What hope does the New Testament offer in response to the mortality seen here? The Stark Note of Genesis 5:5 “So Adam’s life spanned 930 years, and then he died.” (Genesis 5:5) • This simple statement ends the Bible’s first life story. • Every patriarch in the chapter meets the same refrain: “and then he died.” • Mortality is not a footnote—it is the inescapable consequence of sin’s entrance in Genesis 3. Death’s Grip and the Longing for More • Romans 6:23 sets the backdrop: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” • Humanity’s universal experience echoes Adam’s: birth, life, and an inevitable end. • Yet Scripture never leaves us in despair; the New Testament floods the story with hope. Christ Breaks the Pattern • 2 Timothy 1:10: “Our Savior, Christ Jesus… has abolished death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the gospel.” • Hebrews 2:14-15: Jesus shared our flesh “so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death…and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” • Where Genesis records death’s dominion, the Gospels record death’s defeat in an empty tomb. The Resurrection: Firstfruits and Guarantee – “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” – “For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.” – “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” • Jesus’ bodily resurrection is not an isolated miracle; it is the pledge that every believer will rise. The Promise of Eternal Life • John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” • 1 Thessalonians 4:14: “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.” • Philippians 1:21: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” • These verses shift death from a final period to a comma—life continues, richer and unending, in Christ. Living Today in Resurrection Hope • Confidence: “Because I live, you will live also.” (John 14:19) • Courage: Fear of death loses its power; we serve boldly, knowing our future is secure. • Comfort: Believers grieve, but “not as others who have no hope.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13) • Consecration: Eternal life starts now; our choices matter for the kingdom that death cannot touch. Death’s Final Disappearance • Revelation 21:4 looks beyond the last shadow: “‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.” • The echo of Genesis 5—“and then he died”—will be silenced forever. Summary Snapshot • Genesis 5:5 reminds us of sin’s toll. • The New Testament reveals Jesus’ triumph over that toll. • Believers live in the assurance of resurrection, eternal life, and a coming world where death itself will be obsolete. |
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