The Second Adam

For as through one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so through one man's obedience many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:19)

Christ is called the second Adam. He began where the first Adam had begun, in purity and holiness in relationship with God and loved by him. He voluntarily overcame the obstacle to which Adam had succumbed, and repaired Adam's fault.

But the first Adam had been in every way more favored than Christ. The wonderful conditions in which man was placed in Eden had been established by a God who loved his creature. Everything in nature was pure and spotless. No shadow stood between Adam and Eve and their Creator. Our first parents knew that God was a Father rich in blessings, and their will remained in all things conformed to His. [...]

But Satan crept into the lives of the inhabitants of Eden and instilled in them doubts about God's wisdom. He accused their almighty heavenly Father, who had forbidden them to eat from the tree of knowledge to test their faithfulness, of selfishness. [...]

Christ was tempted in many ways by Satan, more cruelly than Adam had been, and in even more painful circumstances. The deceiver disguised himself as an angel of light, but the Savior resisted his temptations. Jesus redeemed Adam's ignominious fall and saved the world. [...]

He maintained the purity of his divine character in his human nature. He lived God's law and honored that law in a world of transgression; he revealed to the heavenly universe, to Satan, to all the sons and daughters of Adam that by his grace mankind can keep God's law. He came to share his divine nature and perfection with the repentant, believing soul.

Christ's victory was as total as Adam's defeat had been complete. So we must resist temptation and force Satan away from us.

"From EGW, With God Every Day"...

 It is written: Now the law intervened so that offense might abound, but where sin abounded, grace abounded, so that as sin reigned through death, so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:20-21)