The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.—1 Cor. 15:45
God’s purpose to redeem mankind is certainly awe-inspiring. Jehovah announced from the very beginning how it will end, with the head of the serpent being crushed by the offspring of the woman.
Of course, back when God uttered that first prophecy Adam and Eve had not even been put out of the Garden and no one could discern the meaning of the riddle. But with the coming of Christ, and especially after his death and resurrection, the framework of God’s purpose was revealed.
After the holy spirit began anointing the first century followers of Christ many details concerning the Kingdom came into focus; foremost, that there were to be 144,000 associate kings and priests who will be joined with Christ in heaven.
But how would it be possible for any mere human to go into the spirit realm? The inspired apostle explained to his anointed brothers:
So it is with the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised up in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised up in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised up in power. It is sown a physical body; it is raised up a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual one. So it is written: ‘The first man Adam became a living person.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, what is spiritual is not first. What is physical is first, and afterward what is spiritual. The first man is from the earth and made of dust; the second man is from heaven. Like the one made of dust, so too are those made of dust; and like the heavenly one, so too are those who are heavenly. And just as we have borne the image of the one made of dust, we will bear also the image of the heavenly one.
Jesus had the unique privilege of having two natures. Having been miraculously born from Mary as a sinless man, he was the “last Adam” in the sense that he is the last perfect man that God will ever father. (All other humans who achieve perfection will be through Christ, which is why he will be called Eternal Father”)
But as a sinless human Jesus still had no right to heaven, even though he had come down from the spirit realm. His becoming a spirit would require two more miracles. First, he was born again. His being born again meant that Jehovah had begot him as a spirit son. Then, upon his death God resurrected him as an immortal spirit, able to impart life to others; hence, “a life-giving spirit.”
But Jesus is also the “firstborn of many brothers,” which means that God has caused others to be born again. However, their being born again requires that they be brought into union with Christ and remain in union with him. If faithful unto death they will then bear the glorious image of the heavenly one as life-giving spirits too.
The fact that we understand these deep things that were inscrutable by earlier people of God is proof that the Kingdom is real. There is no reason to doubt that in due time God will bring the Kingdom to full power and the day of healing and rejuvenation will begin.
Just imagine living in a world ruled by life-giving spirits instead of the present world run by murderous demons!
