Adam and Christ
Quite a few people say that my
children all look alike. Yes, they do in some sense, but if you really get to
know them, you will find that they are very different. Sometimes when we want
to understand something better we compare it with something like it, but not
totally like it. For example, if you come to my house and meet just my oldest
daughter Lydia, you might say, “She has black hair and bright black eyes.” And
that may be about it. But if you meet both Lydia and Grace together, then you
may say, “Well, Lydia is taller, and Grace is chubbier. Lydia is more outgoing
and active and fast, and Grace is sort of laid back. Lydia loves fruits and
vegetables, and Grace loves fish and meat.” That is exactly what Paul is doing
here in today’s scripture. By comparing Christ with Adam, he helps us to
understand and cherish our Lord Jesus Christ and what he has done for us better.
By this, we will trust Christ, love Christ, treasure Christ more. And God will
be glorified. That is Paul’ aim and our aim.
First Adam
Today’s scripture is difficult. In this
case it might be helpful to summarize the passage in one sentence. The main
point is this: “Just as Adam’s sin is
imputed to us because we were in him, so Christ’s righteousness is imputed to
us because we are in him.” And now, I will tell you what it means by that
in order.
First, let us start with verse 12:
“Therefore, just as sin came into the
world through one man, and death came
through sin, and so death spread to all
because all have sinned” (NRSV). Here we see the three-stage chain reaction:
the entrance of sin -> the entrance of death -> the spread of universal
death because all sinned. Then, what
does Paul mean by “because all sinned”? Here Paul doesn’t mean that death
spread to all because of our individual acts of sinning, although they are huge
and enough to condemn us. But he means that when Adam sinned, in a real and
mysterious way, I sinned, and you sinned. It is called the doctrine of imputed sin. We all sinned in Adam, that his sin is imputed to us. Universal
death is not from our individual acts of sin, but from a single, solitary sin
of Adam. So in verse 15 Paul says, “Many died through one man’s trespass.”
There was a famous monk in the
early 5th century, whose name was Pelagius. He denied original sin. He argued that Adam was simply
the first sinner, and everyone ever since has followed his bad example. He
believed that human nature was not wounded or depraved by Adam's sin and humans
are perfectly able to perform good works and fulfill the law without divine aid.
He taught a form of self-salvation. He was opposed by Augustine and declared a
heretic by the early church (cf. the Council of Carthage, 418).
Federal Headship
You may don’t like the concept of
imputed sin. You may say: It’s not fair Adam’s sin is imputed to me! It’s not
fair that I should be judged for what someone else did! I should have had a
chance in the Garden of Eden myself! Since we live in a highly individualistic
society, it is very hard to understand the concept of our having sinned in
Adam. In today’s term it is kind of similar to the concept of a representative
who stands in for someone else. It is also called “federal headship.” There are
high tensions on the Korean peninsula today. We know a national leader can
declare war. This power to declare war does not belong to the people. People do
not vote popularly on whether to declare war. This power is given to the
elected representatives. So if South Korean federal representatives declare war
on the country, I can’t say: “No, I’m not at war with this country!” I am at
war no matter what opinions I have. And I have to go back to the army to defend
my country. In this case the elected representatives are federal head. In fact,
we can find a number of examples of federal headship in the Bible. The story of
Achan in Joshua 7 can be a good example. Achan stole some of the devoted things
from Jericho treasure. And the Bible says, “The
Israelites acted unfaithfully” and “the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel” (v.1), not just
Achan. And Israel was greatly defeated at the next battle. That is, the nation
was regarded as implicated in Achan’s sin. “Israel
has sinned” (v.11), God said.
You may still think that it is not
fair. You may think that you would have done a better job or chosen a better
representative than Adam. But in fact, Adam was the good representative. He was
God’s chosen one. He had an ability not to sin. God gave us the right, fair
federal head in Adam. So when Adam sinned, I sinned and you sinned. Adam’s sin is imputed to us because we were
in him. This is the first half of the story. And this is the first truth of
today’s passage. It sounds like federal headship is quite depressing. But the
truth is federal headship is good news because of the second truth that Paul is
going to tell us.
Second Adam
If Adam’s sin is
our sin then, if there were a perfect second Adam, he would be able to be our
federal head, and his righteousness would become our righteousness. It is
wonderful news that God deals with us through a federal head. In verse 18 Paul
says, “Therefore just as one man's trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man's act of righteousness leads to
justification and life for all.” And in 2 Corinthians 5:21 Paul declares
this second truth even clearer: “God made him (Jesus) who had no sin to be sin
for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God!” As a second Adam, as our federal head, Jesus has become our sin, and we have become
his righteousness. This is the second great truth. Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us because we are in him by faith.
Good News!
We all remember
the story of David and Goliath. In the valley of Elah the people of Israel are
gathered and at war with the Philistines. The Philistines are standing on the
hill on one side, and the Israelites on the other side. Then, a Philistine
champion named Goliath comes out. His height is about 9.75 feet or 3 meters. He
has a bronze helmet on his head and is dressed in full armor, with shin guards,
bronze sword, spear, and with his shield bearer before him. He has been a
warrior from his youth. He is invincible. For forty days, every morning and
evening, he defies Israel, God’s people. But no one dares to fight against him,
until God’s chosen one, federal head, arrives and hears this. The youngest son
of Jesse – David. As David approaches the Philistine, Goliath curses David by
his gods. Then David says by faith, “You come against me with sword and spear
and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God
of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied… All those gathered here will know
that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the
LORD'S, and he will give all of you into our hands.” That day God gives Israel
great victory. In this story David, as federal head, is a type, foreshadowing,
or representation of the one to come, Christ Jesus. Timothy Keller rightly
says, “Jesus is the true and better David whose victory becomes his people’s
victory, though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves.”[1]
Imputation of victory! Imputation of righteousness!
“We Are Weak, But He Is Strong”
Today’s scripture teaches
us two great truths: (1) Root cause of human sinfulness: Adam’s sin. His sin is
imputed to us. (2) God’s remedy: the second Adam, Jesus Christ our Lord. His
righteousness is imputed to us. There is no other way for us to get right with
God but through God’s one remedy, the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ.
And if we believe it, if we humbly rest in it, this glorious truth will change our
life!
Year 1527, in
intense turmoil Martin Luther wrote his greatest hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is
Our God.” That was one of the most trying years of Luther’s Life. He was forced
to stop preaching in the middle of his sermon. And for 10 years, since
publishing his 95 Theses against the
abuse of indulgences, his life had been in danger. He also had to suffer from
depression and illness. To make it matters worse, that year in August, the plague
had erupted in his town. His son became ill. The battle with Satan was so
fierce. During that horrific year, Luther noted the deeper meaning of his
trials: “The only comfort against raging Satan is that we have God’s Word to
save the souls of believers.” Sometime that year, he expanded that thought into
the hymn he is most famous for: “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”[2] And
particularly verse 2 beautifully and powerfully proclaims the truth of today’s
passage:
Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God’s own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth is His name,
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle!
Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God’s own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth is His name,
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle!
Let us hold fast
to this great truth – Jesus has become our sin, and we have become his
righteousness. Let us trust Christ. And he will be our righteousness, our
fortress, our victory, and our life! If you are trusting him now, please join
me in singing this song, verse 2 of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” as your
testimony, then tell others of your faith and hope this week.
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