First Man, The

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This term denotes what is natural and earthy in the human race (1 Cor. 15:4747The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:47)). In Scripture, the “first man” is never said to be corrupt or sinful, because what is inherently natural and soulish in man is not evil; it is what God created. For this reason, the “first man” is not said to be “crucified” with Christ, as is the case with the “old man” (Rom. 6:66Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:6)).
The creation of man after the first order has many characteristics of God Himself, for he was created in His “image” and after His “likeness” (Gen. 1:2626And 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. (Genesis 1:26)). For instance, man has a definite personality with likes and dislikes. He also has feelings and reasoning powers, etc. These natural qualities are not evil, but are part of the makeup of a human being. God has not brought this into judgment, for it came forth from His own hand in creation. It is the same with our bodies; they are never said to be evil. (The KJV translates Philippians 3:2121Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:21), “Our vile bodies,” but this is not the best translation, for what God has created is not vile—in the modern sense of the word. If our bodies were vile in that sense, we would never be asked to present them to God as a living sacrifice, as stated in Romans 12:11I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1). “The body of sin,” mentioned in Romans 6:66Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:6), is not speaking of our physical bodies, but of the totality of sin as a system. We use the word “body” similarly in other topics. For instance, we will say, “the body of a river,” or “the body of medical knowledge,” etc.)
While what is natural in the “first man” is not said to come under the judgment of God, that whole order of manhood has been superseded by another order of manhood under Christ that is superior. This is the force of the word “afterward” in 1 Corinthians 15:4646Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. (1 Corinthians 15:46). Hence, the first man has been set aside and replaced by the new order of manhood under Christ. Christians are part of that new creation race now (2 Cor. 5:1717Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17); Eph. 2:1010For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)) and are waiting to bear the image of “the second man” physically, when they are glorified (1 Cor. 15:4949And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. (1 Corinthians 15:49)).
The term “first man” is often used inter-changeably with the term “old man,” but as we have noted, these terms are not synonymous. The Apostle Paul uses these terms to define two different aspects of the human race under Adam. The “old man” denotes the corrupt state of the fallen race, whereas the “first man” denotes what is natural and earthy in the race. The first man has been superseded, but the old man has been judged. (See Old Man.)