a lot of people out there who would like to scam me out of it.
More seriously, though, telling people about Christ's gift at the cross, is a good idea but how do we go about communicating it. I think of my unchurched friends and know how they react when they hear any sort of Jesus talk. Living the gospel is the best way to communicate the love of Jesus when words are no longer meaningful.
This topic came up in our Sabbath School lesson today and the point was made that giving people a taste of heaven by helping them now is by far the best way of communicating the message of the cross to a world that has been turned off by self-serving hypocritical Christianity.
While living the Gospel is a sound idea, the Bible tells us to preach the Gospel to the whole world (Matthew 24:14). Only Jesus saves so people need to hear about and know Him.
I sometimes get the sense that we are just too uncomfortable with telling others about Jesus (it's just not a popular topic among "unchurched folks") and use the excuse, "I'll just be nice to them instead."
That approach alone won't save them or us.
Paul was not ashamed to share the Gospel and we shouldn't be either (Romans 1:16). I find it much easier to tell others about the amazing things Jesus has done for me in my life than to "preach" about Who they should believe in. People can deny another person's beliefs more easily than another person's experience, especially if shared honestly and humbly.
I hear what you are saying Sieg and do not want to deny the opportunity of talking about Jesus when people are open and receptive. However there are a couple of concerns that come to mind. Many people in todays world are turned off by "Jesus talk".
I think of some of my atheist friends who I have great respect for. They have rejected Christianity for a variety of reasons. Some see it as selfish, predatory behaviour, condemnatory and hypocritical. I see some folk who have been on the wrong end of the child abuse environment that has afflicted many Christian institutions. I also see people who have been involved in dogmatic "We are better than you are!" arguments with Christians.
It is easy for us to dismiss their response as a reaction to a caricature of Christianity, but when it is the main form of Christianity these folk have been exposed to, you can understand their aversion to listening to more talk about Jesus.
It is up to us to live a life that is representative of the Jesus we love. Often, now-a-days, in our secular, anti-religious society, we need to remain silent and speak though our actions.
"Often, now-a-days, in our secular, anti-religious society, we need to remain silent and speak though our actions."
Well, I couldn't disagree more Maurice. It is especially now that we need to take a stand for Jesus. We deny the power of the Holy Spirit to change lives, minds and hearts whenever we think we have a better way than to tell others the truth.
Christianity and culture ("secular, anti-religious society") have never been friends and never will be, no matter our behavior. But Christ is bigger than anyone's non-belief. There is no need to hide or "clean up" the truth (Matthew 5:15). Tell it to others and trust God to change hearts.
Many will reject the truth but at least we have done Christ's bidding (Matthew 28:19-20). It is not our job to convert others, it is our job to tell others the truth about Jesus. What happens after that is none of our business.
Sieg, I agree with your last two sentences, but I don't see them as a being opposed to what Maurice is saying. In some situations actions speak louder and more effectively than words. We need divine wisdom to know when to speak and when to keep silent, and God has promised to give us such wisdom for the asking.