The first Adam was created in the likeness of God, and, having sinned, stained the likeness of God he had been created in. The last Adam lived a sinless life and offered Himself for the sins of the first Adam, and for all who had inherited the curse which he received. We are now to lay aside the old self [Adam], the self that inherited a sinful nature from the first Adam, and put on the new self [Jesus], the self which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness in the truth, the self which now lives by faith in God and in His Son Jesus.
The old self is of the earth; the new self is of heaven. We are no longer bound to the sinful nature inherited from Adam, we have been crucified with the last Adam [Jesus] and born again and are now members of the body of the risen Christ. We no longer live for the things of earth, but for the things of heaven, where our new lives are hidden with Christ in God. Our old self which was created in the image of God has been stained by the sins of Adam, and therefore must return to dust. Our new self has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth; that is, we are being renewed in the spirit of our minds as we lay aside the old self and walk in the new. We no longer walk in the sinful ways of the old self, but in the righteousness and holiness of the new. And we do this by believing and trusting in Jesus who is now our source of life; He is our vine and we are His branches.
As Eve was fashioned from the rib of Adam, so also are we, the bride of Christ, being fashioned from the inmost being of Christ, the life-giving Spirit. Our new self is hidden with Christ in God in the heavenly places, in the kingdom of God, which is of heaven, and in heaven. “[We] have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer [we] who live, but Christ lives in [us]; and the life which [we] now live in the flesh [we] live by faith in the Son of God, who loved [us], and delivered Himself up for [us],” (Galatians 2:20).
We in this new creation have been made complete: “For in Him [Jesus] all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him from the dead,” Colossians 2:9-12. We were crucified with Christ, buried with Him, and raised from the dead with Him.
As believers in Jesus we must deny our old self and press forward in the Spirit, and take up our cross, and follow Jesus one day at a time. We daily lay aside the old and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. “If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. For it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth,” Colossians 3:1-8. This is walking by the Spirit; this is denying one’s self and taking up one’s cross and following Jesus. This is pressing forward to the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
We must never complicate the gospel of Jesus Christ. We should instead embrace its simplicity. “For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe,” 1 Corinthians 1:21. The foolishness of the message is its simplicity. To the world the simplicity of the gospel of Jesus Christ is absolute foolishness. They see it as a crutch for weak people, a sort of psychological booster to get them by. But to those predestined by the will of God for eternal life (Acts 13:48) and called by the Holy Spirit, it is precious. Never lose sight of the simplicity of the gospel:
The Word became flesh, lived a life without sin, was crucified and buried, preached to the dead, raised from the dead, and seated at the right hand of God. And God, being full of grace and mercy, placed all believers in the Son, and now reckons them as crucified with the Son, buried with Him through baptism, and raised up into newness of life with Him.
In closing, the Word became flesh and put an end to the fallen nature of the first Adam by offering Himself as a pure and sinless offering for sin, after which He became a life-giving Spirit. He now gives new life to all who believe in Him, and this, by the grace of God. “So also it is written, ‘The first man, Adam, became a living soul.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit,” 1 Corinthians 15:45. And, “The first man is from the earth, earthly; the second man is from heaven,” vs. 47. The first Adam inherited death. The last Adam arose to eternal life for those who live, move, and have their being in Him. This is the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant
P.S. Please weigh everything I say on the scales of the Word of God.
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