Did Jesus really have to struggle with temptation like we do? Can His victory give me faith that sin can be conquered in my everyday life? By Ellen White

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“Therefore he had to become like his brothers in everything, so that he might be merciful and a faithful high priest before God, atoning for the sins of the people. For in what he himself suffered and was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." (Hebrews 2,17.18:84-XNUMX, Luther XNUMX)

Jesus came into this world and clothed his divinity in humanity, taking on human nature. He came to experience what man experiences; to walk the ground on which Adam fell; to make up for his failure. He came to meet and defeat the enemy of God and man. By his grace man would be able to overcome and finally sit with him on his throne. He faced the fight: The scene of the controversy between the prince of life Jesus and the prince of darkness Satan was to be this little dust called earth. Man had become a child of sin through transgression, a prisoner of Satan, the enemy of God. Satan had misrepresented God's nature so that man, created in God's image, questioned the love of his heavenly Father, distrusted his word, and strayed into unbelief and rebellion against God's requirements.

The Cosmic Conflict

Jesus came to represent the nature of the Father, to win man back to God, to reconcile him to God. Of his own accord, he offered to confront the enemy and expose his ruse. Then man would again be able to decide freely whom he wants to serve. Satan had been Lucifer, the bringer of light. He was responsible for transmitting God's splendor in heaven and was unsurpassed in power and dignity after Jesus. In the Words of Inspiration he is described as "the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect beauty!" (Ezekiel 28,12:XNUMX). But Lucifer defaced the beauty and abused the power bestowed upon him by the Creator. His light had become darkness. Cast out of heaven by his rebellion, he knew he would make man his victim and earth his kingdom. He blamed Jesus for his rebellion. So abysmal was his hatred of God that he sought to wound Jesus by the fall of man. Seeing in the happiness and peace of Eden a piece of bliss that he had lost forever, he wanted to stir up in the hearts of the creatures God had made the same bitterness that he felt himself. Then their songs of praise and thanksgiving would turn into reproaches against their Maker.

scene earth

Although God had endowed man with everything that would contribute to his happiness, and although the inhabitants of the earth knew nothing of evil, they did not balk at the insinuations of the archdeceiver, but fell from their upright positions and tasted the bitterness of transgression. Peace had departed, love fled; instead of oneness with their Creator, they felt guilt and fear for the future, and felt naked inside. This is the result of breaking God's righteous commandments. But those who "follow them will have a rich reward" (Psalm 19,12:XNUMX).

The fall of man filled all heaven with sorrow. Jesus' heart was touched with infinite compassion for the lost world, the corrupt human race. He saw man falling into sin and misery and knew that he would not have the moral strength to overcome his non-sleeping enemy in his own interest. In divine love and compassion he came to earth to fight our battles for us; for he alone could conquer the adversary. He came to bring man together with God, to bestow divine strength upon contrite hearts, and to walk the path man walks from the manger to Calvary. At every step he was a perfect example to man. His essence revealed what man can become when he is one with God.

Who Was Jesus?

Yet many say that Jesus was not like us, that he was not like us in the world, that he was divine and therefore we cannot overcome as he overcame. But this is not true: “For the rest, we know that he did not take on the nature of angels, but that of the descendants of Abraham... And because he himself suffered and was exposed to temptations, he is able to help those who are also exposed to temptations. « (Hebrews 4,16:18-17,31 New Geneva Translation, footnote) Jesus knows the problems of the sinner and his temptations. He took on our nature and was tempted in everything as we are. He cried, was a man of pain and acquainted with suffering. He lived on earth as a human and ascended to heaven as a human. He represents humanity as a human and lives and intercedes for us as a human. He is coming again as a man with royal power and glory to receive those who love him and for whom he is now preparing a place. We should rejoice and give thanks that God "set a day when he shall judge the world in righteousness through a man whom he hath appointed." (Acts XNUMX:XNUMX)

Could Jesus have sinned?

Anyone who claims that Jesus could not sin cannot believe that he assumed human nature. Jesus was indeed tempted, not just in the wilderness but throughout his life. In everything he was tempted as we are, and because he successfully resisted temptation in every form, he set a perfect example for us. Through the comprehensive provision made for us, we can become "partakers of the divine nature" and escape "the corruption of lust that is in the world" (2 Peter 1,4:3,21). Jesus says: "To him that overcomes I will give to sit with me on my throne, just as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne." (Revelation 3,14:XNUMX) This "initial confidence" may be allowed we "stand firm to the end" (Hebrews XNUMX:XNUMX). Jesus enables us to resist Satan's temptations; for he came to bring divine power combined with human effort.

Jesus said, "I and the Father are one." (John 10,30:2,9) He is speaking of both himself and the Father when he speaks of almighty power and claims perfect righteousness for himself. In Jesus dwelt "all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Colossians XNUMX:XNUMX). Therefore, though tempted in all things as we are, he stood before the world unstained by the corruption that surrounded him. We, too, may become partakers of this abundance. In this way alone is it possible for us to overcome as Jesus overcame.

Source: "Tempted in All Points as We Are," Bible Echo, Nov. 1, 18