Day 122: From Adam to Jesus

1 Corinthians 15:45

Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

Colossians 1:15

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

Philippians 2:8

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

There are many comparisons between Adam and Jesus in the theology world, but also biblically as Paul calls Jesus the last Adam in 1 Corinthians. Today we are going to explore these ideas, and get an understanding of what Paul meant when He called Jesus the last Adam.

It is largely understood that Jesus came to do what Adam could not, He came to fix the very things that had been severed and broken as a result of the fall. Jesus was the answer to a broken world that could only be fixed or saved through his sacrifice. From the moment Adam ate the forbidden fruit humanity was separated from God, and Jesus was the only one who could unite us once again.

Adam was created in the image of God, he was created a perfect man initially, completely good. When Adam was created there was no sin in the world, sin entered the world through him. Romans 5:12 states Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—We are the descendants of Adam therefore we inherited his sin. Jesus was also perfect, he was the very image of God. Jesus being conceived by the holy spirit was not born a sinner but born into a sinful world and was completely human, Jesus walked on this earth as a perfect man, never sinning or falling into sin. Both men were given a choice, Adam with the tree (Genesis 2:16-17) and Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1). Adam chose to eat the fruit which would result in the fall of humanity. Jesus would stand against the temptations of satan, and save humanity by giving his life up on the cross. The difference between the two men is that one came to fix the mistakes or even pay for the mistakes of the other. Adam was disobedient to God and chose death when he and Eve chose to eat the forbidden fruit, it was through these actions that sin sin entered the world. It was through Jesus that sin was defeated in the world. The scripture says that Jesus was obedient to the point of death, if saving this world meant dying the most humiliating and painful death known to man, then Jesus was willing to do it and He did. He was completely selfless in doing so.  

1 Peter 2:24

who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

Certain translations refer to the cross as a tree  seeing that cross was made out of wood. Ironically it goes to show that a man eating fruit from a tree is caused the fall of humanity. But years later, the promised Messiah would hang from a tree saving humanity from the result of the fall.

Adam is a representation of humanity as the Hebrew meaning of the name Adam is, man or mankind. The name Adam is also a masculine term for the word Adamah, meaning earth. We are Adam, we are the sinners who have chosen to live a life of sin, and we were and are in desperate need of a Savior. From the moment we were disconnected from GOd, He has been in constant pursuit of our heart in order to have relationship with us.

Colossians 1:14

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.

“We are all connected with the first Adam (the natural and legal head of the human race) as depraved and guilty sinners, and so are included in the sentence of death which God pronounced on him. However, all who are connected with the last Adam, Jesus, through repentance and faith in His redeeming work, are forgiven, have ‘received the free gift of righteousness’, and so ‘have passed from death to life’.”

Jesus came to save and fix this broken world, it is through His sacrifice that we are able to have a relationship with God and live a holy and righteous life, which is what God intended from the very beginning. Jesus did what Adam could not do by carrying the sin of every man on His shoulders and taking it to the grave, and being raised from the dead three days later. By doing so he defeated the power of sin and death, so we no longer have to live in sin. We are no longer connected to the sin of Adam. We have been redeemed by the sacrifice of Jesus, who has taken away the impurities from humanity.

Reflection

Today was a bit theologically heavy, but what is your response? Do you see the parallels between Adam and Jesus and their choices directly affected humanity?

Prayer Time

As a response to today’s reading talk to God about what stood out to you. Thank God that He did not let us die in our sin, but He sent Jesus in order that we may have relationship with Him.

I love you and I hope you have an amazing day or evening. Make sure you share this with someone and come back tomorrow for Day 123!