There are two choices laid before every man: death or life. Paul begins discussing the origin of those consequences of decision. By one man, Adam, sin entered the world and death by sin. When Adam was in the garden, everything was perfect. He walked every day in sweet fellowship with God, had a duty to perform, and was able to enjoy the full blessings of the Lord without any hardship. God, to protect Adam, had one stipulation to this life. Adam was to avoid eating the fruit of one tree. Because Adam did not heed the instruction of the Lord, he was separated from the Lord. That very day, death set into his body and into the earth. Adam no longer had eternal life and fellowship with God. The earth was no longer easier to till. The cycle of death had come to this perfect planet as punishment of the sin of one man. Adam passed down this sin to all of his son and daughters. They passed down sin to their sons and daughters. And now we are in the 21st century. Sin has been passed to us, too. The consequences of this sin is death.
Death means "separation." When our bodies die, they are separated from the ones that are still living. The day Adam ate the fruit, and the day we commit our first sin, we are separated from a holy God. If you remember from earlier blogs, God's JUST nature will not allow Him to tolerate sin; He has to punish it. Because sin reigns and has control of our bodies, we are subject to mortality and condemnation. We will one day physically die and because of sin spiritually die. If Adam were to continue to hide in the bushes with the fig leaves, he would have suffered both deaths. BUT GOD has mercy. He is willing to hold back His wrath, which we deserve. He has abundant grace! He longs to give us the things that we do not deserve. He made a way for Adam, and for all mankind, to come back to Him and have sweet fellowship once again.
For if by one man's sin death entered into the world, what do you think would happen by one man's complete righteousness? There was a "second Adam." Jesus came as 100% man and lived a perfectly sinless life. He did this so He could extend God's righteousness and life to others in exchange for death. He took the death and the punishment so that we can take the gift of life freely from Him. Now, that is exciting! In the garden, Adam was told to make a sacrifice. The way that he was able to reunite with God in fellowship was that he had faith looking forward unto the sacrifice that Christ would make. Adam killed the lamb and made himself a covering with that lamb. Because Christ has already made the perfect sacrifice, we no longer have to use animals to make coverings for our sins. We have a sacrifice who will wipe away our sins. He covers us with His own righteousness and makes us perfect, as though we had never sinned. Then He gives us the gift of eternal life with Him.
Where sin abounds, grace abounds so much more! There is no sin that you could ever commit that would keep you from being able to receive the gift of God. Do you have His life? Or are you a walking dead man?
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