Day 37: How Did Adam’s Response Affect The World?
Yesterday, we heard how Adam’s rebellion brought sin and death into the human experience. So, what does this have to do with us today? Adam’s “vote” resulted in disastrous consequences for the whole human race. Today we consider how Adam’s failure has touched each and every one of us.
Consider this:
Romans 5:12-19
Now, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all people, because all sinned…For by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one,…So then through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men,…For through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners… {NET}
After their rebellion and fall, Adam and Eve could not pass to their descendants what they no longer possessed. Instead of giving their children a glorious inheritance of life, goodness, and peace (rest) they passed on the shameful effects of sin, death, and condemnation. The reality of this terrible tragedy comes home when Cain, the first human born after the Fall, murders his brother Abel (Genesis 4).
Every human being has been born into this terrible state. Consider the following passage and three main consequences for us:
Ephesians 2:1–3
And you were (1) dead in the trespasses and sins 2:2 in which you once walked, (2) following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 2:3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and (3) were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. {ESV}
We are all born physically alive, but spiritually dead.
This is one of the most important points we want you to understand in this study. The first thing you need to figure out about life is not whether you are good or bad, but whether you are dead or alive!!! This spiritual death is closely associated with trespasses/transgressions and sin. Notice also that Paul says we were dead in our trespasses and sins. Our own personal sins did not cause our spiritual death; we were already spiritually dead and our sins simply give evidence that this is true. I have two daughters and I never had to teach them how to do what is wrong; they were born with that ability and tendency!
We are all born under the tyranny of Satan (The Devil) completely enslaved to our own sinful desires.
We can never forget that we have a powerful and restless spiritual adversary who is called Satan (The Accuser) and The Devil (The Slanderer). Because of Adam’s choices, we come into this world enslaved under his wicked dominion. In Ephesians 2:2 he is called the “prince of the power of the air.” In other places he is called the “god of this age”:
2 Corinthians 4:4
…the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
The Scriptures make it absolutely clear that every human comes into this world “bent” toward what is evil. Left own our own, we would follow “the course of this world” which will one day come to an end when The Kingdom of Christ comes. The message of this world is, “Do what YOU want to do; don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!”
We are all children of wrath by nature.
So Paul’s terrifying description of our predicament “dead in Adam” comes to this conclusion: we were all children of wrath by nature. Because the One True God loves all that is good and glorious, He hates what is evil and shameful. In the present time, God reveals His “present wrath” in allowing people to continue in their rejection of His truth and their foolish and stubborn rebellion against Him (see Romans 1:18-28 below). There will be a time of His “future wrath” when all God’s enemies will “pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength” (see 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10).
To be “children of wrath” means that we are, each and everyone of us, deserving to receive God’s present wrath and inherit His wrath in the future. The only way that anyone could be free of this terrible state is for God to intervene. We are completely helpless and hopeless on our own. We are born completely powerless to free ourselves from the powers that enslave us and hold us captive. We are born spiritual dead, alienated, and hostile to God. We are all sinners by birth and sinners by choice.
What Does All This Mean in the Master Story?
It is critical to understand that when Adam rebelled, he did not lose his ability to be the image and likeness of God. Now, God’s reality would be marred and distorted as it is reflected in fallen humanity. In fact after the rebellion, God did not destroy Adam and Eve but he did let them bear the consequences of their choices and so He expelled them from the Garden and from His personal presence. Adam and Eve, as well as their descendants (all humanity), would continue to display the image and likeness of God in creation, but the reality would be distorted (see Genesis 9:6; James 3:9). Take a look at our diagram:
Before the Rebellion and Fall:
Right relationship with God
Spiritually Alive
Physically Alive
The Heart is Alive and Enlightened
The Mind is Alive and Enlightened
Captivated by the Glory of God
After the Rebellion and Fall:
It is important to understand that Adam and Eve, like us all, chose to reject or suppress the truth of God in their rebellion. It is not that they did not know the truth, they knew it and rejected it. Take a look at the following passage. It gives an outline of what went wrong in the rebellion:
Romans 1:18-20
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness, 1:19 because what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 1:20 For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse. {NET}
First of all, take note of this very important reality: God has clearly revealed Himself and His Truth to us but we suppress it—we hold it down, cover it over so that we don’t have to hear it. It is not like we don’t have the Truth or can’t know it. We have the Truth and reject it. This has been made clear to us so that we are all without excuse. The passage continues:
Romans 1:21-28
For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts were darkened. 1:22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles… 1:25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. …1:28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done. {NET}
We hear that rejection of God’s truth, goodness, and glory leads to two deep spiritual consequences: 1] our minds are made enslaved to a futile and worthless way of thinking (a depraved mind), and 2] our senseless hearts are darkened. This affects everything else. Our thoughts, desires, and emotions are warped, turned in on themselves. We want to focus on ourselves, rather than focusing on the One True God and His good and glorious purposes for us. We all need to be spiritually renewed, renovated, healed to be right with God again. The good news is that Father-God has provided all that we need to be restored to Him and that is what we will consider next.
The “alternative option” of serving self rather than serving God is always a tempting offer. Can you see how sin, death, and condemnation have affected and “ruled” your life?
Scan back over or reflect on this week’s reading and ask yourself:
1. What have I learned that gave me new ideas and images?
2. How do these truths call me to change the way I am thinking?
3. How do these truths call me to trust Father-God more?
*You can find a complete list of all the MilktoMeat readings here.
