Romans 3:23
23 For [gar] all [pas] have sinned [hamartano],
and [kai] come short [hustereo] of the glory [doxa] of God [theos]; KJV-Interlinear
23 for
all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ESV
No one can claim righteousness on the basis of their
own effort or energy or ability, because all have sinned, or transgressed
across the line of imperfection in one way or another.
Adam and Eve simply took a bite of something that was
forbidden.
Not that, that was a major crime, but it was in
disobedience to God. The disobedience
was the failure, especially when it was not and was never necessary. They had
plenty of other things to eat, but the choice was of disobedience.
Eve did not listen and her rejection of authority was
her downfall, and that subjected her and all women, to the husband.
Adam, saw what Eve had done and he made a conscious
decision to disobey, knowing what he was doing.
And it was through Adam, that all of humanity thereafter, acquired the
sin nature from the moment of their birth.
No one after Adam could be born perfect, because their parents,
specifically the dad, was the transmitter of sin to the next generation.
Jesus did not have an earthly dad, as Joseph was not
involved in the pregnancy of Mary, therefore Jesus was born pure, just as Adam
was created pure. Adam failed, Jesus did
not.
And lest anyone should complain as most certainly
Satan would have complained, Jesus certainly lived as long as, if not a bit
longer, than Adam, proving His ability to live among the sinners and tempters of
the world and still not sin. His
three-and-a-half year ministry was the height of His life under
temptation. Probably something that Adam
did not have, at least to that degree.
So, Jesus more than fulfilled the rules of perfection,
but not to save, but to insure His qualification for purchasing us all out from
sin by means of the cross. And to prove
that perfection is not salvation. Faith
is salvation and our path to Gods righteousness. Something that God provided
for us. We never provide that for
ourselves.
Works and self-righteousness are not the means of
salvation, or restoration to perfection, only faith is.
