Adam vs. Jesus
The first Adam compared to the second
Friday, December 20, 2013
KJV Genesis 1:26-27
26. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Let us focus on the words, ”let us make man in our image, after our likeness”.
The meaning of the Hebrew hardly describes a human that is truly in Gods image. Rather Adam was a shadow image not the express image of God.
Strong's Ref. # 6754
Romanized tselem
Pronounced tseh'-lem
from an unused root meaning to shade; a phantom, i.e. (figuratively) illusion, resemblance; hence, a representative figure, especially an idol:
KJV--image, vain shew.
Strong's Ref. # 1823
Romanized dmuwth
Pronounced dem-ooth'
from HSN1819; resemblance; concretely, model, shape; adverbially, like:
KJV--fashion, like (-ness, as), manner, similitude.
On Earth Adam was a physical representation of God because God gave Adam dominion. Adam had intelligence above all other animals. What Adam lacked was Gods Holy Spirit and with it the knowledge and power to truly be in Gods express image rather than just a shadow or vain show. The test of the two trees in the midst of the garden would give Adam the opportunity to rise to a higher level of existence and become a new creation. This is what Satan did not want to happen and it did not.
The one born Jesus who was the Christ and son of God was truly created by God in Gods express image and likeness. What this means is that Jesus had a mind that thought exactly like his God and Father. This made Jesus incapable of sin and not able to be tempted with evil. The saints are to have the mind of Jesus who had the mind of God.
Strong's Greek Dictionary
Strong's Number: 5481
Transliterated: charakter
Phonetic: khar-ak-tare'
Text: from the same as 5482; a graver (the tool or the person), i.e. (by implication) engraving (["character"], the figure stamped, i.e. an exact copy or [figuratively] representation): --express image.
Jesus was an exact copy of his Fathers character or nature; that is a nature that could not sin or be tempted with evil. Jesus had the agape love of the Father and this made him as righteous as God. The saints must put on this Jesus in order to be in the kingdom of God.
While Adam and Jesus were both human by the flesh, spiritually Adam lacked what Jesus was born with and conceived by, The Holy Spirit. Jesus was called Gods Only Begotten Son for these reasons. Jesus was the spiritual representation of the Father and thus came to reveal God since God and Jesus were one in nature of character, righteousness and love. This is how and why Jesus could say, “If you have seen me you have see the Father”. Jesus had none of Gods attributes; all power, all knowledge, all present and eternal; but in qualities of character Jesus was a dead ringer of his Father and God. It is no wonder the carnal unconverted of this world think Jesus is God. Just think, the true potential of humanity is to be transformed into the image of Jesus who was the image of God.