Living by Grace: The New Race in Christ
Reflections on David Kuykendall’s Living in the Garden of Grace*
A Tale of Two Races
"Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned … Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come" (Romans 5:12, 14).
The Christian life is not about trying harder; it’s about being part of a new race. In today’s entry from Living in the Garden of Grace, David Kuykendall explores the foundational truth of how living under grace begins with understanding our position in Christ as part of His new race.
To grasp this, Kuykendall draws our attention to Adam and Jesus—the heads of two distinct races. What was true of Adam became true of all humanity. But in Christ, the “last Adam,” a new way of living is possible.
The Legacy of Adam
Adam, the head of the human race, introduced sin and death into the world. As his descendants, we inherited his sin nature and his death problem. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:22, “In Adam all die.” This means that everything Adam experienced—his separation from God, his fallen nature, and his ultimate death—was passed down to all of us.
Think of it this way: being born into Adam’s race means we’re naturally bent toward sin, unable to please God in our own strength, and destined for physical and spiritual death. This is the reality of “life in Adam.”
The New Race in Christ
But Paul doesn’t stop there. He declares Adam to be “a type of Him who was to come”—a picture of Jesus. Just as Adam is the head of a fallen race, Jesus is the head of a redeemed race.
In 1 Corinthians 15:45, Paul calls Jesus “the last Adam.” What does this mean?
Jesus begins a new race: When we are born again, we are spiritually reborn into Christ’s race.
What is true of Jesus becomes true of us: Just as Adam’s sin and death became ours, Christ’s crucifixion, burial, and resurrection are now ours.
Paul explains this in Romans 6:3-5:
"Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore, we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
When we place our faith in Christ, we are spiritually united with Him. His death becomes our death to sin. His burial becomes our burial of the old self. His resurrection becomes our new life.
Living by Grace
Understanding this identity shift is the foundation for living under grace.
In Adam, we lived by striving: Trying to fix our sin problem in our own strength led only to frustration and failure.
In Christ, we live by grace: Trusting in His finished work frees us to live in the Spirit’s power.
This is what Kuykendall calls “grace-living”—a life of dependence on Christ within us.
A Practical Example
Let’s say you’re struggling with anger. Someone offends you, and your first reaction is frustration. Before you were in Christ, this reaction was natural—your old self, inherited from Adam, was prone to sin. You might have tried to suppress the anger with sheer willpower, but it usually resulted in either an explosion or internal bitterness.
Now, as part of Christ’s race, you have a new way to live. When the offense happens, you pause and remind yourself of your union with Christ. You pray, “Lord, thank You that my old self was crucified with You. I don’t have to respond out of my flesh. I trust Your Spirit to guide me and produce forgiveness in me.”
As you yield to Him, the anger dissipates, and Christ’s life flows through you. Instead of reacting in your old way, you respond with patience and grace—not because of your effort, but because of His life in you.
This is grace-living in action: letting Christ express His life through you in the everyday moments where the old self used to reign.
Practical Takeaways
To live under grace, we must embrace our identity in Christ:
Recognize your new headship: You are no longer under Adam’s legacy of sin and death. You belong to Christ’s race, where righteousness and life reign.
Reckon yourself dead to sin and alive to God: Paul calls us to count these truths as fact (Romans 6:11). The old self has been crucified; the new self is empowered by the Spirit.
Rely on His grace daily: Stop striving to please God in your own strength. Trust His Spirit to live His life through you.
Reflect & Respond
Take a moment to consider:
Are you living as if you’re still under Adam, striving in your own strength?
How can embracing your identity in Christ free you to live under grace?
Pray this:
“Lord, thank You for rescuing me from Adam’s race and bringing me into Christ’s race. I confess the times I’ve relied on my own strength instead of resting in Your grace. Thank You for crucifying the old self and raising me to walk in newness of life. May I live each day fully yielded to Your Spirit. Amen.”
A Final Thought
Living under grace isn’t about trying harder—it’s about living in the reality of our union with Christ. In Adam, we were trapped in sin and death. In Christ, we are freed to walk in newness of life.
Let’s live today under grace, trusting His Spirit to lead us and His life to sustain us.