The In Christ Motif:

        The Central Theme And Heart Of The Gospel!

           If you were to highlight every place in the Apostle Paul's writings where he uses the expression, "in Christ" or "in the beloved" or "together with Him," you would find the thought used more than one-hundred and sixty-five times.  (Try it in just the first chapter of the book of Ephesians and you'll be amazed!)   Many Bible scholars have agreed that  this theme is indeed the central pillar of all his epistles.

The word "motif" is defined as a dominant recurring thematic element of works of art, music or literary productions.  It comes from the German word leitmotiv which has the same  meaning.

In this issue of Fire In The Stubble, we will examine the tremendous importance of this wonderful truth as it applies to our understanding of the unconditional Good News of salvation.      

How Are We In Christ?

In the first letter of Paul to the church at Corinth we find in 1Cor. 1:30 a statement that clearly shows that we were placed in Christ by an act of the Father.  The text states:    "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." KJV  If you look at this text in it's immediate context, it can be readily seen that the "him" at the beginning of the text is referring to God.  So it is obvious that He put us in Christ by His own act at the incarnation.  All humanity was placed in Christ as He became the second and last corporate head of the human race.

Let's consider Adam, the first man to be created, and see how all men were created "in him."

When God created this world, He created man as the crowning act of His goodness.  The man was created first and then the woman was taken out of the man so that there were only two human beings in the newly created planet earth.

After creating man, the work of creation was perfect and finished.  All human beings who later came into individual existence were conceived and born through procreation as the offspring of the sexual union of Adam and Eve and their descendants.  (Of course Christ, "the last Adam" is the exception, conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit.)

It is interesting that the name Adam expressed many times in the Old Testament almost always has a collective significance.  The Hebrew translation of the name literally means mankind.

In Genesis chapter two and in verse seven we read:  "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."  KJV    The word life in the original Hebrew is in the masculine and therefore should be in the plural.  Hence, the word life should be lives, (blew into his nostrils the breath of lives), again showing that all humanity was originally in the first Adam at the time he was created.

Biblical Solidarity

There are two examples of Biblical solidarity that can plainly be seen from the Scriptures.  The first we will consider is found in Romans 9:12 where God told Rebecca that the elder would serve the younger.  You can search the Bible from Genesis to Revelation and you will not find any reference indicating that Esau ever served Jacob.  Paul was referring to the account in Genesis 25: 21-23 where Rebecca conceived twins and the Lord indicated to her what would happen to her offspring.  In verse twenty-three the explanation is clearly expressed in that each child was the representative head of a nation.  Although Esau never served Jacob as an individual, his descendants did serve the descendants of Jacob.  (See 1Chronicles 18:12&13)

This concept is sometimes difficult for the western mind to understand.  The inhabitants of the middle eastern world readily comprehend the principle and so did the Bible writers.  Therefore we have to think as they did to grasp the importance of what is being expressed.  This is particularly true when considering Romans 5: 11-21 regarding the two Adams.  We will take a closer look at that portion of  Scripture as we continue.

The other text we will look at regarding Biblical solidarity is found in Hebrews 7: 9&10.  Here in verse nine, it is stated that Levi paid tithes to Melchisedec.  Now Levi was not even conceived or thought of for that matter, for he was the great grandson of Abraham.  As an individual, he did not exist when Abraham met Melchisedec. In verse ten the explanation is given that Levi paid the tithes when he was in the loins of Abraham.  This means that what Abraham did implicated his descendants even though they did not yet exist as individuals.  This again is a clear-cut expression of Biblical solidarity.  The in-Christ motif is based on this principle so it is extremely important that you thoroughly understand it.

When we consider what happened to Adam at his fall in the light of this truth, it can be readily seen that the whole human race was implicated in that fall.  A good analogy is seen in the hypothetical bus driver who falls asleep at the wheel while traveling on the highway.  The bus crashes and all the people who were in the bus are either killed or injured.  Though innocent of the guilt of the drivers mistake, they suffer because they were in the bus.  Likewise, although we are not guilty of Adam's first sin, because we were in him at the creation we inherited a sinful, fallen humanity that is defective, condemned and in need of redeeming.  The good news of the Gospel is that in Christ, that defective humanity has been dealt with.  It was conquered, destroyed and replaced with a new and glorified humanity in the holy history of the life, death and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Our History Was Fully

 Rewritten In Christ!

The re-writing of our history in Jesus' holy history is what constitutes our complete redemption.  I recently heard an excellent analogy of this truth from a friend and co-laborer in proclaiming this wonderful concept.

           Let's say that a car was manufactured that, after a time, developed  major engine, transmission, suspension and every other conceivable problem you can imagine, in every vehicle produced.  Recognizing that these problems effected every car, the Manufacturer ordered a full recall.  In the process of correction, every car was thoroughly examined and tested to know fully the reason for the failures as well as to obtain the information to correct the problems.  After the data had been fully compiled, the defective cars were destroyed and the needed information for production of a perfect car resulted in a new Prototype in which all other cars would have their being.  This is precisely what happened to the human race!!  

God, in Christ, gathered every defective, fallen and sinful human being and for the entire duration of the earthly life of our Saviour, the corrections were made in our faithful High Priest.  He was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin. (Heb. 4:15)  That is to say, our corporate fallen, sinful humanity, (that is the humanity that needed redeeming, the Adamic humanity after the fall), was united to Divinity at the incarnation.  Jesus conquered that fallen, sinful humanity, (Rom. 8:3), though a perfect faith union with His Father and thus qualified to be our perfect Saviour.  He wrought out a performance of perfect obedience to the holy law of God thus satisfying the positive demands of that law.  This perfect life was not merely vicarious, (instead of us), but was actual as we were in Him, (as Levi was in the loins of Abraham when he paid tithes to Melchisedec).  Likewise, as stated earlier,  when Jesus died the second death at Calvary, we being in Him in the fallen Adamic nature, also died eternally  thus perfectly satisfying the justice that was demanded by the law.  Ezekiel 18:20

The wondrous good news continues in that when our lovely Saviour was resurrected, we in Him were likewise resurrected and are now sitting with Him in heavenly places! Ephesians 2:6  This is why Satan hates us and seeks to destroy us.  What he coveted (Isaiah 14:12-14) we already  possess in Christ as a free gift and for those who overcome through faith in His blood (Revelation 5:9; 7:14), the promise of Revelation 3:21 will become an experienced reality!    

Yes dear believer, we have in the perfect Prototype a glorified humanity, reserved for us in heaven, which He will make real in our experience at His glorious second advent! 1Cor. 15 : 51-54

The Two Adams

What has been expressed so far in this study enables us to clearly understand the high point of Paul's letter to the Romans.  This high point of course is found in the fifth chapter and from verse 12 through 21 deals with the subject of the two Adams.  Many volumes have been written on this passage of Scripture which some Biblical scholars believe is the most important in all the Bible.  In this study, I will share a brief overview of the passage that I pray will be helpful in understanding the glorious good news of our salvation in Jesus.

It is interesting that E.G. White linked an understanding of Romans chapter 5 to the message that would lighten the earth with the glory of God.  Rev. 18: 1-5

In the book Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, pg. 94 she writes: "This is the testimony that must go throughout the length and breath of the world.  It presents the law and the gospel, binding up the two in a perfect whole.  (See Romans 5 and 1John 3:9 to the close of the chapter.)  These precious scriptures will be impressed upon every heart that is opened to receive them."  Let us proceed then to intelligently consider this tremendous portion of God's word.

In verse 11 of Romans 5 we have a preamble of the true gospel found in the remaining verses. This verse states:  "And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement."  In verses 6-10  God's unconditional love for the entire human race is seen in that Christ died for us ungodly sinners while we were still His enemies.  This sacrifice sealed a perfect and finished reconciliation (verse 10) with God for every human being in an objective, legal sense.  In Christ, we have already received the at-one-ment.  This objective truth is the very foundation of our subjective experience made possible by the heavenly ministry of our faithful High Priest as He fulfills the final phase of the atonement that involves the believers' justification, sanctification and glorification by faith!  Finally, the restoration of a perfect universe will be realized after all of His enemies are put under His feet.

After having expressed this wonderful good news of the assurance of our salvation in Christ, Paul plunges into a description of how Adam's sin effected the human race.  In verse 12 he writes:  "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." There are two ways to consider this text.  One way is truth, while the other is error.  One way says that death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned like Adam.  The other consideration is that death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned in Adam.

From my personal research of what other sincere, Spirit led men have written or said,  I am convinced that the correct exposition is the latter; all sinned in Adam.  There are five reasons why I take this position, all of which are arguably very good.

1. Historic Truth:  Babies who have not yet reached the age of accountability cannot willfully transgress the law as Adam did, yet they still die.  Therefore, they as part of "all men"  had to have sinned in Adam, not like Adam.  The consequence of sin, death, still reigns over them even though they have not sinned like Adam.

2.Grammatical Truth:

"All have sinned" is in the aorist tense in the original Greek and describes a historical, completed event that took place and was finished in the past.  Since all have sinned, how can those who are not yet born have participated in following Adam's transgression?  Therefore it is fallacy  to think that this text refers to those who are alive now and in the future.  All could  have sinned  in the past only if they were in Adam .

3.Immediate Context:

 If you consider the verse itself, it is plainly stated that by one man, sin entered into the world.  The word world is cosmos in the Greek and based on it's context refers to the human race.  This one man, Adam is here seen to be the source of  sin and death effecting the whole of humanity and cannot mean that he was merely an example for the rest of mankind to follow.

4.  Broad Context:  If you honestly consider the entire passage regarding the two Adams, it is emphatically and repeatedly stated that because of one man's sin, the whole race fell under condemnation and death.  This is true in each verse from 14-19.  In verses 15 and 19 the definite article (o') precedes the word many in the original Greek.  Thus the correct translation should be "the many" which implies the entire human race.  In verse 14 it is specifically stated that the segment of humanity that lived from Adam to Moses died even though they had not sinned like Adam.

5.True Analogy:

This is perhaps the strongest argument for the truth that all sinned in Adam not like Adam.  If you say that all men died because they sinned like Adam, then to make the analogy correct you must say that all men live because they obeyed like Christ.  Romans 3:23 clearly refutes that fallacy.  No man except Jesus, has obeyed perfectly from the moment of conception.  Therefore it can be clearly seen that all men died because they sinned in Adam, not like Adam.

As we consider this most wonderful passage of  Scripture, let us be aware of the fact that Romans was written to a group of people who Paul had not yet personally met.  Therefore he was extremely thorough in explaining the gospel.  He wanted to make sure that the readers would grasp the wonderful principles of Christ and His righteousness.  He longed to impart life saving information that would secure, edify and nurture the rapidly growing body of Christ.

Paul wrote nearly half of the new testament and this for good reason.  While Jesus came to this world to be  the gospel,  Paul was raised up to explain the gospel!  He made tremendous use of the brilliant intellect and formal training he possessed.  Being so thoroughly led of the Spirit, his mind became super-sharp so that his enemies could not gainsay the tremendous truth that proceeded from his lips and his pen.  I pray to God that this writer be blessed with the same Spirit as I humbly attempt to communicate these wondrous themes.

Some may think that it is unfair that we inherited a life of suffering and pain because of one man's sin in which we made no voluntary contribution.  I have even heard someone say that it is unethical for all of Adam's descendants to have to live with the consequence of his sin.  Let it be made perfectly clear that there is no fault with God or mistake on His part!  If we did not have as our intercessor, a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,(Rev 13:8), Eve and Adam would have instantly died the second death, when they sinned in the garden of Eden!  It was because of God's mercy and grace that they lived on  even though they died spiritually!  The time of the remainder of their lives was a gracious and merciful gift granted them that they might believe and receive the promise that was given them in Genesis 3:15!  It is important to remember that from before man was even created, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit had agreed upon the plan of salvation in the event of man's fall.  To say that it is unethical for us to be alive in our sinful condition is a gross misunderstanding of the whole plan of salvation.

Cutting to the quick, let us take a look at the summation verse of Romans 5 which is verse 18.  The verse reads: "Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life."  This verse has spawned a number of views regarding salvation but only one of these is unconditional good news for all men and is also not promoting the heresy of universalism.  Universalism teaches that all men (and even the devil and his angels) will be saved and go to heaven.  This of course is contrary to the plain word of God in many places and therefore must be utterly rejected.

Calvanism teaches a falsehood called double pre-destination which states that God in His sovereignty has predestined certain ones to go to heaven and likewise has predestined certain ones to go to hell.  Man has no choice in the matter and is merely a robotic pawn to be placed wherever God wills.  The "all men" in verse 18, according to this view, refers to either the ones who will be eternally lost or saved apart from any choice on their part.  Even if the predestined lost were to believe in and choose Christ as their personal Saviour, they could not be saved because God had pre-determined that they would be lost.  This of course is error and can be easily exposed as such from the word of God.  John 3: 16 tells us that whosoever believes in Jesus will receive everlasting life.  Man does have a choice in his eternal destiny.

 Another view of salvation based upon this verse came from an individual named Arminius who  did not accept the teaching of Calvin but said that the "all men" literally meant all men.  He said that salvation was merely provided for all men but that each individual had a chance to initiate the salvation process for themselves by accepting Christ as their Saviour.  While this sounds good, it still falls short of presenting the gospel as unconditional good news.  It is rather a subtle form of legalism using faith or acceptance as a kind of bargaining chip presented to God in exchange for salvation.  In this case, salvation is no longer a free gift but is now become a conditional offer.  Instead of the gospel being good news, it becomes merely good advice.  The gospel is much better than this as we shall see!

     The truth of Romans 5:18 can only be understood in light of the wonderful good news expressed in the in-Christ motif.   As we have seen,  all men were in both of the two Adams and so from the context, grammar,  analogy and exegesis of the passage, it can be clearly seen that the "all men" literally refers to all men.  What happened to all of us when we were in the first Adam, that is, condemnation and the sentence of death, was reversed when we were all in the last Adam, (Christ) and so in Him we have all been justified to life!  This is an unconditional fact apart from any contribution on our part!  In Christ, all men stand justified and redeemed!  Even those who openly resist and reject this great salvation cannot erase the fact that they have been given the unspeakable gift of complete redemption in Jesus Christ!  Can this gift be rejected and the rejecters lost eternally?  Absolutely yes!  Many will willfully, persistently, deliberately and ultimately reject this gift and thus reject Christ our substitute.  Since they have rejected the fact that in Christ they died the second death two thousand years ago, they will have to experience the second death themselves after the second resurrection.

    Some think that this unconditional and universal good news of redemption for all men in Christ will produce  people who are lax and standardless in their religious life.  They who think this way are usually hard line or subtle legalists whose motivation is either fear of punishment or hope of reward.  They stumble along blindly having a religion that is worthless and often make life miserable for everyone with whom they come into contact.  For these poor souls we need to pray and keep our lamps of gospel truth brightly burning that the warmth of Christ's righteousness and the light of His truth may perhaps soften their hearts and open their eyes.

    The tremendous good news of our position of complete and perfect redemption in Christ as clearly seen in the "in-Christ motif is the foundation of our subjective response and experience!   With hearts ablaze with gladness and appreciation for the wonderful reality of God's infinite sacrifice on our behalf, we joyfully submit to the cross of Christ!  With the apostle Paul we echo the theme he penned in 1Cor 15:31, "...I die daily."  And also in Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."     

    There are a number of New Testament scholars who are aware of the importance of this vital truth and so I share with you some statements from their works.  Included among these quotations are a couple of gems from an inspired writer whose formal education did not go beyond the third grade.  I believe you know her well!

    H.P. Lideon (British Scholar) "As human nature was present in Adam when by his representative sin he ruined his posterity so was human nature present in Christ our Lord.  Our nature is His own.  He carried it with Him through life and death, He made it do and bear that which was utterly beyond it's naked capacity."

        Deitrich Bonhauffer, who died as a martyr at the hands of Hitler's men:  When God's Son took on flesh He truly and bodily took on out of pure grace our being our nature ourselves.  This was the eternal counsel of the Triune God.  Now we are in Him.  Where He is there we are too in the incarnation, on the cross and in the resurecction."  And Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:6 the astonishing good news that we are sitting in heaven in Christ!

    W.W. Prescott in the 1895 G.C Bulletin, pg. 24 wrote:  "Jesus Christ was the representative of humanity, and humanity centered in Him, and when He took flesh, He took humanity . . . this is the most glorious truth in Christianity.  It is Christianity itself, it is the very core and life and heart of Christianity."

    Now for the inspired words of a third grader:  "By His obedience to all the commandments of God, Christ wrought out a redemption for men.  This was not done by going out of Himself to another, but by taking humanity into Himself.  Thus Christ gave to humanity an existence out of Himself.  To bring humanity into Christ, to bring the fallen race into oneness with divinity, is the work of redemption."  E.G. White

1 Selected Messages, pp. 250-251

    And from the same author:  "Blessed is the soul who can say . . . . I am lost in Adam, but restored in Christ."

E.G. White    Sons and Daughters of God,   pg. 120

    The blessed truth in all of this is that God the Son and we became one in the incarnation.  Why?  Because through this union we could be redeemed.  The glorious good news is, as mentioned already, that Our Father in heaven put us into His Son and then rewrote our history.  In Christ you and I stand perfect in performance, character and in nature!  That's why in the book Steps to Christ, the author states that "God looks at you as if you had never sinned."

    It is my sincere prayer that this wonderful truth will soon be understood and taught by the army of God, (His church), and will quickly be preached to the ends of the earth!  The truth as it is in Jesus is the truth that sets us free!  Apart from this truth there is no salvation.  In Christ alone do we have salvation, full and complete!