As In Adam So In Christ

Adam disobey’s God, falls into sin. In Genesis 2:17, God tells Adam that the day he eats the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil he would die. But Adam did not die. Here death is referred to as spiritual death. It is the separation from God.

In Luke 15 we can see the father telling his son that he was once dead but now he is alive. Did the son die? No. It was because the son was separated from his father.

1 Corinthians 15:20-22 ‘But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.’

There is an emphasis in verse above - for Christ has indeed been raised.
We know a lot of people who were raised from the dead in the Bible both in the Old and New Testaments. Then why is there an emphasis for Christ?
Everyone who died and rose up, they all eventually died. But in Jesus’ case it was resurrection. It was permanent. Jesus rose up once and for all. There is no death again for Jesus. 

Death came through Adam and resurrection came through Christ. 
We can see two prominent people here. Adam and Christ. Christ is also known as the last Adam. 

Similarities and contrast between the first and last Adam. 
1. Whatever was lost in Adam, was gained in Christ.

2. Both Adam and Jesus are known as son of God.

Luke 3:38 ‘the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.‘
Mark 1:1 ‘The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God,’

3. Adam was created to rule the Earth and Jesus was born to rule the Earth. 

Genesis 1:28 ‘God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”’
Luke 1:33 ‘and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”’

4. Adam’s bride was formed from his ribs on his side. Similarly Jesus got his bride the church from his side when the Roman soldier poked his side and water and blood gushed out. 
Genesis 2:21 ‘So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh.’

5. Adam was a man who sought to become like God. Jesus humbled himself to become like man. 
Genesis 3:5 ‘ “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”’
John 1:14 ‘ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.’

6. Adam yielded to temptation in the garden of Eden. Jesus overcame temptation in the garden of Gethsemane. 
Genesis 3:6 ‘When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.’
Luke 22:42 ‘“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”’

7. Adam blamed his bride for the sin. Jesus became the sin for his bride and died on the cross. 
Genesis 3:12 ’The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”’
2 Corinthians 5:21 ‘ God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.’

8. Adam ate the forbidden fruit and broke the covenant. Jesus ate the bread and wine and a covenant was established. 
Hosea 6:7 ‘As at Adam, they have broken the covenant; they were unfaithful to me there.’
Matthew 26:26 ‘While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”’

9. Adam was naked and later clothed by God. Jesus was clothed but striped naked by men.  
Genesis 3:21 ‘The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.’
Matthew 27:28 ‘They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,’

10. Adam brought thorns and thistles. Jesus wore the crown of thorns.
Genesis 3:18 ‘It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.’
Matthew 27:29 ‘and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said.’

11. Adam brought death by eating from a tree. Jesus brought life by dying on a tree.
Genesis 3:6 ‘When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.’

1 Corinthians 15:20-21 ‘But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.’

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