Topical Bible: Man: Christ: Called the Second, As Covenant Head of the Church

◄ Man: Christ: Called the Second, As Covenant Head of the Church ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

In Christian theology, Jesus Christ is often referred to as the "Second Man" or the "Last Adam," signifying His role as the covenant head of the Church. This title underscores the redemptive work of Christ in contrast to the first man, Adam, whose disobedience brought sin and death into the world. The Apostle Paul elaborates on this concept in his epistles, drawing a parallel between Adam and Christ to highlight the transformative power of Christ's obedience and sacrifice.

Scriptural Foundation

1. 1 Corinthians 15:45-47 : "So it is written: 'The first man Adam became a living being;' the last Adam a life-giving spirit. The spiritual, however, was not first, but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven." Here, Paul contrasts the earthly origin of Adam with the heavenly origin of Christ, emphasizing Christ's role as a life-giving spirit who brings spiritual life to humanity.

2. Romans 5:12-19 : This passage discusses the contrast between Adam's transgression and Christ's act of righteousness. "For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous" (Romans 5:19). Christ, as the Second Man, reverses the curse of sin introduced by Adam, offering justification and life to all who believe.

Theological Implications

The designation of Christ as the Second Man carries profound theological implications for the understanding of salvation and the nature of the Church. As the covenant head, Christ represents a new humanity, redeemed and restored to fellowship with God. This new covenant, established through His blood, fulfills the promises of the Old Testament and inaugurates the Kingdom of God.

1. Covenant Headship: In the same way that Adam's sin affected all his descendants, Christ's righteousness impacts all who are united with Him by faith. This covenantal relationship is foundational to the doctrine of imputation, where believers are credited with Christ's righteousness.

2. New Creation: Believers in Christ are considered a new creation, as stated in 2 Corinthians 5:17 : "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come!" This transformation is made possible through the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit, who applies the benefits of Christ's redemptive work to the believer.

3. Ecclesiology: As the head of the Church, Christ governs and sustains His body, the Church. Ephesians 1:22-23 declares, "And God put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all." This headship ensures that the Church remains under the authority and guidance of Christ, who nurtures and equips it for service and mission.

Christ's Role in Redemption

The role of Christ as the Second Man is central to the narrative of redemption. Through His incarnation, death, and resurrection, He accomplishes what Adam could not—perfect obedience to the will of God. This obedience is not only a model for believers but also the means by which they are reconciled to God. As the Second Man, Christ inaugurates a new era of grace, offering eternal life to all who trust in Him.

In summary, the title of Christ as the Second Man encapsulates His redemptive mission and His position as the covenant head of the Church. Through His life-giving spirit, believers are transformed into a new creation, united with Him in His death and resurrection, and called to live under His lordship as members of His body, the Church.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Corinthians 15:47
The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Bands of Love; Or, Union to Christ. "I Drew them with Cords of a ...
... to redeem, nor could they have been called the ransomed ... Nevertheless, the spiritual
man discerns it as a most ... none other than the life of Christ, which, like ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/till he come/bands of love or union.htm

On the Church and Its Head
... 4:11, 12.) On this account, He is called "the chief ... the same constitution as that
by which Christ is said ... apostleship "neither of men nor by man;" (Galatians 1 ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 1/disputation 18 on the church.htm

The Presbyterian Church in the United States of America.
... in the Presbyterian Church North, as it is popularly called. ... mediation and sacrifice
of the Lord Jesus Christ, a way ... to the whole lost race of man, doth freely ...
/.../the presbyterian church in the.htm

Redemption for Man Lost to be Sought in Christ.
... the whole Church implores the divine mercy "Let thy hand be upon the Man of thy
right hand, upon the Son of man, whom thou ... When Christ is called the image ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 6 redemption for man.htm

The Confessional Statement of the United Presbyterian Church of ...
... creation, providence, angels, the sin of man, salvation, election ... Ministry."We believe
that Jesus Christ as the ... providence; and that those thus called are to ...
/.../the confessional statement of the.htm

Members of Christ
... While a man's head is above water, he cannot be ... For ever and for ever, till the Christ
shall die ... into nothingness from which Omnipotence hath called them, you ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 38 1892/members of christ.htm

On the Catholic Church, Her Parts and Relations
... called have the inward and the outward man, therefore, the church, in reference
to these called persons, is ... a right worshiper of God and Christ, and with ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 2/disputation liv on the catholic.htm

The First Sermon in the Tabernacle
... He was the man who was called the Leviathan of Antinomians ... up his pen but he dips
it in Christ, and begins ... Mr. Rowland Hill, that he said to a young man who was ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 7 1861/the first sermon in the.htm

The Second Helvetic Confession, AD 1566.
... believers and a communion of saints, called and gathered ... faith of all the benefits
freely offered through Christ. ... one Mediator between God and man, Jesus the ...
/.../ 55 the second helvetic.htm

The Confession of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. AD 1829 ...
... It is evident that a man must be enlightened ... hath accepted in his Beloved, effectually
called and sanctified ... 2186] and intercession of Jesus Christ; [2187] the ...
/.../the confession of the cumberland.htm