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The truth of the two Adams is one of the most neglected and misunderstood doctrines of Scripture. Yet it is one of the most important teachings of the Word pertaining to mankind’s salvation. This is because the eternal destiny of all humanity is wrapped up in these two men, Adam and Christ (the second Adam).

Scripture clearly teaches that “in Adam all die” and “in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22). According to the Bible, God created all men in one man (i.e., Adam — Gen. 1:27, 28; Gen. 2:7; Acts 17:26). Satan ruined all men in one man (i.e., Adam — Rom. 5:12, 18; 1 Cor. 15:21, 22); and God redeemed all men in one Man (i.e., Christ — 1 Cor. 1:30; Eph. 1:3; 2:5, 6).

It is this writer’s conviction that we can never fully understand or appreciate all the implications and privileges of our salvation in Christ unless we come to grips and realize our situation “in Adam.” Two passages in the New Testament explain in some detail this vital doctrine of the two Adams, Romans 5:12-21, which many Bible scholars consider the high point of Romans; and 1 Corinthians 15:19-23, 45-49. In order to understand this truth it is important we look carefully at these two passages.

In Romans 5:11, the apostle Paul states a glorious truth of the gospel — that we Christians can rejoice because we have already received the atonement. This means the reconciliation Christ has obtained for all men by His death on the cross (Rom. 5:10) has already become effective in the life of all believers. He then goes to expound how we receive this atonement in verses 12-21. He does it in a unique way, by using Adam as a type or pattern of Christ (note the last part of verse 14). The reason he does this is because, as already mentioned, we are redeemed “in Christ” in the same way we are lost “in Adam.” The history of these two men, Adam and Christ, has affected the eternal destiny of all humanity. Consequently, to use Adam as a pattern of Christ, Paul first explains our situation “in Adam.” He does this in verses 12-14.

In verse 12, Paul states three facts concerning our sin problem: The first is that sin entered the world (i.e., the history of the human race) through one man (Adam). Second, this sin condemned Adam to death; this is because God made it clear to our first parents, “in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shall surely die” (Gen. 2:16, 17). Third, Paul goes on to state that this death spread to all humanity, or became universal. The reason for this is “for that all have sinned.” In view of the fact this last phrase of verse 12 is an incomplete statement, it has brought endless controversies in the history of the Christian church. What did Paul mean by that phrase? Did he mean that all men die because “all have sinned” like Adam, or was he implying that all men die since “all have sinned” in Adam?

Strong arguments have been presented defending both positions by reputed Bible scholars and both views are held today by sincere Christians. Since Paul's purpose in discussing Adam is to use him as a type or a figure or a pattern of Christ (vs. 14, last part), our conclusion as to what he meant by that phrase “for that all have sinned” has very important ramifications. While grammatically both arguments may be correct, nevertheless when we carefully examine the context and logic of this unit (vss.12-21) and consider the implications of the two views, it becomes clear that to be consistent with the context as well as the logic of this passage, along with the clear teaching of Paul with regards to justification by faith, we would have to take the position that Paul's idea here is that the death that came to Adam because of his sin spread to all men because “all have sinned” in Adam.

Since God created all humanity out of Adam (Acts 17:26), then it goes without saying that all humanit was in Adam when he sinned, and therefore the whole human race was implicated or participated in that act of disobedience (it must be noted that all of Adam’s children were born after he had sinned). Hence, the condemnation of death that came to Adam was passed on to all mankind. At least five reasons may be given why this is the correct meaning of that phrase “for that all have sinned.”

1. It is not historically true that all die because they have sinned like Adam. A good example are babies; they die, even though they have no personal sins. The only explanation for their death is that all sinned in Adam.

2. The verb “sinned” in this phrase of verse 12 is in the aorist tense. In Greek this tense normally refers to a once-and-for-all act that has taken place in the past. Hence, grammatically “all have sinned” is most probably referring to a past historical event and not the personal sins of people which are many and continuous. Note the second half of Romans 3:23, which is referring (in the present continuous tense) to our many personal sins, in addition to the first half of verse 23 which states that “all have sinned” (again in the aorist tense) implying, “in Adam.”

3. According to Romans 5:13, 14 (in which Paul explains what he meant by “all have sinned” in vs.12), those who lived from Adam to Moses died, even though they had “not sinned “after the similitude [or likeness] of Adam’s transgression.” Hence, the immediate context clearly contradicts the argument that all die because “all have sinned” like Adam.

4. Four times in Romans 5:15-18 the apostle Paul clearly and explicitly states that Adam’s offense or sin (and not our personal sins) brought to the whole human race judgment, condemnation, and death. Thus the context of this passage clearly supports the idea that all die because “all have sinned” in Adam. In addition, verse 19 goes on to state that Adam's one sin constituted or made us sinners.

5. Since Paul is using Adam as a type or pattern of Christ in this passage, if we insist that all men die because “all have sinned” like Adam, to make this analogy fit Christ we would have to teach that likewise all men live or stand justified because they have obeyed like Christ. This would turn justification by faith into legalism or salvation by works; the very opposite of Paul’s clear teaching in Romans. But the truth is that since “all have sinned” in Adam and therefore stand condemned to death in him, likewise Paul’s idea is that all have obeyed “in Christ” and therefore stand justified to life in Him (vs.18).

Once we have established this fact, the reasoning of verses 13 and 14 of Romans 5 makes sense. For here Paul is simply proving the fact he stated in verse 12 that all die because “all have sinned” in Adam. He does this by looking at a segment of the human race, those who lived from Adam to Moses. These people, to be sure, were sinning; but since God had not yet explicitly spelled out His law or given it to mankind as a legal code until Moses, He could not justly condemn these people to death for their personal sins. This is what Paul means in verse 13, “but sin is not imputed ([i.e., counted or reckoned] when there is no law.”

It must be pointed out here that according to the New Testament those who died in the flood did so because they rejected salvation and not because they were sinners (1 Pet. 3:18-20). Nevertheless, Paul points out in verse 14, these people were dying even though their sins were not identical to Adam’s one transgression. The difference is that while the human race from Adam to Moses were “missing the mark” (meaning, to sin), Adam's act of disobedience was a “wilful violation of a law” (meaning transgression) and which justly deserved death (Gen. 2:17). In view of this, the only valid reason these people were dying was because all humanity stands condemned to death in Adam.

Some who realize they cannot deny the above facts, yet still believe and teach that all die because “all have sinned” like Adam, try to solve the problem by insisting that in Adam we receive only the first or sleep-death, while our personal sins are responsible for the second death. Such reasoning may sound convincing but will not stand the test of Scripture. The word death in Romans 5:12 appears twice, the first time applying to Adam and the second to his posterity or mankind. The same death that came to Adam, says Paul, passed on to all humanity.

Surely Adam knew nothing about the first death before the fall and therefore, the death sentence pronounced on Adam when he sinned was the second death—goodbye to life forever. And it is this death that has passed on to all men “in Adam.” In other words, in Adam the whole human race belongs legally on death-row. Besides, the first or sleep-death, which is experienced by both believers and unbelievers, became necessary because of the plan of redemption. Had there been no “lamb slain from the foundation of the world,” Adam would have forfeited his life the day he sinned and mankind would have died eternally (the second death) in him (Gen. 2:17). It is only in Christ that we can pass from death to life (Jn. 5:24; 1 Cor. 15:55-57; 2 Tim. 1:10; Rev. 20:6).

In dealing with this truth, may I warn the reader that we must not go beyond Scripture and teach that in Adam all humanity also inherits his guilt. That is the heresy of original sin introduced by Augustine and adopted by the Roman Catholic Church. Guilt, when used in a legal sense, always includes volition or responsibility and God does not hold us responsible for something in which we had no choice. It is only when we personally, consciously, persistently, deliberately, and ultimately reject the gift of eternal life in Christ that the guilt and responsibility of sin and the second death become ours (Jn. 3:18, 36; Mk. 16:15, 16; Heb. 2:1-4; 10:14, 26-29).

Welcome To  Gospel Studies Pr Jack Sequeira
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