Jesus' sinlessness is not a peripheral subject. It is essential Christian doctrine.

Your Jesus is not the Jesus of scripture (Jn 1:1).

[Luke 2:1-20 In Touch] "The first Christmas I remember was when I was three years old. My aunts and uncles came to visit, and when they opened the trunk of the car, I discovered that it was full of presents--and all of them were for me! I'm sure you, too, can recall memories from past Christmases, whether good or bad. There's just something about the day that sticks in our minds.

You can be sure that all of the people who experienced the very first Christmas never forgot it. Joseph remembered the weight of responsibility on his shoulders as he cared for Mary during their journey and searched for a place where she could give birth. And we can image that the shepherds often replayed in their minds the scene of glorious angels and the sight of the newborn Messiah. But Scripture mentions only one who "treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart" (v. 29). Mary had carried this baby in her womb for nine months, but now she saw what no one else had seen--the face of God!

What was it like to see deity displayed in the body of a newborn baby? Though we can never see what Mary saw, we can each remember when we first recognized our Savior--the moment we realized He died for us."

See:

Godrulz

"I have reasoned with JWs for decades."

Strawman

See:

Cult Toasters

"I fully affirm the sinlessness of Christ...The bottom line is that we both agree that Jesus was, is, always will be sinless"

SD: “ Could he [jesus] have sinned?
Godrulz: “I believe He could have, but did not…” link

"Your problem is that you do not understand nuanced theological debates like the impeccability of Christ."

You are a modalist. The God of the Bible does not change (Mal 3:6).

See:

Godrulz

"...Your hangup is rooted in philosophical issues wrestled with by Anselm, Aquinas, Augustine, etc."

Strawman. God's goodness does not change (Ps 25:8; Na 1:7; Mt 19:17). Your Jesus never existed. The Jesus of scripture is holy and good (Heb 4:14, Jn 1:1).

[How to Experience Christ's Peace John 14:27-31 Grace to You] ""My peace I give to you" (John 14:27). Jesus spoke these amazing words just hours before His crucifixion. His peace isn't dependent upon external circumstances, but rather, it transcends them. Although He gives His peace to every believer as a gift, our experience of it is related to our faith in the following truths:

God is in control of everything. Without this assurance, this world is a scary place.

He loves me and will see me though all circumstances, no matter how difficult or painful they may be.

To have Christ's peace, I must yield my life to Him. When I hold onto my ways and plans, I'll experience turmoil.

I have a limited perspective and understanding of my circumstances and God's purposes for allowing them. His goals for me are greater than my immediate comfort.

The Lord promise to work all things out for my good. He is continually acting to conform me to Christ's image.

I must live in sync with God, walking in the Spirit and promptly confessing and repenting of sin.

Scripture is my foundation for peace. It increases my trust in the Lords' goodness, assures me that He keeps His promises, and reminds me of His sovereignty over every situation."

Response to comment [from a Christian]: "rulz: "Buzz off, accuser of the Brethren.""

He's not my brother (2 Pe 2:1).

His Jesus is diminished deity (modalism). The Jesus of Scripture retained undiminished deity (Jn 1:1).

Immanuel never meant God with us plus sin (Heb 4:14, Mal 3:6). He attacks the nature and character of Jesus (Ps. 16:10, Is. 11:4, 5). His Jesus could not save anybody (2 Cor. 5:20-21).

[Immanuel--God with Us Matthew 1:18-25 In Touch] "Throughout ancient human history, heaven was God's dwelling place, and except for a few personal encounters (as with Abraham, Hagar, and Jacob), He seemed far away to most people. Then the Lord came to be in the Israelites' midst, first in a pillar of cloud and fire, and later in the tabernacle and temple. But in time, He'd do something totally new. His presence would be with them in the form of God's son--a man literally living among them.

Even before Jesus was born on earth, He was given two names, which both indicated His identity and ministry. Immanuel tell us who He is--"God with us." Christ took on human flesh while retaining undiminished deity and became the perfect God-Man. He lived on earth, walked among men, and suffered the weaknesses of humanity. Yet He also displayed the power of Almightily God as He healed the sick, cast out demons, calmed the sea, and raised the dead.

Jesus means "The Lord is salvation," which describes what He came to do--to save us from the bondage of sin through His death on our behalf. This explains why He has to become Immanuel. Since the Father is immortal and cannot die, His son had to take on a human Body in order to offer Himself as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of mankind."

Response to comment [from a Christian]: "I do believe that Jesus Christ was capable of sinning."

Jesus died for our sin (1 Pet. 1:18, 19). He was not sinful himself (Heb 4:14).  Jesus satisfied God's justice (Rom. 3:25, 26).  He reconciled God and man (2 Cor. 5:18, 19).

[The Justice and Mercy of the Cross Romans 3:23-27 In Touch]: "The cross of Jesus Christ presents us with a dilemma.  If the heavenly Father is good and loving, why would He allow His Son to endure the agony of crucifixion?  From our human perspective, there is nothing loving in this scene.  But by looking beyond the visible, we'll see an awesome demonstration of love.

To grasp what was going on at the cross, we need to first understand that the Lord is absolutely righteous and just.  He always does what is right and never acts contrary to His nature or His Word.  On the other hand, mankind is sinful and deserving of eternal punishment.  God couldn't simply decide to forgive us, because He would then cease to be just--justice requires that a penalty be paid for sin.  Either the Lord had to condemn us all to suffer His wrath, or He needed to devise a plan that would satisfy His justice, yet allow Him to show mercy.

Praise God that even before the foundation of the world, He already has such a plan in place (Rev. 13:8).  The sinless Son of God came to earth in human flesh to be our sin bearer.  The Father placed upon Him all our guilt and punishment.  Because the Savior's payment fully satisfied divine justice, sinful man could now be declared righteous.  Justice punished sin, and mercy rescued sinners...

...Now anyone who accepts Christ's payment on his behalf can be saved.  God's goodness and love were proved by the very act that looked cruel and hateful.  This was the sole plan that could save us, and God's perfect Son was the only one qualified to be our substitute.  And Jesus did it all willingly."

[Jesus was not sinful (Heb 4:14).] "Never implied or said that."

You said: "I do believe that Jesus Christ was capable of sinning."

Godrulz said:

SD: “ Could he [jesus] have sinned?
Godrulz: “I believe He could have, but did not…” link

Jesus is not full of sin (Heb 4:14). He punishes sin. Provide one bible verse to support your claim that Jesus could or would have sinned.

[An excerpt Without Excuse: The revelation of God in His Handiwork by Ginger Garrett] "...He is the gentle Artist of the dawn, when dew hangs on the roses. He extends this tender compassion to those who love Him, "to give to His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace " (Luke 1:77-79).

He is also the God of the raging volcano and blazing lightening, the God of judgment, who punishes sin and has prepared a lake of fire for the Evil One: "For we know Him who said, 'Vengeance is Mine; I will repay.' And again, 'The Lord will judge His people.' It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb. 10:30-32)...

...God wants us to know both a holy fear of His presence and the pure delight of exploring His character."

[You said: "I do believe that Jesus Christ was capable of sinning."] "Yes I did say that and if you read why I said that, you will understand why I believe that."

You agree with GodRulzRandomThoughts but you have zero evidence from scripture for your claim.

We have a fallen nature. God does not.

Sin entered into the world by Adam (Ge 3:6,7; Ro 5:12). All men are conceived and born in sin (Ge 5:3; Job 15:14; 25:4; Ps 51:5). All men are shaped in sin (Ps 51:5). Scripture concludes all under sin (Ga 3:22). No man is without sin (1 Ki 8:46; Ec 7:20). Christ alone was without sin (2 Co 5:21; Heb 4:15; 7:26; 1 Jn 3:5).

[An excerpt The Body of Christ: How to find a healthy In Touch] "...Jesus is actually God (John 1:1-2, 14). He is God the Son, a member of the Trinity along with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. If Jesus had been an ordinary man, He'd have been a sinner like the rest of humanity. The penalty for our wrongdoing needed to be paid by someone who had never sinned (Deut. 17:1; John 1:29)."

"...There is a big difference, I mean, a bid difference, between saying that there is a potential of something happening..."

Provide one bible verse to support your claim that Jesus could or would have sinned (Heb 4:14).

See:

Godrulz

"All you have to do, if you so desire, is read my response in Post #27; it suffices." [1 Cor 15:45-47]

1 Cor 15:45-47 does not support your claim that Jesus could or would have sinned (Heb 4:14).

"1 Co 15:45–49 Here Paul answers the question (v. 35) more specifically by showing that the resurrection body of Jesus Christ is the prototype. He begins with a quotation from Gen. 2:7 with the addition of two words, “first” and “Adam.” Adam was created with a natural body, not perfect, but good in every way (Gen. 3:1). The “last Adam” is Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:19, 21). He is saying that through the first Adam we received our natural bodies, but through the last Adam we will receive our spiritual bodies in resurrection. Adam’s body was the prototype of the natural, Christ’s body of the resurrection. We will bear the image of His body fit for heaven (Acts 1:11; Phil. 3:20, 21; 1 John 3:1–3) as we have borne the image of Adam’s on earth." MacArthur, John Jr: The MacArthur Study Bible. electronic ed. Nashville : Word Pub., 1997, c1997, S. 1 Co 15:45

Response to comment [from a "Christian"]: "SD says I am a modalist."

That is correct. Jesus does not have modes of holiness (Ps. 16:10, Is. 11:4, 5).

See:

Godrulz

"...[T]he incarnation is a change in God's eternal existence!"

Jesus' deity was not diminished (Mal 3:6, Jn 1:1).
 

"SD lacks credibility (false accusation to say a trinitarian is a modalist, exactly what an ignorant JW does with me)..."

Poisoning the well

"All of the Gnostics in the early church propounded the first heresy that He emptied Himself of His deity..." Full text: Phil 2:7 J. Vernon McGee

"...uses straw men and argumentum ad hominem, shows lack of basic theological understanding, etc. She is a god-player negating the blood and grace of Christ in other's lives because we disagree with your simplistic, shallow, wrong understanding on peripheral issues.  To add insult to injury, I think she is sozo's sister?!"

Ad hominem. You're projecting again (Eph 4:14).

Your false teaching is a type of modalism (2 Pe 2:1, Jn 1:1).

For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ (Jude 4).

[Edited Notes The Battle for the Bible by Adrian Rogers] "Apostasy means to fall away from the faith. Certain men crept in unawares (Jude 1:4). Jude gave us a warning about: the danger of deception and the danger of destruction. He gives us a description of apostates.

1. Their character

No reverence, no fear of God

2. Their conduct

Ungodly [a person without a reverential awe of God]
No restraint
Unbridled lusts, they live as they want, they do as they want

3. Their creed

They deny the Lord God (the word despot [He is total ruler, Lord) they humanize God, deify man, they do not submit to his Word

No rule, no regulations, they turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ."

"Liberalism has sabotaged the bible, humanized God, deified man, minimized sin, glorified science, glamorized sex and liquorized society." ~ Donald Womack

See:

The Battle for the Bible Jude 1:7 by Adrian Rogers

You have a habit of addressing me but replying under another member's post (as viewed in hybrid mode). You did it here and here.

Why?

See:

Godrulz

[Responding to God's Love John 3:16-21 In Touch] "God is love. Most likely we have heard these words from 1 John 4:8. But do we truly understand what they mean?

John 3:16 sums it up: God loved vile, sinful, rebellious humanity so much that He came to earth in human flesh and died a gruesome death to save us. This is no shallow love.

Some people question Jesus' sacrifice, though. They think, Certainly the Lord could have come up with a different way to offer salvation. He is God, after all, so shouldn't He be able to do all things? They fail to consider two of His unchangeable attributes.

First, the Lord is holy by nature. This means that He cannot look upon sin with approval, so He must condemn transgression. Second, God is just. As a result, all wrongdoing--without exception--must be punished (Rom 6:23). The Lord's every action must be consistent with His nature.

We all fall short of God's perfect holiness, and He is unable to accept us in our fallen state (Rom 3:23). But our heavenly Father desires an everlasting relationship with us. So He provided the solution by sending His Son Jesus to earth--to live as a man and die on the cross. This is the ultimate expression of love. As 1 John 4:10 states, "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins...

The wise will accept the free gift of salvation. That is, they will receive Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior and commit to follow Him. What is your response to His amazing love?"

Response to comment [from a Mormon]: "...[S]aying that he is a liberal apostate trying to deceive just doesn't hold any water..."

Lookie, GodRulzRandomThoughts. An antichrist has come out to defend you (2 Pe 2:1).

See:

Mormonism

Response to comment [from a "Christian"]: "The Mormon is more fair and reasonable that my fellow believers are..."

You have more in common with the Mormon (2 Pe 2:1). You both attempt to undermine the gospel of Jesus Christ (Ga 5:9).

"Shame on you.  As he said, we have talked in person and there is no doubt we have mutual love and respect."

That is to be expected (Ex. 23:32, 33; Ex. 34:12 Judg. 2:2. Num. 16:26; Deut. 7:2–4 Deut. 12:30; Ezra 9:1, 2. Deut. 13:6–11; Josh. 23:6, 7, 13; Ezra 9:12; Ezra 10:11; Psa. 1:1; Prov. 1:10–15; Prov. 4:14, 15; Prov. 9:6; Prov. 14:7; Matt. 18:17; Rom. 16:17; 1 Cor. 5:9–11; 2 Cor. 6:14–17; Eph. 5:11; 2 Thess. 3:6, 14, 15; 1 Tim. 6:3–5; 2 Tim. 3:2–7; 2 Pet. 3:17; 2 John 9–11; Rev. 18:1–4).

We were born in sin (Ge 5:3; Job 15:14; 25:4; Ps 51:5).  Jesus was not (Heb 4:14).  Admit that you are a sinner in need of a perfect savior (2 Ch 6:36; Ps 119:96). Only the real Jesus saves (Jn 1:1).

Sin entered into the world by Adam (Ge 3:6,7; Ro 5:12).  All men are conceived and born in sin (Ge 5:3; Job 15:14; 25:4; Ps 51:5).  All men are shaped in sin (Ps 51:5).  Scripture concludes all under sin (Ga 3:22).  No man is without sin (1 Ki 8:46; Ec 7:20).  Christ alone was without sin (2 Co 5:21; Heb 4:15; 7:26; 1 Jn 3:5).

[Tragedy in the Church House Matthew 5:14-15 In Touch] "Every Sunday countless people all over the world sit in church buildings with a false sense of security.  They assume that their morality, lifelong church membership, or baptism will earn them a place in heaven.  While many of these folks sincerely desire to please God, they are confused about what the Christian life is all about.  They think in terms of doing rather than being.  So they imitate the actions of good Christians:  going to a weekly service, praying, reading the Bible, and trying to be decent people.

However, salvation is not the product of good works.  We come into the world with a corrupt nature, and all our wrongdoing is born of a heart turned away from the Lord.  Because we are sinful people, we sin.  It's that simple.  The good news is that in the salvation experience, we are given a brand-new nature (2 Cor. 5:17). Our sin is wiped away because Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself for us.  From the moment we trust in Him, the Holy Spirit dwells in our heart so that we can live righteously.

The world values action but the Father prioritized relationship--specifically a right relationship with Him.  People who scurry about flaunting religiosity are missing out on the deeply satisfying and joyous intimacy between a believer and the Lord...

...We can help turn others' tragic misunderstanding into triumph by being ready to explain why we have hope (1 Peter 3:15)..."

"...The Pentecostal and Evangelical movements have a broad spectrum of beliefs and practices within them. We can have cultic uniformity vs biblical unity if we have an authoritarian structure (Catholic, JW, Mormon, Muslim, etc....though these all have splinter groups), but this locks in heresy, leads to control/power abuse issues, denies freedom of conscience, etc..."

You are not a Christian. You attempt to undermine the gospel of Jesus Christ and you deny Jesus' full deity (Jn 1:1).

SD: “ Could he [jesus] have sinned?
Godrulz: “I believe He could have, but did not…” link

[Edited notes Snakes in the Garden by Adrian Rogers] "Satan is not against religion. He infiltrates the church. He infiltrates through apostasy.

What is an apostate? An apostate is not just an unbeliever or not even somebody who is in a false cult necessarily--these are lost until and if they get saved--but they are not an apostate. The word apostasy means to fall away. It is somebody who has received the truth, who has rejected the truth, begins to ridicule the truth, and after a while actually tries to replace the truth. He is the enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ and of the cross and Christ and he is what the Bible calls an apostate. What are marks of an apostate? Jude mentions three men that illustrate the marks of an apostate..." Audio: Snakes in the Garden by Adrian Rogers (mp3 right click, open)

Also see:

The Portrait of an Apostate by Adrian Rogers

"I am not like you following B.B. Warfield..."

Strawman

"An apostate begins to ridicule the truth and then he tries to replace the truth. But there is something about an apostate that will not just let him go away from an orthodox church. He doesn't start his own church. What he does is come back into that orthodox church--he comes back into that denomination--as Jude says they have crept in--come in through the side door and they undermine the work of the Lord Jesus Christ in the church..." Full text: The Portrait of an Apostate by Adrian Rogers

You're all say no play.

Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain [Prov. 25:14].

"Some men boast of gifts they don’t have. When I was a pastor, I would get letters from men who would tell me how wonderful they were. I remember one man wrote me, and he said he was an evangelist, a Bible teacher, a singer, and a pianist. He could do everything, and he wanted to hold a meeting at our church. I read the letter to the officers of the church, and they began to laugh. They said to me, “Why don’t you invite him?” I said, “I’d never invite that man for two reasons. The first reason is, if he’s the kind of man he says he is, after our people had heard him, they’d never want to hear me again! The second reason is I have a notion that he is a man who is boasting of a gift he does not have.” What a picture this is!

And this is the picture of the apostates in the last days. Jude describes them in the most vivid language. He speaks of them as being clouds without water, fruit trees without fruit, “Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame …” (Jude 12–13)." McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 3:86

"Do you still smoke pot?"

I do not do drugs (Ps. 58:3).

Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame (Jud 1:13).

See:

The Portrait of an Apostate by Adrian Rogers

[Adrian Rogers] "Mr. Rogers was a man of God, but don't misapply him and the Bible to me where it does not apply..."

SD: “ Could he [jesus] have sinned?
Godrulz: “I believe He could have, but did not…” link

See:

Godrulz

"You give fundamentalists a bad name."

:yawn: Ad hominem

You attempt to undermine the gospel of Jesus Christ (2 Pe 2:1).  He was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin (Heb 4:15).

[A Call to Godly Living Romans 12:1 In Touch] "The apostle Paul lived in an age when sensuality, the pursuit of pleasure, and rebellion against the Lord were prevalent.  In response, he wrote letters urging Christians not to follow in the ways of the world.  Like those early believers, we are to pursue godliness by...

1.  Presenting our bodies to God.  Our total being--mind, will, emotions, personality, and physical body--are to be turned over to our heavenly Father (James 4:7a).  Submitting ourselves to the Lord requires a definite decision to give Him control and a daily commitment to remain under His authority.  By surrendering to Him, we will position ourselves for godly living.

2. Becoming living sacrifices.  The Christian life is built around the concept of sacrifice.  Jesus left the perfection of heaven to dwell among a sinful people so He might reconcile us to God.  He offered up His life to make payment for our sins (1 John 3:16) and brought us into His family.  As believers, we are to follow His example.  Paul called it a living sacrifice, but it is ongoing--one that is repeated daily.

Life is full of options.  Many decision involve a choice between following God's way or our own.  Maturing Christians will increasingly sacrifice their own desires and embrace His will...

...A life of godliness is characterized by a heart and mind bent toward the things of God.  Although we will live imperfectly, our focus is to be on obeying His will and pleasing Him.  Let's commit to becoming more like Jesus, the One who willingly gave Himself to God as a sacrifice for us."

"Jesus is sinless."

Strawman

SD: “ Could he [jesus] have sinned?
Godrulz: “I believe He could have, but did not…” link

We have a sin nature. Jesus did not (Heb 4:14).

Sin entered into the world by Adam (Ge 3:6,7; Ro 5:12). All men are conceived and born in sin (Ge 5:3; Job 15:14; 25:4; Ps 51:5). All men are shaped in sin (Ps 51:5). Scripture concludes all under sin (Ga 3:22). No man is without sin (1 Ki 8:46; Ec 7:20). Christ alone was without sin (2 Co 5:21; Heb 4:15; 7:26; 1 Jn 3:5).

See:

Godrulz

"...[Y]ou deny that He was tempted like we are (contrary to Scripture)."

Strawman Heb 4:14

[Where the Wrath and Love of God Meet Romans 3:23-26 In Touch] "In our culture, sin is no longer considered an issue. Although some people might admit to making mistakes or being wrong, few will actually say, "I have sinned." The Lord, however, takes sin very seriously. Until we learn to see transgression as He does, we will never understand what happened at Christ's crucifixion.

The cross was God's perfect answer to a terrible dilemma. Because the Lord is holy and just, He hates sin and must respond to it with punishment and wrath. Yet He also loves sinners and wants to be reconciled with them. The cross of Christ was the place where God's wrath and love collided.

The only way to rescue fallen mankind from eternal punishment was to devise a plan whereby the Lord could forgive sins without compromising His holiness. There was no way to overlook transgressions; His wrath had to be poured out--either on us or a substitute. But there was only one possible substitute: the perfect Son of God.

So Jesus came to earth as a man and suffered the Lord's wrath for us as He hung on the cross. Sin was punished, divine justice was satisfied, and now God could forgive mankind without compromising His character. His wrath was poured out on His Son so that His love and forgiveness could be lavished upon us...

Because of human limitation, we'll never grasp all that happened while Jesus hung on the cross. We can begin to comprehend only the physical suffering He endured, but in the spiritual realm, Christ bore so much more--the very wrath of God. This costly redemption plan proves God's great love."

"It is a fact that Jesus is sinless. To call this a logical fallacy/straw man shows that you know nothing about logical fallacies or argumentation."

Strawman. No one has argued that Jesus sinned.

"You are also wrong about Augustinian original sin..."

Strawman

SD: “ Could he [jesus] have sinned?
Godrulz: “I believe He could have, but did not…” link

Sin held us captive. Sin did not hold Jesus captive (Heb 4:14, Jn 8:36).

Sin entered into the world by Adam (Ge 3:6,7; Ro 5:12). All men are conceived and born in sin (Ge 5:3; Job 15:14; 25:4; Ps 51:5). All men are shaped in sin (Ps 51:5). Scripture concludes all under sin (Ga 3:22). No man is without sin (1 Ki 8:46; Ec 7:20). Christ alone was without sin (2 Co 5:21; Heb 4:15; 7:26; 1 Jn 3:5).

See:

Godrulz

[Crucified, Buried, and Raised with Christ Romans 6:1-14 In Touch] "Think back to when you received Christ as you Savior. You knew your life had changed but probably had no idea about everything that the salvation experience involved. You were declared righteous and sealed with the Holy Spirit, and God wrote your name in the Lamb's Book of Life. But that wasn't all. You were also crucified, buried, and raised with Christ.

This describes your position in God's eyes, but what does it all mean? Paul tells us that "our old self was crucified with [Christ]" (v. 6). The person you are today is not who you were before salvation. Your old sin nature has died with Christ, which means that its power over you has been broken. Paul isn't saying we'll never transgress again, but now we don't have to be enslaved to sin. Since we've been raised with Christ, He's living within us, giving us the power to love obediently.

Our Father's goal for us is that we become in practice what we are positionally. Many believers attempt to live the Christian life in their own strength by trying harder to overcome sin and live righteously. However, the crucified life is about a life replacement, not self-effort. Christ wants His life to flow through us so that we become living extensions of almighty God...

Every believer has been positionally identified with Christ's death and resurrection, but the only ones who will experience this in a daily manner are those who are willing to die to themselves and let Christ live through them. Jesus wants to be more than you Lord; He wants to be your very life."

"...[Y]our Calvinistic links/quotes..."

Strawman

We were sinners in need of a Savior (Eze 18:20, Rom. 7:18, John 1:14). Jesus was not (Ps. 16:10, Is. 11:4, 5, Heb 4:14). He died for our sins not his own (Ro 5:8).

Sin entered into the world by Adam (Ge 3:6,7; Ro 5:12). All men are conceived and born in sin (Ge 5:3; Job 15:14; 25:4; Ps 51:5). All men are shaped in sin (Ps 51:5). Scripture concludes all under sin (Ga 3:22). No man is without sin (1 Ki 8:46; Ec 7:20). Christ alone was without sin (2 Co 5:21; Heb 4:15; 7:26; 1 Jn 3:5).

[The Believer's Journey to the Cross John 12:23-27 In Touch] "We all know that Jesus walked the road to Calvary, but did you know that believers also journey to the cross? We've all been positionally crucified with Christ, but those who hunger for Him participate in a deeper experience of this reality. Jesus lovingly takes their hand and leads them to the cross. Even though this is the last place anyone wants to go, it's the only way to partake of God's best for our lives.

The trip to the cross is not one you take with your family and friends. It's a lonely journey with just you and Jesus. He strips away everyone and everything you've depended on so that you'll learn to rely only on Him. While we're at the cross, He uncovers layer after layer of self-deception until we begin to see ourselves as He does Soon our self-centeredness, inadequacy, and failures are laid bare.

The cross is a lace of brokenness, but it's necessary because there's no other way we'll ever bear fruit. If we hang onto our lives and refuse to take this journey, we'll be like a grain of wheat that is never planted and never grows. But those who willingly die to themselves will produce an abundance of spiritual fruit. The only way Christ can live His life through us is if we've allowed ourselves to be crucified...

God doesn't want you to be content with just your salvation. There's so much more He desired to give you and accomplish through you. Are you willing to take the road to the cross with Him? Yes, it's painful, but the rewards in this life and in eternity far outweigh any suffering you will experience."

You attempted to undermine the gospel of Jesus Christ.

"What Others Groups May Teach About Jesus and the Bible Response:

Jesus was not God. (See verses D, I, U, Y) Godrulz guity
Jesus was created by God (See verses J, M, U)
There are three separate gods: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, not one God in three persons. (See verses A, B, J, Z)
Jesus is not necessary because there is no sin. (See verses F, O, P, R) Godrulz guity
Jesus was not raised bodily from the dead. (See verses C, R, S)
Jesus was a great prophet, but not God. (See verses H, J, V)
There are many ways to God, not just one. (See verses F, K, X)
Jesus is not necessary because people must pay for their own sins. (See verses L, P, Q, T) Godrulz guity
Jesus died for sins, but people can't be saved unless they obey all of the teachings of the church. (See verses K, Q, T)
Jesus is God, but less than God the Father. (See verses H, K, V) Godrulz guity
Jesus was just a man. (See verses J, E)
Jesus is not the only son of God (See verses F, G, Z)
Jesus will never come again. (See verses N, W)
A. Deut 6:4, Isa 43:10, Isa 44:6-8
B. Matt. 28:18-19, 1 Pe 2:1
C. Luke 24:36-53
D. John 1:1-5, John 1:6-18
E. John 2:18-22
F. John 3:14-17
G. John 3:36
H. John 5:17-18, John 5:23
I. John 8:56-58
J. John 10:30-38, Isa. 7:14, Matt. 1:18
K. John 14:6-7
L. John 17:2,3
M. John 17:5
N. Acts 1:11
O. Rom 3:23-30, 1 John 1:8-10
P. Rom. 6:23
Q. Rom 10:3-10
R. 1 Cor 15:1-8
S. 1 Cor 15:12-23
T. Eph 2:8,9
U. Col. 1:15-20
V. Col 2:9-10
W. 1 Thess. 4:13-18
X. 1 Tim. 2:5,6
Y. 1 Tim. 3:16
Z. Heb 1:1-14" Full text: Christianity, Cults and Religions

"SD has an agenda..."

I have a lot of agendas. Which one are you talking about? Eph 5:11

"...[A]nd is a blatant liar/dope."

Proof please.

"I am the strongest defender of the Trinity and Deity of Christ on this website."

SD: “ Could he [jesus] have sinned?
Godrulz: “I believe He could have, but did not…” link

Your Scorsese Jesus never existed. The Jesus of Scripture is holy (Ps. 16:10, Is. 11:4, 5, Heb 4:14).

"I have refuted JWs..."

Strawman

"...and Mormons..."

Strawman

"...Jn. 1:1 is a pivotal verse and my exegesis..."

Jn 1:1 is your biggest problem. The second person of the trinity is no less holy than the first person of the trinity or the third person of the trinity (Jn 1:1, Ps. 16:10, Is. 11:4, 5, Heb 4:14). What other member of the trinity would have sinned?

Your Jesus had an itch that the devil could scratch. The Jesus of scripture did not (Jas 1:13, Jn 1:1, Heb 4:14).

Did the Father have an itch that the devil could scratch? Did the Holy Spirit have an itch that the devil could scratch? Mal 3:6

"...SD confuses impeccability debates with doctrine of God debates..."

Strawman

"...[A]nd condemnation of man...."

Are men born after Adam sinners?

"...I have traditional understanding..."

Your belief is not new.  "All of the Gnostics in the early church propounded the first heresy that He emptied Himself of His deity..." Full text: Phil 2:7 J. Vernon McGee

"I fully affirm the universal sinfulness......SD confuses one view of sin as volitional/moral with a wrong view of sin..."

Yours is the wrong view.  

Sin entered into the world by Adam (Ge 3:6,7; Ro 5:12).  All men are conceived and born in sin (Ge 5:3; Job 15:14; 25:4; Ps 51:5).  All men are shaped in sin (Ps 51:5).  Scripture concludes all under sin (Ga 3:22).  No man is without sin (1 Ki 8:46; Ec 7:20).  Christ alone was without sin (2 Co 5:21; Heb 4:15; 7:26; 1 Jn 3:5).

 "...[P]opularized by Augustine..."

Strawman

"We cannot pay for our own sins..."

Your Jesus cannot pay for anyone's sin. 

"...SD confuses debates on perseverance with justification issues."

Strawman

"...GR is not guilty of any of these points..."

And "Jimmy likes Elaine."

"...SD is guilty of immature, ignorant, shallow interactions and theology..."

1 Cor 1:27

See:

Godrulz

"Is there a logician to straighten out SD?"

:yawn: Ad hominem

"You can't yell straw man every time someone disagrees with a view based on evidence..."

I reject Greek pagans.

Tell us why the virgin birth was necessary. What can Jesus do for men and why? Discuss God's character and commitment to holiness. Does Jesus have two natures joined and mixed? Or two natures joined and not mixed?

See:

Does God Elect Everyone?

Godrulz

"...[S]he is guilty of rejecting a straw man of my views."

A few housekeeping items:

I do not respond to fallacious arguments.

[Who is Jesus? 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 In Touch] "Most people are familiar with the name "Jesus,' but relatively few truly know who He is.  This is tragic because a right understanding of the Savior's identity and mission is directly related to every person's eternal destiny.

How is it possible to know who Jesus Christ is and what He did?  The Father has provided a completely trustworthy source:  the Bible.  The wise person will regularly spend time in the Word to gain knowledge of the Savior and develop a deep relationship with Him.

Scripture tells us that Jesus is God:

1.  Christ existed before His own birth...The prophet Micah spoke of His ancient origin (5:2), and Paul named Him as the Creator (Col. 1:5-6).

2. Jesus claimed equality with the invisible God and was the perfect refection of Him (John 10:30; 14:9).

3.  The Savior performed miracles--such as restoring the dead to life--that were possible only by supernatural power (John 11:43-44).

4.  Christ received worship and forgave sin.  These two acts are appropriate only for Deity (Matt. 9:2-8; John 9:38).

Think about Jesus coming to earth as a baby.  Imagine the power resting in that little manger--the omnipotent God way lying in a trough made from trees He had created, under stars He Himself had strewn across the sky!

...Scripture makes it clear that there is only one way to eternal life:  by trusting in Jesus Christ as Savior (Acts 4:12).  Weigh the evidence, and then make a wise decision to follow him."

Response to comment [from a Christian]: [Godrulz quote: I consider myself a Christian.] "...[D]on't let the ignorance of some get to ya."

Too bad you are fooled by GodRulzRandonThoughts (2 Pe 2:1, 2 Jn 1:7). His Jesus can't save anyone (Jn 1:1, Heb 4:14, Rom. 3:25; 5:1, 10, 11; 2 Cor. 5:18, 19; Col. 1:20–22; 1 John 2:2; 4:10; Heb. 9:5).

See:

Godrulz

[Discerning God's Voice 1 John 4:1-3 In Touch] "Believing that the Lord still speaks to His followers, we must learn how to hear His voice. We have to develop discernment--many voices claim to be His and yet have nothing whatsoever to do with the true God.

For example, just think of the many cults around today. No doubt, you've seen news reports or televised specials dissecting the odd-sounding belief systems of different faith-based groups. Many of them profess to be based on Scripture, yet they often have certain doctrines that are radically foreign to us; the God of the Bible is completely unrecognizable in their creeds. Obviously, this can pose a problem for those of us in the church who are eager to hear from our Father.

When confronted by different voices that claim to be "true" and clamor for our attention, we remember two absolute truths:

First, we know that the Lord will never say anything that contradicts Scripture. For example, suppose a religious group claimed that extra-marital affairs were somehow acceptable in the Lord's sight. We would know immediately that this wasn't from God, as it directly contradicts Exodus 20:14.

Second, we know that God won't add to or take away from the Bible. It is His complete and reliable Word. Therefore, anyone claiming to have "more" scriptures or another Testament is a fraud....

Two of the Enemy's best weapons are distraction and deception. Don't fall for his lies. Test every voice against Scripture, and ask God for the wisdom to discern His voice among the impostors."

"...SD is a tool of the Accuser of the brethren..."

You're not my brother. You reject the Jesus of scripture (Jn 1:1, 2 Jn 1:7) and the provision of His saving blood.

See:

Godrulz

Sin entered into the world by Adam (Ge 3:6,7; Ro 5:12). All men are conceived and born in sin (Ge 5:3; Job 15:14; 25:4; Ps 51:5). All men are shaped in sin (Ps 51:5). Scripture concludes all under sin (Ga 3:22). No man is without sin (1 Ki 8:46; Ec 7:20). Christ alone was without sin (2 Co 5:21; Heb 4:15; 7:26; 1 Jn 3:5).

[Edited notes Nothing but the Blood by Adrian Rogers] "We inherited from Adam a sinful nature from Adam (1 Cor 15:22). Had it not been for Adam, I would have sinned myself and so would you. Don't say that Adam had nothing to do with you. We are in Adam.

Had Jesus not been born of a virgin, had the Lord Jesus Christ been born as you and I were born--as the decendancy of Adam--we could have died for no one's sin but our own. In Adam all die and the wages of sin is death. The soul that sin; it shall surely die. That's the reason Jesus had to be born of a virgin. The virgin birth is not incidental. It's not folklore. It's not mythology. Without the virgin birth the house of Christianity collapses like a house of cards. There's no hope apart from the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Why? He came as he did--virgin born--to be what he was. Not the son of Adam but the Son of God.

His blood was different from any other blood. The blood of Jesus and the blood of Mary are not the same. Don't get the idea that when a little baby is there in his mother's womb that the mother's blood circulates through the baby's body. That is not so. That is an error. None of the mother's blood circulates through that baby's body. None of the baby's blood circulates through that mother's body. That baby is a separate individual from the mother. That blood is determined by the father not by the mother and that's the reason why sometimes they can pin a paternity suit on a man by giving a blood test. It's the father that determines all of that.

Jesus is born of a virgin--that is--he is the Son of God and the blood that flowed through the veins of Jesus Christ was not the blood of Mary, it was the blood of God. You say, now wait a minute. God doesn't have blood. Well, he did when Jesus was here. You read Acts chapter 20. Paul says to the Ephesian elders feed the church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood. No wonder the Bible calls the blood of Jesus Christ that precious blood. And this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever sat down on the right hand of God. For in Adam all die. Even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

How many people died when Adam died? Did Adam just affect some of human kind? No, all of human kind. Did you know that there are some people who want to tell you that Jesus died only for the elect? Now, listen to this verse (v 22) As in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. Now friend, you can make all mean one thing over here and something else over there.

Jesus died for all and I am glad that I can look at any man in the face and say that Jesus died for you. Jesus died for you. Jesus paid your sin debt. Yes, in Adam all die. In Christ, we have redemption and he died for all. That's the reason way back in the Garden of Eden when Satan crawled his slimy, corroding path into the pages of history and did what he did and tempted Eve to sin and then beguiled Adam."

See

Nothing But the Blood by Adrian Rogers (right click, open)

"SD is a hyper-fundamentalist Pharisee on a witch hunt..."

The truth reveals a person (Jas 1:18). You don't know that person (Ps. 16:10, Isa 11:4, 5). You hate the truth so much that you blame me for sharing it with you (Jn 1:1, Heb 4:14). God is holy. You are a sinner (Ga 1-3).

See:

Godrulz

[Failing to Listen to God Genesis 3:1-6 In Touch] "Listening to God is not a one-time event.  We must continually keep His Word before us, or we'll begin to listen to the wrong voices.

In Genesis 2:16-17, the Lord gave a command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  But Eve began to listen to another voice and did not hold firmly to her Creator's words.  All that Satan had to do was plant a single doubt about God's integrity and offer Eve on appealing advantage of doing things her own way--and she fell for it.  He mentioned wisdom, but using her own reasoning, Eve added two more benefits to the temptation:  the fruit is good for food and a delight to the eyes.

The schemes of the enemy have not changed.  He still whispers lies and twists truth to convince us that a) God cannot be trusted and b) His ways are not the best.  In every temptation, there is a deception about the character and motive of God, plus an attractive promise of a better way.

The world is filled with voices that vie for our attention and influence our thoughts and actions.  Throughout the day, consider the messages that are sent your way through the media and people.  Consciously begin to compare them to what Scripture says about God and His ways...

Remembering what God says in the Bible is our safeguard against deception and temptation.  Daily devotions won't protect us if they're quickly forgotten during the day. Follow Christ's example:  be ready with truth in your mind and on your tongue whenever temptation strikes (Matt. 4:1-11)."

"...[W]e can still sin, unlike Jesus who never will sin..."

SD: “ Could he [jesus] have sinned?
Godrulz: “I believe He could have, but did not…” link

Sin entered into the world by Adam (Ge 3:6,7; Ro 5:12). All men are conceived and born in sin (Ge 5:3; Job 15:14; 25:4; Ps 51:5). All men are shaped in sin (Ps 51:5). Scripture concludes all under sin (Ga 3:22). No man is without sin (1 Ki 8:46; Ec 7:20). Christ alone was without sin (2 Co 5:21; Heb 4:15; 7:26; 1 Jn 3:5).

We have access to God by his perfect (Eph 5:2) sacrifice (Heb 10:19,20).

See:

Godrulz

Was Jesus the seed of Adam (Ge 5:3; Job 15:14; 25:4; Ps 51:5) or the seed of God? Ge 3:15, 1 Cor. 15:22, 45, Ge 5:3; Job 15:14; 25:4; Ps 51:5.  Why her seed? Ge 3:15. Usually men say his seed. That's an odd way to phase it. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Concerns?

God is holy.  You are a sinner in need of a savior (Ro 10:10).

[Where Are You? Genesis 3:7-13 In Touch] "After not listening to God, Adam and Even found themselves in a terrible predicament.  Their first reaction was to cover up rather than "fess up."  Fig leaves can never hide the root problem of sin, but even today, we still try this approach (v. 7).  Instead of acknowledging and confessing sin, we often attempt a quick surface fix of the situation.

Adam and Eve's second response was to avoid God.  They knew they were guilty of disobeying, but instead of coming to Him to reestablish their relationship, they hid fro Him in fear (v. 8).  We can do the same thing when sin breaks our fellowship with the Lord.  Have you ever found yourself avoiding prayer and time in the Scriptures because you were struggling with sin and felt guilty?

A third reaction was to try and avoid personal responsibility by blaming others (vv. 12-13).  Shifting guilt to another person can't remove it.  We are each responsible before God for our actions, regardless of the circumstances or who else is involved.

Despite Adam and Eve's sin and their evasive ways of handling it, the Lord came to them (v. 9).  Our sin is never large enough to keep Him away; our Father still calls to us and asks, "Where are you?"  He knows what we have done and why, but He questions us so that we can come to realize our desperate state...

Never let guilty or shame keep you from God.  He continually seeks those who have made a mess of their life and speaks to them through His Word, His spirit, and His people.  Forgiveness and a restored relationship await all who are willing to listen and respond with confession and repentance."

"I do not deny the sinfulness of man or the sinlessness of Christ..."

SD: “ Could he [jesus] have sinned?
Godrulz: “I believe He could have, but did not…” link

See:

Godrulz

[The Message and the Messenger: Five Ways to Communicate Like Jesus by John Coleman]: "...Jesus' messages were, of course, grounded in His character and believability. His credibility, however, was based on more than His life story. His actions were always aligned with His words. When He told others to care for the poor and outcast, He Himself was caring for the sick and lonely. When He told the prostitute in John 8:11 to "go and sin no more," He modeled the same purity He advocated. When the Pharisees questioned Christ about working on the Sabbath or paying taxes, they may have doubted His conclusions, but they could not argue with His extensive knowledge of the Scriptures.

The ancient Greeks saw three basic categories of credibility: practical wisdom, virtue and goodness, and goodwill toward the audience. Jesus possessed these trait abundantly..."

"Huh? I am 'guilty' of being Open Theist, Pentecostal, etc."

Strawman

You are guilty of modalism (2 Pe 2:1). Your Jesus does not exist (Jn 1:1, Heb 4:14). The Jesus of scripture is holy (Ps. 16:10, Isa 11:4, 5). He does not change (Mal 3:6). Only the Jesus of Scripture saves (Isa 63:9; Eph 5:23).

SD: “ Could he [jesus] have sinned?
Godrulz: “I believe He could have, but did not…” link

Jesus put on flesh for all eternity. Do you believe he put on sinful flesh? Heb 4:14

See:

Godrulz

[The Savior's Mission John 14:6 In Touch] "Many believers know that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, but we should also understand His mission, how He fulfilled it, and what that means to each of us. Christ has a twofold goal in coming to earth as a baby: to provide us with a tangible image of who God is, and die in our place to pay our penalty for sin.

What an incredible plan! The omnipotent, omniscient Lord had existed since eternity past (John 1:1, 14). And yet for a time, He set aside power and strength that were rightfully His, so that He could become like us. Because God-in-human-flesh lived His life before men, we can better understand our heavenly Father (Col 5:15).
Through Christ's sacrifice, we are invited into an eternal relationship with God. You see, Scripture finds every descendant of Adam guilty (Isa 53:6; Rom. 6:23), and the punishment for sin is death (Rom. 6:23). The penalty must be paid by the shedding of blood (Lev 17:11). Yet the Father can accept nothing less than a perfect sacrifice (Deut 17:1). The Savior--who was fully God, fully man, and 100 percent innocent--died a humiliating, excruciating death to pay the debt we couldn't afford. He is the only one who could lay down His life to save us and bridge the gap between each person and the Father...

There is no possible way for us to earn our salvation. It is an awesome gift that the Father freely offers to each one of us. The only "condition" is that we receive Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and follow Him. Have you chosen to accept this amazing blessing from the Father's hand?"

"Should they allow illiterate and mentally challenged people to post here?"

If Jesus could have or would have sinned, what would that make him?

SD: “ Could he [jesus] have sinned?
Godrulz: “I believe He could have, but did not…” link

You blaspheme the Lord’s name (Heb 4:14).

See:

Godrulz

“1 Co 12:3 accursed. This is the most severe kind of condemnation. Some of the Corinthians were fleshly and given over to ecstasies that were controlled by demons. In that condition, they actually claimed to be prophesying or teaching in the Spirit while demonically blaspheming the name of the Lord whom they were supposed to be worshiping. They had been judging the use of gifts on the basis of experience and not content. Satan always assaults the person of Christ. It is possible that the curser of Christ was a Gentile claiming to be a Christian, but holding to a philosophy that all matter was evil, including the human Jesus (i.e., pre-gnosticism). They might have said that the Christ spirit left the human Jesus before His death, and therefore Jesus died a cursed death as a mere man. Jesus is Lord. Cf. Acts 2:36; Rom. 10:9, 10; Eph. 1:20, 21; Phil. 2:9–11. The validity of any speaking exercise is determined by the truthfulness of it. If the speaker affirms the lordship of Jesus, it is the truth from the Holy Spirit. What a person believes and says about Jesus Christ is the test of whether he speaks from the Holy Spirit. He always leads people to Christ’s lordship (cf. 2:8–14; John 15:26; 1 John 5:6–8)." MacArthur, John Jr: The MacArthur Study Bible. electronic ed. Nashville : Word Pub., 1997, c1997, S. 1 Co 12:3

On what basis can you claim to be a Christian?

"MacArthur is a strident Calvinist who is wrong about Open Theism and Pentecostalism..."

Strawman

"What does it make Jesus if He could sin, but never sinned? Sinless! Heb. 4:15"

Your Jesus is not the Jesus of scripture (Heb 1:3).  You humanize Jesus to the point of blasphemy (Mt 15:19, Ps 74:18; Isa 52:5; 2 Ti 3:2; Re 18:11,21).  You do not know him.

We needed a new heart and a new way of thinking.  He did not.  Adam's way led to death (1 Co 15:22).  Christ's way leads to live (Jn 14:6).

[The Pathway of Spiritual Growth Romans 8:29 In Touch] "God predestined us to grow into His likeness, but this doesn't happen at the moment we are saved.  While we are redeemed by the Savior's precious blood and immediately have a new heart, our transformation is a lifelong process.

The Holy Spirit enables this journey.  Growth is impossible without Him, regardless of our efforts.  Yet we can welcome or hinder His transforming hand.

One way we give God willing access to our lives is by obeying this mandate in Romans 12:2:  "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..."

Everyone chooses either a biblical or worldly philosophy as his or her source of truth--and that choice shapes the mind and spirit.  Therefore, the Lord tells us to immerse our mind in Scripture, allowing Him to mold us into His beautiful image.

The Bible story about the Israelites wandering in the wilderness illustrates this principle.  After saving them from Pharaoh's abuse, God did not bring them immediately to the Promised Land.  The Lord knew doing so would bring sinful ways with them.  Instead, he led them to the wilderness and gave the Ten Commandments.  Only after they learned to obey and turn to almightily God were they ready for he next step...

The process of sanctification isn't always pleasant.  In fact, it's often painful for us, just as it was for the Israelites.  In God's amazing wisdom and love, however, He knows what we need to leave our old ways that lead to death.  And He builds new character in us--full of life and joy."

[John MacArthur] "...He should know better and have more intellectual honesty."

Strawman

"Jesus is sinless..."

SD: “ Could he [Jesus] have sinned?
Godrulz: “I believe He could have, but did not…” link

"...You are railing against a straw man."

You're projecting again (Eph 4:14).

"The impeccability of Christ is a peripheral debate..."

Strawman

Jesus sinlessness is essential Christian doctrine. Your Jesus cannot save. Human beings born after Adam are sinners (Ro 3:23). Jesus would not have sinned because although he is a man, he is not a sinner (Heb 4:15). When you say Jesus could have sinned, you are saying he is not God (Jn 1:1). You also reveal that you do not know him. No one would accurse you of being blessed (Mt 16:17). The Jesus of scripture came to save sinners not to be made one (1 John 4:10). He is holy (Ps 16:10, Isa 11:4,5). He was conceived of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 1:18; Luke 1:26–35) and born of a virgin (Matt. 1:19–25).

You are wrong (Heb 1:3). You are an antichrist (2 Pe 2:1).

[15 Words of Hope 2 Corinthians 5:21 Grace to You] "...[i]f there was to be reconciliation, the plan had to come from God, He had to initiate it. He had to design it. He had to execute it.

..."He made Him who knew no sin." That's the identification of the substitute. Who is it? Him who knew no sin...Him who knew no sin, who is that? It's not a human being for there is none of them who is righteous, no not one. They've all sinned and come short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23. There's no human being who qualifies. Who is the one who knew no sin? Who is this one? Who is the one who can bear the full wrath of God against sin for somebody else because He doesn't have to bear it for Himself? See, no sinful person could be a substitute, no sinner could die for another sinner because he would have to pay the penalty for his own sin. There had to be a sinless offering. And it had to be a human being because it had to be man who dies for man, but he couldn't be a sinful human being or he would have to die for his own sin and couldn't provide atonement for somebody else's. So it had to be a sinless man.

Well the only way to have a sinless man was to have a man who was God because God alone is sinless. So if you're going to have a sinless man you have to have a man who is God. And that's exactly what God designed...that the second member of the trinity, sinless and perfect, equally holy with the other two members of the trinity would come into the world in the form of a man. He was not to have a human father, Joseph was not the father of Jesus and Joseph knew it. Joseph had never known his wife in a conjugal way. He found out that she was with child, he couldn't believe it. And then the angel said, "That which was conceived in her was of the Holy Spirit." So that Jesus had a human mother that He might be a human, but God was His Father so that He was the God/Man, the sinless human being.

The Old Testament pictured that because when the lamb was selected it had to be a lamb without...what?...spot and without blemish. It had to be a perfect animal without a mark, picturing the real substitute who would be perfect. A man to die for men. God to be sinless so that indeed He could be a substitute...

...Now the testimony of unbelieving men was of his sinlessness. The testimony of those who knew Him best was of His sinlessness. But there's another who gave testimony and that testimony is indeed powerful. It was none other than God the Father Himself. At His baptism recorded in Matthew 3:17 the Father said, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am completely pleased." And at His transfiguration in Matthew 17 verse 5, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am completely pleased." You see, the Father was totally satisfied with the Son. There was nothing in the Son that dissatisfied the Father, He was perfect, sinless.

And maybe the greatest testimony of His sinlessness was the unbroken fellowship He had with God. "I and the Father are one. I and the Father are one." He said that many times. He says that in John 10 verse 30. He says it in John 14 verses 30 and 31. He says it repeatedly in John 17, He says it in verse 11, He says it in verse 21, 22, 23, we're one, we're one, we're one, we're one, we're united, we're united. That was the greatest testimony of His sinlessness was that He had absolutely unbroken communion with God.

Now had He not been man He couldn't be the substitute. Had He not been sinless He couldn't be the substitute. So He had to be man and He had to be God.

Notice our text again, "God made Him who knew no sin," here is the remarkable statement, "to be sin." You see, He had to punish sin but if He punished the sinner the sinner would be destroyed in hell eternally. So He had to take the substitute and put Him in the place of the sinner and punish the substitute instead. He had to be sin. That phrase is very important and I want you to grasp it.

What does it mean that He was made sin? That's an astounding statement. What does it mean? Well, first of all, let me tell you what it doesn't mean and you need to understand this clearly. It does not mean that Christ became a sinner. It does not mean that He committed a sin. It does not mean that He broke God's law. He did not do that. The Scriptures I've just read to you indicate that He had no capacity to sin, that's what theologians call the impeccability of Christ. He had no possibility to sin. He could not sin. He was sinless God while fully man. And certainly it is unthinkable that God would turn Him into a sinner. The idea of God making anybody a sinner is unthinkable, to say nothing of making His holy Son into a sinner..." Full text: 15 Words of Hope 2 Corinthians 5:21 Grace to You

See:

Godrulz

Theological Triage