Paul is showing a contrast of the first Adam who was a natural being made of earth a natural finite being and the last Adam, god who became man, who represents the new humanity. Vs.47 he tells us the first man was of the earth the 2nd man is the Lord God from heaven who came down to earth taking upon himself a human form. In vs.21 Paul writes since by man came death by a man came the resurrection from the dead. This is another contrast that what is from the earth goes back into the ground but the new man is brought into a permanent state not subject to the elements of nature that is fallen. Paul writes that in the first Adam we all sinned and died.
Everyone who is descended from Adam has inherited this nature and penalty (Rom.3:23)
Rom 5:12: “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned”
Sin came and death came from sin, everyone dies, so we see sin and death are synonymous with each other
1 Cor 15:21-22 “For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.”
Everyone who ever lived will be resurrected, however it will depend on their receiving the savior whether they will have eternal life with God and not apart from him. In v.57 Paul gives the qualification “ But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Man now does not have the ability to choose contrary to his nature on his own so God had to intervene. So he sent his Son into the world to be the savior and after He rose the Spirit was sent into the world to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment to turn people to the Son. Without repentance - believing in the gospel there is no partaking of the resurrection unto life.
Scripture uses Adam as a type of him who is to come to reverse this effect, Christ by his perfect obedience to the law became our sin bearer. If we believe in Him we are considered righteous (justified) and one day will be made righteous (without sin). Both Adams were the federal heads of the human race. The first Adam after he fell was the federal head of sin, the last Adam of righteousness and life. The first brought sin and death the last was a life giving spirit to all who believed.
1 Cor.15:45: God sees only two men as the sources for the human race, Adam and Jesus. Everyone is either part of the first Adam or the last Adam. Both were created directly by God and without sin. Adams fallen Nature is transferred by inheritance. In order to have eternal life we must be reborn of the spirit of the last Adam or we will die in our sins in our inherited nature from the first Adam.
That is why flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 15:50). It is fallen it needs a transformation but we first need a spiritual rebirth. The last Adam came to undo the effects from the first Adam.
Rev 2:11 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death."'
What is the second death?
Rev 20:6 “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Rev 20:12-15 “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life.
And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”
The second death is a resurrection unto the last judgment.
Rev 21:8 "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
In other words one must have their name in the book of life to not receive the punishment of the second death. We do not want to be judged by our works because they are all insufficient to give us approval from God
Gal. 2:16 "knowing that a man is NOT justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ” instead we rely on “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1).
John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
According to Jesus’ own words this is exclusive to only those who receive him, believe in him, exercise faith will be the recipients. Most people who have a problem with this statement and look to make an excuse for everyone else to be included.
So if everyone is to be saved then this means all the despots and evil people the world has ever seen will be okay as well. Something they don’t want to commit to asserting. This means the gospel is of no consequence since all will receive the benefit whether they believe or not. If they did not accept Jesus as the only way for others, than they did not for their own lives.
John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” Seems one would have to believe before they die to have the promise of being resurrected.
Paul explains how to be justified before God. Rom 5:1-2: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
Notice By faith we are justified and have access. It is not something everyone will receive because of what Jesus did, there are qualifications.
Jesus said, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” Isa. 1:28: “The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall be together, and those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed.”
Psalm 7:11-12: “God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day. If he does not turn back, He will sharpen His sword; He bends His bow and makes it ready.” Ps. 145:20 “The LORD preserves all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy.”
If one lives in this sinful state unto death they can only expect to receive what God has promised, judgment.
Jude 1:14-15:“Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, “to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
Seems this would shut every mouth from saying otherwise.
Let Us Reason
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