Adam
Romans 5:18-19 “Therefore, as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of One the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous.”
The “corruption” (2 Peter 1:4) that we inherit from our first parents, is a great evil….for it is the source of all our personal sins.
We choose our personal sins….but the internal corruption (nature of sin) came through Adam.
Adam was made in the image of God…..and God pronounced him “very good”(Genesis 1:31).
Adam was indwelt by the Holy Spirit….and fully capable, by the Holy Spirit’s enabling to discharge his responsibility to God.
God made Adam upright (Ecclesiastes 7:29)…..which means that Adam had intelligence, and purity.
His body was strong and sound.
His soul was focused on the will of God.
His spirit was enlightened by the Spirit of God.
His circumstances were wonderful…..living in a beautiful garden….where God had made him ruler, under Him (Genesis 1:26) of all things….animals included.
He had everything he needed, and wanted…..
….and there was only one thing in which God tested his faithfulness….and obedience….
…..The tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
That was the only requirement from Adam….he was not to eat of it.
Therefore the test for Adam….was whether he would change his glorious life with God….
….for a life of independence from his Creator.
To do so…..(and God told him so Genesis 2:16-17)…..would be rebellion of the worst kind….
….for it would be…..trying to be like God Himself….
…..trying to throw God off His throne….and be god over himself….to choose to have, what God said he should not have.
Would he try and be independent of God…..to puff up himself….by an act of disobedience to God?
(I am asking all of these in questions…..for, as Christians, with the Holy Spirit within us….we are presented with the same questions:
Will we throw off our subjection to Christ….to choose what God says we should not have….and lose His blessing?
Will we be faithful and obedient…..or rebel against His Word and Will?
This is our life:
We have been given the Holy Spirit….and the garden of our soul’s to “dress and keep” for Him.
We have been given dominion…..under Christ….to rule ourselves in our circumstances…..to live the life of faith, which sees God first….but are we doing so…..in practical life?
Have we sought out the tree of the knowledge of good and evil…..and thought about “tasting” it’s fruit again?)
Had Adam continued to be faithful to His Creator and God….by refusing to eat of the tree of good and evil….even though Eve offered it to him….
….he would have remained as ruler in Eden….
……instead he sentenced all future generations to sin, illness, death.
He “fell”…..it is a term used for being on a high plan……and tumbling down to the very bottom….Hell.
Adam looked at the fruit in Eve’s hand…..and was not ignorant of the consequences.
God had told him death would be his reward for such willful rebellion.
Adam knew what death was…..it was the opposite of life with God….
…but he chose to be independent of God….to close His eyes to God’s Word….
….which had always been a source of comfort, and goodness to him….
…..and when he did….he sinned….and he lost the Holy Spirit….
….and his spirit became darkened.
He lost his dominion over anything….and became a scared creature hiding in the trees….grabbing anything to cover themselves from the eyes of He Who sees everything.
Spiritual death came instantly…..physical death came years later…..but Adam died everyday he remained.
Adam was prominent in the first three chapters….but after he was driven out of Eden….he was named in only three instances….
….for the birth of Cain….so like his father…a murderer….
….and for the birth of Seth….from which Christ came…
….and to tell of the years of his life….”and he died” (Genesis 5:1-5)
Adam, though he was made upright….was given a nature that could turn from God and by choice….change his glory to shame.
Adam’s sons and daughters….all of humanity….also has a choice to make:
God, or the knowledge of good and evil?
(If you thought I was going to say: heaven or hell…..not so.
Though God tells of those as the final places of residence for all of Adam’s children…….yet, God never speaks of our chose…..in those terms.
He speaks in the terms: Life or Death?
You see, we can come to Christ Jesus, and receive His life…..Eternal life:
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Or,…..we can refuse His Word, and rebel against Christ Jesus, and die:
John 3:16,18 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed int he name of the only begotten Son of God.”)
Adam existed nine hundred and thirty years….almost a millennial…..but he never really “lived” after sinning.
He was the father of all humanity….but condemned each and everyone….
…..to sin: hurt….illness….death.
Sin is a great evil…..all humanity was damned for it.
Yet Christ’s righteousness is a great blessing….for all who believe on Him are saved for it.
Luke 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
What will we choose?
God’s life through Christ Jesus the Lord?
Or….
A life of existence only, without God….and death?
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 