THE SPIRIT AND THE SOUL

"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Heb 4:12).

Devotion 8 of 15

A CLOSER LOOK AT ADAM

It is not coincidence that Adam was made a living SOUL, but Jesus is a quickening SPIRIT. It is said of Adam, "The first man is of the earth, earthy . . . As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy . . . And as we have borne the image of the earthy . . . " (1 Cor 15:47-49).

Although Adam was made in the image of God, he was of a lower order than Jesus, Who is the "EXPRESS Image" of God (Heb 1:3). As it is written, "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Gen 2:7). "Dust," "ground," "nostrils" -- these do not depict the highest part of mankind. They are the lower part, accentuated in the natural creation.

While Adam was exceedingly wise, and doubtless unusually gifted (although the Scriptures do not emphasize this), he did not possess all of the qualities God intended from the foundation of the world. In Christ Jesus, we now bear, and will eventually fully bear, a higher order of Divine imagery than Adam possessed. Jesus did not come to restore the Adamic image, but to bring men even higher.

We know this is the case because the Adamic has been written off. By this, I do not mean to imply Adam is condemned, for I do not for one moment believe that. I do mean that if our lineage can only be traced back to Adam, we will neither see nor enter the Kingdom of God (John 3:3-6). The necessity of the new birth is found in the rejection of Adam as a progenitor.

Jesus is called "the LAST Adam" and "the Second Man" (1 Cor 15;45,47). As "the Man Christ Jesus," He is the last of the Adamic order. As the "Second Man," He is the First of a new order. This is confirmed by His lineage and progeny. The family tree of our Lord is traced back to Adam in Luke 3, and to Abraham in Matthew 1. In both cases, the fleshly offspring ended abruptly at Jesus. He had no children. Emphasizing this fact, Isaiah prophesied, "He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living" (Isa 53:8). The fleshly family tree ended with Him.

But Jesus began a new generation. He had no children after the Adamic order, but what a host He has in the spiritual order! He is no less than an "The Everlasting father," begetting children that, in the end, will be a vast host which "no man can number" (Rev 7:9). But none of them will be in the lineage of Adam! The order of Adam has been rejected--written off, as it were. The new birth inducts us into the eternal order--one that transcends that of Adam, even in his innocent state. When Jesus confesses to the Father, "Here am I and the children whom God has given Me" (Heb 2:13), not a single aspect of them will be traceable back to Adam. Then, they will be wholly born of God, conformed to the image of His Son--His glorified Son.

Adam was made the executive head over the creation, and that was a staggering responsibility. But what is that to compare with those who have been joined to the Lord? They will "inherit all things" (Rev 21:7). They will even inherit God Himself, for they are called "heirs of God." They will also be CO-regents with the Lord Jesus Christ, being called "joint heirs with Christ."

Praise the Lord, Jesus did not simply make a way for us to be again like Adam. He inducted a better order.

PRAYER POINT: Father, grant me grace in Jesus' name to anticipate being conformed to the image of Your Son, shunning all competitive influences, living by faith, and walking in the Spirit.

-- TOMORROW: A CLOSER LOOK AT JESUS --