The Nature of Christ Among Many Theologians and Religious - Research Paper Example

Running head: Was Jesus like Adam before or after fall? Was Jesus like Adam before or after fall? Insert Insert Insert Name 28 September 2011 Was Jesus like Adam before or after fall? Introduction Christians perceive Christ to have both the nature of human and divine differently, an acknowledged fact by many Christians. However, the problem and divisions emanate and concentrate on the question of which particular kind of human nature did Jesus Christ assume? There are those who contest that Christ took human nature that was affected by the fall of Adam while others hold firm belief that Christ assumed the un-fallen nature of Adam. Each of the positions weighs greatly especially if one was to go by presentable evidence each side would produce. However, in the midst of this quagmire, Christians should not divorce their eyes and wisdom from the book of Ephesians 4: 21, “we should not depend not only our understanding of the work of Christ but also our understanding of the way of life expected from each of us as we seek the truth that is in Jesus”1. As a result, this research adopts a relatively divergent path from the two positions and postulates that the nature of Christ is both manifested by fallen and un-fallen nature of Adam. The un-fallen nature of Adam is characterized by sinless and un-separatedness from God, which Christ has. On the other hand, fallen nature of Adam is characterized by physical strength, mental power, and moral worth, which again Christ can be associated with2. Nature of Adam before the fall The bible describes the man God created and placed in the land of Eden as one created in God’s image. This man was Adam and as an image and spiritual creature of God, Adam possessed the image of God, which made him to remain connected to God. Adam’s original state was one of a sinless man who had favor from God. The sinless nature of this man was manifested through his purity and holiness, which made him to have an assured connection with God and at the same time, beloved by God3. Adam, in this state, was perfect and righteous. Adam in his original state is given noble powers by God as the head of earthly family who was to represent God and rule over other creatures. In this sense, the original Adam had God’s gift of well-balanced mind, he was perfect in his being and constantly in harmony with God. At the same time, his thoughts were largely pure and his aims had an element of holiness The notion of the image of God and Sin The sinless nature of original Adam is what God had wished man to live. The image of God (Adam) was to remain pure, was to remain perfect, and exhibit no propensity to sin. The sinless state was to put Adam in constant and unlimited communication with God in a special and privileged way as compared to other creatures. In other words, the sinless man was to remain representative of God glory and heritage. Adam obedience in God was to be uncompromised and this is what was required of him. Nevertheless, Adam profaned this sinless nature when through temptations became sinful. Adam through devil’s temptations became disobedient to God, pervert and selfish. Adam became weakened as a result of committed sin and he subsequently became a victim of devil, unable to resist the power of evil4. The special connectedness of Adam and God was weakened, communication violated and closeness disrupted. As a result, Adam became captive to Satan’s evils, unable to resist and hence it needed intervention of God to rescue His image (Adam). Adam and Eve committed sin and this was to become permanent transgression human being can be associated with especially with regard to consequential effects. Ángel M. Rodríguez observes that Adam’s actions of sins became the fountain source in which human disasters and troubles emanated due to angered nature of God5. Punishment for Adam and Eve became an appropriate avenue God displayed His displeasure with human race and consequently the aftermath of this punishment befell the human race. Sin therefore became an aspect that disconnected Adam from God and removed all privileges that God had provided to Adam in Eden. More important, sin became a bridge on which God moved away from man and separation became inevitable, man forfeited his privileges with God and lastly, man became victim of death and suffering6. Adam and the universality of Sin Adam became symbol of human sin as a result of what had transpired in Garden of Eden. Sin therefore became manifestation of human behavior of disobedience, deceit, doubt, and deprivation. Temptation is what leads to sin and Adam, together with Eve had become victims of temptation. The definition of sin biblically captures the disobedience of man with regard to what God had banned (tree of life). Thus according to Genesis 3, sin is given definition of any willful and voluntary violation of a known law of God7. First John 5: 17 postulates that “all unrighteousness is sin”8. Unrighteousness can be perceived to constitute all those acts that deviates from the will of God and become rebellious to God’s known will and largely expressing a character that is in opposite to God’s holiness. Sin as expressed in many accounts of the Bible has historical pathway, where Adam and Eve were the first humans to sin against God. Adam was created a sinless creature but the weakness he manifested in the Garden of Eden as a victim of temptation and subsequent fall qualified him to become a sinner, a tag that his human generation has wore since then. Concept of sin in the community of Adventist differs largely to the Augustine idea and theorization of sin. Augustine regarded talks of original sin and imprisonment man has with regard to this sin. Accordingly, Augustine sees man as a sinner by nature and forever remains a prisoner of this inherited sin until and only when the grace of God prevail9. Adventists refute the notion of inevitability of original sin and sees man redemption to lie in Jesus Christ. The understanding is that Christ represents the source of repentance in which man can shades off the dusts of naturality of his sin and become connected to God as a sinless creature10. Humans do not remain sinful creatures forever, they have an opportunity in Jesus Christ to redeem their sinful nature and obtain favor, repentance, forgiveness, and glory from God. Adventist in this way dispels as inconsequential the Augustine’s expression that fallen nature is sin in itself rather than an effect of sin. Therefore, according to Adventism, the notion that a man is a sinner by nature does not originate from the bible or in Adventist’s religion. Universality of Adam’s sin can be associated with subsequent consequences Adam and Eve had to bear as a result of their sin, which they have passed to their successive human generation. Human degeneracy has become the universality manifestation of Adam sin but again Jesus Christ came as second Adam to fulfill what Adam did not fulfill. Human degeneracy therefore finds redemption and repentance in Christ11. Significance of Adam and Eve’s sin to human race is captured in the depravity and posterity of Adam, which is transferred as depraved human nature12. Human race thus became inheritors of Adam’s sin, which subsequently disconnected them from God and what followed was nothing but guilt with death as its wages. Biblical viewpoint on the characteristics of Adam and the nature of Jesus Characteristics of Adam before the fall constitute sinless nature, holiness, purity, and connectedness to God. Adam was the favor of God and his actions regarded pure, who became representative of God on earth. Jesus is seen to possess this Adam state of pre-fall and is regarded as second Adam. He is beloved of one of God, pure, holy, connected to God, and in constant communication with God. It is in this realm Christ is seen to be human in that he was completely sinless, where naturally he was inheritor of Adam sin as descendant but did not inherit or exhibit the sinfulness of man. Uniqueness of Jesus lies in his two natures of humanity and divine while remaining sinless despite possessing ‘flesh’ nature of human. Christ despite being sinless decided to save human race by being substitute of man’s sins. Man needed redemption and Christ became bearer of man’s sins, and died on behalf of man’s sins. At same time, Jesus exhibit an exceptional nature of humanity, especially in fallen Adam nature, where in midst of temptations, Jesus manifest to have exceptional spiritual power that even evil spirits identify to belong to God. Therefore, although being human and possessing human characteristics that would have made him sin, Jesus remains spiritually powered unlike ordinary humans. Conclusion The nature of Christ among many theologians and religious leaders around the world remain emotive subject that exhibit pale glimpse with regard to uni-consensual position. Diverse positions and theories are likely to exist with regard to the person and work of Christ but this research ascertain that the nature of Christ is both manifested by fallen and un-fallen nature of Adam. The un-fallen nature of Christ is evident in his spiritual nature, holiness, and connectedness to God. His acts and deeds are premised on his sinless nature. On the other hand, Christ nature in fallen Adam is manifested by the ‘flesh’ nature of Christ, being a descendant of sinful nature of Adam hence depending upon God to remain righteous. He identifies the broken relationship that exists with God and from this makes every attempt to perform the will of God in bringing redemption to human race. Bibliography Johnson, Fred. Toward Conformity to the Image of Christ: A Biblical Pattern of Spiritual Formation. Faith Publications, 2004. http://books.google.com/books?id=h7_dOPge9JEC&pg=PA198&dq=biblical+definition+of+sin&hl=en&ei=AhaFTsS0MMmq8APXw8FN&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CF8Q6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=biblical%20definition%20of%20sin&f=false [Accessed September 29, 2011]. King James Bible. King James Version. http://books.google.com/books?id=yPYZKl45Ht8C&printsec=frontcover&dq=KIng+James+bible&hl=en&ei=IkmFTsrCK8i28QO50sxR&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CEoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false [Accessed September 29, 2011]. Morris, Venden L. Ninety-five theses on righteousness by faith. Pacific Press Publishing, 2003. http://books.google.com/books?id=7pWlnrFC2toC&pg=PA287&dq=Was+Jesus+Like+Adam+Before+or+After+the+Fall&hl=en&ei=hsmETtuwGo_04QSimPHRDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDoQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=Was%20Jesus%20Like%20Adam%20Before%20or%20After%20the%20Fall&f=false [Accessed September 29, 2011]. Oluoch, Silvanus. Adjusting to God’s High Calling. USA: Xlibris Corporation, 2010 http://books.google.com/books?id=mAyCyKl4KxoC&pg=PA48&dq=biblical+definition+of+sin&hl=en&ei=AhaFTsS0MMmq8APXw8FN&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CFUQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=biblical%20definition%20of%20sin&f=false [Accessed September 29, 2011]. Priebe, Dennis. The human nature of Christ-Revisited, N.d. [Attached notes). Rodríguez, Angel M. Adam and the human race in the writings of E. G. White, N.d. [Attached notes). Read More