LifeWords 27/9/2010



TWO FAMILIES, TWO DESTINIES


Read Romans 5:18-19


18 Yes, Adam's one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. 19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.


Human history has two key figures, and every human being is dynamically related to one of them. One figure is the first man, called Adam. He figured he knew better than God and wanted to live independently of God. He set the pattern for what human beings are like ever since. We want to live our way and not have God or anyone else push us around.


Then came the second significant figure: Jesus. He came to earth to undo what the first man did. He obeyed God, demonstrated that the best sort of life was possible in dependence on God. He willingly accepted God's judgement on human wrongdoing and suffered the consequences. Those who accept what he did need not suffer the consequences.


Each of us is connected by nature to Adam. But by an act of faith we can be connected to Jesus. Our destinies hinge on such connections. Think of Adam as being like a locomotive that goes off the tracks. It brings all the carriages (the rest of humanity) with it. Think of Jesus as the rescue machinery which restores the carriages to the rails and gets them going again.


As human beings we can't help but go off the rails. But we can choose to get back on them. We can't help but be born into Adam's family with all its implications. We can choose to be born again into Jesus' family, with much more attractive implications.


Blessings David


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