The way in which followers of Jesus Christ desire to position themselves with God is the same posture Jesus adopted toward God.

Time after time Jesus pointed His disciples and listeners to God's reign over all things. He was quick to point out that He did not do anything apart from His Father in Heaven. He continually said that it was God doing His work through Him, etc. As a matter of interest, the only time Scripture says Jesus did anything of "His own initiative" is when He gave up His life.

Similarly, we are to be like Christ—conformed into His image (Romans 8:28-29)—by emulating His determination to be dependent upon God and doing nothing independent of Him save yielding our lives to Him. In lieu of the option of independence that is continually before us, this is our true heartfelt desire.

It is evident why it is crucial for us to choose the walk of the Spirit versus the option of the flesh. In the terms we have been discussing, we can either live like the sons of Adam or we can live like the sons of God. We can live independently—walking after the flesh—or we can live as Jesus did, dependently, walking in the Spirit.

Our Father intends for us to be like our Older Brother, Jesus, in that we are to recognize the profundity of being His children and family. Of course, this is made possible solely through His kind intention toward us and via the work of Christ's sacrificial redemption. By making us aware of His intent, we are cognizant of the stark difference He sees between who we once were in Adam and who we now are in Christ Jesus.

Adam and Eve sought separation and independence from God. Believers seek fellowship and dependence upon God. The first Adam deadened his heart to God's likeness through independence. Through the work of the Last Adam (Christ) and the indwelling of the Spirit our hearts are made new to pursue being like the One in whose image we are created.

As Adam was thrown out of the Garden of Eden, we are received with the open arms of our Father into His life and heart. Whereas Adam's estate is death and separation for his heirs, as those redeemed from death and destruction, we are privileged to be among the living, or as Jesus termed it, "abundant life." Although we were once dead in our sins, we are now alive to God through Christ Jesus.

Clearly, salvation is tremendous news that remedies a tremendous problem.

One final point before I close: Adam (lit. man) is referred to as "the first Adam." Jesus Christ is referred to as "the last Adam." It is phenomenal news that He is not referenced as the second Adam as that would imply that there might be a third, and a fourth, etc. What Adam began in the Garden of Eden, Jesus—the last Adam—terminated at Calvary's cross for all who believe and place their trust in Him and Him alone.

Let your mind run rampant for a moment considering all that it means to be a descendant of Adam. It is a sizable debt, one deserving of hell's fires and eternal separation from the One against whom rebellion was instigated. But Jesus' payment was enough that God determined nothing more was necessary.

The last Adam, Jesus Christ, is plenty... no matter the magnitude!