Was Jesus God?

Could Jesus Have Sinned?

Published on November 20, 2004 By preacherman In Religion

In the second letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul states that God made him (Christ Jesus), who knew no sin, to be sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Corinthians 5:21

I believe Christ was without sin, that He might present Himself the spotless lamb of God for the sin of the world; John 1:29, the question is could Jesus have sinned?

In Acts 20:28 the Apostle Paul exhorted the leaders in the church at Ephesus to "take heed unto thereselves, and to all the flock )church) over the which the Holy Ghost hath made them overseerers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His blood." This passage of scriputre would indicate that the Church of God (no reference to the denomination) was purchased with God's on blood, which would indicate that Christ was God reconciling the world to Himself! Was Jesus God?

preacherman
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Comments (Page 1)

Danny Bassette

on Nov 20, 2004

Could as in a hypothetical way? ie, he had the option buy chose not to. Or could as it might he have sinned but it wasn't recorded? In the first case, well that was the point, if he couldn't have sinned then he wouldn't have been very human, now would he. In the second case, if he had actually sinned it would make much of the bible self contradictory, which would lead to a serious blow to christianity. If he had sinned it would mean he wasn't the sinless sacrifice for us, meaning well, we're out of luck, no heaven for any of us. Leastwise that's my opinion on the question...

fallingonyou

on Nov 21, 2004

There has been a lot of debate over if Jesus had sinned or if he did indeed lead a perfect life.Some say he had a child even with Mary Magdalain(I think that was her name).But in order to discuss something of this nature you have to have a common basis to discuss it on and in most cases you would use the bible.Being that the bible doesnt have a single scripture talking about how Jesus sinned not even once.

And like Danny said,if he couldn't have sinned then how human would he have been?But he was human,a perfect human with all the same tempations as everyone around him,and the free will to choose right from wrong.

And if we are going to use the bible as a basis for discussion I have to point out the fact that even if Jesus had sinned,it wouldn't change the fact of if we are going to heaven,because the bible give a distinct number of 144,000 that will be raised to rule in heaven as kings along side god.What Jesus gave his life for was so the rest of humanity that "are of the right heart condition" would have the chance to live on earth in a perfect exsistence forever.

preacherman

on Nov 21, 2004

I think fallinonyou makes a valid assesment, that to discuss something of this nature and importance, we must have some basis to form our opinions. I would like to submit the Bible for the foundation.

With regard to His humanity, Hebrews 2:14 says " that as the children (all of humanity, you and I included) are partakers of flesh and blood, He himself likewise took part of the same: that through death He might destroy him that had power of death, that is the devil." God had to become a man in order to redeem falling man and manifest the upper hand over satan.

With regard to Danny's question; yes...as in a hypothetical way. Did Jesus have the capacity to sin? If we believe Jesus was God in the flesh and James 1:13 states, "God cannot be tempted with evil neither tempteth any man", it would appear Christ did not have the capacity to sin. I agree with Danny in that if Christ would have sinned He could not have been the propitation for the sin of humanity. If His capacity to sin would have resulted in the commission of sin there could have been no redemption. So God did not waste His time on redeeming mankind and sending someone who could not satisfy the payment- He Himself came.

God Bless
preacherman

fallingonyou

on Nov 22, 2004

If Christ and God are one,show me a single scripture that says it plz?
And if that was the case who resurrected him after he was kill?

MythicalMino

on Nov 22, 2004

there are several references to Jesus as God -

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
(Joh 1:1-14)

- This passage here tells us that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, adn the Word WAS God.....

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
(Col 2:6-10)

- Here we read that Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead bodily

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
(Rev 1:8)

- Here we have Jesus saying he is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the ending.....the first and the last. Also, note, that this refers to Jesus as "the Almighty"....

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
(Joh 8:56-59)

- Here, we have Jesus refer to himself as "I AM"....before you say that the Jesus wasn't referring to the Title God revealed himself to Moses as, notice that for most of that chapter, Jesus is speaking with the Jews about where he came from, who he was, ect.....When He said "Before Abraham was, I am", the Jews knew exactly what he was saying, that is why they tried to stone him....Remember, when he stood in the court of Caiphas, he was accused of blasphemy.....

There are many many more references to Jesus as God.....like, the fact that he accepted worship (see Matthew 8:2, 9:18, 14:33, Mark 5:6, Luke 24:52, John 9:38...among other passages). He is referred to as the Everlasting Father and The Mighty God(Isaiah 9:6).....he was the creator: "All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made" (John 1:3) and "For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, wheter they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him: And he is before all things, and by Him all things consist." (Colossians 1: 16, 17)....also, In Hebrews 1: 1 - 3, you read, "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high".

MythicalMino

on Nov 22, 2004

Also, after reading your question again...maybe i answered it in a direction that you were not looking for.....

They are "One", just like a Christian becomes "one" with Jesus.....

If you check out John chapter 17, you will see that Jesus prays for those who believe in Him: (John 17:20-23) "Niether pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, are in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and has loved them, as thou hast loved me."

As for how was Jesus resurrected? By the power of God....The Trinity is made up of 3 distinct persons....God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost (or, Holy Spirit, depending on how "old time Gospel" you are). How do I know they are 3 distinct, seperate persons? Just look at the baptism of Jesus....you see Jesus in the water, you hear the Father's voice from heaven, and you see the Holy Spirit settle on Jesus. The Bible also refers to them as separate in many places...just check out the salutations in the epistles....

When Jesus was dead and buried, that doesn't mean that we had a "Godless Universe"....It was Jesus, the 2nd person in the Trinity, that was buried, not the Father or the Holy Spirit. If you read in John (: 17-18, we see that Jesus says "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."

Another spot, where Jesus refers to raising himself up from the dead: (John 2:18-22) Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What signs shewest thout unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body. When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said."

In other words, Jesus rasied himself....and in so doing, he stipped the Devil of his power, who had the power of death.

Heb 2:14-15
(14) Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
(15) And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

preacherman

on Nov 22, 2004

In the gospel of John 1:1 "In the was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" With understanding from God's Spirit of Truth, we would have to surmize that the Word has exisited for eternity...He was in the beginning with God, and He was God.
Later on in this same chapter / verse 14 the Bible says "the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father,) full of grace and truth.

Check this one out fallingonyou; Acts 20:28 The Apostle Paul exhorted the church leaders in the church of Ephesus to "take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock (church), over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with His own blood." Two important notes (1) the church belongs to God; hence the Church of God, no reference to the denomination by the same name. The true church is every individual who has trusted in Christ based upon the truth of God's word. It doesn't matter what nation, race, people or tongue. (2) How did God aquire this posession (church), He purchased it with His own blood.

The scriptures teach us that God is a Spirit (John 4:24) and a spirit does not have flesh and blood, except he could become a man. God could and He did..... the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, that He might redeem mankind with His own blood.

To the resurrection- Romans 8:11 tells us the Spirit of God raised Jesus from the dead. This Spirit is the same Spirit (Holy Ghost) that is operational in the the ministry of the gospel today. This Spirit is just as much God as Jesus was therefore the doctrine of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

These are only a couple of verses, but there are many more if we had the time and the space.

God Bless
preacherman

preacherman

on Nov 22, 2004

mythicalmino is well grounded in the scriptures. He posted his response before I did and they are worthy of consideration.

God Bless
preacherman

fallingonyou

on Nov 24, 2004

if they are "one" who resurrected Christ after his death?

Why does Christ give so many references to his Father if he was talking about himself?

MythicalMino

on Nov 25, 2004

I thought I answered this above.....

I believe, according to what I see in the Scriptures...they are One in UNITY. And, according to The Bible, Jesus raised Himself from the dead.....

preacherman

on Nov 25, 2004

The scriptures teach that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one (doctrine of the trinity- 3 distinct persons yet one).

Consider this; what is the difference between (4) quarters, (10) dimes or (100) pennies? One might would say there is a difference, yet in the financial world they all equate to to the same value($1) dollar. The analogy is true with the apple. If you take and carefully remove all the peeling of the apple and place it in a pile, next carefully seperate all the meat from the core and create two additional piles, what would you have? You would have three seperate piles of apple. No one pile is anymore the apple than the the other two. I might add that each part of the apple, yet different they all play a vital role in the composition of the apple. So it is in the world of Divinity- Jesus and the Holy Spirit are just as much God as God the Father. Even though they are three piles, so to speak they are all part of one and the same...God. There are many more examples in His creation but for the sake of time and space, we will move on.

What God has revealed in His three persons is the uniqueness of His operation and dealings with His creation.

The scriptures teach us that God is a Spirit (John 4:24) and a spirit does not have flesh and blood, except he could become a man. God could and He did..... the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, that He might redeem mankind with His own blood.

God chose to redeem lost and sinful man through a blood sacrifice. Under the old testament tenure he chose the sacrifice of an animal, full well knowing, that one day He would offer the sinless sacrifice of His son. In order for a Spirit to have the capacity to die, he must become a man.

mythicalmino's reference

Heb 2:14-15
(14) Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
(15) And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Not only did the sacrifice become a man, he had to be a man who was tempted in all point like to humanity, yet without sin- only God could fullfill, and He did, in the person of Christ.

The Holy Spirt which is just as much God as Jesus is, plays a different yet just as important role- He was used in the old testament to empower men and women to faithfully serve and be a witness for God in the OT period. He is the same Spirt of Truth that empowers the sinner today to understand and beieve God's Word. If it were not for the ministry of God's Spirit we could not comprehend God's revelation to His creation. This role is viatal in man understanding of who Jesus was and what He did- Calvary.
The same Spirit that quickens us so that we can understand God's revelation and purpose is the same Spirit that quicken Christ from the dead.

Romans 8:11 tells us the Spirit of God raised Jesus from the dead. This Spirit is the same Spirit (Holy Ghost) that is operational in the the ministry of the gospel today. This Spirit is just as much God as Jesus was therefore the doctrine of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

fallingonyou- It works like this....God decided how and when man's redemption would be.... He became a man so as to be certain the sacrifice would be acceptable, (without blemish)...... and it is God through His Holy Spirit that brings this revelation to fruition in the person of Christ.

Happy Thanksgiving!
God Bless
preacherman

oleteach

on Dec 16, 2004

There comes a point when a person of faith just has to say...I can't prove this...I just believe it on God's word. There are three distinct yet equal person in one God...All Three were present at the beginning of the world...All love us beyond anything we can ever experience here on earth. There are two Hebrew words that describe that kind of love in God. There are hesed and emet. Hesed is a deep, merciful kind of love that wants only the best for us His children. Emet is love that is ever faithful, something that can be trusted enough to stake one's life on.

When Jesus took on our human nature he was immersered in that kind of love. It was so strong that when it touched others, it saved them. It healed, cured, comforted, strengthened all those who came under his influence. They in turn gradually became immersed in His kind of love and that is how a community of love is born. We are all called to spread that kind of love to others.
We don't have to understand how there can be Three Persons in one God...we just need to believe it.

kingbee

on Dec 16, 2004

if he couldn't have sinned then he wouldn't have been very human

If we believe Jesus was God in the flesh and James 1:13 states, "God cannot be tempted with evil neither tempteth any man", it would appear Christ did not have the capacity to sin. I agree with Danny in that if Christ would have sinned He could not have been the propitation for the sin of humanity. If His capacity to sin would have resulted in the commission of sin there could have been no redemption.

a totally human jesus isnt any more worthy of worship than any of the rest of us. a totally divine jesus may be worthy of belief and worship as god but is sorta pointless. god doesnt sin cuz he cant...yall cant help but sin cuz you can. whales can swim from the north to south pole but humans cant; humans sprint on land, whales cant.

what lesson is provided by a divine being taking human shape? how is humanity supposed to identify with a non-human jesus? would a non-human, unable to sin jesus feel pain or be tempted to despair? if not, mel gibson dont have a movie and we've all had a lotta useless drama inflicted upon us.

preacherman

on Dec 16, 2004

greetings oleteach-

the voice of Wisdom. Christmas is the Believer's season of Love.

Greater love hath no man than this... that one would lay down His life. In order to accomplish this, God had to become a man.. Emmanuel.

Merry Christmas oleteach

preacherman

oleteach

on Dec 17, 2004

TYPreacher! Merry Christmas to you. I would hope that it is always the season to love for all believers in the Gospels, those sets of stories and memories about Jesus. He excluded noone from His love and so too, we, His followers, must embrace all...even "sinners and outcasts." In this world of global pain we must give, even if only as signs of hope through our witness of tenderness and acceptance.

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