The First Adam
Old Testament Survey Series in the Koinonia Adult Bible Fellowship (ABF) at Cornerstone Baptist Church
Lesson Three
The First Adam
1. Opening Discussion (Thought Provokers):
a. Did the serpent have legs? Genesis 3:14
b. Did Eve lie about God’s command? Genesis 3:3
c. Was Adam a wimp? Genesis 3:6
d. Was Adam totally depraved?
e. If Eve ate the fruit first, why does Adam get all the blame? (Isaiah 43:27; Hosea 6:7; Job 31:33; James 1:14-15)
2. Quick Review: Heaven + earth = everything (entire cosmos): the majesty of Who God is.
a. Genesis 1 – The Vertical (God’s-eye, majestic, heavenly) viewpoint [H430 ‘elohiym] of the “what” of creation
b. Genesis 2: The Horizontal (Human story-of-redemption perspective, earthly) viewpoint of the “why” of creation
i. [H3068 Yehovah H430 ‘elohiym ] links the idea of the pre-garden Creator-God with the post-Garden story of covenant and redemption.
3. Genesis 3: God’s interaction with humans
a. Pattern/framework of interaction: “Covenant”
i. Solemn agreement backed up by God’s promise: “An absolute agreement between distinct persons, about the order and dispensing of things in their power, unto their mutual concern and advantage” (John Owen)
ii. Not quid pro quo or the result of negotiation
iii. Two (and only two) categories of covenants are possible between God and humans
(1) Covenant of works founded upon what we shall do for salvation
(2) Covenant of grace founded upon what God shall do for us to save us
b. Adamic Covenant (covenant of works; covenant of creation),: Genesis 2:16-17
i. “The distance between God and the Creature is so great, that although reasonable Creatures do owe obedience unto him as their Creator, yet they could never have attained the reward of Life, but by some voluntary condescension on God’s part, which he hath been pleased to express, by way of Covenant” (Baptist Confession of Faith (1689), ¶7.1)
ii. The Potter’s right to impose requirements upon the clay: disobedience would render the creation liable to punishment/extinction, but obedience would not engender the right of any reward
iii. The LORD God revealed Himself not only as Sovereign, Creator and Lawgiver, but also as loving Father who graciously established a covenant relationship with Adam as representative head of the human race.
iv. The LORD God, as author of the Adamic covenant (covenant of works, or covenant of creation) promised eternal life in the way of obedience, enabling Adam to obtain eternal life for himself and his descendants (Romans 7:10). See also Lev. 18:5; Ezek. 20:11-13, Ezek. 20:20; Luke 10:28; Rom. 10:5; Gal. 3:12.
c. Compare: The Everlasting Covenant (Isaiah 55:3; Luke 22:22; John 6:38-39; Ephesians 3:11; Ephesians 1:3-6; Hebrews 13:20; Revelation 13:8)
i. The Father promising to bring to the Son all whom the Father had given Him (John 6:39; John 17:9; John 17:24).
(1) The Son would become man (Col. 2:9; 1 Tim. 2:5), become for a while lower than the angels (Heb. 2:7), and be found under the Law (Gal. 4:4-5).
(2) The Son would die for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2; 1 Pet. 2:24), and the Father would raise the Son from the Dead (Psalm 2).
ii. First publication of the Everlasting Covenant: Genesis 3:15
4. Conclusion
a. Christ as the “yes” of God’s covenantal relationship (2 Corinthians 1:20; Luke 22:40)
b. Christ as the first and only covenant-keeper on the human side (1 Corinthians 15:45) and on God’s side (Romans 5:8)
5. Closing Prayer: Psalm 119:113-120
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