Thinking About The Nature of Man

The Bible states an evident truth when it declares “For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing” (Ecclesiastes 9:5). Men and women are mortal – liable to die; and will die.

We inherit this condition from our ancestor Adam, who was created a living being when God “. . . breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7). However because Adam broke God's law he was sentenced to death, “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19): and in due time he died (Genesis 5:5).

His descendants, all mankind since, are in “his own likeness, after his image” (Genesis 5:3) and therefore also die. The apostle Paul states this universal condition of mankind when
he says “in Adam all die” (1 Corinthians 15:22). As mortal beings death is inevitable and is described thus: “Then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age . . .” (Genesis 25:8). This was also true of Jesus “And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed his last” (Mark 15:37). Although Jesus never sinned, he shared our nature. However, in his case, he was raised from the dead to immortality. “I am he who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades (the grave) and of Death” (Revelation 1:18)

A change of nature from mortality to immortality is essential if we are to live again for ever - “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality”
(1 Corinthians 15:53).

Being descendants of Adam we will all die. Like him we also break God's law, knowingly or unknowingly, and without forgiveness of our sins could never live again. However, by belief, baptism and a new life we become “in Christ” and will, like Jesus be made alive at his coming. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterwards those who are Christ’s at his coming”  (1 Corinthians 15:22,23).

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(Quotations are from the New King James version of the Bible)