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1 Corinthians 15:45 Exploring Part 1 of 2 TLB

1 Corinthians 15:45 The Scriptures tell us that the first man, Adam, was given a natural, human body but Christ is more than that, for he was life-giving Spirit.

Romans 5:12-21 When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. His sin spread death throughout all the world, so everything began to grow old and die, for all sinned.

We know that it was Adam's sin that caused this because although, of course, people were sinning from the time of Adam until Moses, God did not in those days judge them guilty of death for breaking his laws--because he had not yet given his laws to them nor told them what he wanted them to do.

So when their bodies died it was not for their own sins since they themselves had never disobeyed God's special law against eating the forbidden fruit, as Adam had. What a contrast between Adam and Christ who was yet to come!

And what a difference between man's sin and God's forgiveness! For this one man, Adam, brought death to many through his sin. But this one man, Jesus Christ, brought forgiveness to many through God's mercy.

Adam's one sin brought the penalty of death to many, while Christ freely takes away many sins and gives glorious life instead.

The sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to be king over all, but all who will take God's gift of forgiveness and acquittal are kings of life because of this one man, Jesus Christ.

Yes, Adam's sin brought punishment to all, but Christ's righteousness makes men right with God, so that they can live.

Adam caused many to be sinners because he disobeyed God, and Christ caused many to be made acceptable to God because he obeyed.

The Ten Commandments were given so that all could see the extent of their failure to obey God's laws. But the more we see our sinfulness, the more we see God's abounding grace forgiving us.

Before, sin ruled over all men and brought them to death, but now God's kindness rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

John 5:16-23 So they began harassing Jesus as a Sabbath breaker.

But Jesus replied, "My Father constantly does good, and I'm following his example."

Then the Jewish leaders were all the more eager to kill him because in addition to disobeying their Sabbath laws, he had spoken of God as his Father, thereby making himself equal with God.

Jesus replied, "The Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what what he sees the Father doing, and in the same way.

For the Father loves the Son, and tells him everything he is doing; and the Son will do far more awesome miracles than this man's healing.

He will even raise from the dead anyone he wants to, just as the Father does.

And the Father leaves all judgment of sin to His Son,

so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. But if you refuse to honor God's Son, whom he sent to you, then you are certainly not honoring the Father.