We all know that Jesus didn't commit a single sin in the 33 years He lived on Earth. He had to be sinless in order to be that perfect sacrifice for all our many sins. If He had sinned even once, even so much as something little like jealousy, a little white lie, a wrong motive, looking twice at an attractive woman, etc. Just something we would consider small. Just one sin and He would have been disqualified as the sacrifice.
But could He have sinned? Some say no because He was God in the flesh. But I disagree and I think Scripture backs me up. If He could not have sinned, why did Satan tempt Him for 40 days in the Wilderness? Why does it say that after he failed, Satan went off to come back at a more opportune moment? Why bother if Jesus could not have sinned? In fact, I'll go so far as to say that if Jesus could not have sinned, He would not have been that spotless lamb. Why? Because Freewill is a prerequisite for righteousness. All of us, from Adam and Eve to the present have the ability to choose God or reject Him, to live in sin or to resist it. Otherwise we are all robots, and God wants children who love Him, not robots who have no choice.
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Corinthians 5:21
Just for a minute try to imagine what it was like for Jesus. Satan and his demons knew who Jesus was. They knew that if they could get Him to sin, it would be all over. We think we are constantly being tortured with temptations, but can you imagine what Jesus endured? The Bible doesn't tell us, but I'm sure Satan threw every trick and temptation he could at Jesus... every opportunity to get angry without cause, hate someone, lose His temper, think a bad thought, complain, criticize others, be selfish, lose his patience, and even lust. You don't think Satan didn't flash a scantily-dressed attractive woman in his path? This went on every minute of every day for His 33 years.
That was on top of wandering around from place to place with no home, sleeping on the ground, putting up with people who only wanted something from Him, dealing with His ignorant disciples, going hungry, thirsty, being too hot and then freezing at night, and then having the religious leaders of the day constantly questioning Him, mocking Him, trying to trap Him! He was constantly being rejected, misunderstood, abused, and abandoned. And all the while Satan is lingering in the shadows, tempting Him in every way possible.
Yet He did not sin.
We often think of His suffering under the Roman whip and then the cross, but His 33 years up to that point were no picnic. Too many times, we just shrug and say, "Well, He was God. Of course He didn't sin. It was easy for Him not to sin." But I don't think so. He was human also. The sin nature passes down through the Father, but Jesus inherited His fleshly nature from Mary. Unlike us, He didn't Have to Sin. But He very well could of. Remember Adam and Eve in the Garden? They didn't have to sin either, but they chose to. I don't know about you, but that He resisted every temptation (and they must have been really bad ones) that makes me stand in awe of Him even more, makes me want to praise Him more and more. He is truly an amazing God!
Here's something I found really interesting.
Once a year on the Day of Atonement the High Priest, after much cleansing and preparation, would enter the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the sins of the people. Once inside and past the veil, here is what he was required to do with first a bull and then a goat.
He shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side; and before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times. Leviticus 15:14
Notice the Seven Times he had to sprinkle the blood. Did you know that Jesus Also shed His Blood for us Seven times: Here's the list.
- Jesus sweat blood in the Garden of Gethsemane before He was arrested (Luke 22:44)
- Jesus was beaten with rods (Matthew 26:67)
- Jesus was scourged, whipped (Matthew 27:26)
- They plucked out His Beard ( Isaiah 50:6)
- Crown of thorns (Matthew 27:28-30)
- Crucifixion (Matthew 27:35)
- The Spear in His side (John 19:34)
Take a moment today to ponder all our Savior did for us and thank Him!!
No comments:
Post a Comment