Puzzle Piece 1: Life
Adam gave us a physical LIFE of mortality
Key Bible Reference: Genesis 1-2
The Old Testament begins with the physical creation of our world and life. Based on the genealogies and ages provided in the Bible, the first human, Adam was created about 4000 BC. Adam was formed from the dust of the earth and brought to life by the breath of God. God later created Adam’s mate, Eve, from Adam’s rib and they had many children. God intended for them to live forever, but when they used their free will and ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, death came to all mankind. Adam died at the age of 930 and his mortal body returned to dust.
JESUS gives us a spiritual LIFE of immortality
Key Bible Reference: Matthew 1-2, Luke 1-2
The New Testament begins with the human life of Jesus, the Christ. He was born in AD1, however He existed as God prior to being born on earth as a baby (John 1:1,3,14). Jesus was born to Mary, a Jewish virgin, who was supernaturally impregnated by the Holy Spirit. At the age of 33, Jesus was crucified on a cross (TREE), to redeem mankind from the curse of death that resulted when Adam and Eve ate from the TREE of knowledge of good and evil, which is the law (Galatians 3:13). Jesus rose from the dead 3 days later to show us that there is eternal life after death. Jesus went back to Heaven from where He came and sat down on His throne because the payment for our sins was finished. Jesus is the TREE of Life, so eat from Him and have eternal life!
Connecting the Old & New Testament
| Old Testament | LIFE | New Testament |
| Adam | WHO | Jesus |
| Physical Life-Mortality | WHAT | Spiritual Life-Immortality |
| ~4000 BC | WHEN | AD 1 |
| Garden of Eden, Israel | WHERE | Bethlehem, Israel |
| Dust of the Earth | HOW | Holy Spirit from Heaven |
| Love via Free Will | WHY | Love via Redemption |
1 Corinthians 15 (NLT)
45…The first man, Adam,
became a living person.
But the last Adam—that is, Christ—
is a life-giving Spirit.
47Adam, the first man,
was made from the dust of the earth,
while Christ, the second man,
came from heaven.
53 For our dying bodies must be
transformed into bodies that will never die;
our mortal bodies must be
transformed into immortal bodies.