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Was Christ Tempted to Sin ?

[..]

The caveat to the difference between His temptation and ours is that HIS was without sin, period.

In that we agree.

Like, but not to that extent. They are not equal matters of temptation.
???

James 1:13
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Good ol' James. He's quite right too.

But of course since you do not consider Jesus to be The Spirit of God Himself in flesh, you will insist that His temptation is like yours in every way, when in fact it was not.
That is simply an assertion which goes against scripture. You know it, I'm sure:

Here's the scripture that it goes against:

Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

That's the Spirit of God talking, and you'd better listen.

They comparisons from any of us to God Himself in flesh will never compute.
That's the Spirit of God talking above there. Why aren't you listening?

God is greater than the sum of all things created.

There is no comparison to be had, us to Him.
Certainly, that it true.

As stated from the start, your insistence is to make God in Christ have internal sin thoughts.
That did not transpire, period.
It is not MY insistence, smaller. It is the very, very plain passages of scripture that do the insisting.

No, it's only you vainly trying to anthropomorphize The Creator.
That, of course depends on whether Jesus was the Creator or not.

If what Hebrews and other passages say is correct, and I believe they are, the Jesus COULD NOT have been the sinless, un-temptable, God who cannot be tempted with evil. (James 1 says so).

God in Christ being 'fully human' is not the question. Fully human did NOT involve 'internal sin thoughts' in the case of Him.
I really don't know what you're talking about. How else could He be tempted?

Fully human in the regard of God in Christ fully 'excludes' any form of sin in Thought, Word or Deed, period.
If He was God, then you are, of course, correct. But that is the point under question here, in reality.

Scripture is the only thing that we have to guide us in the matter, and they are unequivocally against your POV. He COULD HAVE SINNED. But He didn't. Hebrews cannot be doubted on this point. Not to mention Matthew and Luke.

Which, as I've said, makes the whole of the gospels incomprehensible on this subject.

And that is just a disconnected leap to uphold your own thoughts in these matters.
Not at all. I've shown you perfectly clearly, the ways in which the gospels are made valueless by your insistence. And those are very BIG, and very SERIOUS matters, which you cannot even begin to gainsay.

If you're right, then the whole lot falls flat on its face, and becomes both meaningless and valueless.

So I have to conclude that you aren't right, until such time as you can show me from scripture that what I'm saying about the Lord's temptations is mistaken.

Making unsupported assertions is not the way to do it. Scripture, only scripture will do. So bring forth your strong arguments.

The temptations of Christ were NOT internal, period.
Assertion.
Satan had 'nothing' In Him.
Care to explain what that means?
They had nothing 'in Him' either.
You mean, that they didn't tempt Him, as the gospels say they did?
You can not equate these matters. The caveat of being without sin remains. There is no comparison to be had.
The caveat of being without sin remains correct.

The inability to be tempted is completely mistaken, as I'm sure you know.
He really wanted to go to the cross in Gethsemane, so He didn't say anything like 'Not my will, but thine be done'.

If it was within Gods Own Will for that to transpire, then it would have transpired, but it wasn't. God WILLED to sacrifice Himself.
Now you're in a total tangle. God sacrificed Himself to Himself? And DIDN'T WANT to sacrifice Himself to Himself?

You're making no sense at all, now. Haven't you noticed that there is a separation right there? 'Not MY will, but THINE be done'.

Therefore God's will wasn't Jesus' will at that point. He says so very clearly. Are you listening?

The appearance of God within His Own Creation is a fact. We can not equate anything in His Regards to ourselves.
I don't know what you're talking about.

The intentions you have is merely to make the Creator the created.
The Incarnation is a unique matter indeed.
How can you say such a thing about my intentions? I am merely stating precisely what scripture says - no more, no less.


God did not suffer His Holy One to see corruption
.
If what you're saying is correct, then that statement is totally wrong. It should be: God did not suffer HIMSELF to see corruption.

But He didn't say so: He said, He would not suffer JESUS to see corruption.

Therefore, you have stated the matter incorrectly.
 
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This is not a discussion about 'created' men like us SB, but about God in Christ.

s

And so is the writer of Hebrews.

Hebrews 1:1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

Yet it is written: Hebrews 2:14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
 
Interesting, and a question that has come up more than once, for sure!

Let me throw in my :twocents

Two things:

1. God can not be tempted by sin. (Correct)

2. Christ was tempted in all ways as we are. (Also correct)

However, I do not think that there is a contradiction here...and I think that the Bible itself holds the answer to what seems a conundrum.

We have to (I think) keep in mind Christ's purpose, and His method of accomplishing this purpose.

We know that Jesus was fully God and also fully man (Hypostatic Union). In order for Christ to be our "kinsman redeemer", in order for Him to be "our High Priest and Mediator", in order for Him to "fulfill the law and the prophets", He had to live as a human being among us.

I believe that the key is found in Philippians 2:5-10 where we see that Jesus:

...made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus never "gave up" any attributes of deity, for then He would not be God. What He DID do was willingly operate within the limitations of being a man.

Therefore He became subject to the "Human Condition". He experienced sadness, pain, hunger, thirst, fatigue...and yes, temptation. I might point out that God does not experience pain, hunger, thirst or fatigue in the same way that God can not be tempted by sin.

Speaking of sin...Jesus never sinned. Temptation is not sin; yielding to temptation is sin which is ultimately disobedience to God. The desire to be obedient to the Father was the driving force with Jesus, therefore He did not succumb to any temptation that was offered to Him.

In overcoming all temptation, He became our Great High Priest and Mediator...and one who can sympathize with our weaknesses.

Anyway...my take on the subject.
 
The Lord Jesus said: 'The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me' (John 14.30).

There was nothing in the Lord Jesus to respond to sin. But the temptations/testings were real.

'O Savior Christ, thou too art man,
Thou hast been tempted, tested, tried,
Thy kind but searching gaze would scan
The very wounds that shame would hide.'
 
In that we agree.
Good ol' James. He's quite right too.
That is simply an assertion which goes against scripture. You know it, I'm sure:

An observer will come to some avenues in matters of the temptation of Jesus.

A. Was that temptation internal?
B. Was Satan provided internal tempation?
C. Did Jesus have internal sinful potential LUST of His Own to be tempted by, within?
or
D. Was the temptation(s) entirely external?

You are welcome to pick any of the above or add to the possible list.

And it's not 'like' I haven't considered these matters.

For me, the only answer was D. And were there other selections possible, I would certainly consider them.

s
 
And so is the writer of Hebrews.

Hebrews 1:1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

Yet it is written: Hebrews 2:14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

You are welcome to subscribe to my last response to Async. on the avenues which one might measure matters of the temptation of Jesus.

s
 
An observer will come to some avenues in matters of the temptation of Jesus.

A. Was that temptation internal?
B. Was Satan provided internal tempation?
C. Did Jesus have internal sinful potential LUST of His Own to be tempted by, within?
or
D. Was the temptation(s) entirely external?

You are welcome to pick any of the above or add to the possible list.

And it's not 'like' I haven't considered these matters.

For me, the only answer was D. And were there other selections possible, I would certainly consider them.

s

Kind of starting to sound a bit like Gnosticism unless you can state otherwise... or perhaps I've got a skewed view on gnosticism. Tell ya what, why don't you elaborate on what you mean by D, specifically "external"

John says, "14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
 
Kind of starting to sound a bit like Gnosticism unless you can state otherwise... or perhaps I've got a skewed view on gnosticism. Tell ya what, why don't you elaborate on what you mean by D, specifically "external"

John says, "14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

I put up some views on the matters. You are welcome to defray from conversation and try to engage some sort of 'gnostic' claim. Based on what I can not tell. Certainly not an engagement with specifics on your part.

If you'd like to address the specifics put up, please do so or pass. It doesn't make any difference to me. I do not place sinful lust, sinful thoughts, sin of Satan or sin of any kind IN HIM, period.

Therefore the temptations were solely 'external.'

Now, you are also welcome to claim that temptation thoughts are not sin thoughts. That again is an entirely different subject as it pertains to 'any' of us. There is no doubt that sin originates 'internally' via the avenue of temptation thoughts. You can claim that they are not, but they are.

s
 
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I do not place sinful lust, sinful thoughts, sin of Satan or sin of any kind IN HIM, period.

s

Neither do I, nor anyone else s. Not sure why you even have to go there. Scripture is extreemly clear that Jesus had no sin.

As James articulated, having a thought in and of itself is not a sin. It's what we do with that thought. But you seem to think that Jesus didn't have a choice. We all have a choice, and so did Jesus.

Maybe I could put it this way. Somebody could try and tempt me to take drugs, but I know the evil that drugs cause, so I can easily say no. Was I tempted? Yeah, I was tempted. Did I bite? Nope... I get the idea that you seem to think that being tempted is the same thing as sin. According to the Bible, that's simply not true.

Let me explain one other thing. Everybody everywhere across all generations get thoughts that can lead to sin each and every day. But having a bad thought doesn't mean that one is sinning. It's what one does with that thought and that's what God looks at. We are not accountable for every thought that enters our mind, and I don't care how bad that thought is. We cannot control every thought and that's a fact Jack. But what we can control, and what we do have a choice on is what we do with those thoughts. Do we hold them captive to the word of God, or do we allow lust to seep in and cause them to become sinful thoughts that manifest themselves in the flesh?

When Jesus was tempted, he didn't bite.

s said:
Therefore the temptations were solely 'external.'

I looked up the word external at dictionary.com and the way you are using that word doesn't make any sense. What do you mean they were "External". Like, his flesh was tempted, but is spirit wasn't? Elaborate a bit huh?
 
Neither do I, nor anyone else s. Not sure why you even have to go there. Scripture is extreemly clear that Jesus had no sin.

As James articulated, having a thought in and of itself is not a sin.

Uh, no, that is never articulated whatsoever.

Every sin there is originates 'within' and does so by the impetus of sin thought.

Mark 7:
21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.


Non external actions on any of the above does not change what they factually ARE on the inside. EVIL and SIN.


Jesus delineates this matter quite sufficiently in Matt. 5:28 PROVING adulterous thought to be adultery IN HEART.


It's what we do with that thought.

You are welcome to excuse internal evil on any basis you think you see. And I will see that only as excuses and coverups of internal realities of evil and 'excuses' for 'evil thoughts' which for ALL of us are no uncertain fact and are beyond uncertainly EVIL.

But you seem to think that Jesus didn't have a choice. We all have a choice, and so did Jesus.

You have already noted your inability to keep from thinking evil thoughts. And you are welcome to excuse that as a reality of internal evil.

Jesus had ZERO such issues.

You, like Asyc, keep comparing your own thoughts, which you both factually know to be EVIL with Jesus having same EVIL within.

I would submit to both of you the impossibility of Jesus being INTERNALLY EVIL in any way.

s
 
S said:
Uh, no, that is never articulated whatsoever.

Every sin there is originates 'within' and does so by the impetus of sin thought.

Mark 7:
21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.


Non external actions on any of the above does not change what they factually ARE on the inside. EVIL and SIN.


Jesus delineates this matter quite sufficiently in Matt. 5:28 PROVING adulterous thought to be adultery IN HEART.

I think you are misunderstanding. It is true that out of the heart comes sinful thoughts, but good thoughts also originate from the heart. We don't throw the baby out with the bathwater and call the heart bad. And while I am speaking on the heart, in Jewish thought the heart is where the intellect is stirred, while emotions are stirred within the bowels.

If I pass a woman and have an attraction toward her, is that adultery? Absolutely not. It is not until I desire her and feed that desire that the thought becomes sin. Why? Because I did not let my bowels dictate my heart, for it is from the heart (intellect) that sin is committed when it feeds the flesh.

S said:
You are welcome to excuse internal evil on any basis you think you see. And I will see that only as excuses and coverups of internal realities of evil and 'excuses' for 'evil thoughts' which for ALL of us are no uncertain fact and are beyond uncertainly EVIL.

For the sake of simplicity, Evil is simply the absence of Good. But your still rambling on about some external something or another with Jesus. I mean, did Jesus have some external thought when he was tempted or what? I still don't understand what in the world you mean by external. I mean, what is internal is made manifest externally. When Jesus was tempted, he did not sin and we can see this by his actions. Why? Because his heart (intellect) was in tact. When his body was hungry, and it WAS hungry, he didn't base his response to Satan on his emotional state. No, he kept his witts about him and made the better choice.

Jesus has faith in us too... faith that we can keep our wits and make the better choices.

S said:
You are welcome to excuse internal evil on any basis you think you see. And I will see that only as excuses and coverups of internal realities of evil and 'excuses' for 'evil thoughts' which for ALL of us are no uncertain fact and are beyond uncertainly EVIL.

Geesh, speak English please. Again, evil is the absence of good. It's really that simple. And no, we don't cover up evil. Rather, we expose it and take our minds captive the word of God. Jesus had a pure heart, and no sin was found within his heart. This was manifest and affirmed in what he did.

S said:
You have already noted your inability to keep from thinking evil thoughts. And you are welcome to excuse that as a reality of internal evil.

Jesus had ZERO such issues.
If Evil is the absence of good, then God's own words begin to make since.
Isaiah 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Evil is created when one does not do good. Leviticus 23 is a prime example: 22 “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the Lord your God.’”

Evil is created when one does not do good. As with darkness, it is simply the absence of light. So we see that Evil is not what one does, but what one fails to do. Take for example the adultery in ones heart. It is the failure to keep ones heart pure and for the same reason one wouldn't leave the corner of ones field.

S said:
You, like Asyc, keep comparing your own thoughts, which you both factually know to be EVIL with Jesus having same EVIL within.

I would submit to both of you the impossibility of Jesus being INTERNALLY EVIL in any way.

It is becoming clear that you and I view evil in two different lights. Jesus had no evil thoughts, yet Jesus was tempted. To be tempted, as James states is not a sin. To give into temptation is sin. Clearly, Jesus did not cave into temptation.

But now I am talking about two different things. I am talking about you and I and the rest of the human race who fail trials of temptation day in and day out and I do not purport to push that image off on Jesus. But that we fail does not make us subject to our sinful nature. No, as Paul says, the Word of God empowers us. 2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

We are not yoked with sin... so when you say that every bad thought that crosses anyones mind is sin, then I say balderdash. That's not what scripture says. Scriptures says that it's not sin and that we can take those thoughts and make them obedient to Christ. As Christians, we are first and formost viewed as new creations in Christ. Blameless. We do not identify first and foremost as "evil sinners" as you appear to be suggesting. With Christ, we are free of that yoke.
 
The Lord Jesus Christ was tempted, but He was not enticed James 1:13-14

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

He was tempted yes, but only to the degree that it was not an enticment within Him to sin ! That type of tempation requires lust or evil desire to be in us, where by temptation throws a fire on it !

If you serve a Christ that was enticed to sin, you serve a False Christ and not the One of Scripture !
 
I think you are misunderstanding. It is true that out of the heart comes sinful thoughts, but good thoughts also originate from the heart. We don't throw the baby out with the bathwater and call the heart bad.

Every last one of us comes before God with an evil conscience. Heb. 10:22.

Is that 'all' we are or consist of? No. The 'whole heart' does come with that fact however.

And while I am speaking on the heart, in Jewish thought the heart is where the intellect is stirred, while emotions are stirred within the bowels.
Heart and mind are intimately linked, no doubt.

If I pass a woman and have an attraction toward her, is that adultery? Absolutely not. It is not until I desire her and feed that desire that the thought becomes sin. Why? Because I did not let my bowels dictate my heart, for it is from the heart (intellect) that sin is committed when it feeds the flesh.
You and I will disagree on that matter. I make no excuses or coverups of that activity in trying to gloss it over or bless it in the Name of God.

It is what it is no matter how fleeting. You are welcome to deem it your 'natural' evil and claim it for something else.
For the sake of simplicity, Evil is simply the absence of Good.
Evil is a power. Hab. 2:9

But your still rambling on about some external something or another with Jesus.
And you are rambling to put temptation within the Heart of Jesus.

I mean, did Jesus have some external thought when he was tempted or what?
His temptation was clearly from an entity that was not Him.

You can refer back to prior list.

A. Jesus had sinful lust of His Own, in His Own Heart, whereby He was tempted
B. Jesus had the temptation of Satan in His Own Heart
C. That evil tempting thoughts are neither evil nor tempting to engage evil within (your method of approach)
D. That temptation was an external force toward Jesus by an entity that was not Him

I still don't understand what in the world you mean by external. I mean, what is internal is made manifest externally. When Jesus was tempted, he did not sin and we can see this by his actions. Why? Because his heart (intellect) was in tact.
Quite beside the point. Jesus said that evil was internal in nature, stemming from evil thoughts which defile.

So those who want to place the temptation of Jesus within Him do so by the fulcrum of evil thoughts of intent, and thereby place evil thoughts within Him.

When his body was hungry, and it WAS hungry, he didn't base his response to Satan on his emotional state. No, he kept his witts about him and made the better choice.
I am not aware that hunger is on the list of sins.

Jesus has faith in us too... faith that we can keep our wits and make the better choices.
You have already stated the fact that you do not control having evil thoughts. Your choice to 'do whatever' with same is quite irrelevant to the fact of same being internally evil thoughts.

In SB's world, an evil thought is a SO WHAT, but certainly not EVIL THOUGHT.

I don't believe Jesus makes that same presentation, as previously noted.

Geesh, speak English please. Again, evil is the absence of good.
Repeating that false mantra isn't about to make it a fact.

Evil is internal and is a power exhibited first in the thought realm by evil thoughts.

It's really that simple. And no, we don't cover up evil.
No, in your case it's excused on the basis of non-external activity.

Were it 'excused' as such, Jesus would have not said such thoughts DEFILE the man.

Evil intent is the impetus or 'starting point' to evil actions, the fact of internal evil becoming external of what is already evil within.

Matthew 9:4
And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

Rather, we expose it
Oh, you mean 'excuse' it in the Name of Jesus?

Whatever.

The point remains Jesus had NO EVIL within and temptations within are tempting thoughts to DO EVIL.


s
 
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The Lord Jesus Christ was tempted, but He was not enticed James 1:13-14

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

He was tempted yes, but only to the degree that it was not an enticment within Him to sin ! That type of tempation requires lust or evil desire to be in us, where by temptation throws a fire on it !

If you serve a Christ that was enticed to sin, you serve a False Christ and not the One of Scripture !

Amen.

smaller, I think SBG about summed it up and after reading your last reply, welll, your obviously misunderstanding what I write as how you respond is not in harmony with what I am expressing.... and I don't like to be misrepresented.

It is clear that I do not understand your internal / external analogy and try as hard as I might not to interpret it as a form of Gnosticism, I can't shake that feeling. Simply put the way I understand it is this. Our external is is a manifestation of the internal. What was inside of Jesus was made manifest by what he did.. and clearly, Jesus did not sin when he was very clearly being tempted.

You have made no attempt to better explain your analogy, but rather reply in fashion that we are all becoming accustom to. I fear your misunderstandings are beginning to sound like false accusations.

Time to go... catch ya later.
 
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sb



Which one ?

Luke 11:11-13 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
 
Amen.

smaller, I think SBG about summed it up and after reading your last reply, welll, your obviously misunderstanding what I write as how you respond is not in harmony with what I am expressing.... and I don't like to be misrepresented.

Internal temptations are thoughts to do evil. Jesus had ZERO such thoughts.

It is clear that I do not understand your internal / external analogy and try as hard as I might not to interpret it as a form of Gnosticism,

You can keep slinging that claim without any specifics all you please. It means nothing without specifics.

I could say you are a muslim, and without specifics it is just as meaningless as your false claim of gnosticism, twice slung now.

I can't shake that feeling.

Obviously unable to elucidate your own impositions. When in doubt, sling 'feelings' without specifics.

Simply put the way I understand it is this. Our external is is a manifestation of the internal. What was inside of Jesus was made manifest by what he did.. and clearly, Jesus did not sin when he was very clearly being tempted.

IF the temptation of Jesus was internal in nature, then thoughts to DO EVIL are required to be 'within' to so tempt.

Jesus was abundantly clear that EVIL THOUGHTS are both EVIL and DEFILING.

Jesus had ZERO defiling thoughts. Not a ONE.

You have made no attempt to better explain your analogy,

Of which you slide right on by.
but rather reply in fashion that we are all becoming accustom to.

Oh, yes. Don't forget to insert the fallacies of argumentum ad populous and numerum in addition to your unspecified 'feelings' of gnosticism.

These things often deteriorate to 'rookie' clubbing tactics don't they?

s
 
Luke 11:11-13 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Why does Christ call them evil ? The heart is evil is why ! So you have failed to provide a scripture that states the heart is good. The only one that is God is the One God gives in New birth Ezk 36:26

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+36:25-27&version=KJV
The Natural Heart of man is described here Jer 17:9

9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
 
Matthew 5:8 (KJV)
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

The "pure in heart" are those who are pure, sincere, clean in motive and purpose; it is the state of heart which repels, loathes, every vile or sinful thing. Purity of heart is freedom from evil desires and purposes. James says, "Purify your hearts, ye doubleminded." James 4:8. Nothing is said here about how the heart is purified; we learn later that it is purified by faith. Acts 15:9, 1 Thess 5:23, 1 Tim, 1:5, Pet 1:22. A heart that does not believe in God or Christ is an impure heart; all worshipers of idols have impure hearts. The precious promise to those who are pure in heart is that "they shall see God."
 
Even though the Lord Jesus became a Man, nevertheless He never at anytime was an finite man

This is heresy - sorry to be blunt - it's an important issue and one which makes Christianity more like fantasy as anything else.

If Jesus was not fully human as you and I then his birth and death mean nothing - our salvation is worthless.

The Nicene Creed makes it clear than Jesus was both fully human as he was fully divine.

If you don't accept Jesus was fully human then you are following Docetism which also effected Marcion and the gnostics.
 
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