Adam

What are we really? Who are humans? How are we described in the Scripture? In order to find out the answer what we really are, we ought to start with the creation of the world. Starting with arts and sciences never reaches to the point of finding what we are, philosophies and ideologies even.

The first man was Adam. He was created in God’s image and His likeness. He was fully functioning and operating on the basis of what God intended him to be. In fact, he was a selfless man who could stand before God confidently and boldly because he was in the transparent and honest relationship with God. He did not hide anything to God who did not hide anything to man either. Adam was in perfectly pure obedience to God out of genuine heart and mind. There was no guilt or shame because he was fully aware of the love of God which perfected him.

But, something terrible happened to man. He disobeyed God by taking the forbidden tree, knowing that when he ate of it he would surely die. That’s what exactly happened to all mankind because Adam was the type of all mankind. All humans are the descendants of Adam. The fall of the race made all mankind wicked and unrighteous in God’s sight.

“There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10 NKJV)

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23 NKJV)

“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.” (Ephesians 2:1-3 NKJV)

God has given us the Law in order for us to see what we really are. First of all, the Law reveals that whatever we do in the flesh is totally wrong and found guilty.

“Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” (Romans 3:19 NKJV)

In the second place, the Law reveals that what we are is totally gone wrong.

“For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.” (Romans 7:11 NKJV)

“Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.” (Romans 7:13 NKJV)

“I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.” (Romans 7:21-25 NKJV)

We were dead in spirit but made alive now in Jesus Christ. Yet we are still waiting yearningly for the redemption of our body. Our spirit was redeemed and liberated from the bondage of sin and death, but not our body yet. That’s why we Christians still sin. However, even if we still sin, it cannot cancel out the proclamation of righteousness by faith in Jesus Christ. All genuine Christians are always righteous in His sight through the faith in the blood of Christ now and forevermore.  

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1 NKJV)

“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” (Revelation 3:5 NKJV)

Yes, that’s what we are in Christ Jesus. That’s the gospel and reality. Christians are continually in sufferings and troubles, and yet always cheerful and completely fearless.