Death in Adam or Life in Christ
Once hidden among the trees, now walking in the light of new life.
Insights from Day by Day by Grace – Bob Hoekstra
Photo Credit: Unsplash
In today’s reflection, Bob Hoekstra lays out the stark contrast between the inheritance we received from Adam and the one we now enjoy in Christ. Every human begins life under Adam’s headship—spiritually dead, separated from God, and marked by the consequences of sin. But Jesus, the second Man, came as the head of a new family, offering resurrection life and intimate fellowship with God.
Adam began in a garden of intimacy but lost it through disobedience, ushering spiritual death into the world. That same death has trickled down through every generation. But the solution isn’t behavior modification or human effort—it’s a brand new birth into a different lineage, a different covenant altogether. Jesus, through His resurrection, brings us into union with Himself, giving us life eternal and abundant—life in His presence.
This is not merely a theological contrast between Adam and Christ; it’s a deeply personal transformation. You and I, once dead in sin, have now been made alive in Christ—not improved, not patched up—but made new. We no longer carry the shame of hiding behind trees in a garden. We walk freely with our Lord, alive to His voice, part of His family, and full of His Spirit. And it’s all by His grace.
Personalized Journal Entry in the Holy Spirit’s Voice Through Scripture
You are no longer in Adam. You are in Me. Once you were dead in trespasses and sins, walking according to the course of this world, following the desires of the flesh. But now, you are alive together with Christ. By grace, you have been raised and seated in heavenly places in Me.
You inherited death from Adam, but I have placed you in the family of My Son. Through Him, I have made you a new creation—old things have passed away. All things have become new. I breathed life into your spirit, and you are now Mine.
You are no longer a slave to fear. You did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom you cry out, “Abba, Father.” I do not count your sins against you. In Christ, you have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of My grace.
Walk in this newness of life. You are not defined by Adam’s failure but by Christ’s victory. As in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. You were crucified with Him, and now the life you live, you live by faith in the Son of God, who loved you and gave Himself for you.
Live as one who has passed from death to life. You no longer belong to the dust of Adam but to the breath of Heaven. You are Mine, and I delight to walk with you once more in the cool of the day.
Ephesians 2:1-6, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 8:15, Ephesians 1:7, 1 Corinthians 15:22, Galatians 2:20, John 5:24
Prayer
Father, thank You that I am no longer in Adam but alive in Christ. You have already transferred me from death to life, from darkness to light, from distance to intimacy. I rest in that reality today—not trying to prove it or strive to feel it—but simply abiding in the truth that I belong to Christ and Christ belongs to You. You’ve made me alive to Your voice, and I rejoice to walk with You again. Let me live today as one who no longer hides behind trees, but stands openly in Your presence, full of Your grace.