Title: Spiritual Union with the Second Man
(Explanation to Hebrews 11)
spiritual union with the second man
(Hebrews 2:11-18)
When we preach the word by citing the Bible, we use the words ‘in’ and ‘union’ well. If we study the Bible, we can divide human ancestors into two groups. One is a spiritual ancestor and the other is a physical ancestor. The physical ancestor refers to Adam, and the spiritual ancestor refers to Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15, about our natural ancestors, it is said that they were the first people. And with regard to Christ, it is expressed as the second person.
1. Why God Had to Be the Savior of Sinners
This first man, Adam, became the first sinner of mankind because of his transgression, so that all his natural descendants were born as descendants of sinners and became sinners together. Since the penalty for sin is death, death reigned in Adam over all mankind. The sinner had no hope at all. There is only death as a payment for sin. Sinners have only one hope.
It is the work of the Savior appearing in this world to atone for the sins of mankind and release them from the chains of death. However, such hopes are only hopes that can never be hoped for. This is because all mankind can only be saved through the help of the Savior, and there will be no innocent human beings who can become the Savior and atone for the sins of sinners.
This was the reason why God sent his only begotten son into the world as the second man. Because He is without sin. He was certainly born as a man, but he was not born as a descendant of Adam, but as the second man whose Word became flesh. Nevertheless, he was surely born as a human being by being born in the body of the Virgin Mary. Indeed, this fact was the reason why our Lord had to come into the world as a man even though he was a sinless God.
Since Jesus is the second person, we too can be united to Christ and become heirs of God's inheritance with Christ only when we belong to the second person. Then, how can we become second people, be saved in Christ, become children of God, and inherit the kingdom of God?
Such a thing is impossible by human means. Because there is no such method or such a way for humans. This is possible only in God's way. So what is God's way? Please see John 1:12. That is the way it is said, “To those who received him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Those who believe in the name of Jesus are by this God's method recognized as descendants of the second man, Christ, whose life in Adam is changed to life in Christ, and life in death to life in life, and life in this world. Hope turns into heavenly hope.
Although we are living physically now, our spiritual union with the Lord has been achieved because our new life, our spirit, has been revived.
2. Characteristics of the second person
Then here we will look at the characteristics of the second person.
(1) This person is from heaven. Since you are not the first, it is only natural that you were born from heaven. This world is defiled by sin, and since all human beings are descendants of sin, no second person can be born on earth. Since we belong to the second person whose life is in heaven, we also become heavenly people.
(2) The next characteristic of the second person is that he had a life in heaven. Our Jesus does not have life in this world, but He who has eternal life in heaven. In order to give life to those who died in their sins, you must have the life of heaven. Just as when we were united with Adam, death reigned because of his sin, so now we are united with Christ and life reigns because of his righteousness.
(3) The second person must be equal with God. It is impossible to save sinners unless they have a higher status than humans. Then who is higher than man? Even the angels of heaven are spirits, and his status is never higher than that of humans. God sent his son as a second person. Thus, to those who were saved through his Son, he gave the right to have children with him.
Conclusion: We are not descendants of Adam. Our status as descendants of Adam died on the cross with Christ. We must not let the dead rule us or live the dead life of the dead. We have been raised with Christ. You have been born again by the Holy Spirit, the life of God. You are now born again with a new life. We are new people in heaven who need to live anew in a new life.