Dead in Adam or Alive in Christ, Part 1
1 Corinthians 15:21-22: “For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.”
Introduction
In the world there are two kinds of people in existence – those who are spiritually dead and those who are spiritually alive. We must understand and face this fact in humanity, if we are to appreciate God's plan of salvation to rescue man from death and the supernatural nature of the power by which God brings us from death into Life in Christ through this great salvation.
I say this because there are some who do not believe that mankind is really born spiritually dead and alienated from God. They believe that in all men there is at least some residual spiritual life that can be rekindled by some form of human effort. Therefore, to them salvation may simply be a sort of reformation or moral education to stir man to live righteously. At the same time, there are many of God’s people who are not aware of the reality and potential of the newness of life they have been given in Christ through salvation. Not realizing the all-sufficiency of the life of Christ in them to live an overcoming Christian life, they vainly resort to human psychology and religious rituals, Adam’s bankrupt human resources, to boost their Christian walk. They usually live a frustrated and defeated Christian life.
In either way, they reduce the absolute necessity of the Cross of Christ and the power of the resurrection life of Christ in the work of salvation. This is the primary basis for the type of Gospel we hear today that is full of human psychology and methods of self-improvement but lack the effective power of God unto salvation to deliver and transform sinners into saints. This has produced a form of professing Christians whose only difference in character and behaviour from the rest of the world is that they have joined a church and are more or less trying and failing miserably to live holy lives.
But the plan of salvation was designed by God to effectively deliver mankind from the dominion of sin and the bondage of death. No matter how sinful humanity may seem, the plan of salvation is able to effectively accomplish that deliverance in Christ Jesus. We must not lose faith in its effectiveness.
The Gospel which declares God’s plan of salvation must be proclaimed unashamedly and positively as the power of God unto salvation to every one who believes it. And we who preach and witness about this great salvation must understand and maintain the proper focus of the Gospel. It is not a social or psychological message to make man wealthy, famous, and civil. These are earthly achievements that will pass away. And indeed a lot of earthly goods come with salvation. But the focus of the Gospel is on the more profound and eternal need of mankind – to deliver people from sin and death that they may live triumphantly in the eternal righteousness of Christ. The Gospel is the glorious announcement to all who are still dead in Adam that they can be made alive in Christ. And it also remains relevant to all who are alive in Christ that they are freed from the dominion of sin and death and can live triumphantly and consistently in God’s righteousness and holiness in Christ.
And so, through Adam’s sin, all humanity inherits spiritual death in Adam. And through Christ’s work of redemption, all who believe in Christ receive eternal life in Christ. In other words, God’s remedy for a human race made spiritually dead through a death-giving head, Adam, is life through a new relationship with a life-giving Head, Jesus Christ. “For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.”
Are you dead in Adam or alive in Christ?
Introduction
In the world there are two kinds of people in existence – those who are spiritually dead and those who are spiritually alive. We must understand and face this fact in humanity, if we are to appreciate God's plan of salvation to rescue man from death and the supernatural nature of the power by which God brings us from death into Life in Christ through this great salvation.
I say this because there are some who do not believe that mankind is really born spiritually dead and alienated from God. They believe that in all men there is at least some residual spiritual life that can be rekindled by some form of human effort. Therefore, to them salvation may simply be a sort of reformation or moral education to stir man to live righteously. At the same time, there are many of God’s people who are not aware of the reality and potential of the newness of life they have been given in Christ through salvation. Not realizing the all-sufficiency of the life of Christ in them to live an overcoming Christian life, they vainly resort to human psychology and religious rituals, Adam’s bankrupt human resources, to boost their Christian walk. They usually live a frustrated and defeated Christian life.
In either way, they reduce the absolute necessity of the Cross of Christ and the power of the resurrection life of Christ in the work of salvation. This is the primary basis for the type of Gospel we hear today that is full of human psychology and methods of self-improvement but lack the effective power of God unto salvation to deliver and transform sinners into saints. This has produced a form of professing Christians whose only difference in character and behaviour from the rest of the world is that they have joined a church and are more or less trying and failing miserably to live holy lives.
But the plan of salvation was designed by God to effectively deliver mankind from the dominion of sin and the bondage of death. No matter how sinful humanity may seem, the plan of salvation is able to effectively accomplish that deliverance in Christ Jesus. We must not lose faith in its effectiveness.
The Gospel which declares God’s plan of salvation must be proclaimed unashamedly and positively as the power of God unto salvation to every one who believes it. And we who preach and witness about this great salvation must understand and maintain the proper focus of the Gospel. It is not a social or psychological message to make man wealthy, famous, and civil. These are earthly achievements that will pass away. And indeed a lot of earthly goods come with salvation. But the focus of the Gospel is on the more profound and eternal need of mankind – to deliver people from sin and death that they may live triumphantly in the eternal righteousness of Christ. The Gospel is the glorious announcement to all who are still dead in Adam that they can be made alive in Christ. And it also remains relevant to all who are alive in Christ that they are freed from the dominion of sin and death and can live triumphantly and consistently in God’s righteousness and holiness in Christ.
And so, through Adam’s sin, all humanity inherits spiritual death in Adam. And through Christ’s work of redemption, all who believe in Christ receive eternal life in Christ. In other words, God’s remedy for a human race made spiritually dead through a death-giving head, Adam, is life through a new relationship with a life-giving Head, Jesus Christ. “For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.”
Are you dead in Adam or alive in Christ?
Comment
© 2024 Created by Raliegh Jones Jr..
Powered by
You need to be a member of Black Preaching Network to add comments!
Join Black Preaching Network