Just as it is written that the first man Adam became a living soul, so the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

 

Just as it is written that the first man Adam became a living soul, so the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

 

1 Corinthians 15:42-46: “So also is the resurrection of the dead (nekron). It is sown in corruption, raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonor, raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, raised in strength; it is sown a physical body, raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body. As it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living soul,’ so the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But first the physical man, then the spiritual man.”

 

The above scripture speaks of the resurrection of the dead and the relationship between the first man and the last man mentioned in Genesis. Although “nekron” is translated as “the dead,” it does not refer to the death of the physical body, but to the death of physical life (fresh). In Romans 6:4, it says, "Therefore we were buried with him through baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead (nekron) by the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life." Jesus died in the flesh on the cross. Likewise, this means that the old self, which originated from the flesh, also died. Therefore, it means that the one who is united with His death (physical life) also has the old self dead.

 

1 Peter 3:18 speaks about Jesus' death and resurrection: "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God. He was put to death in the flesh (sarki), but made alive in the spirit (pneuma)." Although "sarki" was translated as "flesh," it should have been translated as "flesh" (physical life).

 

Even in Jesus’ statement that the old self died, the "old self" refers to the "first man" mentioned in Genesis 2. In Genesis 2:7, it says, "The LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul (nephesh chayah)." Nephesh is translated as physical life.

 

In Genesis 1:27, it says, "God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." The Bible speaks of the creation of the first man and the creation of man and woman. These two are not creations of the same meaning, but are distinct creations. It means that God created the first man, and through that first man, He created man and woman again. The Korean Revised Version translates this as "~created," which makes it seem as though the same creation is being emphasized. The Hebrew Bible clearly shows that God’s creation of the first man and the creation of man and woman were separate events.

 

In Colossians 1:15, it says, "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation." This is translated as "firstborn" in English, and in Greek, it is *prototokos* (πρωτότοκος). *Prototokos* signifies the one who is revealed at the very forefront in an orderly fashion. In the predestination of Christ, this is the concept that Christ is the beginning of all things. Therefore, Christ becomes the first man, the firstborn among all creation.

 

The first man is God Himself entering the dust to become human in order to pass on the body of sin to man and woman. Sin refers to the angels who sinned in the Kingdom of God and signifies the greed to become like God. A physical body was needed to confine their spirits, and thus God appeared in the world in a human body. This is the image of God. The image of God signifies Christ, who came in the body of a sinner to atone for sin.

 

1 Corinthians 15:45 “As it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living soul,’ so the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.”

 

There is an error in the translation. If translated again, it reads, “As it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a fleshly life,’ so the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” Since Jesus takes the form of the first man, He is a life destined to die. The life of the flesh is bound to die. When Jesus’ physical body died on the cross, the old self also died. And the last Adam refers to the resurrected Christ. The resurrected Christ is the one who revives the dead spirit through the Holy Spirit. For the dead spirit to come back to life, the spirit must put on the spiritual body (the new man).

 

“It is sown in a body of flesh (psychikon) and raised in a spiritual body (pneumatikon). If there is a body of flesh, there is also a body of spirit.” The body of flesh refers to the old self, that is, the flesh (sarki) destined to die, and pneumatikon is translated as the Holy Spirit or spirit. In other words, it is the body of spirit (the new man). Baptism is the death of the old self, putting on the garment (tabernacle) that comes from heaven, and returning to the Kingdom of God as originally intended. Ultimately, baptism consists of water baptism (dying in union with Jesus on the cross) and baptism of the Holy Spirit (resurrecting with Christ); this means that resurrection is the spirit of the fallen angel who came into the world putting on the garment of heaven and returning to its original state. 1 Corinthians 15:46 states, "First the man of flesh (psyche), then the man of spirit (pneumatikon)." The "first" refers to the first man, Adam, and the "second" refers to the resurrected Christ. The "psyche," translated as "flesh" in "man of flesh," refers to physical life. The "man of spirit" refers to the spiritual person. The spiritual person is one who has put on a spiritual body and is a being born of the Holy Spirit from heaven. Those who do not believe in the present resurrection remain as physical beings, but those who attain the present resurrection put on the image of heaven. The image of heaven signifies the resurrected Christ.

 

The resurrection of the spiritually dead, who have not put on a spiritual body, leads to the resurrection of judgment, while the resurrection of the spiritually living leads to the resurrection of life. Those who are in Christ possess resurrected life and enjoy Heaven right now, but those who are not will proceed to the resurrection of judgment at the Second Coming of Christ. This resurrection takes place at the time of the final judgment. However, for the saint, a temple is built within the heart, and because Christ returns and is present, it becomes the Kingdom of God.