◄ What Does 1 Corinthians 15:22 Mean? ►

Soon after the creation of the perfect world and the genesis of man, Adam sinned; and the wages of sin is death. As a result of sin, death came into the world and reigns in the life of every man, for all have sinned and all fall short of God's glory. As part of Adam's race, we are all born spiritually dead in sin and at enmity with God. Fallen man is doomed to die and death is the greatest enemy of man, for no-one can escape the beckoning call of the 'grim reaper'.

Adam was the first man and federal head of the human race and through this one man, death entered the world and clamped its vice-like grip on the necks of all his descendants. The damaged DNA of every man is traced back to Adam and by that one man, death lays claim to every soul; for as in Adam, all die. We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are a race of sinners, and as such are the prey of death.

God made man in His own image and authorised Adam to govern the world as His regent, but He knew man would fall. God's purpose for man may have been set aside for a season due to sin, but He had already determined, before the foundation of the world, to save his fallen race.

God purposed to circumnavigate the grip of death on every soul by sending a sinless Man, a Kinsman-Redeemer Who would not be under the curse of death, but would abolish death on behalf of all mankind. Just as sin entered the world by one man who sinned, God purposed to abolish death through a perfect Man Who lived a sinless life, a Man Who would be tempted to sin like we are tempted and could sympathise with all our human weaknesses, yet was without sin. Death would have no power over such a Man, and death would have no victory over those identified with Him.

Only the perfect God was good enough to live a sinless life, for there is none good, not even one. If the eternal God Himself, became part of His own creation, lived a sinless life, and was willing to offer that life as the sacrificial payment for the sin of the whole world, death would be defeated forever, for death has no claim on a sinless Man. Death would be swallowed up in victory, for death has no power over the eternal God. 

If the wages of sinful man is death, the result of a sinless Man is life. To fulfil His redemptive plan, God must become Man so that the last enemy could be defeated. If the sin of one man brought death on every one of his physical descendants, so the sacrificial death of a sinless Man would be sufficient to pay the price for sin, abolish the icy grip of death, reverse the curse of the law, and give life to every one of His spiritual descendants.

Two thousand years ago, God in His grace carried out His perfect plan and sent His only begotten Son to be that perfect, sinless Man. He lived a perfect, sinless life and willingly offered His life as the ransom price for the entire, disgusting, swamp of humanity's sin. If those in Adam were doomed to die, so also those in Christ are destined to be made alive.

When we were born into Adam's race we were identified with him, and death was our greatest enemy. When we were IN Adam, eternal death was our unquestionable outcome: "For as IN Adam all die." However, when we were reborn into Christ's New Creation we were identified with Christ. HE died in our place. His death became our death, and His resurrected life became our resurrected life. And death was defeated: "For IN Christ all will be made alive."

The Resurrection of Christ defeated death. Having been raised from the dead Christ became the First-fruit from the dead. He conquered sin and death on behalf of ALL those who believe on Him. Because He lives we too have an assurance of life everlasting. Because He rose from the dead, we have God's unshakable Word that we will also be made alive.

Heavenly Father, how wonderful to know that in Your grace, You purposed to redeem the fallen race of Adam, through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. You could have walked away from sinful man and allowed death to claim every one of us, for we have all sinned and fallen short of Your glory. And yet, You sent Jesus to be the propitiation for our sins to become the Federal Head of a new and perfect creation freed from the penalty of sin and released from its power. Thank You that although I was born in sin and death, by grace through faith in Christ, I have been made alive in Him and have been raised, through His Resurrection, into life immortal. Praise Your holy name that by Your goodness and grace, death has been swallowed up in His victory. In Jesus' name, AMEN.