by Rehema Jonathan | 17 May 2021 08:46 pm05
Blessed be the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Have you ever asked yourself why Jesus is referred to as the “Second Adam” or the “Last Adam”? This isn’t just a poetic title it reflects a deep theological truth that helps us understand who Jesus is and what He came to accomplish.
According to Genesis 1:26–28 (NIV), Adam was the first human created by God. He was given authority to rule over all living creatures and to fill and subdue the earth:
“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over… all the creatures.’”
(Genesis 1:26, NIV)
This divine mandate was not only for Adam but for all his descendants. In theological terms, Adam acted as the federal head of the human race meaning his actions affected all of humanity.
However, Adam sinned (Genesis 3), and that sin broke humanity’s relationship with God. By disobeying God, Adam lost his authority and passed on sin, death, and separation from God to all his descendants.
“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.”
(Romans 5:12, ESV)
Adam’s fall introduced not just personal sin, but original sin a condition we all inherit from birth.
God, in His grace, did not leave us in that fallen condition. He had a plan to redeem humanity not by creating a new species or another physical lineage, but by sending Jesus Christ, His Son, to become a Second Adam who would represent a new, redeemed humanity.
“So it is written: ‘The first man Adam became a living being’; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.”
(1 Corinthians 15:45, NIV)
The first Adam gave us physical life.
The Second Adam (Jesus) gives us spiritual life.
Jesus came not to father children biologically, but to give spiritual birth to those who would believe in Him.
Jesus made it clear that to be part of God’s kingdom, we must be born again:
“Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again… born of water and the Spirit.”
(John 3:3,5, NIV)
This second birth is not from Adam, but from Christ through the Holy Spirit. The first birth, from Adam, gives us a mortal, sinful nature. The second birth, through Jesus, makes us spiritually alive and restores our relationship with God.
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
(John 3:6, ESV)
As the Second Adam, Jesus did not only come to redeem us He was also given complete authority over all creation:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
(Matthew 28:18, NIV)
“All things have been committed to me by my Father.”
(Matthew 11:27, NIV)
Unlike Adam, who lost his authority through sin, Jesus conquered sin and death. His authority is not limited to earth, but extends to heaven as well. And all who are born into His spiritual family share in that authority:
“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ…”
(Romans 8:16–17, NIV)
The contrast between the two Adams is central to Christian theology:
“For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned… how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace… reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!”
(Romans 5:17, NIV)
“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.”
(1 Corinthians 15:22, NIV)
When we are born again, we are not just better people we become new creations, born from an imperishable seed: the Word of God.
“For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”
(1 Peter 1:23, NIV)
The old seed Adam’s lineage is corrupted by sin and leads to death. But Jesus gives us a new birth into a kingdom that cannot perish.
To become part of Jesus’ redeemed family, the Bible gives a clear path:
“Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”
(Acts 2:38, NIV)
Step by step:
The first Adam failed. But Jesus, the Second Adam, succeeded. He came not to destroy but to redeem to give us a new identity, a new birth, and eternal life.
There’s no hope in the old nature. But in Christ, there is full restoration, authority, and inheritance.
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
(Ephesians 4:30, NIV)
On that day of redemption when Jesus returns we will receive the glorified bodies He promised, free from pain, death, and decay.
Have you been born again?
If not, now is the time. Jesus, the Second Adam, calls you into a new family and a new future.
May the Lord Jesus Christ the Victor over sin and death bless you richly and lead you into His eternal kingdom.
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