Matthew 4:12-17: Jesus Begins to Preach

12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— 14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:

15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,

Galilee of the Gentiles— 16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”

Note: Gentile means a person who is not Jewish. The word stems from the Hebrew term goy, which means nations of the world that are not Hebrew.

17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Episode 9 – "The Obedience of One" | Truth & Knowledge Podcast Guest Speaker: Pastor Jordan Fowler. In this episode, Pastor Jordan Fowler explores the powerful truth that the Bible declares believers in Christ Jesus as righteous. But what happens when you don't feel righteous or struggle to believe it? Pastor Fowler unpacks how true righteousness is deeply connected to both faith and obedience—drawing on the example of Abraham, whose trust in God was credited to him as righteousness. This episode challenges listeners to reflect on their walk with God and the role obedience plays in living out their faith.

Paul draws a contrast between the actions of Adam and Christ. He also outlines the outcome of the actions of these two men. He compares the man that disobeyed God's command with the One that obeyed His Word - contrasting the one that sinned against God with the One that did only those things that He heard from His Father in heaven.

It was the result of one act of disobedience, which was carried out by Adam that condemned the entire human race. Adam was the federal head of God's creation and he was given one simple test - but Adam failed. It was because of this one offence that Adam brought condemnation upon all men. Adam was told: of every tree of the garden you may truly eat but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for the day you eat of it you will surely die.

The result of this one sin of Adam brought calamity of the entire human race and placed everyone under God's condemnation and death. As the single representative of all humanity, Adam's one transgression resulted in the condemnation of all men. We are sinners - not only because we sin but also because we are imputed with a sin nature because of Adam's transgression. In addition to our imputed sin nature from Adam, we inherit a fallen nature from our parents.. and we were born in sin. We were born dead in trespasses and sins, at enmity with God and without hope in the world - and the soul that sins shall die, for the wages of sin is death.

It was this ONE transgression that resulted in the condemnation of all men, but it was also through ONE amazing act of righteousness, that resulted in justification of life to all men. It was one act of disobedience that placed us under God's eternal condemnation, and one act of willing obedience, that brought justification of life to all men - and it is received simply by faith in the finished work of Christ.

Many like to bemoan the fact that we are made sinners because of Adam's sin. Many feel it is unfair that we have to inherit the sin nature from our forefathers, because of their sin.. but this is failure to recognise God's incredible grace in His simple plan for man's redemption - for as by ONE sin we were all made sinners.. so by ONE act of obedience we can all be declared righteous and receive justification of life. It was Adam's one sin that rendered us sinners and inputed us with a sin nature.. so too by Christ's one act of obedience we are declared righteous and receive justification of life- by faith in Him. By His one act of obedience we are inputed with Christ's righteousness - and it is ours simply by faith - by believing in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin and life everlasting.

It was by God's grace that Adam's condemnation rested on ONE single act of disobedience - in order that by God's grace man's redemption could also rest on ONE act of obedience - one single act of sacrifice which made possible the justification of all who will believe.

All who are born IN ADAM are eternally condemned and all who are born-again IN CHRIST are not condemned but declared righteous by God and given eternal life - for there is no condemnation to those that are IN CHRIST.

The wages of being IN ADAM is death.. for by one man's transgression we are all made sinners.. but the gift of God is eternal life for those that are IN CHRIST, for His one act of righteousness results in justification of life for all who believe. By faith we are placed in eternal union with Christ - the God-Man Who is our kinsman-Redeemer and the federal Head of God's New Creation.

So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith. Romans 1:16. 

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1.