Question: If Christ, as the Bible says, was tempted in every way we are, wouldn’t that mean that ...

Question: The Bible clearly says we are “the sons of God” (1 Jn:3:2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
See All...) and Christ calls us “brethren” (Heb:2:11-12 [11] For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, [12] Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
See All...). That’s fantastic! I’ve heard it preached that we are sons of God just like Jesus was the Son of God and therefore as He said He could lay down His life and take it again, so can we. Christ must have surrendered Himself to the death of the cross long before He was crucified; and so must we deny ourselves, take up the cross and follow Him.

Of course, we fail, but wasn’t it possible for Christ to have failed also? If not, then He couldn’t have been truly tempted, or be an example for us. The Bible says He was “in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Heb:4:15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
See All...). A major temptation I have faced has been to doubt that I’m truly God’s child. I’ve had to renew my faith through the Word again and again that I am indeed a child of God.

If Christ, as the Bible says, was tempted in every way we are, wouldn’t that mean that He also had to keep renewing His faith that He truly was the Son of God? I’m not suggesting that He ever doubted it, but wasn’t it a walk of faith for Him so that He had to believe what the Bible said about who He was? I’m confused and I really want to be led of the Spirit in this matter.

Response: It is commendable to desire to be “led of the Spirit” as to whether to go to a foreign field or to serve the Lord at home, what job to take, where to live, etc. But when it comes to the doctrine of Christ, we don’t speculate and ask God to guide our thoughts—we go to His Word, trusting His Spirit to give us understanding. Not only the best but the only way to dispel your confusion is to see what the Bible says. Yes, there are some things that are difficult to understand and the Bible does say “great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh...” (1 Tm 3:16). But He reveals His truth to us by His Spirit through His Word (1 Cor:2:10-13 [10] But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. [11] For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. [12] Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. [13] Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
See All...). A little common sense is also essential.

Both the Bible and common sense tell us that while Jesus calls us brethren, that does not mean we are exactly like Him. We are “of the earth, earthy”; He is “the Lord from heaven” (1 Cor:15:47The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the LORD from heaven.
See All...). We become sons of God—indeed, through Christ alone (Jn:1:12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
See All...); He is the Son of God from all eternity, absolutely unique, God’s “only begotten Son...” (Jn:1:14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
See All...; 3:16; 8:58, etc.).

We begin our existence as “flesh and blood” creatures of time (Heb:2:14Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
See All...) through sexual union of a man and woman and natural birth, whereas He exists “from everlasting” (Mic:5:2But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
See All...), was born into this world of “a virgin” (Is 7:14) so that as a man “through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb:2:14Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
See All...). His mission on earth was “to fulfill all righteousness” (Mt 3:15), to “fulfill the law” (Mt 5:17-18) and to fulfill “all things ...written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms” (Lk 24:44) concerning Him.

There are many more contrasts between Christ and us. Let’s not get carried away like Morris Cerullo, Kenneth Copeland, Paul Crouch, Benny Hinn, et al. concerning what it means that we are Christ’s “brethren”! Man was made “in the image of God” (Gn 1:26-27), but there is a vast difference now and for eternity between man and God!

A major part of the prophecies Christ came to fulfill involved dying for our sins and rising again. That is what He referred to when He said, “No man taketh it [my life] from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again” (Jn:10:18No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
See All...). This statement by Christ could only refer to His death, burial and resurrection and cannot be applied to ourselves. None of us has power literally to lay down his life and take it again. Nor can we apply this “spiritually” to the injunction to deny self and take up the cross to follow Him. There is no application to taking up one’s life again—that would be a reversal of taking up the cross to follow Christ.

When it says He was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Heb:4:15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
See All...), the Greek word piradzo is used, which can mean temptation to sin but also has the meaning of being tested like gold in a fire, not because it might burn but to prove its purity. Christ was tested in every way possible to prove His perfection. He said, “the prince of this world [Satan] cometh, and hath nothing in me” (Jn:14:30Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
See All...). There was nothing in Christ that was in the least bit susceptible to or attracted by sin. Sin confronted Him but He did not have to struggle against it as we do to resist a temptation.

We cannot fail when tempted if we rely upon Christ living in us. Nor did He need “faith” to know that He was the Messiah. He is God from all eternity, one with the Father. He did not cease to be God when He became man. John wrote of Christ that at the same time He was on earth in His incarnation, He was “in the bosom of the Father” (Jn:1:18No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
See All...); and Christ referred to himself while here on earth as “the Son of man which is in heaven” (Jn:3:13And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
See All...), declaring that He was still omnipresent as God.