The Bible is a big book, but essentially it can be seen as the tale of only two men.

“Two men?” you say, how can that be?

In this short but thought provoking post I will explain what I mean. Stay with me for a few eye-opening paragraphs and consider which man you are associated with?

The First and the Second Man

Paul describes two men in 1 Corinthians 15 (open your Bible to this chapter if you have one handy and refer to the Scriptures as we look at what he said), and associates all others with either the first or the second.

The first man, he says, is a man of the earth – Adam. (1 Corinthians 15:47). In this man, the man of flesh, all died (v22). In Adam, we fell, still in his loins, and generations were lost to a life bound to the sinful nature.

Thank God the story does not end there, a Second man, again in the image of God, arrived on the scene. Only this Man came with a solution.

“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

(1Corinthians 15:22 KJV)

The first man was made a living soul, but the second was the Lord from Heaven, a life giving Spirit (1 Cor 15:45-49).

We were born of the first, our natural heritage, and carried his image both inwardly and outwardly (1 Cor 15:49), but through a new birth we strip off the old and put on a new creation (1 Cor 5:17). We “put on Christ” (Gal 3:27) and bear His image, born again, not of natural birth, but by the Spirit (John 3:3-7).

Which man are you associated with, the man of the flesh or the Man of the Spirit?

Performance or Promise

The next two men we will compare are contrasted in Galatians chapter 4:21-31.

The first of these man was born of a slave, and thus born into slavery. He is compared to those born under the law of performance. Those who a slaves to a set of religious rules which must be observed to maintain their place in the Master’s house.

The second on the other hand is a child of Promise – the heir of the entire household. Not a servant, but a Son. His place is not based on performance but on Promise. He does not earn His place at the Father’s side, it is His by direct association. You too, if you are born again, are a Son or Daughter of the Father.

We are asked by Paul, “Do you want to be under the law?” (Gal 4:21)

Do you want to remain a son of the bond woman or become a Son of the Free?

Son of the father

The final two men we will compare were two specific men, not symbolic – real flesh and blood men who stand before all of humanity awaiting their judgement.

It was these men who first got me thinking about this idea, and they stand starkly before humanity.

The story of their trial is found in Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23 and John 18. It was an historical event, yet as I say, in a sense they still stand judgement today.

One was the innocent Jesus, the Son of the Father.

The other was a notorious criminal. His name was Bar-Abbas. Ironically his name means “Son of the father”.

So here we have two men, both the “son of a father”. The difference between the two was the nature of their father. One was the Son of the heavenly Father, and displayed the nature and character of His Father (John 14:9). The other, a thief, a murderer and a liar, also displayed the image of his father (John 8:44).

Whom will you choose to associate with today?

In Christ

So there we have it – Two men, but one decision.

Are we going to follow the man of earth, driven to earn his place in the house – slavishly performing the will of his murderous daddy?

Or are you born into the Second man, the man of the Spirit, a true born son or daughter of the household of God, not by works but by grace and promise – a brother or sister to the Son of the Father?