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NASB | Philippians 2:7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Philippians 2:7 but emptied Himself [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and fully man]. |
Subject: Could Jesus like Adam have sinned? |
Bible Note: Dear Koschelman: Friend, I have a problem with your exegesis of Hebrews 4:15. Well, not really a problem. That's merely a euphemism meaning I flat out disagree with it. :-) This text does not say that Jesus could have sinned, as you have indicated. It says that Jesus has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. This tempting was possible only because He took upon Himself the likeness of sinful flesh. Romans 8:3, "For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did, sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh." The word "likeness" is crucial in this verse. It lays it down plainly that Jesus was truly a man -- but not a sinful one. ..... Again, had there been no incarnation, Jesus could not even have been tempted, much less could He have sinned. James 1:13, "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God'; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone." ...... In summation, the Scriptures do indeed teach that Christ was tempted. They also teach very clearly that he was without sin. But no where do they teach that Jesus could have sinned. Let me ask you, Koschelman, can God the Father sin? No? Then how, pray tell me, did you come to the conclusion from your reading of Hebrews 4:15 that God the Son can sin? Isn't it true, dear student of the Word, that to say that Jesus is capable of sin is tantamount to an admission that He is not deity, not fully God, not the second Person of the Trinity, not God the Son? Surely you don't hold such an heretical view as that, do you? Your post is misleading to say the least, and my guess is that it may not say what you mean it to say. Please do attend to this matter by giving it your careful attention. --Hank |