Easter 2022: Christ the True and Better Adam

I hope you were paying attention to the children’s moment because there will be a 200 question exam at the conclusion of today’s gathering. If you have your Bibles turn to Romans 5.

If you do not have a Bible with you, you are welcome to grab one of the Bibles on the window sills at the outer sides of each row. Here at Faith Fellowship, we value the Bible as God’s Word and all of us, myself included, are held responsible to it. You are welcome and encouraged to hold me accountable to teach what the Bible teaches, not my own opinions.

Last week, Palm Sunday, we spent a lot of time in Revelation looking at the return of Christ at the end of all time. This week, Easter Sunday, I really tried to stick to a traditional Easter teaching on Jesus, so naturally, instead of we are jumping to the beginning of all time in order to look at Adam. If you have not been able to figure it out yet, I

Romans 5 starting in verse 12.

Romans 5:12–21 (ESV)

12 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— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 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.

Let’s pray and dig into this passage.

Last week, Palm Sunday, we spent a lot of time in Revelation looking at the return of Christ at the end of all time. It was rather unconventional. This week, Easter Sunday, I really tried to stick to a more traditional Easter teaching on Jesus, so naturally, instead of studying a passage in the Gospels where the life of Jesus is described, we are jumping to the beginning of all time in order to look at Adam. If you have not been able to figure it out yet, social norms are not a strength of mine.

Adam

Found in Genesis 1-3 - Recap Adam and the original sin

God created the whole world and put Adam and Eve in a Garden

God gave all the trees in the Garden for them and said it was right for them to enjoy them.

God then said that there is one tree in the Garden that is wrong for them to eat the fruit from and if they eat of it they WILL DIE.

The Serpent twists God’s words and Adam and Eve listen to him

Adam and Eve decided for themselves what is right and wrong based on their perception

They saw that the fruit looked GOOD to them so they TOOK and CONSUMED what God said was evil

In one act of rebellion they cursed the whole world and all humanity who would come from them.

Adam was given all the good food he could enjoy, and instead he chose rebellion against God. He chose SIN and DEATH.

Even in this rebellion, God takes mercy on Adam and provides a sacrifice who would die in his place and cover his nakedness. God also provides a promise that there would one day be a human who crushes the snake and conquers sin.

Verse 12 - “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” 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.14 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.

What is the Law? When was the Law given?

What does “sin is not counted where there is no law” mean? Should we then not do missions?

I had to wrestle through this passage and do some in-depth study.

This would go against everything Paul taught and lived.

We have to start by putting it into context. Look at verse 14

Let’s continue reading

15 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. 16 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.

Theology 101 Word Definition: Justification - the action of declaring or making righteous in the sight of God

17 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.

How does Jesus’ work provide this free gift of righteousness that brings Justification before God?

In order to understand this, we need to look at the similarities and differences of Adam and Jesus.

1. A Miraculous Beginning (Gen. 1:26-27, Mat. 1:20-23)

2. Sinless (Gen. 1-3, John 8:58)

Adam was created without sin, but later chose sin

Jesus, exists co-eternally with the Father and the Holy Spirit was born without sin and lived without sin and yet died as a sinner

3. Humanity’s Head

The idea of headship is found all throughout the Bible even though it is foreign to most of us. Many of us actually rebel against this concept.

The Head is the one who represents the rest of the family. He is the one who is responsible for everyone.

God held Adam responsible

Adam is the head of all humanity as the first man

Jesus is the head of all redeemed humanity

4. Authority to Rule (Gen 1:26, Matt. 28:18)

Adam was given authority over all the earth

Jesus was given authority over all heaven and earth

5. After a time of Sleep, Given a Beautiful Bride

Adam was caused to go into a deep sleep, his side was opened, and when he awoke he opened his eyes to see his new bride. Adam eventually threw his bride under the bus when they both sinned.

Jesus went into the deep sleep of death. His side was opened by a spear, and when He arose on the third day He arose to His beautiful bride, those who had been redeemed by His bearing the wrath that was reserved for them that would have killed them. Jesus sacrificed Himself for His Bride when she alone sinned.

6. A Time of Testing

Adam, in paradise with all manner of good pleasures to enjoy, chose to listen to the twisting of God’s Word and chose sin when tempted by the Serpent. Adam bowed to sin.

Jesus, fasting in the desert for with nothing to satisfy His hunger or thirst, chose to rebuke the twisting of God’s Word by correcting it with God’s Word. When Jesus was in a Garden, facing the reality that He would soon bear the total wrath of God against sin, He still chose to honor His Father and willingly chose the cross. Jesus chose, not to bow to sin, but to put it to death.

18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 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.

Application

Sin impacts all of life

Our work

Our relationships

Our actions

Our thoughts

Our desires

You cannot defeat sin and its consequences through your effort

I want to be honest with you,

if you think going to church and listening to me or someone else teach for 30 minutes once a week is what makes you a Christian,

if you think that having your name on our membership list is what makes you a Christian,

if you think just trying to love everyone you meet and making themselves feel good about themselves is what makes you a Christian

then you are dead wrong and in danger of bearing the full wrath of God for your sin.

When the wages of your sin come due and you are facing death, is that really going to be your comfort?

“God I did so much for you! Now it’s your turn to do something for me!”

Islam

Hinduism

Buddhism

Paganism

New Age

Joel Osteen and the Prosperity Gospel

Christianity

Christ has already defeated sin and its consequence, death

Who is your Head? Is it Jesus the Christ, or is it Adam?

You cannot out-sin the Grace of God through Jesus

20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.