Bible Character Explorer
Genesis Origins • Creation (traditional dating disputed)
Adam
The First ManThe first man, formed from the dust, whose fall brought sin and death into the world
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."
Genesis 2:7 (KJV)
Overview
Adam is the first human being, formed by God from the dust of the ground and given the breath of life. Placed in the Garden of Eden to work and keep it, he was given one command: not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. His disobedience, together with Eve's, brought sin, death, and separation from God into the human race. Paul's theology in Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15 makes Adam the head of a corporate fall that Jesus Christ, the second Adam, came to reverse.
Gospel Connection
Paul's argument in Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15 makes Adam the theological hinge of the entire gospel message. As one man's disobedience brought sin and death to all, one man's obedience, Jesus Christ, the 'last Adam,' brings righteousness and life to all who believe. Where Adam failed in a garden of abundance, Jesus succeeded in a wilderness of temptation and ultimately in the garden of Gethsemane, submitting to the Father's will even unto death. Genesis 3:15's promise of a seed who would crush the serpent's head is fulfilled at the cross and resurrection, where Jesus Christ dealt the decisive blow against sin, death, and the devil that Adam's fall had made necessary.
Discover More
See how this life points to Christ in the Gospel Connection section above.