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:  (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.  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. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.  And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:  That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

The above passage tells us that sin entered into the world (and hearts) by Adam and sin is removed from the world (and hearts) by Jesus Christ, our Lord. The first Adam brought sin into the world and the second Adam (Jesus) takes it away.

What happens when a person is born again is that he or she changes Adams! God is not seeking merely to renovate the old Adamic nature in us; He transforms us and creates within us a new nature - in the Second Adam! This process begins in our spirits when we are born again spiritually. Henceforth, we are to renew our minds on truth and walk in the New Adam, ultimately bringing about a total transformation of our entire being -- spirit, soul and ultimately the body -- in Christ, the New Adam.

When we go back to walking in the old Adam, and when we go to those in the old Adam to receive instruction, help, advice and counsel, we are, in effect, failing to renew our minds on truth; we are returning to a walk after the flesh, which is to account that the old Adam still has something to offer us. This is gross error on the part of a believer.

All who are not born again are still of the Old Adam. It does not matter if they are good, moral people, according to the world's standard. If they do not believe in Christ, and if they have not been made new by Him, then they are of the Old Adam; and we who are new in Christ have no part in them or their counsel.

Read what Paul says in I Cor. 15:45-50:

The first Adam, and those who are still in him, cannot "see" spiritual things. They have not been born again, and so they cannot "see" the Kingdom of God. (John 3:3) Those in the first Adam are -- like him -- earthy. Only when one comes to be in the last Adam -- Christ -- by virtue of having been born again, can one understand spiritual things and become heavenly minded by feeding on the truth of God and being enlightened by the Holy Spirit. Why would one so enlightened seek to return to those of the first Adam, who are still earthy and earthly-minded, for counsel and advice? The above passage assures us that changing Adams is a promise that we will bear the image of the heavenly. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, because those still in the flesh cannot "see" spiritual truth. This is what I Cor. 2:7-16 tells us. It is so vital for all believers to study and learn:

Please note in particular from the above passage the essence of what it is saying: unspiritual people cannot understand spiritual things. Spiritual truth is on a much higher level than fleshly knowledge; and unspiritual people only have earthy, fleshly knowledge. They do not have the Mind of Christ. Those who are born again of the Spirit have the Mind of Christ.  If one is born again, he has not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that he might know the things freely given him by God.

Do all Christians pay heed to these words and get their counsel from God or godly people? No, like the world, many worship at the feet of those who have academic degrees after their names -- the more degrees the better. Yet God's Word plainly says that the wisdom of the world is foolishness to God, and vice versa. This is not to put down academic degrees; they certainly have their place. But they do not offer the wisdom that comes only from God.

1Co 1:20: Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

If you want to receive the truth that is God's, you cannot and you must not worship at the seats of the world's wisdom! But you must seek to have your mind renewed on God's Truth! (Rom. 12:2) Remember, you are no longer of the Old Adam, but of the New! It is very sad when God's people do not understand this, but keep returning to those broken cisterns that can hold no water instead of drinking living water from the Fount of God!

Jer 2:13: For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

Not only do unspiritual people not understand spiritual things; they regard them as foolish. This is one of the main reasons Christians should not seek out such a man's counsel. If he is a born again believer, he will tell you that the Bible that leads you to Christ has all the answers for life. All the answers!  But if he is not born again, he will regard your believing in Jesus Christ and making Him Lord -- foolishness. The truth is you do not need his counsel, whether he is born again or not born again; because you have the Mind of Christ. That means that you have the Spirit of Christ leading you into all truth; and can consult Scripture and find out what God says on any matter whatsoever. You do not need the man with his string of academic degrees; you need Christ.

The Bible offers solutions for all the problems of life. But Christians do not seek those solutions because they are not willing to have their hearts transformed and walk in the fruit of the Spirit of the Living God. The Spirit of God imparts to spiritually reborn people all of the inner attitudes necessary to weather any storm and confront any evil. The fruit of the Spirit are righteous inner attitudes in the heart of the individual. They do not change those around the individual, or even alter the circumstances, which sometimes are very bad indeed. But they change the heart of the individual so that he can deal with any problem and remain in an inner state of: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance -- the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit. (Gal. 5:22, 23)

People do not want to submit to the counsel of God, because they want to hold grudges.  They want to claim everything for themselves, and bring others into conformity to their wills rather than seek the counsel of God. Yet God's Word says that His Love, brought by His Spirit, is the answer to all evil and wickedness in the world! People would rather go to a psychologist with a string of degrees and be told that the problem is not in them, but in those with whom they deal or circumstances in their lives. And is this not what most psychologists do -- place the blame on others or outside influences, and reinforce tendencies toward self love and self righteousness, rather than shine the light on the Truth of the iniquity of the sinful heart? They cannot shine that Light, because they do not have that Light, pure and simple!

If you are a born again believer, power to live a godly life will come to you as you renew your mind on truth and walk in the Spirit. Prefer to live a godly life, counselled by God, no matter what others do! If you are not born again, ye must be born again before you can even think about living godly.

To know the Christ of the Bible is to receive the answers to life's problems. However, you can still struggle with inner attitudes that hinder you from walking in God's Truth. That is where prayer accompanies knowledge.  Ask God to make heart knowledge what is already head knowledge. Ask Him to give you the fruit of the Spirit and the ability to walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh.

Why would a born again child of God ask a secular psychologist, a child of the first Adam, to advise him what to do about life's problems? Life's problems are caused by sin, selfishness and self-righteousness. Psychology reinforces selfishness and self-righteousness, and that is why the children of the world and of the first Adam regard the Wisdom of God as foolishness. God's Truth tells us we are to lose ourselves in Christ and have His Mind. What did Christ do? He sacrificed Himself for the world, therefore His counsel does not uphold selfish indulgence but encourages sacrificial Love.

It all boils down to this. Either you are in the first Adam or the last Adam. Have you changed Adams? If so, why continue to seek and obey the counsel of the world?

All the World is in the First Adam

I turn my T.V. on and see panels on CNN and Fox debating the issues in the news. Most of them are in the first Adam. Their views are worldly, fleshly, earthy. They argue; they strive with each other; they hardly ever come to agreement.  If we could look into their hearts we would see different degrees of ambition, dishonesty, covetousness, unforgiveness, even hatred of those who disagree with them. Oh, there are some "good" people in the first Adam, those who have chosen to live moral lives. But look in their hearts and for the most part you would see self-righteousness and judgementalism -- an inability to recognize that wrongs can be washed away by the One Who shed His Blood at Calvary.

I see this attitude in "good men" all the time on T.V.  I do not doubt that some of the anchors of talk shows are good men as the world defines "good."  But note that in their "goodness" they continue to hold wrongs against people even when those people have changed inwardly and plead for forgiveness. The world does not believe God can change people; it scoffs at the very idea! A born again child of God should have no part in those attitudes. The old Adam believes that if someone has ever done wrong in his life, that wrong forever stands against him. All in the old Adam believe that way, except of course that they also are blinded to wrong they themselves have done. But the Bible says, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Plain and simple; if we do not have a God Who freely forgives, then all are lost.

It should not amaze a born again child of God that the world is filled with old Adams and therefore with people who have twisted thinking and go about devouring one another. It will continue until all put off the old Adam and take on the New. Yet I hear Christians comment all the time: "Why would she do such a thing?" Or, "I cannot believe anyone in his right mind would do that!" Oh? Why not? The Bible has the answer. The Old Adam is a mess!

The world is lost and all that are not in the New Adam are lost; that is what the Bible teaches. The only hope for the human heart is that it become a New Creation. This is a turned inside-out transformation that must take place. When Jesus died on Calvary, he crucified the world to himself. That includes all of the evil in the world and all hearts that hold to evil. Ultimately everyone must change Adams, for everyone who does not change Adams will go down to destruction with the evil world and its systems.

Are you in the New Adam? Then walk like it, talk like it and live it.  Seek counsel from God. Be taught by Him. His Truth is in His Word, and He is only a prayer away.