Only For Adam

If the race was condemned when Adam fell,
What about one who lives a guiltless life today?
Surely God would not sentence him to hell
Just because Adam refused to obey.
Has an innocent man yet been condemned
On account of the Garden sin alone,
Only for Adam, his bright record dimmed,
His lifelong good deeds for that not atone?
No one but Jesus has lived without sin;
All others by choice have disobeyed, too,
And must love Jesus as Lord, heav'n to win;
No other escape; nothing else will do.
It is good to try for sinless perfection,
But choose Christ Lord for endless protection.

There is a lot of Bible mentioned in this poem; it would be good for a person, trying to love as Jesus wants him to love, to fix these facts in his mind. A list might be helpful.

1. Adam was the first man on earth; we are all descended from him.
2. Adam disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. This was the first sin.
3. The wages of sin is death, said the Lord. Death means eternity in hell.
4. Because our blood is Adam's blood, we are guilty of sin at birth. (See Psalm 51:5)
5. Unless God intervened after Adam sinned, all of us would be condemned to hell.
6. God intervened: He sent Jesus to live on earth as a man. Jesus was sinless, at His birth and during His life. He died for us; God placed our sins on Him.
7. Jesus was resurrected from death and waits in heaven now, but He's coming back.
8. God offered us free salvation (escape hell by going to heaven) if we choose to love Jesus and follow His commands in the Bible.
9. Though we are all guilty of Adam's sin, we are also guilty of our own sins of disobedience. (See Psalm 58:3-5)

Therefore, God does not condemn us to hell only because of Adam's guilt; He would have done so, if anyone could have lived without sin and without choosing Jesus Christ as Lord. Jesus told His disciples, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (See John 14:6)

Reminder: Review the many names of God in the poem, "Call Him Not Thief" and in the commentary.