“for all did sin, and are come short of the glory of God.” (Rom.3:23)
“for till law sin was in the world: and sin is not reckoned when there is not law; but the death did reign from Adam till Moses, even upon those not having sinned in the likeness of Adam's transgression, who is a type of him who is coming.” (Rom.5:13-14)
We learn in Genesis 3 that through one man (Adam) sin entered into the world. We also know that God gave Adam only one rule to follow: God said that Adam was free to eat of all the trees in the garden except for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (see Genesis 2:16-17).
I think one fact tends to be lost on us however. Adam “sinned” before eating of the forbidden fruit. Let me explain and in doing so, we need to look at what “sin” actually means. The Hebrew word translated into English as “sin” is “chata” which means to “miss the mark”. It means to fall short and fail in an intended purpose (this is why God cannot sin). God, unlike man, never misses. Everything He intends to happen, happens. The following passage illustrates what “sin” is:
“Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss.” (Jdg.20:16)
Notice the word “miss”. The translators of the King James Version, translated the Hebrew word “chata” (sin) as “miss” in this passage. The men could sling stones and not sin.
Adam was not immortal but instead was a mortal being. We know this (in part) because after eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God barred the way to the tree of life (see Gen. 3:24) which eventually caused Adam’s death.
Theologians and pastors commonly teach that Adam died a “spiritual death” after eating of the forbidden fruit but that is impossible (as you will see in the following passage) because Adam was not a “spiritual” being but a “soulish” being. When reading the following passage, please note the three occurrences of the word “natural”.
“It is sown a natural (soulish) body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural (soulish) body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural (soulish); and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.” (1 Cor. 15:44-50)
The Greek word which was translated as “natural” in this passage is the word “psuchikos” which comes from “psuche” meaning “soul”. In other instances where “natural” is found, it was translated from “phusis” to grow/germinate.
Let’s read a little further in the 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians. Paul is here addressing sin as it relates to our bodies of corruption.
“for it behoveth this corruptible to put on incorruption, and this mortal to put on immortality; and when this corruptible may have put on incorruption, and this mortal may have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the word that hath been written, `The Death was swallowed up -- to victory; where, O Death, thy sting? where, O Hades, thy victory?' and the sting of the death [is] the sin, and the power of the sin the law;” (1 Cor. 15:53-56)
In the above passage, what was Paul trying to convey in regards to believers in relation to sin? We will not see incorruption until Christ resurrects us. Not until resurrection will we have victory over death. What is the sting of death? Sin. And, what gives sin its power? The law. Paul tells in Romans 5:13 that sin has been in the world before the law came but sin is not imputed when there is no law. This next thought, admittedly is speculation. I do not know this for sure because scripture does not tell us but I think it can be inferred from what scripture tells us. Again, I am not saying, “I know the following to be a fact: In all likelihood (since he was not perfect) Adam sinned (messed up, failed in an intention, etc.) prior to THE sin. However, those sins did not count because there was no law. Sin is not reckoned by God when there is no law. There was only one thing which God forbade Adam and transgressing this one thing was the only sin which counted.
Verse 14 of Romans 5 goes on to explain that “death reigned” from Adam to Moses “even upon those not having sinned in the likeness of Adam’s transgression”. Sin was still rampant between the time of Adam and the law of Moses (and I would argue morerampant after the law came; see Romans 5:20) but the difference was that Adam’s transgression was against a stated command from God. All transgressions are sin but not all sins are transgressions. Adam’s disobedience was a transgression and this is how no one who lived between Adam and the law of Moses sinned in the likeness of Adam. Adam’s sin really boiled down to this: the sin of unbelief. Adam (and Eve) believed the first lie, “thou shalt not surely die.” This is Satan’s realm of activity; especially now. He attempts to undermine God. He does this in the realm of religion. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 11:14-15:
“and no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”
“because of this, even as through one man the sin did enter into the world, and through the sin the death; and thus to all men the death did pass through, for that all did sin;” (Rom.5:12)
It is commonly taught that sin is what we inherited from Adam and that we were born with a “sin nature” and that we die because we sin. That sounds perfectly logical because after all, we all sin. However, go back and re-read Romans 5:12, reading it carefully you will see that scripture says that we inherited death, not sin. We inherited mortality. The passage says that sin entered the world through Adam and then death entered because of THE sin. Then, death (not sin) passed onto all humans and for that all have sinned. We do not die because we sin, we sin because we are dying. I realize it is possible to “sin unto death” as the scripture says. This goes hand in hand with “reaping what we sow”. If you smoke 3 packs of cigarettes per day, you will in all likelihood die at least indirectlyfrom that habit.
Look at the case of infants who die or especially of babies who die in the womb. Did they sin? Theologians and pastors say that “they have a sin nature they were born with and die”. The problem is, that is not what the scripture says. We inherited a “death condition” due to the condemnation which passed on us all because of Adam. Our sinning, missing the mark, transgressions do not cease (or necessarily decrease) because of our salvation. We will continue to sin until “death is swallowed up in victory” and until “this corruption puts on incorruption”.
“being declared righteous freely by His grace through the redemption that [is] in Christ Jesus,” (Rom.3:24)
“for that which I work, I do not acknowledge; for not what I will, this I practise, but what I hate, this I do.” (Rom.7:15)
“and whom He did fore-appoint, these also He did call; and whom He did call, these also He declared righteous; and whom He declared righteous, these also He did glorify.” (Rom.8:30)
So, what should our attitude be toward sin? The apostle Paul speaks about not doing things he wants to do and putting into practice things he hates. That is me. However, we are exhorted to walk by faith NOT by perception (2 Cor. 5:7). This is mature teaching. We need to come to a realization that because of Christ’s work, we are not only justified freely but “we are made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). How can we sin and yet be seen as God as righteous? This righteousness is not about us nor is it about our performance; it is about what Christ did. His blood has made us righteous. Throughout scripture, God declares things that are not; as though they are. This is a figure of speech called “prolepsis”. God looks ahead to the completed work; His completed work. As we grow in Christ, we will find ourselves hating sin more and more but realizing that we too must look ahead to Father’s finished work and walk by faith.
“because of this, even as through one man the sin did enter into the world, and through the sin the death; and thus to all men the death did pass through, for that all did sin; for till law sin was in the world: and sin is not reckoned when there is not law; but the death did reign from Adam till Moses, even upon those not having sinned in the likeness of Adam's transgression, who is a type of him who is coming. But, not as the offence so also [is] the free gift; for if by the offence of the one the many did die, much more did the grace of God, and the free gift in grace of the one man Jesus Christ, abound to the many; and not as through one who did sin [is] the free gift, for the judgment indeed [is] of one to condemnation, but the gift [is] of many offences to a declaration of `Righteous,' for if by the offence of the one the death did reign through the one, much more those, who the abundance of the grace and of the free gift of the righteousness are receiving, in life shall reign through the one -- Jesus Christ. So, then, as through one offence to all men [it is] to condemnation, so alsothrough one declaration of `Righteous' [it is] to all men to justification of life; for as through the disobedience of the one man, the many were constituted sinners: so also through the obedience of the one, shall the many be constituted righteous.” (Rom. 5:12-19)
Paul explains in Romans 5 that Adam heads up all mankind in death. No Christian I know of denies this basic truth. However, “Christianity” en masse denies that Christ heads up all mankind in life. This too is truth. The theme running from Romans 5:12 through verse 19 is how the actions of the first and second Adam affect all of mankind. Because of Adam’s single act of offense, condemnation came upon all. Notice in verse 18 how the “all” did nothing to fall under the condemnation of death. The scripture says that “so also” justification of life will come upon these same all because of Christ’s righteous act (not because of a wise decision they make, a prayer they pray, through a baptism, through pious living, etc.). Here, Christian orthodoxy restricts the “all” to just a small, miniscule fraction of humanity, thus making Adam more successful than Christ! They reason that while Adam’s act managed to condemn all of mankind, Christ’s act is dependent on a contribution of works and therefore the “all” will not see justification of life.
Orthodox Christianity sees Christ (the Savior of the World) as only a potential Savior. They believe that the real saving work must be accomplished by the sinner; not the Savior.
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