The Impeccability of Christ

civic

Well-known member
Could Jesus have sinned ?

There are two sides to this interesting question. It is important to remember that this is not a question of whether Jesus sinned. Both sides agree, as the Bible clearly says, that Jesus did not sin (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22). The question is whether Jesus could have sinned. Those who hold to “impeccabilitybelieve that Jesus could not have sinned. Those who hold to “peccability” believe that Jesus could have sinned, but did not. Which view is correct? The clear teaching of Scripture is that Jesus was impeccable—Jesus could not have sinned. If He could have sinned, He would still be able to sin today because He retains the same essence He did while living on earth. He is the God-Man and will forever remain so, having full deity and full humanity so united in one person as to be indivisible. To believe that Jesus could sin is to believe that God could sin. “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him” (Colossians 1:19). Colossians 2:9 adds, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.”

Although Jesus is fully human, He was not born with the sinful nature that we are born with. He certainly was tempted in the same way we are, in that temptations were put before Him by Satan, yet He remained sinless because God is incapable of sinning. It is against His very nature (Matthew 4:1; Hebrews 2:18, 4:15; James 1:13). Sin is by definition a trespass of the Law. God created the Law, and the Law is by nature what God would or would not do; therefore, sin is anything that God would not do by His very nature.

To be tempted is not, in and of itself, sinful. A person could tempt you with something you have no desire to do, such as committing murder or participating in sexual perversions. You probably have no desire whatsoever to take part in these actions, but you were still tempted because someone placed the possibility before you. There are at least two definitions for the word “tempted”:

1) To have a sinful proposition suggested to you by someone or something outside yourself or by your own sin nature.

2) To consider actually participating in a sinful act and the possible pleasures and consequences of such an act to the degree that the act is already taking place in your mind.

The first definition does not describe a sinful act/thought; the second does. When you dwell upon a sinful act and consider how you might be able to bring it to pass, you have crossed the line of sin. Jesus was tempted in the fashion of definition one except that He was never tempted by a sin nature because it did not exist within Him. Satan proposed certain sinful acts to Jesus, but He had no inner desire to participate in the sin. Therefore, He was tempted like we are but remained sinless.

Those who hold to peccability believe that, if Jesus could not have sinned, He could not have truly experienced temptation, and therefore could not truly empathize with our struggles and temptations against sin. We have to remember that one does not have to experience something in order to understand it. God knows everything about everything. While God has never had the desire to sin, and has most definitely never sinned, God knows and understands what sin is. God knows and understands what it is like to be tempted. Jesus can empathize with our temptations because He knows, not because He has “experienced” all the same things we have.

Jesus knows what it is like to be tempted, but He does not know what it is like to sin. This does not prevent Him from assisting us. We are tempted with sins that are common to man (1 Corinthians 10:13). These sins generally can be boiled down to three different types: “the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16 NKJV). Examine the temptation and sin of Eve, as well as the temptation of Jesus, and you will find that the temptations for each came from these three categories. Jesus was tempted in every way and in every area that we are, but remained perfectly holy. Although our corrupt natures will have the inner desire to participate in some sins, we have the ability, through Christ, to overcome sin because we are no longer slaves to sin but rather slaves of God (Romans 6, especially verses 2 and 16-22).got ?

hope this helps !!!
 
Could Jesus have sinned ?

There are two sides to this interesting question. It is important to remember that this is not a question of whether Jesus sinned. Both sides agree, as the Bible clearly says, that Jesus did not sin (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22). The question is whether Jesus could have sinned. Those who hold to “impeccabilitybelieve that Jesus could not have sinned. Those who hold to “peccability” believe that Jesus could have sinned, but did not. Which view is correct? The clear teaching of Scripture is that Jesus was impeccable—Jesus could not have sinned. If He could have sinned, He would still be able to sin today because He retains the same essence He did while living on earth. He is the God-Man and will forever remain so, having full deity and full humanity so united in one person as to be indivisible. To believe that Jesus could sin is to believe that God could sin. “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him” (Colossians 1:19). Colossians 2:9 adds, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.”

Although Jesus is fully human, He was not born with the sinful nature that we are born with. He certainly was tempted in the same way we are, in that temptations were put before Him by Satan, yet He remained sinless because God is incapable of sinning. It is against His very nature (Matthew 4:1; Hebrews 2:18, 4:15; James 1:13). Sin is by definition a trespass of the Law. God created the Law, and the Law is by nature what God would or would not do; therefore, sin is anything that God would not do by His very nature.

To be tempted is not, in and of itself, sinful. A person could tempt you with something you have no desire to do, such as committing murder or participating in sexual perversions. You probably have no desire whatsoever to take part in these actions, but you were still tempted because someone placed the possibility before you. There are at least two definitions for the word “tempted”:

1) To have a sinful proposition suggested to you by someone or something outside yourself or by your own sin nature.

2) To consider actually participating in a sinful act and the possible pleasures and consequences of such an act to the degree that the act is already taking place in your mind.

The first definition does not describe a sinful act/thought; the second does. When you dwell upon a sinful act and consider how you might be able to bring it to pass, you have crossed the line of sin. Jesus was tempted in the fashion of definition one except that He was never tempted by a sin nature because it did not exist within Him. Satan proposed certain sinful acts to Jesus, but He had no inner desire to participate in the sin. Therefore, He was tempted like we are but remained sinless.

Those who hold to peccability believe that, if Jesus could not have sinned, He could not have truly experienced temptation, and therefore could not truly empathize with our struggles and temptations against sin. We have to remember that one does not have to experience something in order to understand it. God knows everything about everything. While God has never had the desire to sin, and has most definitely never sinned, God knows and understands what sin is. God knows and understands what it is like to be tempted. Jesus can empathize with our temptations because He knows, not because He has “experienced” all the same things we have.

Jesus knows what it is like to be tempted, but He does not know what it is like to sin. This does not prevent Him from assisting us. We are tempted with sins that are common to man (1 Corinthians 10:13). These sins generally can be boiled down to three different types: “the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16 NKJV). Examine the temptation and sin of Eve, as well as the temptation of Jesus, and you will find that the temptations for each came from these three categories. Jesus was tempted in every way and in every area that we are, but remained perfectly holy. Although our corrupt natures will have the inner desire to participate in some sins, we have the ability, through Christ, to overcome sin because we are no longer slaves to sin but rather slaves of God (Romans 6, especially verses 2 and 16-22).got ?

hope this helps !!!

The only thing that could tempt Jesus successfully to sin would have been where He refused to learn Scripture pertaining to that given sin...

Notice how Jesus was tempted after right receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit? That was because with the Spirit baptism Jesus became like the first Christian (a new creation in Christ) like we now have become. For the Christian has forever the Holy Spirit dwelling in us.

Jesus became the master prototype for developing God's system to overcome every sin all men could ever possibly face. That is why He was to be tempted like us in every way. It was for Him to develop the faith for every need to be overcome in the world.

He finally fully developed all correct doctrinal applications. And, finally for the very last possible temptation to sin all men can ever face? He was then declared "Perfect!" by the Father, and was no longer needed to remain on earth for developing His faith system to be given to the Church. When He had reached the point of having overcome the world? Then He was ready to change his walk, and make ready for the Cross to bear the penalty for our sins.

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries
and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent
submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made
perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him." Hebrews 5:7-9​

grace and peace ..................
 
The only thing that could tempt Jesus successfully to sin would have been where He refused to learn Scripture pertaining to that given sin...

Notice how Jesus was tempted after right receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit? That was because with the Spirit baptism Jesus became like the first Christian (a new creation in Christ) like we now have become. For the Christian has forever the Holy Spirit dwelling in us.

Jesus became the master prototype for developing God's system to overcome every sin all men could ever possibly face. That is why He was to be tempted like us in every way. It was for Him to develop the faith for every need to be overcome in the world.

He finally fully developed all correct doctrinal applications. And, finally for the very last possible temptation to sin all men can ever face? He was then declared "Perfect!" by the Father, and was no longer needed to remain on earth for developing His faith system to be given to the Church. When He had reached the point of having overcome the world? Then He was ready to change his walk, and make ready for the Cross to bear the penalty for our sins.

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries
and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent
submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made
perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him." Hebrews 5:7-9​

grace and peace ..................
I agree.
Romans 8: 5 says that “those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” Jesus was sent “in the likeness of sinful flesh” but did not set His mind on earthly desires.
 
Although Jesus is fully human, He was not born with the sinful nature that we are born with.


Could Jesus have sinned ?
This reminds me of that seen in Indiana Jones where the knight tells him to choose wisely. Human history can be summed up as a tale of 2 men, Adam and Jesus. One chose unwisely. This made the 2nd Adam's mission necessary, to right what was once wrong (to borrow a catch phrase from Quantum Leap).
 
This reminds me of that seen in Indiana Jones where the knight tells him to choose wisely. Human history can be summed up as a tale of 2 men, Adam and Jesus. One chose unwisely. This made the 2nd Adam's mission necessary, to right what was once wrong (to borrow a catch phrase from Quantum Leap).
Yes the 2nd Adam undid the mess the 1st adam made for all of us.
 
Could Jesus have sinned ?

There are two sides to this interesting question. It is important to remember that this is not a question of whether Jesus sinned. Both sides agree, as the Bible clearly says, that Jesus did not sin (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22). The question is whether Jesus could have sinned. Those who hold to “impeccabilitybelieve that Jesus could not have sinned. Those who hold to “peccability” believe that Jesus could have sinned, but did not. Which view is correct? The clear teaching of Scripture is that Jesus was impeccable—Jesus could not have sinned. If He could have sinned, He would still be able to sin today because He retains the same essence He did while living on earth. He is the God-Man and will forever remain so, having full deity and full humanity so united in one person as to be indivisible. To believe that Jesus could sin is to believe that God could sin. “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him” (Colossians 1:19). Colossians 2:9 adds, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.”

Although Jesus is fully human, He was not born with the sinful nature that we are born with. He certainly was tempted in the same way we are, in that temptations were put before Him by Satan, yet He remained sinless because God is incapable of sinning. It is against His very nature (Matthew 4:1; Hebrews 2:18, 4:15; James 1:13). Sin is by definition a trespass of the Law. God created the Law, and the Law is by nature what God would or would not do; therefore, sin is anything that God would not do by His very nature.

To be tempted is not, in and of itself, sinful. A person could tempt you with something you have no desire to do, such as committing murder or participating in sexual perversions. You probably have no desire whatsoever to take part in these actions, but you were still tempted because someone placed the possibility before you. There are at least two definitions for the word “tempted”:

1) To have a sinful proposition suggested to you by someone or something outside yourself or by your own sin nature.

2) To consider actually participating in a sinful act and the possible pleasures and consequences of such an act to the degree that the act is already taking place in your mind.

The first definition does not describe a sinful act/thought; the second does. When you dwell upon a sinful act and consider how you might be able to bring it to pass, you have crossed the line of sin. Jesus was tempted in the fashion of definition one except that He was never tempted by a sin nature because it did not exist within Him. Satan proposed certain sinful acts to Jesus, but He had no inner desire to participate in the sin. Therefore, He was tempted like we are but remained sinless.

Those who hold to peccability believe that, if Jesus could not have sinned, He could not have truly experienced temptation, and therefore could not truly empathize with our struggles and temptations against sin. We have to remember that one does not have to experience something in order to understand it. God knows everything about everything. While God has never had the desire to sin, and has most definitely never sinned, God knows and understands what sin is. God knows and understands what it is like to be tempted. Jesus can empathize with our temptations because He knows, not because He has “experienced” all the same things we have.

Jesus knows what it is like to be tempted, but He does not know what it is like to sin. This does not prevent Him from assisting us. We are tempted with sins that are common to man (1 Corinthians 10:13). These sins generally can be boiled down to three different types: “the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16 NKJV). Examine the temptation and sin of Eve, as well as the temptation of Jesus, and you will find that the temptations for each came from these three categories. Jesus was tempted in every way and in every area that we are, but remained perfectly holy. Although our corrupt natures will have the inner desire to participate in some sins, we have the ability, through Christ, to overcome sin because we are no longer slaves to sin but rather slaves of God (Romans 6, especially verses 2 and 16-22).got ?

hope this helps !!!
I'm amazed that you have this here, the impeccability of Christ Is my favorite topic. I emphatically believe that Christ could not sin.
If it be true that individual acts of sin are the result of the indwelling sin nature, most assuredly Christ could not have sinned because He did not possess a sin nature, which we receive from our parents through physical birth. The writer to the Hebrews put it this way: He was “… tempted like as we are, yet without sin” Heb. 4:15
 
I'm amazed that you have this here, the impeccability of Christ Is my favorite topic. I emphatically believe that Christ could not sin.
If it be true that individual acts of sin are the result of the indwelling sin nature, most assuredly Christ could not have sinned because He did not possess a sin nature, which we receive from our parents through physical birth. The writer to the Hebrews put it this way: He was “… tempted like as we are, yet without sin” Heb. 4:15
Amen !!!
 
God created the Law, and the Law is by nature what God would or would not do; therefore, sin is anything that God would not do by His very nature.

This would create the logical impossibility of sinning, as there is literally no sin even theoretically possible to do. I would not entirely disagree with this assessment, because God has the moral right to choose anything he wants. Except in the case of Christ, as he had a unique transformation.

So although God certainly must have free will, Scripturally, and we are in this way made in his image, this would put God outside the bounds of any moral law or demands that constitute a violation.

Satan proposed certain sinful acts to Jesus, but He had no inner desire to participate in the sin. Therefore, He was tempted like we are but remained sinless.

I can agree Christ had no sin nature and therefore no internal desire or propensity to sin, however this is not the only motivation to sin.

God knows and understands what it is like to be tempted. Jesus can empathize with our temptations because He knows, not because He has “experienced” all the same things we have.

Yet Scripture specifically tells us he was made like us in all respects apart from sin so that he could be a merciful and faithful High Priest. Obviously Scripture is telling us experiential knowledge adds something or this is pointless and superfluous.

Although our corrupt natures will have the inner desire to participate in some sins, we have the ability, through Christ, to overcome sin because we are no longer slaves to sin but rather slaves of God (Romans 6, especially verses 2 and 16-22).got ?

We can overcome some, but not all, sin.

To believe that Jesus could sin is to believe that God could sin.

But Jesus is God in human form, so on earth he is fundamentally different in some ways than the others.

As a human, Jesus does some things it would be absurd or morally wrong for God to do, like worship himself, be under any kind of obligation, or be morally tested in any way. Yet, of course, this was the very nature and purpose of Christ's life, to stand in our place as the perfect creaturely substitute.

So by virtue of the incarnation, this does put the human Jesus in a unique place that has real differences than the Father and Spirit, and thus he is not acting in the same capacity and role as he was pre- and post- incarnation. Christ voluntarily laid aside divine "prerogatives" and so limited himself and his abilities. That is why he said he could "call for a legion of angels," instead of "display my divinity," and why we clearly see he depended upon the Holy Spirit for all things throughout his lifetime.

An interesting point to make, is that many see Christ's temptation in the wilderness as his greatest trial, but this is not so. Christ's greatest temptation was in the garden when he asked that the cup be taken away and sweat drops of blood. Christ knew that God was far more terrifying than the devil could ever even hope to be, and facing the wrath of God was the greatest temptation of Christ's life.
 
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I'm amazed that you have this here, the impeccability of Christ Is my favorite topic. I emphatically believe that Christ could not sin.
If it be true that individual acts of sin are the result of the indwelling sin nature, most assuredly Christ could not have sinned because He did not possess a sin nature, which we receive from our parents through physical birth. The writer to the Hebrews put it this way: He was “… tempted like as we are, yet without sin” Heb. 4:15
Not being able to sin would mean He manifested himself on the power of His own Deity.

That is why he had to make himself to become as a man, to show men that all temptation can be overcome by the filling of the Spirit and with having a rich storehouse of doctrine/truth to think with as to *overcome* temptations.

If Jesus could not have sinned potentially? His walk would have bored him. He would have yawned in Satan presence when
he was tempted in the wilderness.

The reason Jesus had to be "able" to sin? To prove that the Law was fair and just.,
That if we walk right with God under the Law we will not sin if we were free to not sin.

Jesus because of how he walked before the Father in grace and doctrine he was always able to not sin.

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. "Hebrews 5:7-9​

If Jesus could not sin?
There would be no fervent cries and tears.
There also would be no need for obedience.
 
That is why he had to make himself to become as a man, to show men that all temptation can be overcome by the filling of the Spirit and with having a rich storehouse of doctrine/truth to think with as to *overcome* temptations.

Our temptation is overcome by the Work of Christ on our behalf, not just the Holy Spirit in isolation.

If Jesus could not have sinned potentially? His walk would have bored him. He would have yawned in Satan presence when
he was tempted in the wilderness.

This is a soulish reason, a holy nature is not somehow bored without sin around. Being bored with God would be a sin itself.

The reason Jesus had to be "able" to sin? To prove that the Law was fair and just.,
That if we walk right with God under the Law we will not sin if we were free to not sin.

Scripture does not just say no one HAS kept the Law—it clearly says no one COULD keep the Law. Saying the Law is unjust if someone cannot potentially keep it, is to establish a system of self-righteousness whereby God is in violation of creaturely importance if he allows humanity to fall into a sinful nature. Note here, the Law does not even theoretically POSSIBLY give life:

21 For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.
22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. (Gal. 3:21-22 NKJ)
 
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Scripture does not just say no one HAS kept the Law—it clearly says no one COULD keep the Law. Saying the Law is unjust if someone cannot potentially keep it, is establish a system of self-righteousness whereby God is in violation of creaturely importance if he allows humanity to fall into a sinful nature. Note here, the Law does not even theoretically POSSIBLY give life:

21 For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.
22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. (Gal. 3:21-22 NKJ)
One could complain that the Law was unfair and unjust.
For its impossible to keep!

Jesus proved that the Law was fair and just.
That if you are truly righteous?
You can fulfill the Law,,,,,

The Law was given to prove to man that he needs a savior.
That no man is righteous.

Jesus as a man while under the Law was proven to be truly righteous,
and if one were righteous? It would be fair and just to give it.
 
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