Hi everyone, (I'm going to post this here understanding the potential for a thread divide on the topic of Christ's ability to sin or not, but I still want to attach it to the orginal discussion.)
I wonder if the question should be could Jesus deviate from the Father's plan in His flesh? I think He submitted Himself freely, but in being One...being in covenant unity...could He deviate? If He submitted Himself in the flesh freely, could He also have not submitted Himself freely?
We know He was the manifestation of the Godhead in bodily form, but what was the flesh nature? I would say that as God, His divine nature was perfection, but coming in the flesh He was given both flesh and soul. What was the nature of His flesh? He was born of woman, and not of a man, and so the seed (guilt stain) of original sin was not upon Him. He was born of God, and of the flesh, and I believe He had a complete free will (a true picture of Truth, and the ability to make decisions based on that knowledge)as Adam did (In the beginning) in His flesh, but also the divine nature of God. However, being God could He be presumtuos as Adam and Eve were...could He not believe Himself, or could He somehow not Trust the Father and the Spirit to guide Him...to raise Him from the dead? Was there something about the flesh that gave Him some separate ability to potentially doubt, and be truly in the nature of flesh? He prayed to the Father, and relied on the Spirit while in the flesh...it seems He left glory, and emptied Himself of His divine power to become the Priest, Lamb, King, but what did that mean for Him once He was here and relying solely on the Father and the Holy Spirit to guide Him?
He did experience, and deal with, the consequences of the original sin of Adam...pain, grief, death, etc, but though He suffered bruising from the Father, it was undeserved all the way to the end not having the guilt stain on Him, and not having committed sin. So, He took what was our punishment freely, and submitted to the Father's will. He had a perfect fear of God, and a submissive heart to His will, and in this was able to drink of the bitter cup of the Father's wrath...the cup that we deserved. So, if He walked as Adam did in the garden...free from sin...could He also have been tempted to sin in the flesh as Adam was...having a true free will? Being from Heaven He had a good knowledge of the Father's ability, but He also had a good knowledge of what it meant to have the Father turn from Him on the cross.
The Temptation...
Consider first that Scripture teaches that Christ was tempted as Adam was.
I think about the Temptation, and when I look at that passage, I see Satan doing the very things that He tries to tempt Christ to do...one of those things is tempting God. In tempting Christ, he tempted God, but he also tempted Christ's flesh, and all that encompasses...His mind, emotions, will, etc. I think it was to cause Him to satisfy His flesh, and to deviate from the plan of redemption by tempting the Father and the Holy Spirit, and to do things in His own power. I am open to learning more about that...just thinking out loud here.
1. Jesus made bread so many times, but he would not when satan asked Him to. I think He wanted Jesus to pick up His power and satisfy His flesh, and do a miracle apart from the Spirit. He only listened to the Words of the Father, though...those that proceeded from God's mouth gave life, and Christ proved that by quoting it, and applying it. In John we learn that He was careful to only speak those things that His Father taught Him. How hard could that have been in the flesh...what strength to not please Himself, or not speak of Himself. I think that is interesting. He would not satisfy His flesh, as Adam did, but rather used that to express the need for the bread from Heaven...Himself....that is given by the Father alone.
2. He would not cast Himself down to test God, but rather remained dependant upon the Holy Spirit to guide Him in following the Father's plan...not seeking a sign for proof of the Father's faithfulness to Him. He did not feel the need to test the Father, but trusted...even though He would ultimately die, and be bruised by God.
3. He did not bow to satan to gain the whole world, but rather kept with the Father's plan of redemption...to the cross...becoming a sacrifice for man to buy him with a price. He did not make Himself equal with the Father, but remained submissive unto death. I think of how Adam and Eve thought they would be like God.
Maybe Christ had the potential to give in to the flesh, but would that have been sin...or a change in plan for man's redemption? Could that have happened, or would it have happened? What did Christ lay down exactly when He became flesh? What power? Jesus certainly was worthy to be the Lamb of God, and unlike Adam did not fail the temptation test, but was this only done by the plan of the Father, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit...Was Jesus truly trusting in them alone in His flesh and not relying on His divine nature (power?)? Or, was there something in His nature to prevent Him from sinning, or deviating? I hope to know farther along in Heaven the answers in a solid way. This is so hard to understand, to be honest, and when I think I know one way or the other for sure, I learn something new to add to the mix.
I know that as our Priest He was able to offer only one sacrifice at a given point in time for all because He remained sinless...no sin abided in Him, and when we are in Him none abides in us willfully. He also had every right to be our Priest, even though He was not of the tribe of Levi, because He was of a divine order.
As our Lamb He was without blemish, and being divine was sufficient for the whole of man to be bought...more than sufficient. He was spotless and divine, and since we have been sprinkled with His blood, we are able to enter in to the Holy place without stain.
As our King He will judge us, and pardon us, because we are His children. He is our Sovereign because of His divine heritage, but because of His coming in the flesh we are able to share in that inheritance.
I hope to learn more about this all, it is so interesting. I probably added more questions than answers...sorry about that. Interesting topic, though.
The Lord bless all of you.
