Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

• 1 Corinthians 15:21-22

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—
To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.
But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,

• Romans 5:12-20

From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.

• Acts 17:26

but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

• Genesis 2:17

“Q. 15. Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first transgression?
“A. The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself but for his posterity, all mankind descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first transgression. (1 Cor. 15:22, Rom. 5:12).”

• Charles H. Spurgeon, Spurgeon’s Catechism

“Q. 16. Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first transgression?
“A. The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity,1 all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first transgression.”

• The Shorter Catechism (Westminster Assembly)

This is the first break between the Spurgeon catechism and the shorter catechism.  Question 15 in the Shorter Catechism is about the sin being the eating of the forbidden fruit.  The Larger catechism deviates in breaking the above question into parts into questions 25 and 26, which also spill into next week’s question.  As a result, I am leaving off the Larger Catechism this week.

The last Scripture states the covenant with Adam.  “Eat the fruit from this tree and you shall surely die.”  That would not be like some fruit bearing trees that produce poisonous fruit.  I was living in southern Mississippi, just for one year, and during that time a family pulled off the road and ate what they thought were pears, fresh from the trees in an orchard next to the road.  They never read the signs saying that the trees were tung trees, and the fruit was poisonous.  I do not think that they all died.  I was ten-years-old at the time, so my memory is not good regarding the details.

Because tung trees, grown for the tung oil used in many paints, are so poisonous, some have postulated that a tung tree produced the forbidden fruit, but that is sloppy theology.

Adam and Eve were convicted to a death sentence.  But the sentence would be executed by means of old age.

I have thought that the fall of mankind led to an adjustment in our RNA or DNA.  Recent scientific discoveries have shown that cells do not reproduce past the age of about 120 years old.  Odd that in the research findings no one quoted Genesis 6:3

Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”

• Genesis 6:3

And now let us sing.

The following hymn, How I Love Thy Law, O Lord!, was in my old hymnbook, but it must not have been sung that often.  The tune is rather a simple one and the words are provided below.

1 How I love Thy law, O Lord!
Daily joy its truths afford;
In its constant light I go,
Wise to conquer every foe.

Refrain:
Sweeter are Thy words to me
Than all other good can be;
Safe I walk, Thy truth my light,
Hating falsehood, loving right.

2 Thy commandments in my heart
Truest wisdom can impart;
To my eyes Thy precepts show
Wisdom more than sages know. [Refrain]
3 While my heart Thy word obeys,
I am kept from evil ways;
From Thy law, with Thee to guide,
May I never turn aside. [Refrain]

• Psalm 119

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord,
We have all sinned.  We were born with a sin nature, and we need You in our hearts to wash away that sin.  Lord, thank You for giving us this gift that is not deserved.  We praise You for Your loving Mercy.
In thy Name we pray.
Amen

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.