1st Corinthians chapter 15 and
Romans chapter 5. I'm going to begin a little series
that might be short and the title is some comparisons between between
Adam and Christ. Some likenesses and some dislikenesses
between Adam and Christ. We'll read from 1 Corinthians
chapter 15. Actually it'll be next week when
we are looking at this passage in earnest. And chapter 5 of
Romans will be our principal text of today, of the morning. So in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Let me direct your attention
to verse 45 through verse 49, and then we'll go to Romans chapter
5. Here's what Paul writes, 1 Corinthians
15, 45 through verse 49. And so it is written, the first
man Adam was made a living soul. The last Adam a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first, which
is spiritual, but that which is natural, and afterward that
which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth,
earthy. The second man is the Lord from
heaven, and as is the earthy. Now not the earthly, but the
earthy. and as is the earthy, such are
they that are earthy, and as is the heavenly, such as they
that are also heavenly. As we have borne the image of
the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Back in Romans chapter five,
verse 12, then, Verse 18 and 19, I'm skipping for the sake
of time, for we refer to the interim. Verse 12, 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. Verse 18 and 19. Therefore, as by the offense
of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so
by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men
under the justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience
many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many
be made righteous. Now, I'd like to begin this morning
by establishing a premise that we will try to carry through,
which is that we learn from the scripture that there are two
men that are prominent in the scripture, two person, two particular
individual, which have the greatest influence upon our life of any
other that we shall ever experience. And particularly, is that true
with our spiritual life, whether in deadness or in resurrection. And these two are the most pertinent
men that will ever cross our path in all of our lifetime. They will more profoundly affect
our life than any other person in the world or any that we shall
ever have interaction with. And they shall outdo all others
by a great descent. No, I'm not talking about our
parents, our mother or our father. I'm not talking about our favorite
teacher in school or in college, or about our favorite coach in
an athletic event, or a best friend, or our therapist, a political
mentor, even our pastor, our investment counselor, or a boss
at work, or some great and beloved sweetheart or spouse. Any of these might give us good
direction and good advice, have a great influence upon our life,
and even might guide us in a good way, but also in a bad or not
so good way at all. But the two men with the most
influence upon our life and our being and even our eternity are
number one, Adam, and number two, the Lord or the man, Christ
Jesus. For from that first man we derive
a corrupt nature, and our depravity. We are born in sin, and from
our connection and derivance unto him we are born in sin,
and death reigns over all that are in the world. We are condemned
because of what Adam did and of our relationship and descendancy
from him. Now from that second man that
we have mentioned, which is the man Christ Jesus and the Lord
from heaven, we read that he is a life-giving spirit unto
us. and that he is the one by whom
we are made righteous and by whom we are justified. He is the giver of both our spiritual
and of our physical life. Now concerning these two men,
Adam and the Lord Jesus Christ, it is Paul, and that's not surprising,
that has given us the two comparisons that we are studying from at
this time a comparison of Adam and of Christ. And both of those
comparisons, we have read them, are rather lengthy in the scripture. And they are in regard to spiritual
matters, therefore they are to our benefit. Now the more lengthy
comparison, I think, is in Romans. chapter five, verse 12 through
verse 19. And in the immediate context
there, it is the manner of justification and condemnation that are contrasted
and are in view. Look in verse 12 again, by one
man, sin entered into the world. And that man is Adam. And from
verse 14 of this chapter, we read of Adam's transgression. While in verse 16, we read of
the gift of grace by one man, Jesus Christ. So there is no
doubt as to the identity of these two men in the scripture, and
the effect and the impact of each one of them upon the human
family. Now, I think that this is clearly
a masterpiece from the Apostle Paul, which the Spirit of God
has inspired and given unto us. We'll say more about that later. Now the second great comparison
between Adam and Christ is found in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and
the verses that we read. And in this context, it is built
around death, and the resurrection of the body, and their respective
relationship unto each one, Adam and of Christ. Well, there's
a mini comparison back in 1 Corinthians 5, verse 21 and verse 22. And it says this, for since by
man came death, by man also came the resurrection of the dead,
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive. Now Adam is the one from whom
thou proceeded sin and death as it entered into the world
and spread throughout all the population Christ is the life-giving
spirit and a closer look at verse 21 1st Corinthians chapter 15
for sense by man came dead In the immediate context, Paul means
physical death, the death of the body, for the whole chapter
deals with the resurrection from the dead, the resurrection of
the body, and what sort and kind of body it will be. Now Paul
makes the direct connection between Adam and the death of the race
just as he does in Romans chapter 5 and verse 12. By one man sin
entered into the world and death by sin for that all have sin. And he goes on to say that death
reigned Romans chapter 5, 14, and sin reigned unto death. And that before the law was ever
given, and that is significant. Romans 5 and verse 21. After
the commandment, the law entered that sin might abound, that grace
also might abound. Now let's correlate verse 21
and 22 of 1 Corinthians 15. Each one of them has two parts of the verse that
are contrasted. Look at verse 21 again and the
first part. Since by man, Romans 5.12 says,
one man. Death came. A particular man
is responsible for sin and death entering into the world. Then
look at verse 22, also the first part. For as in Adam all die. Now death was by means of Adam
for the reason that we were in some way in and connected to
Adam. We have some connection unto
Adam that causes us to be brought to sin and unto death. As just stated, Paul traces death
to a particular man. does not refer simply to generic
mankind, but to a specific particular individual man who just happens
to be the first man and the fountain, the father fountain, of the entire
race. So that the entire race is descended
from the first couple, Adam and Eve. We read in Acts 17 and verse
26, where Paul says, God hath made of one blood all nations
of men for to dwell upon the face of the earth. And from that
one man and couple has descended all of those that inhabit the
earth. Now some think in Acts chapter
17 that Paul writes this against the view of the Athenians because
they thought or believed that they had actually sprung up out
of the dirt or the dust of their land. But it also serves us well
against the teaching of evolution. We have not sprung up out of
a mass in the ocean, but God hath made of one flesh. Each nation and every nationality,
every people, all the families of the earth, whatever you choose
to call them, have not a separate but a common origin from Adam
and from Eve. The common presence of Adam and
Eve, our parents actually in the flesh. It follows, therefore,
that in Adam all die is Paul's doctrine. And a side point, no
matter from which time in history or place in history you mark
your beginning or your ancestry, the beginning of your race or
the start of your particular nationality, one thing is true. Adam is the fountain of all human
nature, and in him have all become corrupt, and they die. Which was denied by the Sassanian,
by the Pelagian, and strongly weakened by the Armenian. Now, as noted earlier, We have
two major passages that make a comparison or a contrast between
the two, Adam and Christ, where their relation to the race is
set forth. Not just as private individuals
were they, but the first one is in Romans 5, 12 through 19,
the grand subject of Romans. is sin, righteousness, condemnation,
justification, and the righteousness of God which is revealed in the
Gospel. Now these are hardly lost sight
of in the doctrinal section of the Roman Epistle. and they're
dealt with from several angles or from several aspects along
the way. The other comparison is 1 Corinthians
chapter 15. Now, asking your tolerance to
give a special and a separate introduction to the passage in
Romans 5 and verse 12 through verse 19. I believe it to be
the great definitive passage on the only two possible states
that it is possible for a human being to be in, either condemnation
or justification. And every human being is in one
or the other of these, and they're in them because of their relation
to Adam and Christ. Now, if I had agreement with
John Owen's statement He said, and I quote, a comparison is
here proposed and pursued between the first Adam by whom sin entered
into the world and the second Adam by whom it is taken away
or removed, unquote. Robert Haldane, in his excellent
commentary on the Roman epistle, takes note of two words that
are here in verse 12, and let's note them. Wherefore, wherefore
draws a conclusion which Paul draws and intends to finish by
and by, but he doesn't as we look at the further of the chapter. Then the word as. wherefore,
as introduces a comparison or a contrast as it does at other
times and places in the scripture. I'd like to give you just one
example. In Matthew's Gospel, chapter
24, 38, and 39, our Lord used the same formula. As it was in the days of Noah,
they ate, they drank, they gave in marriage, so shall it be in
the days of the coming of the Son of Man. As it was, so shall
it be. And there are a lot of those
in the scripture. Now the apostle in verse 12,
Romans 5, gives a definitive statement as to the source and
the manner of sin and thus condemnation. Here it is, sin entered into
the world by one man and death came or followed upon sin, and
then death passed upon all men for the reason that all have
sin. What we have in verse 12 through
19 is what Murray called, and again I am quoting, a sustained
contrast. between the process set in operation
by Adam and that set in operation by Jesus Christ." Now the first,
the condemnation and death. The second, the justification
of life by the grace of God in Christ. And in the midst Verse
12 we have two more little words and let's look at them and so
and So right in the middle this stands between the two halves
of verse 12, and it makes a connection between the two halves of the
verse. The first half of the verse tells
us that sin and death entered into the world by that one man,
Adam. The second half of the verse
tells us death became absolutely universal. It passed upon all,
in that in Adam all die." 1 Corinthians 15 and 22. To repeat, these two
facts are connected by the two little words, and so. Sin entered the world by one
man, and so Death passed upon all men. Now, notice two more
little words further down in verse 12. For that, so that,
sin pad, for that, or in that, or because, in as much, or since,
all sinned. Death passed upon all, for that
all have sinned. Now, check this. These words in Romans 5 and verse
12, all sinned, are like those found back in chapter 3 and verse
23. All have sinned and come short
of the glory of God. But do the two set forth one
and the same thing? Are they personal transgressions
or not? They are in chapter 3 and 23. But there notice something. Paul
makes that statement and he passes on without comment on it. But in chapter 5, Verse 13 through
verse 17, he interrupts himself that he might expand upon the
meaning of all have sinned in chapter 5 and verse 12. And in
the following verses, down through Romans chapter 5, he multiple
times, and you must get this, he multiple times refers to one
transgression and one man. And all of those verses deal
with one transgression of one man. You have it in verse 15,
you have it in verse 16, you have it in verse 17, and you
have it again in verse 18 and in verse 19. He traces sin and
death back to Adam and righteousness and life to the one man, Christ
Jesus. But notice something in verse
14 of Romans chapter 5, where he calls Adam a type of Christ. Adam, who was a type of Christ. That is, he was a figure who
foreshadowed the coming one. a type of the coming one. Though Christ is not mentioned
by name in verse 14, He is in verse 15, verse 17, and verse
21, and is the one man in verse 15, 17, 18, and 19 by whom grace
comes under the justification of life. Now the question might be, how
is Adam a type of Christ? So different was their effect
upon the human family. Their actions produce such opposite
results. How then does Paul say that Adam
is a type of Christ? Well, you have it in 1 Corinthians
15, 45, We'll be there next week if God
be willing. But Adam's sin brought him death. He was earthy and he was natural. But how did he foreshadow Christ? What likeness? had Adam under
Christ, that Paul calls him a type of the one to come. After all,
Paul, while calling Adam a figure of Christ, notes the oppositeness
of their effect on the race and the one that was to come. Verse 15, not as the opium, so
the free gift. Here is a good contrast in the
end of verse 15. Verse 16, not as it was by one
that sinned. So he notes the different effects
from Adam and from Christ. Let me share with us some thoughts
which I gleaned again from the commentary of John Murray on
the fifth chapter of Romans, such as in Romans chapter 5 and
verse 12, is an unfinished comparison. Think of that in that light.
He begins a comparison, but it is there an unfinished comparison. And then in verse 12, through
verse 19, the grand truth is set forth is the analogy that
exists between the passing of sin and the passing of death
upon all from the one man that sinned, and that would be the
Lord Jesus Christ and Adam set in contrast. And the passing
of justification and life from the other man, the Lord Jesus
Christ. Now these verses tell us very
clearly that the universal reign of death came through the one
sin of the one man, Adam. Which again, Paul writes in 1
Corinthians 15.22, and Adam all died. All are in and from Adam, and
because of that, all die. And Romans 5 and verse 18, therefore,
through the offense of one upon all men to condemnation. Romans 5, 19. for by one man's
disobedience many were made constituted to be centered. Romans 5, 1 Corinthians
15, Paul has only the two men in mine, Adam and
Christ. And he deals with it from the
standpoint of the individual, not from the standpoint of the
individual, but of their representative relation to the two men. As we just read, both condemnation
and sinnership pass unto us through Adam. There is a contrast or
a comparison in both Romans 5 verse 18 and verse 19 concerning what
Paul calls the offense and the free gift. The contrast between
the offense and the free gift. He contrasts the result of Adam's
quote offense, verse 15, 17, 18, and 20. Adam's transgression,
in verse 14, and one man's disobedience, in verse 19. He contrasts that
with the free gift, which, verse 15, the gift of grace, which
is by one man, Jesus Christ. And notice, count them, he uses
the word gift five times in these few verses of the scripture. That while the reign of death
and condemnation came by one, the sin of Adam, The free gift
is of many offenses under justification. Verse 16, verse 17. If by the one offense of one
man death reign, much more they which receive abundance of grace
and the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus
Christ. Now verse 18. as by one offense. unto condemnation. So by the
righteousness of one came upon all to the justification of life. Verse 19 again. As by one man's
disobedience many were made sinners, so by the offense of one shall
many be made righteous. That is, be made, constituted,
declared righteous. Now this is not by an infusion
of righteousness, and it's not by acts of righteousness on their
part, but it is the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ as it was imputed
to Abraham in Romans 4, and Genesis 15 and verse 6. As it is to them that believe. Romans 4, 22 through 24. Righteousness shall be imputed
unto them that believe. Now, let's zoom in. on verse
19 of Romans chapter 5, where we read here, number one, of
one man's disobedience. And number two, the obedience
of one. Disobedience and obedience. contrasted. The first is Adam,
the second is the man Christ Jesus. And the result of each
one respectively, the many, the many made sinners, many made
righteous by their connection unto that one. And I think that
I agree with Haldane, Robert Haldane in verse 19. that it
is the summation of all that Paul has said from verse 12 on
under this point. And then again with John Murray,
that verse 18 and verse 19 are a summation of the doctrine set
forth in the whole passage from verse 12. And Murray made two
observations. Number one, that every element
of verse 18 and verse 19 is present in verse 12 through verse 17. Number two, he made this quote,
the parallel between Adam and Christ is now stated in the clearest
terms and the comparison is completed in verse 18 and 19. Now here
we have the concise conclusion of what Paul had stated in verse
12, defining the actual cause and ground of both condemnation
and justification, the effect of the sin of Adam upon the race,
and not just the race, but upon the earth and creation as well. Genesis 3, 17, cursed is the
ground for thy sake. Romans 8, 20 and 22, that creation
is subject to vanity with the sons of men. There's a universal
reign of death among them, proceeding from Adam. In him, human nature
corrupted. The fountain corrupted and was
poisoned in Adam and is passed out to all of his descendants. In Christ, we have the very opposite
than what we have in Adam. Adam was disobedient, Christ
was obedient. Adam disobeyed God's command,
Christ obeyed everything that the Father gave unto him. By Adam sin entered, by Christ
it is taken away, or is put away. From Adam is death, from Christ
is life, from Adam is condemning depravity, from Christ is justifying
righteousness that is brought forth in their behalf. From Adam
death reigns, from Christ Grace reigns unto eternal life through
righteousness. Looking at the last half of verse
18 and 19 of Romans chapter 5, where the saving virtues of Christ
are set forth in contrast to the ruinous sin and disobedience
of Adam. In each verse, We have those
two words that form a comparison. As, even so. Notice them in both
verses. As, even so. Verse 18, the last part. As through the offense. and even
so also by the righteousness of one. As the trespass of one,
Adam, is the ground of condemnation, so the righteousness of one,
Christ, is the ground of justification. And those that I read that are
familiar with the Greek render it this way, by one righteous
act, speaking of the obedience of Christ. By one righteous act. The contract in verse 18 being
between condemnation and justification through Adam and Christ respectively. Now look at verse 19. It is a
similar contrast between sinners and righteous, this time related
to the respective disobedience of Adam and the obedience of
our blessed Christ. Adam's disobedience constituted
many as sinners, yea, all as sinners. Christ's obedience constituted
the many righteous. While Adam committed an act of
disobedience, Christ yielded complete and perpetual obedience
unto God the Father, obeying every command that the Father
had given unto him. keeping every precept of the
law, upholding every truth, and His obedience actually reached
its highest point in Him giving Himself to the death of the cross. We read in Philippians chapter
2 and verse 8, He became obedient unto death, even the death of
the cross. the apex of the obedience of
our Lord, was laying down his life for the life of the elect
upon the cross, a Roman cross, a cross of crucifixion, one of
the worst, most shameful forms of death of that time that one
could imagine. Our Lord drank the bitter cup
of shame, of suffering, and of death. He laid down His life
at the command of God. In John chapter 10, verse 18,
John 14, and verse 31, He obeyed the Father in all things, did
everything that the Father had commanded Him to do, while Adam
disobeyed the command that God had given unto him. And the Lord's
death, obedience rather, extended even unto the death of the cross. And says Paul, by that obedience
shall many be made righteous, constituted righteous. Now, a
lot of sound theologians and expositors hold that there is
some sort of a solidary union between Adam and the race and
between Christ and the many, by which their respectful acts
take effect upon those people and have their consequences. Now, in closing, these things
respecting Adam and Christ are not known by many, not even church
people today. They're not believed by many
in Christendom, even those that profess to be Christian, and
skeptics and rationalists very strongly disagree with Paul. Moralists are offended at what
Paul said. And Luther pointed out something
I thought was a little bit humorous. Those that reject the idea that
a world is lost, quote, because one man bit into an apple," unquote. That's ridiculous to a lot of
people to think that we are condemned and that a world is lost because
a man long ago ate some fruit in a garden because one man bit
into an apple. But just as offended, there are
those who take offense that because one man died on a cross a long
time ago that our sin may be forgiven and we may be saved
because that one man died. This is foolishness to the Greeks
and was a stumbling block unto the Jew that Christ is dead by
the shameful death of the cross for they wanted him on a throne. They wanted him wearing a crown.
They wanted him removing the yoke off of them and assuming
a great earthly reign that would relieve their misery. And so
they were offended at Christ crucified and put upon a cross. In closing, according to Paul,
sin, condemnation, and death have one source, and that's Adam. Likewise, Grace, life, righteousness,
justification have one source, and that is Jesus Christ. By
man came death, by man came the resurrection. By man sin entered,
by man Christ Jesus is sin put away, never to condemn again. And thank God for that. And this
comparison is profitable to us as we study in the scripture.