The Second Man

"The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust…Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.” (1 Corinthians 15:37-49)

I love the Bible and what it says seems perfectly rational and reasonable to me. God created mankind and set in motion the plan for mankind to be made into the image of God and have dominion over the Universe. The "first man" was Adam - he failed.  Jesus is the "second man" and succeeded.  He is the prototype, and the Bible reveals to me that all mankind are to be made like Jesus…the "hope of glory" for all mankind…

"… Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)

Satan would rob mankind of its greatest man...Christ Jesus…by making him God. Or worse…by making man himself God. Mankind is God's work in progress and Christ Jesus has triumphed to reveal God to the rest of us….not the religions of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, nor any of the others.  Jesus is the image of God. The rest of us are still of the first man mentioned above, all children of God waiting to be raised by Jesus into a spiritual body at his return. We will not be like God, we will be like Jesus, the image of God.

I did not learn this from attending church and I did not learn it from philosophers who abandon religion in favor of the reason and inspiration of educated men...I learned it from reading the Bible.

"Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule… God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in his grace until His task within you is finally finished on that day when Jesus Christ returns…now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is…for God rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” (Genesis 1:26; Philippians 1:6; 1 John 3:2; Colossians 1:13-15)

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future…It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things.” (Jeremiah 29:11; 1 Timothy 4:9-11)

Today is my 64th birthday and I asked myself what I have learned after 64 years of life, 40 of which was spent reading and studying the Bible? I am not talking about going to Sunday school and church but actually making a conscious effort to read and study the bible, every word of it, over and over for 40 years...here is part of what I have learned:

God has spoken to mankind in various ways, but especially through His only Son, Christ Jesus. Mankind responds to God in only one of two ways...they either believe Him or they do not believe Him.

God through Christ Jesus is the Creator and Savior of the world which includes all mankind. So both believers and unbelievers are saved. The only question is the “means” that God uses to bring people to the KNOWLEDGE of their salvation.

Some come to the knowledge of their salvation by the GRACE of God through the gift of FAITH in his present age. For most people, however, the means God uses to give them the knowledge of their salvation is the indisputable visible EVIDENCE which will be presented them after their resurrection. Both of these “means” or “channels” by which people come to the KNOWLEDGE of Salvation are GIFTS from God....this knowledge does not come from works or decisions men make.

Believers and unbelievers alike come into JUDGMENT with regard to their motives, decisions and words. Those motives, decisions and works will be shown to be either good or bad at that time. Good deeds are rewarded in a subsequent age...bad deeds will be the source of shame in subsequent ages.

But there is to be an END to the ages...the consummation of God's purpose for those ages. At that point in time both friends and enemies, believers and unbelievers will have been reconciled to God and glorified in the completed image of God who will then be ALL in ALL. God will have won the voluntary love and acclamation of all of His creation...then follows the really good stuff of immortal, eternal life....

“...as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

Man cannot save himself…he must first be humbled…then saved by the one who can.

“For without shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22)

Before God allowed evil and sin into the world, He had a plan for its removal. It is the shedding of the blood. Sin demands a harsh judgment - the shedding of blood…death! The innocent sacrificial lamb has died, extending the life of the sinner, but the sinner eventually dies...death is necessary for remission.

The plan of salvation is simple, the execution of that plan is harsh, but the final result is the salvation of both the sinner and the sinless lamb…the deliverance from death…first for the innocent lamb (Jesus), then for all sinners.

Is it that simple? It is for me….it is finished.

“The next day John sees Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world. . .” (John 1:29)

 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

“And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day...it is finished” (John 6:39; 19:30)