Weekly Devotional 4-17-17 From Adam to His Offspring
Adam’s disobedience (sin) brought an immediate spiritual separation between God and man. The separation was so extreme that God likened it to death (Genesis 2:17). It was the cessation of spiritual life with God. Adam’s sin also brought about physical death, an end to physical existence; not immediate death, but eventual death. Spiritual and physical death were not exclusive to Adam (man’s representative) and Eve, but were also the lot of their offspring. When Adam sinned he was immediately different than when created. He had a different nature, a nature that was different physically, psychologically and spiritually. This nature was passed to Cain, to Abel, to Seth, and all the others of Adam’s offspring; to all persons of all generations. The apostle Paul recognized this and wrote, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit; “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” (Romans 5:12 NKJV).
Paul didn’t write that sins entered the world through one man, but sin. In that all men (all persons) sin it carries that Adam’s fallen nature has passed to all his offspring. One doesn’t have to advance very far into the record of Genesis to realize this truth. We read from Genesis 4:1-8 NKJV; “1Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, ‘I have acquired a man from the LORD.’ 2Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. 4Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, 5but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6So the LORD said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.’ 8Now Cain talked with Abel his ‘brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.”
We read that approximately 1600 years later, “5the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them” (Genesis 6:5-7 NKJV). He did destroy all of mankind except Noah and his family. It wasn’t that they were without sin, but Noah found unmerited favor (grace) in the eyes of the Lord and God preserved him along with his family. This was because God would use them in repopulating the earth.
From Noah through today and in every society, man’s actions are subjected to and controlled by laws; otherwise anarchy would reign. All babies universally have to be taught to be good. They may be born seemingly innocent, but they are not born good. They are motivated by self-desire. This is because of their sin nature inherited from Adam. Bad news for sure, but this is not the end of the story. There is coming a time when all things will be done away with, and God will create a new heaven and a new earth. The old sin nature of man will be no more.
In the interim, God is creating new spiritual life in all those who turn to Him in faith—a faith originated by Him, by the way. In those in whom this faith is created they (we) are made new creations in Christ. They (we) “have put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:24 NKJV). Amen.
stevelampman@comcast.net stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man
Christian National Church