“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. “
Romans 5:19
The Bible is crystal clear on two points. First, the Bible teaches that our great problems in this world can be traced back to original man, Adam, and his deliberate rebellion against God (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12; 1 Timothy 2:14). Adam was our progenitor and representative. When he became estranged from God by his sin, the whole human family followed him. Somehow, mysteriously, spiritually, embryonically, we were in Adam when he rebelled; we come into the world not only with a sin nature, but with an inherited sin debt as well. Furthermore, when Adam fell, the whole world placed under his care fell also. Six thousand years later we are still suffering the nightmarish effects of the resulting curse (Romans 8:20-22). The Bible is equally clear on the fact that this tragedy did not take God by surprise. God knew from all eternity that man would fall, and God knew exactly what He would do to remedy the problem. The great apostle Peter explains that Christ “indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you” (1 Peter 1:20). The patterns and parallels between Adam’s failure and the Lord’s flawless performance show clearly that Christ’s ministry was intended to reverse Eden’s tragedy. Adam was in a garden at a tree when he and his wife became thieves. In the place where Jesus was crucified there was a garden also (John 19:41), and whereas Adam disobeyed God at his tree, Jesus was perfectly obedient at His (Philippians 2:8). As thieves were present in the garden when sin entered, so too thieves were present while Christ was redeeming the world (Matthew 27:38). Sin brought with it sweat, thorns, and shame of nakedness. Jesus endured all these things in bearing away the world’s sin (Genesis 3:19; Luke 22:44; Genesis 3:18; Matthew 27:39; Genesis 3:7). Whereas Adam hid from God in his rebellion, Jesus actively sought Him in His perfect obedience (Genesis 3:8; Matthew 26:39; 27:46). Every cursed thing Adam’s disobedience caused will one day vanish from the world. “There shall be no more curse” is the promise of Scripture (Revelation 22:3). Praise the Lord! May these meditations thrill your heart and empower your witness today, dear saints.
God bless,
Pastor John
English