“Who’s your daddy?” Though this has many connotations, literally speaking it can either be very simply stated, complex, or not known. If you’re from a Jewish culture, a person might break out the long genealogical list dating them back to one of Jacob’s sons, or to Noah, or Adam. No matter the culture, even for those who don’t know their biological fathers, we all have the guarantee that our lineage traces back to the first Adam ever created.
“Then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.” Genesis 2:7
The first Adam was the very first human to exist. He was formed from the dust of the earth and God breathed His breath into Adam’s lungs to give him life. The human race began and thus our own genealogy.
Though it would be fascinating to trace our lineages back to him, and the significance of all the names along the way, none of it is necessarily important in and of itself because we all end up as dust in the end because of the curse Adam received when he took his eyes off the Creator and wanted to become like a god himself, imprinting sin into our spiritual “DNA.”
“You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground, since you were taken from it. For you are dust, and you will return to dust.” Genesis 3:19
In our natural humanly physical state, we are originally made from dust. After death, our bodies decay and return to dirt; but our spirits hold a different story.
“But someone will ask, ‘How are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have when they come?’… There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is different from that of the earthly ones.There is a splendor of the sun, another of the moon, and another of the stars; in fact, one star differs from another star in splendor. So it is with the resurrection of the dead: Sown in corruption, raised in incorruption; sown in dishonor, raised in glory; sown in weakness, raised in power;sown a natural body, raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written, The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, then the spiritual.
The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. Like the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; like the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.” 1 Corinthians 15:35,40-49
Even though our physical bodies die and decay, there is life after death for the spirit. A spirit is created in each person when made in a mother’s womb. The unique DNA of that person holds the image of Adam to some extent, and his original DNA is marked by the image of God. Because of this our spirits matter eternally. But because of our first father’s choice to walk in sin, our spirit’s “DNA” has been corrupted. We need someone to redeem that DNA back to its beautifully holy state.
Enter the Last/Second Adam.
“A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” John 10:10
The perfect Redeemer, Jesus Christ, entered the world; fully man in order to live in our natural form, putting on the suit of flesh, but also fully God so that He was born from heaven. By His death and resurrection, He conquered sin and death, and therefore has the authority to give a brand-new life, an incorruptible, immortal, holy “DNA”, to those who believe in Him.
“What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor can corruption inherit incorruption. Listen, I am telling you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed,in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this corruptible body must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body must be clothed with immortality. When this corruptible body is clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body is clothed with immortality, then the saying that is written will take place:
Death has been swallowed up in victory.
Where, death, is your victory?
Where, death, is your sting?
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:50-58
Jesus Christ came from heaven and offered us a new life! He has the power to change our spiritual “DNA” from the curse sin placed on us to die both naturally and live in a “deadened” and despairing state in Hell, or, to receive eternal life both for our spiritual state from the moment of new birth in Him and also to the full extent when He gives us our physical bodies back in their perfected state as He had originally designed at the beginning of this world.
Those in Christ have the final victory over sin and death because of Him! Though our physical bodies may return to dust on this earth, it will only be temporary. New life – incorruptible, immortal, unfathomable life awaits! So, brothers and sisters, look to the King of Kings, the One who conquer our curse and set us free. Rejoice always, not losing sight of what awaits you, even if you’re feeling the pangs of this mortal life, greater life has yet to come!
