"We cannot do what Jesus would do because we are not divine." (popular saying)
Of course mainstream theology attributes the sinless obedience of Jesus to the superior moral attributes of his alleged "divinity". But think about it. That amounts to a serious a slander against the justice of God! What justice would there be in a God who condemned humans who were born unable to obey because of their lack of divinity? How could one ever truly love a God like that?
The Scriptures are clear that Jesus was NOT divine, but totally human, just like us; and that His victory over sin was achieved with exactly the same human resources available to all other men. His obedience is the standard against which all other men will be judged. That is a fundamental issue in the Gospel call to repentance and obedience. Other humans are called to forsake their sins and learn the same obedience as that rendered by the human Son of God.
"If you love me keep my commandments". (John 14: 15)
Praise God! It is NOT too hard! (Deut 30:11) Jesus has shown us how to do it,. And GRACE comes complete with a "training course" which makes it possible. (Titus 2:11-12)
Paul also says that the goal for completed growth is nothing less than:1. ALL the fullness of God. (Eph 3:14-19)
2. The measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. (Eph 4:11-15)
Now that contains a promise which really is GOOD NEWS.
Allon Maxwell
People could argue that there are
significant ways in which Jesus differed from us, which enabled him to "overcome" and be the acceptable sacrifice which took away the sin of the world.
Jesus was the son of "The Father" in the fullest sense as he said on numerous occasions. Jesus being conceived through the Holy Spirit, and not through any human agency.
Jesus was given the Spirit from God without measure, John.3:34.
Jesus did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth 1Peter 2:22. Whereas "all (others) have sinned and come short of the glory of God" Romans 3:33.
People could also utter: that during the time period between birth and the commencement of his ministry at which time he received the Spirit without measure, Jesus was "shielded" from harm. According to them there are a number of scriptures which describe this shield. Psalm 22:9, Psalm 71:6, Isaia 49:5-6.
In a certain sense I would call Jesus divine, meaning belonging to or proceeding from a god. Jesus is not God and may never be a god, but he is the only one who can say he had God has his real Father.
Though we just come from human people, and Christ was born from our Holy Father, this is no excuse not to try to become as Jesus. Because of our shortcomings we do have a harder job to be without sin, but we have to work on it. Jesus had also the choice to take other ways, which would make him also a sinner, but he did choose not, and because of his choice he stayed without sin. For our protection today we have the Holy Bible, which brings us enough Words from God to give us full guidance. We only have to read it carefully and learn from it, to incorporate it in our life.
In the New Testament we have enough examples of what Jesus did and how he reacted. Learning from that we could always say WWJD "What Would Jesus Do?" and bear it in our mind to prepare our way of living and reacting to others.
Marcus Ampe
