Part
2 -
The
Old Creation
In
order to understand our new identity as new creatures in Christ, perhaps
we should start with Adam and the “old
things” of which we once were a part.
Paul
sets forth the story of the old creation in Romans 5 by beginning where
the Bible begins, with “the first
man Adam” – “Wherefore,
as by one man sin entered into the
world, and death by sin; and so
death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
13
(For until the law sin was in
the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
14
Nevertheless DEATH
REIGNED from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after
the similitude of Adam's
transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.” (Romans
5:12-14)
What
went wrong with the old creation is that the first man, Adam, sinned. Paul
mentions this in almost every following verse.
15
… through the offence of one
(Adam) many be dead…
16…
it was by one that sinned
(Adam), so is the gift:
for the judgment was by
one to condemnation….
17
…by one man's offence
(Adam’s) death reigned by one…
18…by
the offence of one (Adam) judgment
came upon all men to condemnation…
19…by
one man's disobedience (Adam’s) many were made sinners… (Romans
5:15-19)
Every
person born into the world is “in
Adam.” Thus the whole race was affected by Adam’s sin. Paul
identifies at least three results that we all inherit from Adam.
18Therefore
as by the offence of one
(Adam’s) judgment came
upon all men to condemnation…
19
For as by
one man's disobedience (Adam’s) many were made sinners…
21That
as sin hath reigned unto death…
(Romans 5:18, 19, 21)
“Condemnation,”
“death,” “made sinners”
– that’s what we received from Adam. We are born with the same fallen “nature”
(Eph 2:3) and destiny that Adam possessed after the fall.
Every
grave marker in every cemetery is a testimony that God’s Word is true.
Because all of us have a Sin nature and have sinned, death works in us all
unto death. “Death reigns” as a king over the old creation. And this
is more than simply physical death, for Revelations 21:8 declares:
“But
the fearful, and unbelieving,
and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and
idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth
with fire and brimstone: which is THE
SECOND DEATH.” (Revelation 21:8)
There
is a death after physical death called “the
second death.”
Adam’s
legacy is that in our very nature we are sinners. We sin because we are
sinners – it’s our nature to do so. We are its slave. Perhaps not
murder, but who has not lied, stolen, been angry, bitter, deceived, or
perhaps murdered someone’s reputation? Get caught speeding once and
you’re a speeder, likewise with sin. We sin more than we realize, by
nature. The testimony of Scripture is clear: we are “the
servants of Sin” (Rom 6:17). In John 8:34 Jesus declares: Jesus
answered them, “Verily, verily, I
say unto you, whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.”
Sin
has come and gripped us so tightly that it runs all of the old creation.
Selfishness, anger, lying, self-centeredness, lust, stealing, malice,
bitterness, greed, evil thoughts, pride – make your own list. The Bible
calls it sin and it so dominates the old creation that these are thought
of as “normal” human behavior. People do them all the time. We don’t
think anything of it because “that’s the way people are.”
