Adam

 •  5 min. read  •  grade level: 9
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Adam is a very striking figure or type of Him that was to come (Rom. 5:14). He was made in God’s image, after His likeness. Adam received from God dominion over the birds of the heavens and fish of the sea, over cattle, over all the earth, and over every living thing that moves upon it. He was the only one on earth to become a living soul by Jehovah Elohim (the Lord God) breathing into his nostrils the breath of life (Gen. 2:7). Therefore, his soul was immortal. He alone had a spirit that, instead of going downward to the earth like a beast’s, went upward to God that gave it (Eccl. 3:21; 12:7). Therefore shall each one give an account of himself to God before the judgment-seat of Christ, that each may receive the things done in the body whether good or bad (Rom. 14:12; 2 Cor. 5:10).
Adam in responsibility soon became an object of judgment. Being surrounded by every natural good, he was subjected to the simplest divine command — to abstain from the fruit of a single tree. It was the test of his obedience. This he violated at the first temptation of the enemy, following his wife into evil instead of guiding her in good. Therefore, as disobedient, he was driven out of Paradise under the sentence of death, and after having fallen, he became the father of the race.
The Blessed Contrast
But the holy and righteous Lord God sought Adam the very day he sinned. He drew the guilty pair from their hiding-place and, after showing them their guilt and His respective judgment of the serpent, revealed the triumph of His grace who in the woman’s Seed would be the Second Man and Last Adam (Gen. 3:15).
And how blessed the contrast of Him who was thus set forth from that early day, the one object of faith and hope! Now we know the Son of God is come and has given us who believe understanding that we may know Him that is true. Both the Old Testament and the New bear witness to His glory and His humiliation. They reveal how He poured out His soul unto death and has been exalted to God’s right hand and will be eventually and visibly over all peoples, nations and languages, yea, all creation.
Death and Life
Meanwhile, as through one man sin entered the world and death through sin, and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned, so the grace of Christ brought in transcendent blessing, presented unto all men in the gracious appeal of the gospel. This is for “all  ...  that believe” (Rom. 3), for as through one offense the bearing was unto all men for condemnation, so through one righteousness the bearing is unto all men for justification of life. As through the one man’s disobedience the many were constituted sinners, so also through the obedience of One shall the many be constituted righteous (Rom. 5:12-19). Was it not then worthy of God to bring in for the race a still better and more enduring good through the one man, His own Son? And as the blessing is of God’s grace unto all, so it is preached to all and is received by faith instead of depending on the law. The gospel is universal in its appeal. It takes effect only in those who believe, but it is equally presented to all.
Adam while innocent stood on his obedience, but being swayed by his wife who was deceived by the tempter, he too disobeyed. He sought to be as God, knowing good and evil, and he fell. Christ, on the contrary, came in flesh to glorify God and save sinners, carrying out His obedience unto death in contrast to Adam’s disobedience to death. Christ did this perfectly, suffering to the utmost in the difficulties and ruin which man’s sin had made, while Adam fell when he was tried in the least degree with all circumstances in his favor. Wherefore also God highly exalted Christ and sends out the glad tidings to all creation. Christ has vindicated God’s love, while Adam acted upon Satan’s lie which defamed His love as if God kept back something good. For that little thing, the forbidden fruit of the tree, Adam gave up God who so loved the world as to give His best, His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Eternal Life
Adam only became a father after he had fallen; Jesus stands risen from the dead as the life-giving Spirit, after having once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust. He comes that His disciples might have life and that they might have it more abundantly. It is resurrection life from Him who bore their sins in His own body on the tree. Thus the believer has eternal life and comes not into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
Is it thus with you? If you hear His word and believe on His Son Jesus whom He sent, you are entitled to this portion which God’s grace now gives to those who believe in His name. Beware of the tempter — the liar and murderer from the beginning. Christ is the way, the truth and the life. And the Holy Spirit now bears witness to Him.
“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets; behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish; for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you” (Acts 13:38-41).
Adapted from
The Bible Treasury