Focus on Jesus THE MYSTERY OF THE INCARNATION
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Heb. 4:15.
Even though Jesus took on Himself our infirmities, or weaknesses, He lived without sinning, doing always those things that pleased His Father. Not only did He not sin, but He was sinless. He loved righteousness and hated iniquity. He was tempted more than anyone who ever lived, but He overcame in the same way that we can overcome. It is often asked, "Didn't Jesus have an advantage over us?" Of course He did. He was born God. But He never used this advantage, because He laid down the power of divinity within Him and lived His life as a man through the power of His Father from above Him. He gave us an example of victory from above rather than from within.
Obviously then, man's beginning is different from that of Jesus. This leads some to insist that there would have to be a doctrine to explain how Jesus could be born sinless, of human parentage. But there are some things that we cannot and do not need to explain. "The incarnation of Christ has ever been, and will ever remain, a mystery. That which is revealed, is for us and for our children, but let every human being be warned from the ground of making Christ altogether human, such an one as ourselves; for it cannot be."--The SDA Bible Commentary, Ellen G. White Comments, on John 1:1-3, 14, p. 1129.
Another mystery that we often waste endless hours in discussing is how Jesus could be in every way tempted as we are. "It is a mystery that is left unexplained to mortals that Christ could be tempted in all points like as we are."--Ibid., pp. 1128, 1129.
The two mysteries concerning the nature of Christ are (1) how He could be born sinless of human parentage, and (2) how He could be in all points tempted as we are.
There are two things of major importance that we should remember concerning the nature of Christ. Number one, He had no advantage over us in meeting sin and the devil, and number two, He overcame sin and the devil in precisely the same way we can overcome. By His death, Jesus provided a way of escape for us, that we might not die; and by His life He gave us an example of how to live.
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Heb. 4:15.
Even though Jesus took on Himself our infirmities, or weaknesses, He lived without sinning, doing always those things that pleased His Father. Not only did He not sin, but He was sinless. He loved righteousness and hated iniquity. He was tempted more than anyone who ever lived, but He overcame in the same way that we can overcome. It is often asked, "Didn't Jesus have an advantage over us?" Of course He did. He was born God. But He never used this advantage, because He laid down the power of divinity within Him and lived His life as a man through the power of His Father from above Him. He gave us an example of victory from above rather than from within.
Obviously then, man's beginning is different from that of Jesus. This leads some to insist that there would have to be a doctrine to explain how Jesus could be born sinless, of human parentage. But there are some things that we cannot and do not need to explain. "The incarnation of Christ has ever been, and will ever remain, a mystery. That which is revealed, is for us and for our children, but let every human being be warned from the ground of making Christ altogether human, such an one as ourselves; for it cannot be."--The SDA Bible Commentary, Ellen G. White Comments, on John 1:1-3, 14, p. 1129.
Another mystery that we often waste endless hours in discussing is how Jesus could be in every way tempted as we are. "It is a mystery that is left unexplained to mortals that Christ could be tempted in all points like as we are."--Ibid., pp. 1128, 1129.
The two mysteries concerning the nature of Christ are (1) how He could be born sinless of human parentage, and (2) how He could be in all points tempted as we are.
There are two things of major importance that we should remember concerning the nature of Christ. Number one, He had no advantage over us in meeting sin and the devil, and number two, He overcame sin and the devil in precisely the same way we can overcome. By His death, Jesus provided a way of escape for us, that we might not die; and by His life He gave us an example of how to live.
RSS Feed
