Today is Easter Sunday. How can one who has written a book called “Are You Dying to Live the Abundant Life?” and developed a ministry around the “dying to live abundant life” principles not speak out on this day? So, to all of my friends I say “Blessed Resurrection Day.”
In 1 Corinthians 15:45, Christ is referred to as the LAST Adam, and in verse 47, as the SECOND Man.
As the LAST Adam, Christ put an end to the first creation, including all who were born of “sinful” Adam. When Jesus died on the cross, he took our sinful humanity on Himself, took the punishment, bringing complete and final closure to that first creation (Romans 8:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
As the SECOND (Adam) Man, Christ becomes the firstborn of the New Creation: He is born from above; He is the beginning of what-Paul-calls the “NEW MAN:" One NEW MAN in Christ (Ephesians 2:15; Colossians 3:10).
"If anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become NEW" (2 Corinthians 5:17). And now, “just as Christ was raised from the dead…even so we should walk in the NEWNESS of life” (Romans 6:4).
Greg,
ReplyDeleteThank you for drawing attention to one of Scripture's most magnificent summary statements!
It is always worth another glance at so rich a nugget that represents the whole gold mine of truth!
When I find myself caught up in the struggles that accompany my conscious awareness of my dying to self I find it easy (in my flesh) to overestimate the power of sin. I hear myself whining about the extent I underestimated the effects of my sinful, soulish thought patterns, only to discover that consideration of them for longer than God intented for me places me even deeper in the track of sinful, soulish thought patterns!
The best response for me, when I find myself in this position, is to never underestimate the power of the Cross at work in me, the Resurrection to confirm new life in me, the Ascension to establish my certainty as an overcomer, the Holy Spirit's presence within me to will and to do of the Lord's good pleasure, and the Blessed Hope of Christ's return to consummate God's plan for the ages, including my own life, forevermore!
Christ's position as Last Adam and Second Man therefore means something extremely personal to me. I AM a new creation. I CAN walk in newness of life!
Stan
Yes indeed. I think one of God's ultimate purpose statements in the Bible is this: 'bringing many sons to glory.' Thereby completing what He began in the Garden!
ReplyDeleteAnother thought: As I was writing this blog, I wanted to add (but chose not to in the interest of space) that we must KNOW Jesus both as the "last Adam" and as the "second man," because this is the 'doctrinal'basis for the practical application of our "putting off the old self" and "putting on the new self."