davidbowerkingwood

First let us address the question posed by the subject, who let the traitor in. The clearest answer to that question takes us to Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 5 starting in verse 12: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned.

This is a reference to Adam’s sin described in Genesis 3:6b: “and he did eat.” God had told Adam specifically in Genesis 2:17: “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” That was a specific command and warning from God to Adam which Adam disobeyed when he ate of the fruit of that tree. When Adam ate, Adam, Eve, and all of their future progeny died spiritually; that most specifically included you and me as well as every other human being who has ever lived except the Lord Jesus Christ. Spiritual death was instantaneous although physical death came later.

Paul describes the results of Adams sin on his progeny in verses 13 and 14: “For until the law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.”

What is Paul telling us here? After Adam and Eve were ejected from the Garden of Eden there was no possibility that anyone could eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil as the way to the Garden was sealed. No one in the Old Testament, before the Law was given, could have sinned as Adam did, against a direct command of God because no other commands had been given which required obedience or death.

Yet as we read the Old Testament before the giving of the Law of Moses we find death as the end result of every life. How could these people have been judged worthy of death when they could not have violated God’s only commandment given before the Law was given to Moses? They were, however, judged and did die.

God’s charge against all of them was they were progeny of Adam and were judged guilty of Adam’s sin; this is known as the “federal headship of Adam.” This is God’s primary charge against all of mankind; not the personal sins we commit.

When our Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross He died for the sins of the world that all who believe in Him as their personal Savior “should not perish but have everlasting life.” The sin barrier has been removed by the death of Christ on the cross; the only issue now is the question of personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior.

This is clearly spelled out for us in John 3:36, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

Our perceptions of ourselves, others, and this entire world system must be based on the Bible; no other foundation can provide the support we need when the storms of life assail us as they surely will.