In the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul provides a striking comparison between the first Adam (whose rebellion led to the Fall of creation) and the Last Adam – Jesus Christ.
This blog post will compare and contrast these two biblical figures and explore the impact their actions have on our lives. Let’s dig in!
In Romans chapter 5 from verses 12 to 19, Paul describes the devastation that came to humanity through Adam’s choice to disobey God in Genesis 3 and contrasts this with the beautiful salvation achieved by Christ for His people. He’s describing a concept theologians call federal headship. This term means that the a person acts as the representative of a group and his or her actions are inherited by and impact that same group. For example, when the Prime Minister of the U.K (who represented that nation) declared war on Germany in 1939, the entire country went to war. The citizens had no say in that decision but their representative, Winston Churchill made that decision on their behalf. However, the whole nation was impacted by that choice – even though they didn’t make it. They experienced rationing, bombing raids and other horrors. Likewise, when Adam (who represented all of us as humans) fell, experienced physical death, sin and separation from God, all of his descendants inherited the same fate (except Christ).
Paul writes:
“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— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.”
Paul’s argument is that sin entered into the world due to Adam’s disobedience and his (and our) punishment for sin was death – physical and spiritual. He also explains that sin existed before the giving of the Old Testament law by God through Moses. The absence of the formal law code meant that there wasn’t a written standard to judge between right and wrong. Despite this, death (as the punishment for sin) continued even up until the law was given on Mount Sinai.
He continues:
“But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification.”
Paul explains that the grace and mercy given to us by Christ through His salvation is a free gift. It isn’t earned or worked for – it is an expression of God’s incredible kindness! It is in stark contrast to Adam’s sin. Adam’s sin brought guilt and separation from God to all human beings. Without Christ, all humans are guilty before God. But instead of destroying humanity, God showed His patience and goodness by sending His Son to make sinners right with Himself. He (to some extent) overlooked the sin of thousands of years until the time for them to be judged in Christ. He goes on:
“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. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.”
Romans 5:12‭-‬19 ESV
Paul’s argument is that one man’s sin (Adam) caused death to dominate the lives of all people. However, in contrast, God’s mercy and forgiveness is shown to a much greater extent to everyone who submits to Christ. The impact of Christ’s life, death and resurrection is FAR greater than the effect of Adam’s sin. In Christ, we receive forgiveness, mercy, spiritual blessings and a restored relationship with God! His reference to “all men” when speaking about Jesus’s work does NOT mean that all men will be saved. It may mean that Jesus’s death made salvation possible for all men (but that only those who repent will receive salvation) or it might be referring to the subset of people who will turn to Him.
Paul then goes on to emphasise the point that Adam’s sin led to condemnation for all humanity but that Christ’s obedience (going to the Cross) will cause all of His followers being made right with God. What a beautiful outline!
By comparing and contrasting Adam (who is a type and shadow or pointer to Christ) and Jesus, he’s showing them as the heads of two types of humanity. Adam – initially made perfect is the head of the original humanity. Through him, all humans are born to die, are sinful and separated from God. Christ is the head of a new humanity. In Christ, those who follow Him are restored to God, filled with His spirit and being changed to become more like Him.
There are numerous other interesting contrasts and parallels between the first Adam and the Last Adam, Jesus. These include:
– the first Adam was made miraculously by God in the Garden (Gen 2.5-7). Jesus, the last Adam was conceived on the earth miraculously by God (Luke 1.26-35). The last Adam was also raised miraculously in a Garden.
– God commands the first Adam to procreate and produce physical children (“be fruitful and multiply…” Gen 1.26). Jesus, the last Adam commissions us to share the Gospel so that spiritual offspring might be born e.g. Christians (Matt 28.19-20).
– the first Adam was made to rule and subdue the earth under God’s authority (Gen 1.26-28). Jesus, the last Adam is given authority by God the Father to rule the Universe after His resurrection (Matt 28.18).
– God creates a bride for the first Adam (called Eve) from his side as he sleeps (Gen 2.18,21-23). God creates a bride for Christ (called the Church) from His pierced side on the Cross as He’s dying (John 19.34, 1 Peter 1.19).

 

– the first Adam is deceived by Satan (via Eve) to disobey God in the Garden when he eats the forbidden fruit (Gen 3.1-7). The last Adam, Jesus resists the devil numerous times in the desert (Matt 4.1-11) and throughout His ministry (e.g. through healing and casting out demons). He succeeds everywhere the first Adam fails.
– the first Adam receives a punishment of difficult work as the earth is cursed (thorns and thistles from the earth) – Gen 3.17-19. He is cursed (e.g. separated from God).The last Adam, Jesus wears a crown of thorns on the Cross (Matt 27.27-30). He bears separation from God on our behalf so that we might be restored to God!
– God gives the first Adam the skins of a sacrificed animal to cover his nakedness and shame (Gen 3.21). The last Adam IS our sacrifice and He covers us in His righteousness, making us acceptable to God.
– the first Adam is banned from the Tree of Life for his sin and loses eternal life (Gen 3.22-24). Jesus, the last Adam is hung on a tree (e.g. the Cross) to give us eternal life (John 3.16). In the New Creation, those who belong to Christ will have access to the Tree of Life again (Rev 22.1-5)!
Let us be thankful for what God has done for us in Christ and ask God to help us grow in appreciation for His work and faithful to Him. If we repent, we are no longer part of Adam’s flawed race. If we have trusted in Christ, we belong to His New Humanity!
Reflection points:

 

– are we “in Adam” or “in Christ”? Who do we belong to? Let’s honestly assess the state of our souls.
– if we are in Christ, what are the areas in our lives where we’re acting more like our old humanity than our new nature? Let us confess those to God and ask for His help to grow.