Perhaps we should stop talking about being “faithful” to have a quiet time with God each day, as if we were doing something to earn a reward. It would be better to talk about the privilege of spending time with the God of the universe and the importance for our own sake of being consistent in that practice.
Jerry Bridges

Adam Reppresentative Man

Adam Reppresentative Man

ADAM — REPRESENTATIVE MAN

(FIRST ADAM, LAST ADAM)

Adam was more than a normal man; he was a “representative man.” Adam was a progenitor, the federal head, the prototype, the master copy, the “representative” of the first human race. What he did stood for us all.

In this study, all scriptures are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.

Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through

one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned….

Amplified Therefore as sin came into the world through one man and death as the result of sin, so death spread to all men, [no one being able to stop it or to escape its power] because all men sinned.

  1. S. Way The error of one individual man made the breach

    through which sin entered our world; and in the track of sin came death. So it was that death passed through that door to assail all men….

KJV Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned

Because Adam was not a normal man, but a “representative” man, we see that death ruled as king thru the law of sin and death because of his original sin.

Romans 5:14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to

the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.

Amplified Yet death held sway from Adam to Moses [the Lawgiver], even over those who did not themselves transgress [a positive command] as Adam did. Adam was a type (prefigure) of the One Who was to come….

We see here in verse 14 that as Adam was a representative man, so too Christ is a representative man. So herein is the basis for the gospel. Since, if one man (Adam) got us into sin and death, so too, one man (Jesus) can get us out.

Romans 5:15-19:

v 15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!

Amplified But God’s free gift is not at all to be compared to the trespass–His grace is out of all proportion to the fall of man. For if many died through one man’s falling away–his lapse, his offense–much more profusely did God’s grace and the free gift [that comes] through the undeserved favor of the one Man Jesus Christ, abound and overflow to and for [the benefit of] many.

v 16 Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.

v 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

Amplified For if, because of one man’s trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God’s] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness (putting them into right standing with Himself) reign as kings in life through the One, Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One.

v 18 Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.

Amplified Well then, as one man’s trespass–one man’s false step and falling away–[led] to condemnation for all men, so one Man’s act of righteousness [leads] to acquittal and right standing with God, and life for all men.

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

Amplified For just as by one man’s disobedience (failing to hear, heedlessness and carelessness) the many were constituted sinners, so by one Man’s obedience the many will be constituted righteous–made acceptable to God, brought into right standing with Him.

We see this representative man idea laid out for us in…

1 Corinthians 15:21, 22:

v 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.

v 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

Amplified For just as [because of union of nature] in Adam all people die, so also [by virtue of their union of nature] shall all in Christ be made alive.

In verse 45 Christ is called the “last Adam” making reference to his role as “Representative Man.”

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

Amplified Thus it is written, The first man Adam became a living being–an individual personality; the last Adam (Christ) became a life-giving Spirit–restoring the dead to life.

Jesus made reference to himself as the last Adam in many terms we fail to recognize. For example:

John 15:1 “I AM the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.”

(We see the contrast in Jeremiah 2:21: …corrupt, wild vine….)

Also, we see in John 12:24 (a grain of life, planted in death, to bring forth many).

v 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

(Contrast to Matthew 3:10: …ax laid to the root of the “corrupt” tree.)

So we see that the entire plan of redemption revolves around two men. The basis of the gospel is that through faith in what one man–the God-man Jesus Christ–did, all men could be saved (the second Adam–the second representative man.)

ADAM CHRIST Both Representative Men Both Heads

Corrupt, wild vine–Jer 2:21 True vine–John 15:1

Bad tree, bad fruit–Mt 7:17 Good tree, good fruit–Mt 7:17 Law of sin and death– Law of life in Christ– Romans 5:12 Romans 8:2 Romans 8:2 Romans 5:17

NATURE NATURE

Spiritual death, mortality Spiritual life, immortality Curse, sin, sickness Removal of the curse– poverty, suffering, Galatians 3:13, 14 death–Dt 28:14-68 Dt 28:1-13

  1. Spiritual death 1. Spiritual life
  2. Mortality 2. Immortality–2 Tim 1:10
  3. Curse 3. Removal of curse

Other Parallels Jesus Made

Jesus Paul From above–John 8:23 1 Corinthians 15:47 Resurrection–John 11:25 1 Corinthians 15:21, 22 Gate– John 10:7 Romans 5:1, 2 The way, truth, life Romans 5:17-19

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

Scripture taken from THE AMPLIFIED NEW TESTAMENT, copyright 1958, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

The copyrights of the other translations have expired.

If you have any questions or wish to make any comments I can be reached c/o The Christian Resource Services BBS, Chesapeake, VA, 804-543-0830 (300/1200/2400, 8-N-1).

Allen Fincher

Related Articles: