Edward Stevens- Was Adam Forgiven – Are We? #2

 

Edward Stevens– Was Adam – Are WE- Forgiven? #2

Be sure to read part one of this two part series.

Ed claims to believe that Christians are forgiven– thus, NO SIN – So, why aren’t we raptured and why do we still die physically? Remember, we cited his own words where he says that if Adam would not have sinned he would have been raptured. Thus, to emphasize, no sin demands a rapture! So, to repeat the question: Why aren’t Christians, supposedly forgiven of sin, raptured? And, why do Christians, ostensibly continually cleansed by the blood of Christ, still die? Stevens has refused to answer these questions in our written debate.

Stevens says Christians still pay the wage of sin- spiritual and physical death- (meaning we are NOT forgiven). Sorry, folks, if Christians still pay the penalty of sin– physical death – we are NOT FORGIVEN! To suggest otherwise would be like receiving a notice from our bank that our house debt is forgiven. Yet, when the next month rolls around, we get a bill for the full debt! We call the bank and say, “Hey, you told me that our debt was forgiven!” They respond, “Well, yes, your debt is forgiven, BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY THE FULL BILL!” This is Ed Stevens’ view of forgiveness and it violates very concept of forgiveness! And it is all based on his concept of Two Adamic Deaths!

But then, in Stevens view, although we pay the wages of sin- WITH SPIRITUAL DEATH CAUSING OUR PHYSICAL DEATH – we go to heaven! Sorry, but, if we experience and submit to the Two Adamic Deaths– the wages of sin– then the only thing that can await us is eternal death!

Stevens says that we today die “because we are all sinners.” Now, if we die physically because we are sinners, (we first die spiritually and then physically, per Stevens) that means that we are paying the penalty of sin– “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). I don’t care what kind of verbal gymnastics you try to play, this is unavoidable!

The wages of sin is (physical) death– Ed Stevens- and all futurists.

Every Christian dies physically.

Therefore, every Christian receives the wages of sin!

Now:

The wages of sin is physical death– Ed Stevens and all futurists.

The Christian is (ostensibly) forgiven of sin, that which alone imposes the “wages of sin” i.e. physical death.

Therefore, the Christian, (ostensibly) forgiven of sin, should not receive the “wages of sin.”

But, of course, Ed Stevens knows and teaches that every Christian still dies physically as a direct result of sin– “because we are all sinners.”! In fact, per Stevens, our physical death comes only because WE FIRST DIE SPIRITUALLY! You really must catch the power of his claim!

Now, spiritual death is caused by sin, and ONLY SIN– Ephesians 2:1f / Colossians 1:15-20 / 2:12-13).

So, we have a question for Edward Stevens: DO PEOPLE TODAY STILL DIE SPIRITUALLY AS A RESULT OF SIN?

Now, since the Christian is supposedly forgiven of that which alone imposes “the wages of sin”– spiritual and physical death – then if, through forgiveness, we do not experience spiritual death, very clearly, CHRISTIANS SHOULD NOT DIE PHYSICALLY! Ed’s doctrine of Adamic Death (s) clearly negates and destroys the reality of forgiveness for the Christian. Is this the Gospel that he preaches? We all die “because we are all sinners”?

Consider Romans 8:1-3– “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ, who do not walk after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For what the law could not do, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ has made us free from the law of sin and death.”

What was the condemnation imposed on Adam? Per Stevens’ Two Adamic Deaths view, it included physical death. Well, what did Paul have to say about that?

In Romans 8:1f, Paul said that due to Christ, the Christian is no longer subject to “the law of sin and death.”

The Law of sin and death said- You sin, you die -including physically- per Ed.

Yet, according to Ed, we still die physically (Adamic Condemnation) because we first die spiritually. He is clear that spiritual death brings physical death (Adamic Condemnation).

In other words, BOTH ADAMIC DEATHS ARE STILL IMPOSED ON THE CHRISTIAN! The Condemnation of Adam rests fully on the Christian!

Therefore, Christians are still subject to the Law of Sin and Death. Stevens patently contradicts the Bible in his Two Adamic Deaths Doctrine. His imposition of “physical death” onto the Adamic story leads inexorably to these conclusions.

He has Christians still fully under the power of Satan– who had (has, per Stevens) the power of Death.

 

Let’s see, Christ came to destroy the one who has the power of death (Hebrews 2:10f). We know that he came to destroy the works of the Devil (1 John 3:8). Well, DEATH — however we define it – was the fundamental “work of the Devil.” But according to Stevens that DEATH is still in full force, even in the life of the Christian! Satan has won, and will never lose!

Stevens has the Christian fully under the power of “the last enemy”- which, according to Paul was Adamic Death.

He strips the Christian of forgiveness, since the Christian still experiences the full penalty of sin– i.e. Death- Adamic Death.

He strips the Christian of any possibility whatsoever of eternal life since in his paradigm, the Christian dies spiritually and then physically– fully under the Adamic Condemnation. But, if we die under the Adamic Condemnation there is no promise – no possibility – of eternal life– period!

He strips the Christian of any victory- whatsoever!

I strongly suspect, if we hear anything from Stevens at all on this, he will claim- his modus operandi – that “Preston is grossly misrepresenting me! He just does not understand!” No, I have read his words carefully and repeatedly. His statements on these issues are clear, emphatic and unambiguous. There is no misrepresentation here.

BTW, what we have said here applies equally to all futurist views, that posit the death of Adam as physical.

There is no forgiveness today.

Christians are still subject to the Curse of Adam.

They are under the power of Satan, (who had the power of death).

They are still under the power of “the last enemy”- which they identify as physical death. Just exactly where is the victory here?

Stay tuned for our next article or two, in which I will discuss Ed Stevens’ view that there is no resurrection today. (You read that right. He says that “resurrection no longer applies”)!

In the meantime, get a copy of my book, The Death of Adam / The Life of Christ for an in-depth study of the nature of the Death of Adam. This is an important book!