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Adam’s headship was insufficient to vindicate the nature of God and repopulate His kingdom with willing citizens. It was no surprise to God that the first man, Adam, could not adequately represent the human race.
With foreknowledge, God had predetermined to fulfill the stipulations of the redemptive Eternal Covenant. Therefore, in the fullness of time, He sent the mediator of the covenant to earth. Fulfilling covenantal stipulations by His sacrificial death and resurrection, Christ Jesus provided for the redemption of the elect from “every tribe and tongue and people and nation.” (cf. Daniel 7:14; Revelation 5:9; 7:9; 14:6) Without condition, the Eternal Covenant furnished new law and life. The new law of the covenant ensured legally suitability with God. Its new life provided organic compatibility with Him. The new covenantal law of the Eternal Covenant is the “law of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 9:21; Galatians 6:2) It is also described in the New Testament as the “law of faith,” the “law of the Spirit of life (zoe) in Christ Jesus,” the “perfect law,” and the “law of liberty.” (Romans 3:27; 8:2; James 1:25; 2:12) The law of the Eternal Covenant is often referred to in this book as the “rule of life.” The new covenantal life is life shared with the mediator of the Eternal Covenant, Jesus Christ. It is accomplished by means of divine regeneration and spiritual birth. Concordant with its new law, the New Testament church was legally positioned under the representative headship of Jesus Christ. By its new life the church was organically positioned under His representational headship. With the advent of the Church Age, new life in Christ became a reality. Thus, the New Testament church was no longer represented by the unrighteous headship of Adam. Instead, it was privileged to be legally positioned under the righteous headship of Jesus Christ. |
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In Romans 5:14-21, Paul distinguished between Adam and Jesus Christ as two contrasting figures divinely positioned in the role of covenantal headship:
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According to Paul, Adam, the first head of humanity, was a “type of Him who was to come.” (Romans 5:14) The immediate context clarifies that Jesus Christ is the One “who was to come.” (Romans 5:15, 17) By principle of headship, Adam, the first man and first head of humanity, was a type, foreshadow or pattern of Jesus Christ. In contrast, Jesus Christ is not the second Adam, but the “last Adam”. He is not just another Adam. Instead, He is the fulfillment of the first Adam and, thus, the fulfillment of the type, foreshadow or pattern.
Paul provided additional emphasis for the contrasting headship of Adam and Christ in 1 Corinthians 15: |
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Adam’s original act of unrighteousness allowed sin and death to enter into the world. (Romans 5:12) Consequently, the human race became legally unsuitable and organically incompatible with God. Thus, Adam’s headship proved insufficient to vindicate the nature of God.
By the redemptive work of Christ, however, the real New Testament church is no longer positioned under the headship of Adam. Instead, it is gloriously and eternally positioned under the representative and representational headship of Jesus Christ. |
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The new life of the church positioned under the headship of Christ is vastly different from its old life positioned under the headship of Adam. It is obligated but not indebted; regenerated; intimately joined to God by the union of shared life; enlightened and empowered in accordance with His indwelling life (zoe).
By stipulation of the Eternal Covenant, the New Testament church is utterly privileged to be forever positioned under the representative and representational headship of Jesus Christ. As a consequence, it is representative of divine righteousness and representational of divine life (zoe) on earth. |
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New Testament Church
In harmony with the gracious benefit of the redemptive Eternal Covenant, the real New Testament church is comprised of people made legally suitable and organically compatible with God. They are joined as one covenantal body under the representative and representational headship of the Mediator of the Eternal Covenant, the “last Adam” and the “second man”, Jesus Christ. Under His covenantal headship human beings are legally suitable and organically compatible with God: |
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Made legally suitable and organically compatible with God, the new man is transferred into a living (zoe), spiritual realm of existence:
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The realm or sphere of the Spirit is characterized by a distinct familial standing, citizenship, security, and style of governance:
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Jesus Christ is the “last Adam,” and the perfect fulfillment of the office of headship for the human race. By the unconditional benefit of the Eternal Covenant, the real New Testament church was transformed by law and life. Made legally suitable and organically compatible with God, the real New Testament church is both representative and representational of Christ on earth.
© 2023 James Hiatt |
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