Adam brought death to humanity through his sin as the federal head of the race; resurrection comes through Christ, the last Adam.
In Romans 5:12, the Bible says sin entered through one man and death through sin, so death passed on all men. Les Feldick points out that Paul is always teaching Adam as the head of the human race and Christ as the last Adam, who makes it possible for mankind to come out of that death.
Romans 5:12 — Shows that Adam's one act brought sin and death into the world and that death passed on all men.
1 Corinthians 15:45 — Contrasts the first Adam as a living soul and the last Adam as a life-giving spirit, which Les uses to explain resurrection.
Romans 5:12 says, "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." In Romans 5:14 Paul adds that death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, and that Adam "is the figure of him that was to come." In 1 Corinthians 15:21–22 the Bible states, "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." Then 1 Corinthians 15:45–47 contrasts the two men: "The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit." The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. "The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven."
Les Feldick emphasizes that Paul identifies Adam as the federal head of the human race. In his teaching on Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15, Les says that before Adam ate, death was an unknown entity; the moment Adam ate, sin came in and with it death, and death passed upon all men. He adds that when Adam ate, his body immediately began the dying process—his cells began dying faster than they were produced—and Adam died physically 939 years later. At the same moment, he lost fellowship with his Creator and his soul, the mind/will/emotion part of him, became a sin nature. Les also shows how resurrection comes through the last Adam. He says Paul is always teaching that as Adam was the head of the human race, Christ is the last Adam, the second man, the Lord from heaven, and He is the one who makes it possible for mankind to come out of that death. The first Adam was a living soul; the last Adam was made a life-giving spirit. According to Les, God's consistent order is first the natural, then the spiritual.
Romans 5:12 shows that by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and death passed upon all men. Les says Adam was the federal head of the human race; before Adam ate, death was unknown, and the moment he ate sin came in and death with it. Adam also immediately lost fellowship with his Creator, his soul became a sin nature, and his body began dying—he died physically 939 years later.
Paul says, "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." Les explains that Adam is the federal head of the human race, while Christ is the last Adam and the second man, the Lord from heaven. As Adam's sin caused death to come upon the human race, so Christ, by virtue of death, was able to impart life and make it possible for mankind to come out of death.
The Bible says the first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. "Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual." Les points out that all through Scripture the process is first the natural and then the spiritual: first Adam the natural, Christ the second Adam the spiritual.
Christ the Firstfruits: Resurrection Explained Verse by Verse
Now you have three aspects of the Jewish harvest. First they would go in and take that sampling of the early ripening heads of grain. Then they would go and take the main harvest, but they had to leave the corners and their gleanings for the poor. Now keep that process in the back of your mind as we now come back to I Corinthians 15 again.
Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ
Les connects 1 Corinthians 15:22 directly to Adam's sin: as in Adam all die, so in Christ all are made alive, and he says our whole sin nature was precipitated by Adam's sin.
Adam as Federal Head
Les identifies Adam as the federal head of the human race; as Adam sinned and caused death to come upon the human race, so Christ, the second Adam, imparts life.
The Earthy First Man and the Lord From Heaven
Les shows the first man is earthy Adam and the second man is the Lord from heaven, so by man came death and by the second man came the resurrection of the dead.
The Last Adam Makes Coming Out of Death Possible
Les says Paul always teaches Adam as the federal head and Christ as the last Adam, the one who makes it possible for mankind to come out of that death.
First Natural, Then Spiritual
Les highlights that the first Adam was a living soul, the last Adam a life-giving spirit, and that God's process is always first the natural and then the spiritual.
The Moment Death Began in Adam
Les explains that the moment Adam ate, his body began dying, he immediately lost fellowship with his Creator, and his soul became a sin nature; physical death came 939 years later.
Sin and Death Entered at Adam's Eating
Les draws from Romans 5:12 that before Adam ate nothing died, but once he ate sin came in and death with it, and death passed on all men because all are born of Adam.
Romans 5:12: 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:
This verse directly states that Adam's one act brought sin and death into the world.
Romans 5:14: 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.
Paul shows death reigned even before the law and that Adam is a figure of Christ, the one to come.
1 Corinthians 15:21: For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
This is the direct contrast between the man Adam and the second man, Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:22: For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
This verse connects Adam's death to all humanity and Christ's resurrection to all who are in Him.
1 Corinthians 15:45: And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
This identifies Adam as the first man and Christ as the last Adam who gives life.
1 Corinthians 15:46: Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
This explains God's order: the natural Adam came first, and the spiritual Christ came afterward.
1 Corinthians 15:47: The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
This contrasts Adam's earthly origin with Christ's heavenly origin and identity as Lord.
Les says the moment Adam ate, death began—his body's cells began dying faster than they were produced—and Adam died physically 939 years later. Spiritually, he immediately lost fellowship with his Creator, and his soul became a sin nature.
Just as sin and death came through one man Adam, resurrection comes through one man Christ. The Bible says, "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead."
Christ is the last Adam. The first man Adam was made a living soul, but the last Adam was made a life-giving spirit. The first man is of the earth earthy, and the second man is the Lord from heaven.
It means God's revealed order is that the natural comes before the spiritual. Adam, the natural man, came first; Christ, the spiritual Head, came afterward.
Watch the Teaching: Christ the Firstfruits: Resurrection Explained Verse by Verse