There are those who ask: “Why should Adam’s disobedience impact me? Why should I have to live with the consequences of his decision? That’s hardly fair! I thought we are all individually responsible before God?”
The answer to this is “Representative Influence.”
We live in a world where every person on the planet lives under some system of hierarchal representation and is impacted by representative influence every day. Whether it’s a tribesman in the jungles of Africa or South America who lives under the influence of a tribal chief or a businessman in New York who must live and operate under a system of regulations established by various levels of government and policies struck by his company’s Board of Directors.
When nations have elections, we elect people to represent us and empower them to make decisions on our behalf. That’s representative influence. As Preston Manning stated when running for Prime Minister of Alberta, “If you choose not to get involved in the politics of your country – you will be governed by those who do.”
When laws are established – those laws trickle down through our systems of government and law enforcement agencies to impact us all. When a ruling body of representatives decides to raise taxes; increase the cost of a driver’s license; legalize marijuana; or set a speed limit – they all impact you and me. We had no direct voice in those matters – other than to exercise our democratic right to vote for the government leader we felt would serve us best. Someone else made the decision – and we must live with the results. I may think the whole process is unfair – but I live under a system of “Representative Influence.”
Understanding this helps us understand why Adam and Eve’s act of disobedience – as the first man and woman God created – impacts us all. It’s about representative influence, where the act of one impacts many. All future generations of man since have inherited Adam and Eve’s sinful nature. Man is not a sinner because he sins. He sins because he is a sinner!
Representative influence also explains salvation. In the Old Testament, every high priest was selected from among men and appointed to represent the people in matters related to God – offering gifts and sacrifices to appease a righteous God for their sins. (Heb. 5:1) Under the new covenant, Christ became that go-between. As part of God’s eternal plan, Jesus came into the world, took our place, bore our sin, and experienced God’s wrath – so we could be forgiven and restored into eternal fellowship with the Father. (Eph. 2:4-10)
In Romans 5, the apostle Paul put it this way: “God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful.” (V:8). “Adam sinned, and that sin brought death into the world. …Everyone was going to be punished because Adam sinned. But because of the good thing that Christ has done, God accepts us and gives us the gift of life.” (V:12, 18) “By faith we have been made acceptable to God. And now, because of our Lord Jesus Christ, we live at peace with God.” (V:1)
Because Jesus is eternal, His authority and representative influence will last forever. “Of the increase (influence) of his government and peace there will be no end.” (Isaiah 9:7 NIV)
Thank God for “Representative Influence.” Where would we be without it!
Be blessed my friend.
Glen (Pitts)
The Barnabas Group / Loads of Love
