The First & The Second Adam

THE FIRST AND THE SECOND ADAM

1 Corinthians 15:45-46 NET  (45)  So also it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living person"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.  (46)  However, the spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and then the spiritual.

The sin of Adam was imputed to all individuals. This resulted in the death penalty being imposed upon all individuals as if they had committed the sin.  This also means we are mortal (destined to die) from the moment of conception before we are given an opportunity to sin.  Mortality is the cause of sin.  Our state of impending death causes us to personally sin because it (death) is a weakness or disease (since all die then all sin).

Romans 5:12 KJV  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Romans 5:12 LITV-TSP  Because of this, even as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death passed to all men, inasmuch as all sinned.

Several theologians and Bible teachers disagree with Paul’s statement.  It is said they disagree with Paul that an individual must pay the penalty for a sin (Adam’s sin) that was not personally committed by that person.  However, it is a fact one’s mortality did not precede their first committed sin.  People are mortal from birth, actually from conception, and we are paying for the sin of Adam.

Romans 5:15 YLT  But, not as the offence so also is the free gift; for if by the offence of the one the many did die, much more did the grace of God, and the free gift in grace of the one man Jesus Christ, abound to the many;

All will be Given Eternal Life

All pay the penalty of death due to the sin of Adam and death is the cause of a sinful nature.  It may be considered unfair that God made all people pay the penalty for the sin of Adam but the Son of God, Jesus Christ, gave all people the free gift of eternal life.  It will be disagreed by some but Adam caused everyone to die and the gift of Jesus Christ causes all to live.  Paul states there are two Adams:  the first brought death to all; and the second brought life to all.  All individuals will be resurrected:  some at the return of Christ and the remainder at the Great White Throne judgment at the end of the Millennium.  1 Corinthians 15:23 states, “Every man in his own order”.  Not “some people” but “every person”.

1 Corinthians 15:22-23 KJV  (22)  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.  (23)  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

Not every person will receive immortality at the same time.  Although Jesus established the fact of universal reconciliation, the timing is determined by our will and actions.  The overcomers will receive aionian (of the age) life in the first resurrection i.e. the Millennium and they will reign with the Lord during the Millennium where there will be survivors.  The rest of the believers will be given life (immortality) when the thousand years is finished. This is the time of the general resurrection, when ALL who yet remain in the tombs “shall hear His voice and shall come forth” (John 5: 28, 29). This will include both unbelievers and the rest of the believers who missed the first resurrection. Those who refused Christ during their life time on earth, along with the great majority of mankind who never had opportunity to hear of Him in their life time, will confess Him as Lord at the Great White Throne.

All will be judged according to their works (Revelation 20: 13).  Because all sin is reckoned as a debt, the great Judge will reckon each man’s “debt” according to his sin and according to his level of knowledge (Luke 12: 48) and then sentence him to be “sold” according to the law in Exodus 22: 3. The purchaser will be an overcomer, one with the character of Jesus Christ, who will be given authority and responsibility to teach them righteousness by personal example and by force if necessary. This judgment will endure until the Creation Jubilee.

Due to the seeming injustice of imputing the sin of Adam to all individuals, God is justified by reversing the injustice and imputing the righteousness of Jesus Christ to all people of all times.  The inherent injustice of mortality to all people prior to any sin is made right by sending the Son of God to ascribe immortality to all people.  This does not expunge Divine judgment which is the premise of the Great White Throne judgment and the Lake of Fire.  God appears as fire in the Old Testament; God is fire; the judgment of God is fire; the Lake of Fire is the judgment of God.

No one will be tortured, for torture is not a judgment in biblical law, nor is it one of the fruits of the Spirit, nor is it consistent with the character of God as revealed in Christ. Some may receive 40 lashes with a whip, according to the law mentioned in Jesus’ parable in Luke 12: 48, but that, Jesus called a “fire” in verse 49.

Luke 12:48-49 KJV  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.  (49)  I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?

The fire is the Word of God, including the “fiery law” (Deut. 33: 2). It is the manifestation of the righteous character of God Himself, for He manifested Himself to Israel only as fire. He is a “consuming fire” (Deut. 4: 24). When He comes in a baptism of fire, its purpose is to destroy “the flesh” and quicken our mortal bodies (Rom. 8: 11). The fire is the glory of God as well, which will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. The waters cover 100 percent of the sea; so also His glory will cover 100 percent of the earth.

The Soul That Sins

In Ezekiel 18:4, God proclaims, “The soul that sins, will die”.  Of course, everyone dies, and the sinner will face judgment.  However, on a deeper theological level it can be said that the guilt of sin is attributed to the soul of a person rather than the spirit or body.  In other words, it is the soul that dies.  Unlike the spirit the soul is not immortal, it will die.

Ezekiel 18:4 LITV-TSP  Behold, they are all My souls. As the soul of the father, also the soul of the son, they are Mine. The soul that sins, it shall die.

The soul received its mortal state from Adam and that mortal state has been inherited by every person since.  Some theologians will conclude that the soul in sinful by it very nature, but this is not what is said by Ezekiel.  It is true that all souls commit sin but this is because all souls are mortal and destined for death.  All mortal souls commit sin.

Adam was created as a living soul and if he (and Eve) had not sinned then all future children would inherit the same type of soul.  After the sin of Adam, his soul was given mortality according to the judgment of God and his children from that point onward would inherit a mortal soul.  It can be scripturally seen that our mortality can be attributed to Adam and not Eve.  The mortal soul of every person comes from the father and not the mother.

Jesus was/is the product of a mother (Mary) and the Holy Spirit of God.  As already stated, the mother is not the progenitor of a mortal soul.  Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and not from an earthly father.  Therefore, we can conclude that Jesus did not have a mortal soul.

From Immortal to Mortal

It has been said that Jesus exchanged His immortal soul for a mortal one beginning at His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.  It was necessary so that His blood (soul) would become the ultimate sin offering as the Lamb of God.

Isaiah 53:12 says He (Jesus) will pour out His soul unto death.

Isaiah 53:10-12 KJV 

(10)  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 

(11)  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 

(12)  Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Likewise, Luke 22:44 states:  “And being in an agony, He prayed more earnestly:  and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” 

Sweat appears to be part of Adam’s curse from God:  Genesis: 3:19 By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground”.  This is reinforced by Isaiah 53:12:  “He hath poured out His soul unto death”.

Matthew 26:38-39 states:  Then saith He unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with Me.  (39)  And He went a little further, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt.  It has been said the ground (or the earth itself) was cursed along with Adam.  At this instance, Jesus may have imputed His own righteousness to the earth while taking the curse of death from the earth onto Himself.

The blood of Jesus had to be sinless and spotless.  He took upon Himself the curse and sins of creation including all individuals and thereby reversing the curse bestowed upon Adam and the earth and imputing His righteousness to all human beings as well as all creation because He is the headship of all by the Law of Headship.