This question is being asked in the CRC theologi­cal community. It is not a new question; most denominations have asked it and have come up with surprisingly different answers. Those who affirm the historical Adam have affirmed the traditional creationist view that God miraculously created man as a complete person. Those who deny Adam's per­sonal existence have adopted different forms of evo­lutionism in which man developed from a sub-human or pre-Adam being.

The Board of Trustees of Calvin College and Semi­nary had to face this question in 1980 when the writer of this article protested the view of an Old Testament professor who did not believe Adam was a historical person. The Board listened to the pro­test, interviewed the people involved and appointed a committee of Biblical scholars and pastors to study the issue. Their recommendation was to advise or in­struct the professor to conform to the historical event character of Genesis 1-11 and to uphold the teachings of the Church. The Board also called for a forum to deal with the questions which the profes­sor had raised.

Why is this question so important? Is it only an academic theological problem which those skilled in Hebrew, archeology and geology can handle, or is it the concern of the whole Christian community? When we reflect on scriptural teachings concerning this issue we will see that our faith is at stake as well as obedience to our Lord and Saviour and His Word. Let us consider why.

1. The Denial of the 1st Adam will Lead to the Denial of the Second Adam⤒🔗

Then as one man's trespass led to con­demnation for all men, so one man's act of righteousness leads to acquittal and life for all men.Romans 5:18

If we deny the one man character of the 1st Adam, if we say that the 1st Adam was not our human fore­father, our covenant head through whom sin came into the world and sin spread to all men, if we deny the reality of that person and his actions, then we will also deny the work and person of the 2nd Adam, who came to deal with what the 1st Adam had done.

A trademark of heresy is its assault on the work and person of Jesus Christ. The denial of the 1st Adam is an assault on the 2nd Adam. It is interest­ing to note that those who deny the historical Jonah and Biblical claims concerning the prophet Isaiah, fall into the same pitfall. Scholars are tempted to say that Jonah was not a historical person (contrary to Jonah 1:1) but represents a mythological figure symbolic of wayward Israel. Yet Jesus spoke of Jonah as a person and used his experiences in the fish as an illustration of his own death and resurrec­tion. Christians need to believe that Jonah's experi­ence was real, for their faith is identified with it.

As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.Matthew 12:39, 40

Jesus wasn't just talking about history but re­demptive history, history with redemptive value and meaning for us.

In the case of Isaiah, it has been said (The Banner, "Bible Studies," 2/2/81) that Isaiah did not author the whole book of Isaiah, especially not chapters 40-­66. Yet, John the Baptist quotes Isaiah (Isaiah 40:3, Matthew 3:3) in a prophecy concerning the coming of the Lord. If John were mistaken about his quote, who is to say that his message about Christ was authentic? Jesus quotes Isaiah 61:1-2 in Luke 4:17-19 in relation­ship to his ministry. Was he too ill-informed, un­aware of what our modern scholars now know con­cerning the prophet Isaiah and his book of proph­ecy? How we speak about Isaiah will reflect what we think about Christ, or how well we listen to Christ, for Christ has spoken about Isaiah as well. When we deny redemptive historical facts we will soon deny the Redeemer and that denial we must always strive against.

2. The Denial of the 1st Man will Lead to a Betrayal of Mankind←⤒🔗

If God did not personally create man as described in Genesis 1-2 to be His personal, historical, sacred image bearer and representative in this world, then who is man?

There are millions who deny the creationist view of man and adopt the evolutionary view of the origins of man. Evolutionists see the origin of man in the animal world or in a sub-human being. The be­ginning of life is not completely human but it be­comes human at a certain stage of development. Christian evolutionists (actually a contradiction of terms) claim that Adam represents man when he first developed to the stage of man.

What are the implications of such an evolutionary view? One implication is that man's beginning is mythologized, enshrouded in the animal world and not given the sacred and personal emphasis it ought to have. This is very much the ideology behind Western civilization's denial of the humanity and rights of the human fetus. Those who support abor­tion as a birth control technique and not as murder do not want to recognize the sacred and human iden­tity of the fetus. The fetus is considered as sub­human and it doesn't become human until at a cer­tain point of pregnancy or at birth. The big question for those who justify such abortion is, "When does life begin?" as if life does not exist at the point of conception and during all of life, from the beginning to eternity. Scripture teaches us that God recog­nizes humans, not only before conception (Genesis 15:4, Luke 1:13) but during pregnancy (Psalm 139:13-18, Luke 1:44) and, of course, after birth and to eternity.

Liberal theologians in support of evolution have helped to usher in the ideology which justifies abor­tion on demand. They have mythologized man's be­ginning and failed to proclaim God's sovereignty over all of life.

Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man or birds or animals or reptiles ... And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up...Romans 1:22, 23, 28

Some might say that it's a far jump to see the rela­tionship between the theological denial of the 1st Adam and the political act of abortion on demand. True, if the evolutionist is not consistent in his views of man, if he treats all of life as sacred and per­sonal, then he would be against abortion on demand, but the reverse is unfortunately more representa­tive in Western civilization. Ask the parent, the doc­tor, and the politician who allow abortion on demand what they think about the fetus and you will hear the lie of evolutionism. In our church we must stop any support of that lie.

3. The Denial of the 1st Man will Lead to a Betrayal of the Nature of Scripture←⤒🔗

How must we interpret Scripture? One important facet is that the Old Testament must be interpreted by the New Testament and vice versa. In the case of Adam, the New Testament reveals the following facts. Adam is:

1. one man (Romans 5:12, 1 Corinthians 15:21).
    
2. first man (1 Corinthians 15:45).
    
3. father of Seth (Luke 3:38).
    
4. son of God (Luke 3:38).
    
5. husband of Eve (1 Timothy 2:13, 14).
    
6. living being (1 Corinthians 15:45).          
    
7. sinner (Romans 5:12).
    
8. representative of man (Romans 5:18).
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9. A careful study of the New Testament could add more personal, historical and theological characteristics. If we deny these facts in Genesis 1-3, we certainly call the New Testament into question.

As Christian thinkers we must come to know our limits:

The secret things belong to the Lord our God: but the things that are revealed be­long to us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.Deuteronomy 29:29

What things does Genesis 1-3 reveal about man? Genesis 2:7 reveals that his body is made from the earth; it was formed out of the dust and to dust it will return. No mention is made of a long time period between the formation of the body and the soul (man as a living being), nor of an intermediate step in which man was an animal or sub-human. When God miraculously made man He gave him life and so he became a living being. Man became a whole being; body, soul, spirit in response to the direct actions of God. Man was given cultural, moral and family re­sponsibilities all of which constitute part of his definition.

Genesis 1-3 reveals certain absolutes about man which we must uphold in order to know who man is and what his responsibilities are as a creature of God. There is also relative information, things which the Bible does not comment on, and where the Bible is silent we should learn to be silent as well.

4. The Denial of the 1st Adam is a Denial of Church Confessions←⤒🔗

The reader can check the following Church teachings:

1. Canons of Dort: 1:1, III-I, 1, 2.
    
2. Heidelberg Cat.: Q. 6-8, 19.
    
3. Belgic Conf. V, XII, XIV, XV, XXIII.

Our college and seminary professors have signed the form of subscription, covenanting to uphold and teach in accordance with the Churches' teachings, which we believe reflect Scripture and the Spirit's direction. Can those who deny the 1st Adam still teach in the Church institutions with a clear con­science?

Let us pray that God will not give us up to our own claims to wisdom and knowledge but direct us to attentive and obedient listening to His inspired Word.