February's Old Testament Pic of Jesus

February's Old Testament Pic of Jesus
It's all about Jesus

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Trust the Righteousness of Jesus!

Romans 5:19

Paul teaches that Adam's disobedience caused everyone born of him to be made sinners. His work was indeed a powerful one that had a long term result. His one act of disobedience instilled within man an unrighteous nature before God.  Everyone was affected by it.  We say confidently in the church that "everyone's a sinner." This teaching is correct but it is only part of the whole reality of the life of mankind.  We know that Adam's effect was immense, incompassing, and held men in slavery for years, but it was never eternal.
The Work of Jesus however, His one act of obedience brought many to righteousness.  He became our sin so that we could become His righteousness, and His righteousness cannot fail.  Think about how powerful His work is in making a man righteous before God by new birth.  Everyone born into Jesus is righteous as He is righteous.  Just like everybody born into Adam is a sinner.  Jesus tramsforms people out of the lineage of Adam and places them in the family of Christ: the chosen of God.
The disobedience of Adam took a righteous man and made into a sinner.  Right?  This work of Adam took the righteous nature of Adam and turned it into the flesh.  And we believe that no amount of good works can undo that nature of Adam.  It doesn't matter how much good you do you are still a sinner. (I am on the right track here?)  The "sinner" by his own power of moral goodness can change what he is; we would say it is not about his doing but his being.
However, the obedience of Jesus is not given its due.  See, the righteousness of Jesus took a sinner and made him into a righteous man; exactly opposite the work of Adam.  He took the sinful nature of Adam and turned it into spiritul nature.  And yet, many believe that bad acts can jeopardize that new nature.  I am not suggesting we do bad that good may come.  I merely am pointing out that our righteousness is not not based upon how much good we do; but by who we have been made to be in Christ Jesus. 
To say that we still possess a sinful nature is to suggest that Adam's work is more effective than Christ's.  Let me explain.  We believe that when Adam sinned he was no longer a righteous man but a sinner.  He was not some creature with a dual nature; on one hand a spirit and on the other carnal flesh, he was just flesh.  Yet, we often fight the concept that we are not a dual man in Christ Jesus.  Saying that we are part flesh and part spirit is to say that Jesus didn't finish the work.  He got us half way out of sin and half way into the spirit, and now we are subject to either side we give more power to. By this we suggest that Adam's was finished, we were righteous and now we are sinners; not half way out of righteousness and halfway into sin.  Shouldn't we give more credence to the power of Christ than to Adam? It was Jesus who said "It is Finished!"  He brought us completely out and absolutely in.
Last thought!  Do we trust righteousness of Jesus?  Is it to us more powerful and more permanent than what Adam first gave us?  The effect of Adam's work was temporal; the work of Jesus is forever.  "By one offering He has perfected forever those who are sanctified."  Out of one act of Adam's disobedience we were made effective sinners (we just couldn't help it).  Should we not be effectually righteous because of the Obedience of the GREATEST MAN Jesus? (We just can't help it?)

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