Federal Headship

Federal Headship is vital importsant doctrine, yet one of the most neglected.

Without understanding federal headship we will never understand how the death of Christ can effect us.

You are I are saved, not by our works, but on the basis of someone else - Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:19 CSB

19 For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

But why did we need saving in the first place? From our sins. Well God did not make us sinnes, so why do we sin?

Same evrse:

Romans 5:19 CSB

19 For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

The history of humanity is based on only 2 people:

The first Adam and the second Adam:

1 Corinthians 15:45 CSB

45 So it is written, The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

Adam is not just a person delegated to ancinet history. Each and every sinle human being born through natural descent is a decendant of Adam and Eve.

Lets read this account:

Romans 5:12–19 CSB

12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned. 13 In fact, sin was in the world before the law, but sin is not charged to a person’s account when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam’s transgression. He is a type of the Coming One. 15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if by the one man’s trespass the many died, how much more have the grace of God and the gift which comes through the grace of the one man Jesus Christ overflowed to the many. 16 And the gift is not like the one man’s sin, because from one sin came the judgment, resulting in condemnation, but from many trespasses came the gift, resulting in justification. 17 If by the one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. 18 So then, as through one trespass there is condemnation for everyone, so also through one righteous act there is justification leading to life for everyone. 19 For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

Key here is:

Adam was the representative of all those who would come from him.

in like manner Christ is the representative of all those who would be born of him.

Romans 5:19 CSB

19 For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

So when Adam sinned - many were made sinners.

And likewise when Jesus Christ was obedient - many were made righteous.

This is the very essence of the atonment subsitutionary death of Jesus Christ.

Now, lets look closer:

Adam was disobedient when he ate the fruit. That act of disobedience made all his offsring disobedint like Adam.

Now some would aurgu and say “How is it fair that i am punished for Adam’s sin? I did not eat the fruit.”

And that is true - none of us ate the fruit so why are we guilty of doing something we never did?

The answer is Seminalism. Its a bit of a crude word and it means literally “from the semen of”

Its a biblical concept that we see clearly in Hebrews 7.

Hebrews 7 shows us that the priesthood of Jesus (Malkisadek) is greater than the priesthood of Levi.

It shows this by pointing out that Abraham tithed to Malchizakec. But in Abraham, all the 12 tribes including Levi would come.

So when Abraham tithed, Levi tithed as well, because Levi was “from the semen of Abraham

Hebrews 7:9–10 RSV

9 One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, 10 for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

This concept of “being in the lions” is Seminalism and it has powerful and profound implications for us.

We were “in the lions” of Adam.

So:

Whatever weakness, bad judgment, temptation was in Adam that caused him to sin, is in us as well.

If you or I had been in Adams place, we would have done exacally the same as him.

This is vitally important for our case.