The two Adam's in Scripture

Romans 5: 15-17

“But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.”

It is clear in Scripture that we have two Adam’s in Scripture, the first man was perfect in all ways until he made the choice to sin and at that point death came into the picture, for the wages of sin is death.  It seems sad to have to note the following but because many never study Scripture and have strong opinions on what they have heard or ignorantly believe this truth needs to be stated: man was made in the image of God, and people are the only beings that were created in the image of God.  The Scripture never lumps people into the category of animals.  Scripture clearly states the separation of the creation of people from all other things. 

So we know that sin entered by one man, the first Adam and the apostle Paul shares this with us in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Now turn in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 15:39-47, “All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds.  There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.

So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.  However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.” (1 Corinthians 15:39-49)

So in Adam number one, mankind suffered and had ruin, but in the second Adam, Jesus the Christ, mankind had redemption and by the way of the cross and the blood that was shed to cover sin, mankind was given the ability to choose, the ability to confess sin and agree with God that He alone had the authority to forgive trespasses and set right or justify all who seek the free gift of redemption.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice