Throughout history, people elate leaders to represent them, as a nation, as a race or as a collective group. This elated leader represents the people in thoughts, deeds, decisions, and whatever the fruits or consequences are enjoyed or borne by the people collectively. This is not a new concept; it is an inherent nature of man to group together and elate a leader. Why would it then be strange for Christ to be the elated representative of man, albeit elated by God? All that is required is to recognise and acknowledge this fact, and the benefits of what He has done would be passed on those who choose Him.
Romans 5:12-21 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: (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. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence 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. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.Romans 5:18 Therefore as by the offence 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.
Man is represented by 2 great persons in history, one who got us into this mess, and another who saved us from it.
Adam was the first man who fell short of God's law and caused mankind to be condemned. He was the default representative of all mankind since all men descended from him. The lineage and genealogy of man proved this so. Because of Adam, sin and sufferings entered the world and became inherent to all who are born after him. There has never been a need to teach a child to sin for it comes as second nature. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life are all that man pursued in his lifetime, without the slightest need to learn how to do it. In fact, man would become so creative and resourceful at sinning that without external intervention there is no hope of ever getting out of the bondage of sin by himself.
Christ by the elation of God, became a man to represented us and substituted for us to pay for the price of sin. The son of God became the son of man to qualify as man's representative for His redemption work. He did what Adam could not do, perfect obedience to God's commandments for a full 33 years of His life without a single sin. In fact His conquered Satan during 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness where He was tempted repeatedly with the same 3 sins of Adam. He passed all the tests under dire conditions while Adam failed all of them in the comfort of the luxurious Garden of Eden. He went through the water baptism by John the Baptist and all that was necessary to qualify Him as required by God. Finally, when He had to pay the ultimate penalty of sin according to God's righteousness, even God forsake Him on the cross as He alone bore the sin of the entire world and died for us. When the work of atonement was completed, Christ rose again from the dead to conquer death as God would, for He is God and only man for a period of time for our sake. What this representative had done for us would be lost if we chose not to recognise it.
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