One of the most interesting names given to Jesus is the title "Second Adam". What Adam publicly did to move us away from God, Jesus, the Second Adam, publicly overcame. As the public respresentatives of humanity Adam #1 and Adam #2 influenced us all. The title "Second Adam" gives the clear message that God has not moved on to a "plan B" in the universe.
God still intends to use human beings as the image bearers of God in the universe. The "plan A" was perfect apart from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
There is no mention of a second Eve in the Bible. There is, however, a bride mentioned for the second Adam. That bride is the church and it would seem that what Eve was to the first Adam, the church is to the second Adam. The church being, in a sense, like a second Eve represents a permanent relational future for humanity. The church is going into the future with the second Adam. He is our future.
The first Adam and first Eve did not resist the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They lost their future and ours as well. The second Adam was able to live 100% satisfied in God day by day and moment by moment. He would not accept anything that came from the world, the flesh or the devil as a stimulus for His behavior. His perfect life secured our future forever.
The church, the second Eve, must prepare herself for her future wedding by learning that God is enough moment by moment.
To learn to leave the tree of the knowledge of good and evil alone is Eve's preparation for the wedding and God's future for mankind.
Reading the sermon on the mount gives us a very clear picture of what leaving the tree of the knowledge looks like in the world where the church now lives. In every word of Jesus there is a clear call for his future bride to find God satisfying enough to die to the world and truly live.
Finding satisfaction apart from God as represented by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is deadly to any relationship as the first Adam and Eve proved once and for all. Finding satisfaction in God moment by moment in our world is life to any relationship as the second Adam proved once and for all. Now it is time for the bride of Christ to see that our preparation for eternal relationship with Jesus has already begun. We need to find God satisfying right now. We need to abide in His love as He was abiding in His Father's love.
No comments:
Post a Comment