Jesus came to this world bearing in His flesh the results of sin, but in His humanity was able to live a life free of sin. In His human nature He was able to overcome all temptations to sin that Satan hurled at Him, and He says to each of us: "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne" (Revelation 3:21). Is this possible? Can we overcome all sin, every temptation, even as Jesus did? God says, YES; Satan says, NO. Whom shall we believe?
"After the fall of man, Satan declared that human beings were incapable of keeping the law of God ... and Christ came to unmask the deceiver ... and with the same facilities that man may obtain, withstood the temptations of Satan as man must withstand them."[1]
Remember, Jesus came not only to "share our sorrows and temptations," but to also "give us an example of a sinless life."[2] Thus, "having taken our fallen nature, He showed what it might become."[3]
The question that must now be answered is: "Does God really expect His people to live sinless lives?" Should we perhaps resign ourselves to the assumption that we must go on sinning, but resolve that we will strive to avoid committing "big" sins and seek to commit only "small" ones? It really sounds rather ridiculous when we put it that way, doesn't it? If we are indeed to put away sin in our lives, and Jesus is our example of how to live a sinless life, then we should look at His life to find the secret of His success. Why is it that Jesus was able to overcome and we are constantly slipping and falling into sin?
Part of the reason for this dilemma is because "the nature of God, whose law had been transgressed, and the nature of Adam, the transgressor, meet in Jesus, the Son of God, and the Son of man."[4] It is an irrefutable fact that "Christ did in reality unite the offending nature of man with His own sinless nature."[5] If Jesus had both a divine and a human nature, how could He be our example? How can He tell us to overcome as He overcame? The answer to this is readily available in God's word where we are assured that "According as his divine power [He] hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Peter 1:3, 4).
Just as surely as He became a partaker of our fallen human nature, we may become partakers of His divine sinless nature. It was His humanity united with divinity that withstood the fiercest test. He repeatedly stated: "The Son can do nothing of himself," "I can of mine own self do nothing," "I do nothing of myself," "the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works" (John 5:19, 30; 8:28; 14:10). "He overcame in human nature, relying upon God for power."[6] "He exercised in His own behalf no power that is not freely offered to us. As man, He met temptation, and overcame in the strength given Him from God."[7] "With the same facilities that man may obtain, (Christ) withstood the temptations of Satan as man must withstand them."[8]
Jesus "withstood the temptation, through the power that man may command. He laid hold on the throne of God, and there is not a man or woman who may not have access to the same help through faith in God. Man may become a partaker of the divine nature; not a soul lives that may not summon the aid of Heaven in temptation and trial. Christ came to reveal the source of His power, that man may never rely on his unaided human capabilities."[9]
Here is where the root of our problem lies. When we stop looking to self and look to Jesus Christ to whom all power has been given in heaven and earth, then we can become overcomers, even as He overcame. But there must be a constant, cultivated distrust of self and total trust and dependence upon God. All of the power of heaven is awaiting our demand and reception, but do we really reach out for it in faith? Do we really want it, or do we prefer to make excuses for our sins?
"By His humanity, Christ touched humanity; by His divinity, He lays hold upon the throne of God. As the Son of man, He gave us an example of obedience; as the Son of God, He gives us power to obey."[10] The power is there, but many of God's people are unable to tap into that power, for they refuse to trust God; they refuse to believe that He is able to keep them from falling.
Jesus was able to live a sinless life in human form, solely through the power given Him by God, through the loving, trusting relationship He had with the Father. And the Father desires us to enjoy that same type of relationship with Him that we might possess the same perfect humanity of His Son. Ask God for the faith to claim these inspired promises. "In His humanity, He laid hold of the divinity of God; and this every member of the human family has the privilege of doing. Christ did nothing, that human nature may not do if it partakes of the divine nature."[11]
"Jesus revealed no qualities, and exercised no powers, that men may not have through faith in Him. His perfect humanity is that which all His followers may possess, if they will be in subjection to God as He was."[12]
Here we find another reason for our problem, which is we do not want to be in subjection to anyone, including God. I am my own man (or woman) is the declaration of many. "I am a self-made person" they proudly boast exhibiting the well-established fact, self-made people usually worship their "creator." We need to stop worshiping ourselves, looking to ourselves, and look to the Creator of heaven and earth in whom all power resides that we can receive power to live the life of Christ and to follow the example He has set for us. The promise of God is that we can be set free from sin.
"That spirit of life in Christ, 'The power of His resurrection,' sets men 'free from the law of sin and death.' The dominion of evil is broken, and through faith the soul is kept from sin."[13] Can this be true? Can the power of God actually keep us from sin? Are we able to live in perfect obedience to the law of heaven?
"Satan represents God's law as a law of selfishness. He declares that it is impossible for us to obey its precepts. ... Jesus was to unveil this deception. As one of us He was to give an example of obedience. For this He took upon Himself our nature, and passed through our experiences. 'In all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren.' (Heb. 2:17) If we had to bear anything which Jesus did not endure, then upon this point Satan would represent the power of God as insufficient for us. Therefore Jesus was 'in all points tempted like as we are.' (Heb. 4:15) ... His life testifies that it is possible for us also to obey the law of God."[14]
Not only does Satan claim that we cannot keep the law of God, but he also has a large number of representatives in many pulpits around the world saying the very same thing. Nearly 15,000,000 Seventh-day Adventists are strangely silent when they should be lifting up their voices and crying in unison, "This is not true, it is a lie, and originated with the father of lies." But when we consider the Bible definition of sin, we find ourselves in a rather awkward situation. "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4). Can we not see the inconsistency of saying that through the power of God we can stop transgressing His law, but continue to say that God's power is not able to keep us from sinning (which is defined as transgression of the law)? Thereby, many of God's remnant people are also perpetuating the lie that we are unable to keep the law.
As can be seen, this means that many are promoting the devil's lie, for they, in union with Satan and the nominal Christian churches of the world, declare that we cannot keep the law, that we cannot receive the power to do what God has commanded us to do. This position (though often held in ignorance) stands in direct opposition to the exactness of inspiration. "Christ died to make it possible for you to cease to sin, and sin is the transgression of the law."[15] "To everyone who surrenders fully to God is given the privilege of living without sin, in obedience to the law of heaven."[16]
Regardless of what you think or what others may tell you, "we can overcome. Yes; fully entirely. Jesus died to make a way of escape for us, that we might overcome every evil temper, every sin, every temptation, and sit down at last with Him."[17]
What we need, friends, is the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit that we also might live lives of perfect obedience and receive "salvation through sanctification of the Spirit" (2 Thessalonians 2:13). "Christ came to this earth and lived a life of perfect obedience, that men and women, through His grace, might also live lives of perfect obedience. This is necessary to their salvation."[18]
We must always remember, however, that "in our own strength it is impossible for us to deny the clamors of our fallen nature. Through this channel Satan will bring temptation upon us. Christ knew that the enemy would come to every human being, to take advantage of hereditary weakness, and by his false insinuations to ensnare all whose trust is not in God. And by passing over the ground which man must travel, our Lord has prepared the way for us to overcome. ... He has endured all that it is possible for us to bear. His victory is ours.
"Jesus rested upon the wisdom and strength of His heavenly Father. ... He did not consent to sin. Not even by a thought did He yield to temptation. So it may be with us. Christ's humanity was united with divinity; He was fitted for the conflict by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. And He came to make us partakers of the divine nature. So long as we are united to Him by faith, sin has no more dominion over us. God reaches for the hand of faith in us to direct it to lay fast hold upon the divinity of Christ, that we may attain to perfection of character."[19]
Notes: