ADAM: THE GOOD NEWS

Have you heard of Adam, the father of the human race? It’s said that his house in heaven is one of the most heavily guarded. Why? Because every human being in heaven wants to have a go at him!

Now, I’m obviously being facetious about the heavenly security, but it’s not news that Adam is one of the most disliked Bible personalities.

 “It’s ALL Adam’s fault”

“Adam brought this suffering on us”

“If only Adam had just controlled himself...”

“I can’t believe I’m being punished for ANOTHER man’s sin.”

Etc.

These lines echo the sentiments many of us have of Adam.

The man Adam is unique in human history because he’s the only one whose descendants reap – in a literal, direct way – the consequences of his actions.

1Co 15:22  succinctly states, “IN ADAM ALL DIE”. And Rom 5:12 says it even more clearly, “Adam sinned, and that sin brought death into the world. Now everyone has sinned, and so everyone must die;” (CEV).

This feels a lot like gross injustice at first glance. Why should I be punished for another man’s sins?

But people who say that forget that they are already sinners in their own right, Adam or not, (“all have sinned”); and will still go to Hell if God judged them as them (and not as Adam).

This is the good news of the Gospel, because Jesus Christ came to Earth as “the last Adam” (1Co 15:45)! And “as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1Co 15:22).

As Adam, Jesus too was unique in that His ‘descendants’, (those who put their trust in His substitutionary sacrifice on the Cross), are automatically sentenced to ‘suffer’ the consequences of His actions: which was total, complete sinlessness and obedience to God.

Wow! The bad news of Adam is now the good news.

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who has known the mind of the Lord? or who has been his counsellor?... For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. (Rom 11:33-36)

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN