Adamic Administration - Biblical Data, Nature, and Condition — John Murray

Let us pray. O Lord, we give Thee praise and thanksgiving, that by the revelation Thou hast given us, Thou hast not left us in the dark, respecting Thy dealings with our race from the very beginning. That Thou hast illumined the darkness, and Thou hast removed so much of that mystery that would perpetually perplex us, and which would make life meaningless.

We pray, O Lord, that we may be grateful for the revelation Thou hast given us. May we study it with diligence, with patience, with truthfulness. And do Thou seal the truth of Thy word upon our hearts, so that we may not go astray from Thee, the living God.

That we may walk in the light as Thou art in the light. And that we may know that we do not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. In Jesus' name, Amen. Questioner asks a question if I might explain what is meant by the special act of providence.

Well, very briefly, it will be coming up sometime in the discussion of this topic. But very briefly, what I meant by the special act of providence was that this relationship was not that was inherent in the creative act of God.

The Special Act of Providence and the Edenic Prohibition

A new relationship, a traditional relationship, was found by that revelation which is epitomized in Genesis 2 .17, in the prohibition respecting the three economics of good and evil. And that, very briefly, is what I meant by the special act of providence.

But this will be elucidated a little further as we proceed. Now we come to the second main subdivision, and that is the biblical data, the biblical data. Now it is a fact of the biblical revelation that God placed man in Eden and gave him this specific prohibition not to eat the three economics of good and evil.

That prohibition has a distinctive character it does not belong to. The category of the other commandments, which God gave to Adam at the beginning, he says, is in co-ordination with the other creation ordinances.

...full and multiplied, to the junior, to dress the garden and keep it, and that institution, see, you readily detect that this particular prohibition is not in the same category as Eden commandments.

And we have to ask the question, what is the meaning of this distinctive prohibition? It is possible that we would not be able to answer that question, but every biblical creation requires us to ask the question.

And it may very well be that the question can be answered. As we apply the analogy of Scripture, the most reasonable inference is that this particular prohibition was given to him as a specific test. ...was commanded to go and offer a pizza night, as a sacrifice.

This particular injunction is quite different from the other commandments which were regulated of Adam's life. ...that he was commanded to offer a pizza night as a test of his obedience. First it was probationary, and applying that analogy to the case in Eden, the reasonable inference is that it was a probationary prohibition.

The Threat of Death and the Promise of Life

Now second, the second detune, listing these, just one, two, three, the second detune is that to this prohibition was attached the threat of death in the event of disobedience. ...in the days of Ephesus that all those were truly gone.

In the context, and particularly in the light of the significance of the tree of life, which was also in the garden, we may properly infer that to obedience was attached the promise of life. ...would not follow in terms of synergistic logic, the logic that we apply to this case.

What would there possibly be as the alternative to the threat of death? ...and you add to that the consideration derived from the tree of life, which I'm going to deal with now. ...also in the midst of the garden, the tree of life.

...in the midst of the garden, the tree of life. Now it is Genesis 3 .22 that helps us to discover the significance of this other tree. For in Genesis 3 .22 we read,. ...and take also of the tree of life and eat and live forever.

...that clearly implies, to say the very least, that the tree of life symbolized immortality. Therefore there must have been in this institution, within the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and in the tree of life, a focus in these two trees, some provision for the attainment of immortal, everlasting life.

Obviously, that attainment could not be realized through obedience on the part of Adam, to the evidence to infer obedience. Expelled, he was expelled from the garden and from access to the tree of life.

...genesis 2 .17,. ...in the day that we discover those who truly die. We are surely justified in concluding that if man had not sinned, he would have a right to the tree of life, and therefore a right to that which would symbolize and feel eternal life.

...symbolize and feel eternal life. But we know that Adam acted in a representative capacity. Acted in a representative capacity because the whole human race was affected by sin. ...Corinthians 15, 45 and 46.

Adam’s Representative Headship and the Entrance of Sin

...later sufficient now to cite these texts. By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men. ...then six. The whole race has been involved in sin and condemnation and death.

The whole race has been confirmed, I should have said, has been confirmed in sin and condemnation and death as a result of Adam's sin. ...that this principle would have acted similar universality in the direction of life in the event of a successful probation.

That same principle would have acted with similar universality in the direction of life on in the event of a successful probation. ...then seven. The seventh statement is that analogy is drawn in the scriptures between Adam and Christ and incomparable relations to the human race.

Adam and Christ as Representative Heads

Unique and incomparable relations to the human race. The fear of the schematism in 1 Corinthians 15, 45 and 49, the simplicity of the schematism there, is very liable, it's meant to be the opposite, but it's very liable to obscure for us the significance of speech.

There is none before Adam, for he is the first man. There is none between Adam and Christ, because Christ is the second man. There is none after Christ, because Christ is the last man. Here, an inclusive construction of man's relationships, of all of man's relationships, men to one another and to God, particularly the latter.

All of men's relationships to God construed under these two relations. Know that in the case of Christ, obedience, fully complete, successfully complete, has as its consequence righteousness, the justification and the life of those whom he represents.

Righteousness, the justification and the life of those whom he represents. It is that they who are requisite are prepared to eternal life as their rights. How could we then pay to infect that obedience successfully completed by Adam would have meant impeccable righteousness, justification and life of those whom he represents.

Righteousness, justification and the life of all those whom he represented, and therefore eternal life. The actual fact, you see, of the fall in the heart of Adam for the whole human race, then condemnation, death, an indisputable fact, sin, condemnation, death, for all the representative headship of Adam, represented namely the new humanity, righteousness, justification and life of all beings of indefectible character.

You say the representative headship of Adam, but that's not the root. No, that's what you're saying. Is that the answer? Yes. The representative headship of Christ pardon me, pardon me, pardon me. And the representative headship of Christ has evolved for all the new humanity, righteousness, justification, life and all of these with indetectable character.

Why is the one universal, the other not? Oh, well, that's the secret, counsel, the answer to the question, dear friend. Oh, that it is so why the head in the secret counsel of God's Son. Now, you see, that's why we have parenthesis, isn't it?

You see, these two are indisputable. The only thing we infer, we call it is, if Adam completely disappeared, there would be the corresponding righteousness, justification and life for all those who do right.

You may be able to add to the biblical data to expand, you see, but I missed the number of these seven items. But that's all for the time being. Number three, the nature of the administration. The nature of the administration.

The Nature of the Adamic Administration

It is very important to take note of the fact that this administration was not It is very important to take note of the fact that this administration was not a contract. Mutual agreement must be eliminated.

And this mutual agreement between God and man stands in the form of sovereign initiation and dispensation on the part of God. Sovereign initiation and dispensation on the part of God stands in the form of Adam precipitating and he said to him, Every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat, for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

You see, you have just that inclusion on the part of God. Inclusion of that additional requirement required to know, to believe that Adam knew all the instructions. We are not required to believe that he that he knew that he was acting as a representative head of the human race.

Or he may have known but it's not necessary to introspect. He did know. However, we know that he was acting in that representative capacity. And we know that from several considerations. From several considerations.

I must have left some of my notes in my room. I can't find them. But, um, I just have to remember them first. It was a present to Adam. All that was present to Adam had to be followed in the human race.

It wasn't Adam alone who was involved in the constitution and the constitution. Second, we are expressly informed of the solidarity existing between Adam and posterity. Again, of course, in Romans 5, 12 through 19, and 1 Corinthians 15 22, 45 to 49.

Particularly 1 Corinthians 15, 22. As in Adam all die, we in turn, thank the Lord, we live alive. Then third, there is the consideration arising from the principle of one through the whole of Scripture, arising from this principle of solidarity, on which God's government of man is built, or in terms of which God's government of man is always in the government of God as an individual, always has his corporate relationship.

First of all, the family, the social, is the political and in the societic realm there is the solidarity with one another in Christ. So that the redeemed are the body of Christ and the fellowship of the saints.

Corporate Solidarity in God’s Government

It is a fact that God's government is far too frequently overlooked in our thinking, in our sense of responsibility and also in our sense of privilege. Corporate relationship, corporate relationship, belongs to the very constitution of the race, and consequently in view of that principle of solidarity calculation of solidarity turning it all to the race.

It is all together reasonable to think that this principle of solidarity became too unique in the relationship which the first man was being to the whole of humanity. A great deal of church commonly earned, our involvement in the synagogue arises from failure to take account of the principle of solidarity.

We were never, we were never nearing the, never near the consensus for both good and evil through and from the corporate relationship which we stand today. Simply a fact, a very terrible fact that cannot be denied.

It is also a fact that God revealed will that men do exist in these corporate relationships. Now, it's all together in accord with what is exemplified again and again in God's government of men. All together in accord that there should be a unique expression of the solidarity connection with the first man.

The Condition of Life: Perfect Obedience

Well, that's all on the subject of the nature of the administration. Now, we come to the condition now that is particularly particularly coherent with the other heading. But I can't get away from it very well.

I wish I could have a different heading here that would be more coherent with what it was before, but I have to use it or any other term as we do the purpose. The of the administration is the condition of life that was established in the administration.

The condition, of course, is obeying and is focusing the prohibition on the demand for disobedience is focused in the prohibition respecting the knowledge of good and evil. Now, the effect of this concentration is not to reduce the area of obedience to this particular prohibition.

The other creation ordinances were respected until Adam would have completed this probation and conceivable. The others could have been suspended. The purpose and effect of this prohibition is to test in a constant way the obedience which man ought to follow the four lines of his obligation, all along the lines of his obligation.

Be required of Adam if he were to fulfill the divine demands and pressures of their application. Obedience that would be required of Adam in the length and breadth and depth of obligation. Now, it is quite apparent that this obedience would have to be perfect obedience.

There is really no such thing as imperfect obedience, because the moment that imperfection occurs, then disobedience. And disobedience is the opposite of obedience. You would have to apply here the same principle that is the beginning and the end.

If we are guilty at one point, we are guilty at the other. We are guilty at all points. If Adam failed to any extent of rendering the obedience in relationship to God's demands, then he would have failed or he would have violated the condition which is enunciated in this institution of constitution.

Probation and Temptation in Eden

We have much more to say about this condition. There are two conditions under which it was necessary for man to fulfill this condition of capitulation. The first condition is that of probation, the second that of temptation.

Capital A and capital B. Probation and temptation. Now temptation says probation. Capital B. Probation. Symbolized by the three of the knowledge of good and evil. Three of the knowledge. What we found already, the most reasonable inference is that this was probationary.

And of course probationary by the action of God. God is the agent in probation. Capital is the agent in temptation. Yet it is necessary at this point to raise the question, what is the precise meaning of three of the knowledge of good and evil.

Three of the knowledge of good and evil. What is this knowledge implied in these three of the knowledge. There are really four different alternatives. I'm going to pass over the discussion of these various alternatives and take the position take the position that this knowledge of good and evil could have applied to either alternative of the probation charge.

It applied to either alternative of the probation charge. If we did not have 22 through 24, we would not be able to say that this knowledge could refer to the issue of a non-successful probation. The knowledge would have been the issue of a non-successful probation.

But you see in that presence we behold the man has become as one of us to know good and evil. The same form that I'm used to with the three. The man has become as one of us to know good and evil. So the only way whereby you could escape the conclusion that man in his fallen state has the knowledge of good and evil is by regarding that presence in Genesis 3.

Holy irony. And that's what it means, the opposite. A holy irony. Irony. Holy irony. And of course you know that the word irony means the opposite of what is actually said. I don't believe that it's Jesus which is telling that he and God is speaking in terms of holy irony.

This has given us the reason why he is thrust forth from access to the tree of life. He is thrust forth from access to the tree of life. And therefore would not be reasonable to regard the passage as ironic.