Two Adams

May 3, 2006

By Gary Rogers

This morning in my prayer time the Lord gave me a thought I’ve never considered. “Adam remembered being innocent.”

Consider this with me. God breathed into Adam the breath of life, and that life was without sin. Adam lacked the knowledge of good and evil. That was total, complete innocence. This first man had a time period in which he lived without contemplating doing anything wrong. His mind was pure, holy and perfect. His motives, attitude, and intentions were all without error.

This ended when Adam yielded to the temptation of the enemy — “For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5, NKJV).

Yes, Satan was right. The knowledge was received when Adam ate of the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” But, unlike God, man was unable to control the knowledge of evil. Man cannot ignore the option of evil. Man cannot tolerate nor gain dominion over the pull towards evil. It is only through the Holy Spirit that we are able to have this victory.

After his fall, Adam remembered his time of innocence. While inside his mind he battled with evil thoughts and tendencies towards doing wrong, he carried with him the memory of being perfect in holiness. Can you imagine living with that regret?

Today, the second Adam — Jesus Christ — died for our sins so that we can be holy, blameless and righteous in the eyes of the same God who created man innocent in the beginning.

“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:19).

Thank God for the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus.

Gary Rogers is senior pastor of First Assembly of God in Coweta, Okla.