The Sinless Human

[Netchaplain]

The Lord Jesus was fully human physically but not spiritually, that is, He had the nature of our body but not the nature of our soul (the soul being the reasoning entity of our spirit). The nature of a human soul is sinful, but the nature of Christ’s soul was sinless! Thus only Christians have two natures in their soul (old and new man)! This “new man” or new nature in those reborn is something “created in righteousness and true holiness,” and “after the image of Him that created him (it)” (Eph 4:24; Col 3:10). Man was created in God’s “likeness,” but the Son of God was incarnated after the “likeness of sinful flesh” (Rom 8:3 – “He sent His own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have” -NLT).

The word “likeness” here is in the sense of similarity, in appearance only, but not as identically the same. One (Jesus) taking on a body has the appearance of having the sinful nature, but it is common knowledge of course that the Lord Jesus did not partake of the sinful nature (“old man”) of a human. He partook of the nature of a human body (if its “infirmities” - Heb 4:15 - can be considered a nature) but not the nature of a human soul, which is sinful. After all, does not all spirit beings have their own soul, as Jesus has His own Soul.

There may be some who may think that human sin coexisted in Christ with His deity, but this is incorrect! During the crucifixion at His death, the guilt of all believers sin was “laid on Him” (Isa 53:6), but never in Him, i.e. He was made out to be sin, not actually be sin but imputatively; “to be the offering for our sin” (2Co 5:21 NLT). Not to stray too far from the subject matter, there are some (e.g. J MacArthur, R C Sproul, etc.) who believe that Christ was peccable and was capable of sinning, but this conflicts with the fact that “God cannot be tempted with evil” (Jam 1:13). Also, to sin you must have a sin nature!

The best I can say is that He did not need to partake of the nature of man’s soul to “be touched with the feeling of our infirmities”; nor could He, because the sin sacrifice required being “spotless.” Jesus was “tempted of the devil,” but He was not enticed within Himself to do evil, as a man would, He being without a sin nature.

Here (Rom 8:3) the word “flesh” is in relation to the nature of man’s spirit, which is sinful, and not in the sense of the physical body because a thing or object cannot be considered sinful, it being without spirit and soul. Things can be used sinfully but never become sinful! Therefore, the proper interpretation here for “flesh” is in reference to the nature of man’s spirit and not the body of man’s spirit. ‘Sarx’; Strong’s definition IV: “the flesh, denotes mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God.”

 

[CharismaticLady]

The Lord Jesus was fully human physically but not spiritually, that is, He had the nature of our body but not the nature of our soul (the soul being the reasoning entity of our spirit). The nature of a human soul is sinful, but the nature of Christ’s soul was sinless! Thus only Christians have two natures in their soul (old and new man)! This “new man” or new nature in those reborn is something “created in righteousness and true holiness,” and “after the image of Him that created him (it)” (Eph 4:24; Col 3:10). Man was created in God’s “likeness,” but the Son of God was incarnated after the “likeness of sinful flesh” (Rom 8:3 – “He sent His own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have” -NLT).

The word “likeness” here is in the sense of similarity, in appearance only, but not as identically the same. One (Jesus) taking on a body has the appearance of having the sinful nature, but it is common knowledge of course that the Lord Jesus did not partake of the sinful nature (“old man”) of a human. He partook of the nature of a human body (if its “infirmities” - Heb 4:15 - can be considered a nature) but not the nature of a human soul, which is sinful. After all, does not all spirit beings have their own soul, as Jesus has His own Soul.

There may be some who may think that human sin coexisted in Christ with His deity, but this is incorrect! During the crucifixion at His death, the guilt of all believers sin was “laid on Him” (Isa 53:6), but never in Him, i.e. He was made out to be sin, not actually be sin but imputatively; “to be the offering for our sin” (2Co 5:21 NLT). Not to stray too far from the subject matter, there are some (e.g. J MacArthur, R C Sproul, etc.) who believe that Christ was peccable and was capable of sinning, but this conflicts with the fact that “God cannot be tempted with evil” (Jam 1:13). Also, to sin you must have a sin nature!

The best I can say is that He did not need to partake of the nature of man’s soul to “be touched with the feeling of our infirmities”; nor could He, because the sin sacrifice required being “spotless.” Jesus was “tempted of the devil,” but He was not enticed within Himself to do evil, as a man would, He being without a sin nature.

Here (Rom 8:3) the word “flesh” is in relation to the nature of man’s spirit, which is sinful, and not in the sense of the physical body because a thing or object cannot be considered sinful, it being without spirit and soul. Things can be used sinfully but never become sinful! Therefore, the proper interpretation here for “flesh” is in reference to the nature of man’s spirit and not the body of man’s spirit. ‘Sarx’; Strong’s definition IV: “the flesh, denotes mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God.”

I agree. Do you also agree that when you are given the Holy Spirit of Christ and walk in the Spirit that you can stay there? You don't have to go in and out of walking in the Spirit, and therefore be sinless and part of the brotherhood of Christ, who was the firstborn of many brethren? Romans. 8:29-30

 

[ChristisGod]

The Lord Jesus was fully human physically but not spiritually, that is, He had the nature of our body but not the nature of our soul (the soul being the reasoning entity of our spirit). The nature of a human soul is sinful, but the nature of Christ’s soul was sinless! Thus only Christians have two natures in their soul (old and new man)! This “new man” or new nature in those reborn is something “created in righteousness and true holiness,” and “after the image of Him that created him (it)” (Eph 4:24; Col 3:10). Man was created in God’s “likeness,” but the Son of God was incarnated after the “likeness of sinful flesh” (Rom 8:3 – “He sent His own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have” -NLT).

The word “likeness” here is in the sense of similarity, in appearance only, but not as identically the same. One (Jesus) taking on a body has the appearance of having the sinful nature, but it is common knowledge of course that the Lord Jesus did not partake of the sinful nature (“old man”) of a human. He partook of the nature of a human body (if its “infirmities” - Heb 4:15 - can be considered a nature) but not the nature of a human soul, which is sinful. After all, does not all spirit beings have their own soul, as Jesus has His own Soul.

There may be some who may think that human sin coexisted in Christ with His deity, but this is incorrect! During the crucifixion at His death, the guilt of all believers sin was “laid on Him” (Isa 53:6), but never in Him, i.e. He was made out to be sin, not actually be sin but imputatively; “to be the offering for our sin” (2Co 5:21 NLT). Not to stray too far from the subject matter, there are some (e.g. J MacArthur, R C Sproul, etc.) who believe that Christ was peccable and was capable of sinning, but this conflicts with the fact that “God cannot be tempted with evil” (Jam 1:13). Also, to sin you must have a sin nature!

The best I can say is that He did not need to partake of the nature of man’s soul to “be touched with the feeling of our infirmities”; nor could He, because the sin sacrifice required being “spotless.” Jesus was “tempted of the devil,” but He was not enticed within Himself to do evil, as a man would, He being without a sin nature.

Here (Rom 8:3) the word “flesh” is in relation to the nature of man’s spirit, which is sinful, and not in the sense of the physical body because a thing or object cannot be considered sinful, it being without spirit and soul. Things can be used sinfully but never become sinful! Therefore, the proper interpretation here for “flesh” is in reference to the nature of man’s spirit and not the body of man’s spirit. ‘Sarx’; Strong’s definition IV: “the flesh, denotes mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God.”

Both Sproul and MacArthur adhere to the Impeccability of Christ . Here is Mac below


In his commentary on 2 Corinthians, John MacArthur explains that all of God’s Word testifies to the crucial truth of Christ’s sinlessness.

The impeccability (sinlessness) of Jesus Christ is universally affirmed in Scripture, by believers and unbelievers alike. In John 8:46 Jesus challenged His Jewish opponents, “Which one of you convicts Me of sin?” Before sentencing Him to death, Pilate repeatedly affirmed His innocence, declaring, “I find no guilt in this man” (Luke 23:4; cf. vv. 14, 22). The repentant thief on the cross said of Jesus, “This man has done nothing wrong” (Luke 23:41). Even the hardened, callous Roman centurion in charge of the execution detail admitted, “Certainly this man was innocent” (Luke 23:47).

The apostles, those who most closely observed Jesus’ life during His earthly ministry, also testified to His sinlessness. Peter publicly proclaimed Him to be the “Holy and Righteous One” (Acts 3:14). In his first epistle he declared Jesus to be “unblemished and spotless” (1 Peter 1:19); one “who committed no sin” (2:22); and “just” (3:18). John also testified to His sinlessness, writing, “in Him there is no sin” (1 John 3:5). The inspired writer of Hebrews notes that “we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15), because He is “holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens” (7:26). [5]

John goes on to explain that the most powerful testament to the sinless nature of Christ comes in His unbroken fellowship with the Father, summed up in the simple statement, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). John writes,

It is equally unthinkable that God, whose “eyes are too pure to approve evil” (Habakkuk 1:13; cf. James 1:13), would make anyone a sinner, let alone His own Holy Son. He was the unblemished Lamb while on the cross, personally guilty of no evil. [6]


Did Christ Become Sinful on Our Behalf?

 

[Tetha]

Since like begets like then what we have in Christ is His likeness to the Father (spiritual) and likeness to Mary (flesh). Those are the prerequisites of the 2 natures. Perhaps the y chromosome was missing from His dna, somehow leaving behind the sin nature, but of this is speculation.


What is known tho is that Jesus was, by one nature, ; the Sin nature, submitted to the spiritual nature, and is how we can; in repentance and an identification to His nature of humanity, to obtain to the reckoning of it (our sin nature) committed to His soul, just as He committed His soul to God (into your hands I commit my spirit as He died) That baptism into Him is for the sin nature’s redemption.


Sin nature and sin(s) are not the same thing. Sins are dealt with according to the degree of commitment (sanctification) one has to the sanctifier. Upon that is the anchor of the soul, which is Hope.


Hopefully that made sense to you.

 

[ChristisGod]

Since like begets like then what we have in Christ is His likeness to the Father (spiritual) and likeness to Mary (flesh). Those are the prerequisites of the 2 natures. Perhaps the y chromosome was missing from His dna, somehow leaving behind the sin nature, but of this is speculation.


What is known tho is that Jesus was, by one nature, ; the Sin nature, submitted to the spiritual nature, and is how we can; in repentance and an identification to His nature of humanity, to obtain to the reckoning of it (our sin nature) committed to His soul, just as He committed His soul to God (into your hands I commit my spirit as He died) That baptism into Him is for the sin nature’s redemption.


Sin nature and sin(s) are not the same thing. Sins are dealt with according to the degree of commitment (sanctification) one has to the sanctifier. Upon that is the anchor of the soul, which is Hope.


Hopefully that made sense to you.

No it doesn’t since both the 1st and 2nd Adam had no sin nature.

 

[Tetha]

The phrase “sinful nature” was formerly used in versions such as the NIV to translate the word sarx in Paul's writings. * But that word simply means “flesh.” Many times it's used to describe the human body, for example, when Paul says that Jesus “appeared in the flesh” (that is, he became human).

So neither Adam (man and woman in creation) nor Adam (christ and the church) were/are flesh? What do you mean by Emmanuel (God with us)?

 

[Daniel Veler]

The phrase “sinful nature” was formerly used in versions such as the NIV to translate the word sarx in Paul's writings. * But that word simply means “flesh.” Many times it's used to describe the human body, for example, when Paul says that Jesus “appeared in the flesh” (that is, he became human).

So neither Adam (man and woman in creation) nor Adam (christ and the church) were/are flesh? What do you mean by Emmanuel (God with us)?

Christ had several names. He was called the anointed one which the Greek translation wrote the name Christ. The angel told Mary in one of the gospel Emmanuel meaning God with us. Christ told us that he and the Father are one. He is in me and I am in him. In another place he said the Father tells me what to say. The words I speak are not mine but my Father’s. This we have the name Emmanuel. In another gospel he was to be called Joshua meaning savior. But when God declare Christ he called him Son. For he said this is my beloved Son.

 

[APAK]

The Lord Jesus was fully human physically but not spiritually, that is, He had the nature of our body but not the nature of our soul (the soul being the reasoning entity of our spirit). The nature of a human soul is sinful, but the nature of Christ’s soul was sinless! Thus only Christians have two natures in their soul (old and new man)! This “new man” or new nature in those reborn is something “created in righteousness and true holiness,” and “after the image of Him that created him (it)” (Eph 4:24; Col 3:10). Man was created in God’s “likeness,” but the Son of God was incarnated after the “likeness of sinful flesh” (Rom 8:3 – “He sent His own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have” -NLT).

The word “likeness” here is in the sense of similarity, in appearance only, but not as identically the same. One (Jesus) taking on a body has the appearance of having the sinful nature, but it is common knowledge of course that the Lord Jesus did not partake of the sinful nature (“old man”) of a human. He partook of the nature of a human body (if its “infirmities” - Heb 4:15 - can be considered a nature) but not the nature of a human soul, which is sinful. After all, does not all spirit beings have their own soul, as Jesus has His own Soul.

There may be some who may think that human sin coexisted in Christ with His deity, but this is incorrect! During the crucifixion at His death, the guilt of all believers sin was “laid on Him” (Isa 53:6), but never in Him, i.e. He was made out to be sin, not actually be sin but imputatively; “to be the offering for our sin” (2Co 5:21 NLT). Not to stray too far from the subject matter, there are some (e.g. J MacArthur, R C Sproul, etc.) who believe that Christ was peccable and was capable of sinning, but this conflicts with the fact that “God cannot be tempted with evil” (Jam 1:13). Also, to sin you must have a sin nature!

The best I can say is that He did not need to partake of the nature of man’s soul to “be touched with the feeling of our infirmities”; nor could He, because the sin sacrifice required being “spotless.” Jesus was “tempted of the devil,” but He was not enticed within Himself to do evil, as a man would, He being without a sin nature.

Here (Rom 8:3) the word “flesh” is in relation to the nature of man’s spirit, which is sinful, and not in the sense of the physical body because a thing or object cannot be considered sinful, it being without spirit and soul. Things can be used sinfully but never become sinful! Therefore, the proper interpretation here for “flesh” is in reference to the nature of man’s spirit and not the body of man’s spirit. ‘Sarx’; Strong’s definition IV: “the flesh, denotes mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God.”

I believe this is the first time I've disagreed with you about of one of your OP/threads. This is the one.

I do not believe the Christ was God Almighty and I also disagree in the OP as to why the Christ was sinless.

I do believe though that as the 1st Adam, the 2nd Adam was also born with a sinless uncorrupted spirit. And thus with each living and breathing body attached, also they were sinless souls.

The term 'likeness' was applied to the Christ with his other contemporary men. He was human in body as they were, with the likeness of their spirit. They were born corrupted in spirit, with an affinity to sin from birth. On the other hand, with the Father's presence at his side from birth and especially entering his spirit at his anointing, and with the angelic support throughout, the Christ was guaranteed to be sinless and maintain a spotless and undefiled spirit, and thus soul.

Christ was peccable and genuinely tempted to sin, indeed, although never sinned. The 1st Adam was also peccable and was tempted although he finally sinned. He must have been sin-free, many decades past the age that Christ went to the Cross. If the 1st Adam endured without sin for maybe a few hundred years, surely Christ could easily be sinless in his 30's and beyond with all the constant heavenly assistance given to him.

Besides, Christ did possess his Father's mind and voice (his word) - they were one, and worked as if they were one in Spirit although they were separate. One was divine and the other completely human, as the 1st Adam.

Blessing to you,

APAK

 

[Netchaplain]

Both Sproul and MacArthur adhere to the Impeccability of Christ .

I'm still looking for the YouTube one on John but here's one on RC, and he says Jesus could have sinned if He chose to, or what would be the sense in Him being tempted?

 

[APAK]

I'm still looking for the YouTube one on John but here's one on RC, and he says Jesus could have sinned if He chose to, or what would be the sense in Him being tempted?

Well I guess there are more people, than just myself, that believes in the peccability of Christ. Christ was susceptible to sin although he did not.

 

[ChristisGod]

I'm still looking for the YouTube one on John but here's one on RC, and he says Jesus could have sinned if He chose to, or what would be the sense in Him being tempted?

Thanks for the video .

 

[marks]

The word “likeness” here is in the sense of similarity, in appearance only, but not as identically the same. One (Jesus) taking on a body has the appearance of having the sinful nature, but it is common knowledge of course that the Lord Jesus did not partake of the sinful nature (“old man”) of a human. He partook of the nature of a human body (if its “infirmities” - Heb 4:15 - can be considered a nature) but not the nature of a human soul, which is sinful. After all, does not all spirit beings have their own soul, as Jesus has His own Soul.

I think that Jesus was capable of sin in the same way that Adam was, before having actually sinned. Adam had a body that would "tolerate" sinning, and Adam, being who and what he was, chose to sin.

I understand Jesus to be born with the same sort of body Adam was created with, fresh, new, untainted, but able to "tolerate" sin in the same way Adam's would.

However, the first man was from the dirt, while the last man is the Lord of Heaven, another way of saying, being in human flesh, yes, sin was a possibility, but Jesus wouldn't sin, no not in a million billion billion years!

Jesus was like being the fully mature Christian - Christ be formed within you - in an uncorrupted body. As Christians, we sin, remaining entangled with corrupt flesh. Remove the corruption - the corruptible must put on incorruptibility - freedom!!

Much love!

 

[Netchaplain]

I think that Jesus was capable of sin in the same way that Adam was, before having actually sinned. Adam had a body that would "tolerate" sinning, and Adam, being who and what he was, chose to sin.

Some believe that, but the only likeness of Christ's incarnation to man was His body and the accompanying "infirmities" (Heb 4:15; 5:2). Other than our sins on Him, the only part of Him that had to die was His body. He had nothing within Him like the "old man" that we possess that had to be "destroyed" (Rom 6:6, nullified but not eliminated).

When Scripture writes that "God saw that it was good" it designs the intention that He foreknew He would use all for good that He created, like the Tree of good and evil, Satan and man, hell and the lake of fire. He knew all would be use for the good of His plan and pleasure. It's also a common mistake in the belief that Adam and Eve did not possess the old man (sin nature) until they partook of the Tree, but this merely manifested that they did have the sin nature prior to the temptation. They expressed possesing "all that is in the world" (1Jo 2:16) in Gen 3:6 prior to partaking of the Tree: "saw that the tree was good for food" (which God said it was in 1:12 but with man it is "lust of the flesh" or great hunger for food or anything we desire in excess relating only to this life), "was pleasant to the eyes" (same thing concerning great desire for all that is appealing to see), "the pride of life" (which Gill comments that "which above all was the most engaging, and was the most prevailing motive to influence her to eat of it, an eager desire of more wisdom and knowledge; though there was nothing she could see in the tree, and the fruit of it, which promised this; only she perceived in her mind, by the discourse she had with the serpent, and by what he had told her, and she believed, that this would be the consequence of eating this fruit, which was very desirable, and she concluded within herself that so it would be."

A human consists of a spirit, body, soul and nature. The only "likeness" that was of Christ's incarnation or humanity was His body and its "infirmities" which He endured from it. His spirit being has always existed, but His body, like ours was incarnated; and His soul and nature could ever only be Divine. Concerning that Christ "was in all points tempted like as we are" (Heb 4:15), I like how Gill's comment addresses this in Heb 2:18:

"For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted",.... "By Satan, at his entrance on his public ministry, and a little before his death; which was done, not by stirring up sin in him, for he had none, nor by putting any into him, which could not be done, nor could Satan get any advantage over him; he solicited him one thing and another, but in vain; though these temptations were very troublesome, and disagreeable, and abhorrent to the pure and holy nature of Christ, and so must be reckoned among his sufferings, or things by which he suffered: and as afflictions are sometimes called temptations, in this sense also Christ suffered, being tempted, with outward poverty and meanness, with slight and neglect from his own relations, and with a general contempt and reproach among men: he was often tempted by the Jews with ensnaring questions; he was deserted by his followers, by his own disciples, yea, by his God and Father; all which were great trials to him, and must be accounted as sufferings: and he also endured great pains of body, and anguish of mind, and at last death itself."

"A body hast Thou prepared Me," so that God could "condemn sin in the flesh (sin in the nature, i.e. not the body which has no sin within itself); for He did not desire "burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin" (Heb 10:6).

 

[Wrangler]

I heard a sermon once that said Jesus was not perfect. He did not cut every board perfectly square in his work as a carpenter. He has weakness. Got tired. Had to eat, drink water and rest.

Perfection is not the standard. The standard is being obedient to God, doing the Will of God. Sinless but not perfect. Is that acceptable?

 

[Wrangler]

The Lord Jesus was fully human physically but not spiritually

The pernicious lie is to say Jesus was fully human but then list the ways he was inhuman. Either he is a man, with ALL that comes with it, or he is merely in the form of a man. The Bible says we was a man (and not merely in the form of a man)

I've always thought the trinitarian deification of this man undermines his accomplishment. A God appearing to die but 'raised' is not shocking since God can do anything. That a man died and was resurrected by God into a glorified body proves our inheritance.

None that are chosen, who are given and sealed by the Holy Spirit are spiritually human. Jesus is not unique in that regard. See John 17:22.

All firstborn's are the only child until other children come along. Jesus was the only son of God but now there are many. Jesus remains the only resurrected into a glorified body son. See 1 John 3:2.

 

[marks]

but the only likeness of Christ's incarnation to man was His body and the accompanying "infirmities" (Heb 4:15; 5:2). Other than our sins on Him, the only part of Him that had to die was His body. He had nothing within Him like the "old man" that we possess that had to be "destroyed" (Rom 6:6, nullified but not eliminated).

I think we are saying the same thing about this, that He offered His body.

In the comparison to Adam, I don't see Adam having corrupted flesh (I don't say "sin nature" as that's not really Biblical language) until he actually sinned, which is what, I think, introduces corruption in the flesh as sin behaviors begin to rewrite the brain according to the knowledge of good and evil, which then goes on to perpetuate the instigation of evil in a vain attempt to control it.

Law incites sin.

Being born in corrupt flesh means we will follow the corrupted programming, and add to it our own corruptions. Bad behavior breeds more bad behavior unless interupted.

We are to renew our minds.

Jesus was born in a body that was not part of Adam's line, so did not share Adam's corruption. Jesus was a Spirit living in a body, but unlike Adam, who was earthy, and as we know chose sin, Jesus was not earthy, but is the Lord of Heaven, meaning, they were all His rules to begin with, and Jesus lived according to Who He is.

It's also a common mistake in the belief that Adam and Eve did not possess the old man (sin nature) until they partook of the Tree, but this merely manifested that they did have the sin nature prior to the temptation.

I think rarely we disagree, but on this I disagree with you. God did not create man sinful. The old man is the man that died when they ate. God didn't make dead men. We died, and He is restoring us to life. The old man is the dead man, the new man is the man restored to life.

The difference between Adam and us, as I see it, is that Adam's life was given to him by God, and he could keep it by just living it, or he could forfeit it by eating from that tree.

Our live is Jesus living in us, something very different.

Always an interesting thing to think about and talk about.

I see the corruption of the flesh being the mal-adaptive brain, that is born already wired with the propensity to sin, with that being reinforced by the sins we commit. We are to renew our minds, now that we have something that they can be renewed to. The natural man lacks anything besides that maladaptive brain. It's like the insane person psychoanalyzing themself, you can't do it. But then Jesus brings His life into us, makes us something new, and begins to restore the brain adaptations to His pattern, the pattern which the Bible will form our minds to if we let it.

The body isn't sinful, it's not wrong, but it's broken. The soul of the old man, his personality, values, preferences, are all written and recorded and processed in the electro-chemical environment of the brain. The structure and function of the brain will determine the limits of what can come from that mind. Addictions, perversions, sense of self for better or worse, I could go on and on, these are found in the chemistry and circuitry of the brain.

I'm not saying we are what our brain is, we are much more complex than that. But the person who is born with a brain that is wired to think the fleshy way, the mind and brain are in sync with each other. When that person is born again, that's not so. And there's the conflict. We have a new mind in an old brain. The old brain seems to exert undue influence over our thoughts and feeling, so we need to take control over those thoughts and feelings, so they will stop being the way the old brain is, and they will start being the way the new mind is. This is the renewing of the mind, I think.

Brain plasticity tells us that in time, the brain will be at least partially rewritten according to the new way, meaning as we become more mature in Christ, our brains are being reformed according to that new life - - - IF we are making those choices, and living the new life - - - and gets easier in some respects.

The fearce cravings of a freshly stopped addiction are more tempered as the brain loses some of the dendrites driving those cravings as you don't give in. Don't feed the cravings by giving in to the addiction, and eventually the cravings diminish, as the brain reforms itself.

Much love!

 

[ChristisGod]

I heard a sermon once that said Jesus was not perfect. He did not cut every board perfectly square in his work as a carpenter. He has weakness. Got tired. Had to eat, drink water and rest.

Perfection is not the standard. The standard is being obedient to God, doing the Will of God. Sinless but not perfect. Is that acceptable?

Not one but acceptable concerning Christ.

 

[Netchaplain]

Jesus was born in a body that was not part of Adam's line, so did not share Adam's corruption.

I'm always encouraged in you replies and thankful for your comments. I also think we are of like understanding most of the time, which is not often in my fellowship with most in my nearly 45 years of study, even concerning the church I attend. The Reformation recovered much concerning salvation through faith Christ but there is also important growth truths in the Word which has not sufficiently been understood, addressed and taught that causes Christendom in general to be in less encouraging state; which I believe will remain until His return.

Concerning your comment here, I see it that it's only the body that Christ has in communion with believers, because His spirit, soul and nature was not and of course is not that of man's humanity, or where would the "spotless" sacrifice be? The overall issue concerns that of what is most significant within a being, and that is the nature of the being, for it's the nature that determines the quality of the spirit and soul, an which guides the being.

So, the Lord Jesus was incarnated like man, a spirit being adjoining a body (which is what all that was needed), but was not as we know conceived like man, which was by the Holy Spirit, thus avoiding the human sin nature, for the purpose of His expiation. Realistically, "to be fully human" (not seen in Scripture) would be to also assume the sin nature, which Adam and Eve manifested by sinning.

With God, even evil is used for good, which is to manifest His holiness, thus everything He created was good--and ready to be used in His plan for man. It is helpful to remember that the greater issue concerning sin is not the sin nature and its iniquity, but that God knew this would be so, prior to creating, even from eternity past; and because of the fact of Him allowing it all to transpire the way He knew they would, all things that come to pass is always His plan and way of salvation for man. We believers can find persistent encouragement in knowing that whatever occurs in the life of one reborn (believer), it can and should be considered always for our "good," because in His omnipotence He has it all "worked" out for our goodness in Him (Ro 8:28)!

 

[Netchaplain]

I agree. Do you also agree that when you are given the Holy Spirit of Christ and walk in the Spirit that you can stay there? You don't have to go in and out of walking in the Spirit, and therefore be sinless and part of the brotherhood of Christ, who was the firstborn of many brethren? Romans. 8:29-30

Always appreciate your replies! It's my understanding that the more important issue for those reborn is the guiltlessness, because as long as we're here, the "old man" (sin nature) will indwell and affect our lives, but no longer in a dominative manner (Ro 6:12, 14), i.e. it can no longer cause us to desire sin. Thus when a believer sins it is not intentional nor desired, and nor our will as the "new man." It's the old man (sin nature) doing it and no longer the believer (Ro 7:17, 20); for our desire in the new nature is no longer after the old nature, because it's after the Spirit (Ro 8:9); who alone repeatedly confirms to us to be "children of God" (Ro 8:16).

 

[Netchaplain]

I heard a sermon once that said Jesus was not perfect. He did not cut every board perfectly square in his work as a carpenter. He has weakness. Got tired. Had to eat, drink water and rest.

Perfection is not the standard. The standard is being obedient to God, doing the Will of God. Sinless but not perfect. Is that acceptable?

Pretty good points! I would say Jesus Christ was perfect in His nature, thus perfect in His walk and manner of lifestyle. It's the nature of a being that determines the quality of the spirit and soul, thus He being without the sin nature (old man) could not sin, or where would be the "spotless" expiation for our sin. My intention of the article is merely to demonstrate that Jesus did not need to be fully human (having a sin nature). To do what He was sent to do only required a human body, to "condemn sin" (Rom 8:3) by destroying it's guilt and dominion at the death of His body.