1 Corinthians 15:45-48 (NLT) The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.” But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit. What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man.”
Every person who has lived, is living now or will live in the future has aligned himself or herself either with Adam or with Jesus. The question of the day is WHICH MAN? Which person will each of us align ourselves with? Will we be found in Adam or found in Christ?
IN ADAM
1 Corinthians 15:31 – For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Anyone hidden in Adam is unprotected in mind, spirit and body. Anyone hidden in Adam is easily manipulated by the evil one and others. Just as Adam was co-dependent on Eve, anyone hidden in Adam is co-dependent on people; meaning they would do just about anything to please or remain in good standing with the people of the world.
Genesis 3:6-10 (NIV) When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”
Outside of Jesus (relationship with God – John 17:3) and following in Adam and Eve’s footsteps, we are left naked and shame is our constant mindset as revealed in Genesis 3. Up until the second that Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they had never known fear, shame and the reality of being “uncovered” by the Presence of God. Clinging to the ways and wisdom of people and not the ways of God, our days will be filled with shame and blame.
Genesis 3:11-13 (NIV) And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “The woman you put here with me– she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”
The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
Chaos and confusion reign in lives where there is separation from the Presence of God. Sin separates us from the goodness of God. Sin always leads to death in every area of our lives.
Romans 5:12, 15 (NIV) Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned— 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!
IN JESUS
Colossians 3:3 (NLT) For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.
John 14:20 (NIV) (Jesus says) “On that day you will realize that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you.”
Those hidden in Jesus are totally protected in mind, spirit and body by the Word of God, the Holy Spirit within and by the Blood and Name of Jesus that covers the body. Those in Jesus are dependent totally on God. They seek pleasing God not man first. Those in Jesus are also connected to the powerful love of God which empowers them to love God in all areas of life and to love all people so as to direct people out of codependency to the world.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (NCV) If anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation.
The old things have gone; everything is made new! All this is from God. Through Christ, God made peace between us and Himself, and God gave us the work of telling everyone about the peace we can have with Him. God was in Christ, making peace between the world and Himself. In Christ, God did not hold the world guilty of its sins. And He gave us this message of peace. So we have been sent to speak for Christ. It is as if God is calling to you through us. We speak for Christ when we beg you to be at peace with God. Christ had no sin, but God made Him become sin so that in Christ we could become right with God.
CLOTHED WITH JESUS
In his own fear and shame, Adam tried to cover himself and his wife with the stuff of earth (Genesis 3:7). God covered them with the “skin and blood from heaven” representing the Blood of Jesus (as Jesus was slain from Creation).
Genesis 3:21 (NIV) The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.
1 Peter 1:18-20 (NIV) For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious Blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.
God reacted lovingly and quickly with redemption toward the evil hearts and minds of mankind. God does not want to be separated for a second from His dearly loved children. God would pay any price to win back our love for Him and He did. Adam and Eve tried cover their shame, guilt, fear, condemnation, sin and march toward death with some leaves. God gave us Jesus to cover ourselves with as God eliminated all shame, guilt, condemnation, sin and even the march toward death on the Cross. If a person is clothed with Jesus, then the beautiful Blood of Jesus is all that God sees.
CLOTHE YOURSELF?
If we clothe ourselves with our own goodness or with Adam then we remain separated from God and will choose paths that lead to destruction in an attempt to find life. In Jesus, we have life and we walk in the abundance of His life.
Romans 13:14 (AMP) But clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and make no provision for [indulging] the flesh [put a stop to thinking about the evil cravings of your physical nature] to [gratify its] desires (lusts).
All of God’s Love to you,
Gary and Debbie Landon
