The Two Humanities
Study the parallels and contrasts below and summarize the nature of the humanity made sinful by Adam and the new humanity made by Christ:
| ADAM | CHRIST |
|---|---|
| 1. Son of God (Luke 3:38) | 1. Son of God (Luke 3:22) |
| 2. Was disobedient (Rom. 5:19) | 2. Was obedient (Rom. 5:19) |
| 3. Introduced sin (Rom. 5:12) | 3. Brought grace for all (Rom. 5:20–22) |
| 4. Introduced reign of death (Rom. 5:17) | 4. Made possible the reign of life (Rom. 5:17) |
| 5. All his descendants are sinners (Rom. 5:19) | 5. Through Him many will be made righteous (Rom. 5:19) |
| 6. Brought condemnation (Rom. 5:18) | 6. Brought justification (Rom. 5:18) |
| 7. In him all die (1 Cor. 15:21) | 7. In Him all will be made alive (1 Cor. 15:21) |
The fall of Adam resulted in his spiritual death and separation from God. All of his descendants found themselves in the same situation as Adam, unable to overcome sin and death. Humans are, by natural birth, part of the humanity that belongs to Adam, a sinful humanity separated from God.
How then does one become part of the new humanity instituted by God through Christ? There’s only one way, and that is through the new birth. The new humanity is formed by those who were born from above and not from the flesh (John 3:3, 5, 6). These are those who saw in Christ God’s only means of salvation, believed in Him, and now have eternal life (vs. 15). They now belong to the new creation, liberated from the enslaving power of sin (2 Cor. 5:17). They have become children of God, members of the heavenly family. Paul describes this as adoption into God’s family (Gal. 4:5-7). Jesus was pronounced Son of God at His baptism, and we participate in His Sonship through adoption at baptism. Adoption does not suggest that we are less than children; on the contrary, “the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Rom. 8:16).
| How should our lives in this new humanity differ from how they were in the old one? What tangible differences can you find? What does your answer tell you about yourself? |
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