Nature of Christ

Clyde White

What kind of nature did Christ have as a human, and could He have sinned while on earth?

This is a frequently asked question and there is no way this subject can be properly and clearly covered in a few short pages. Nevertheless, we will be condensing, one of the greatest spiritual truths and the greatest spiritual mystery ever revealed to mankind by God.

Even by giving the most careful attention, along with the most astute perception, the fact of the incarnation of Christ as the only hypostatic union of humanity and divinity will never be completely comprehended by a mere human mind. That being the case, we will need to clear the cobwebs from your mind, set aside the cares and joys of the day, eliminate the distractions around you, make sure you are confessed up to date, take a NoDose, and with deliberate purpose, set your thinking and your very person to the task of hearing and understanding these facts.

God in the body of a human or in some cases an animal, or a human becoming a god is one of the foundational tenets of most heathen religions, cults, or spiritual movements. In reality, all three of those just mentioned fall into the same religious category. The major difference is location, social status and philosophy.

Even the natural mind of humanity knows, deep within its recesses, that the only spiritual hope for mankind is for the God of gods to become one with us, and for us to become one with God through the redemptive process. The mind and actions of mankind may twist those truths, but nonetheless these truths are stamped indelibly within the soul of mankind.

As one might expect, the reality of God coming into this world as truly God and fully human, is far different than the most primitive or sophisticated human minds can even imagine. For God to satisfy His Own law, there were many factors involved in God becoming fully human without being any less divine. In this short series, we can't even mention all that is involved. I will try to point out some areas that seem to us, as humans, to be the most vital and the most difficult.

Commitment

The Second Person of the Trinity was chosen, or became the Elect of God to be that divine-human Redeemer. The Person of God entering the human race could not be a temporary event. God must be incarnate in humanity for eternity. This incarnation was not like a vacation to the mountains. This transaction was for keeps!

God could not come into the human family in the manner proposed by many heathen tribes. Generally, the heathen see God taking over a body of some being either human, angel, animal, etc. God could not enter the human race as proposed by many cults and spiritualists. Many of these envision humans becoming gods through many and various stages. If humans can become gods, then there was no need for God to come into the human race as a man, in the first place.

If God came into the human race by taking over the body of some creature, He could never be the Redeemer, for this act would be no more than an indwelling or a possessing of a creature. However in that case, the creature in whom God dwelt would be unchanged. If God were to come into the world by indwelling a human body, the creature whose body God possessed would still be in need of redemption. Therefore, that creature would need to be redeemed, and could not be a part of the process of providing redemption for others.

Sinless

The Redeemer had to be true humanity without a single spot of personal sin. The Redeemer had to be true humanity so as to have a relationship with the human race. Therefore, the Redeemer needed a human body that was not tarnished with either personal or inherited sin. Hence, the need for the virgin birth. Physical things of themselves are not sin. Therefore, the body of a new born would not be sinful except for the sinful nature passed down by the father through conception.

Titus 1:15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.

Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.

Psalms 51:5 is not a condemnation of the birthing or conception processes. It is stating a simple fact, which is that all babies born to human parents are in iniquity when they are born, even before their first human act. It is also a statement of fact, that at the moment of conception, even before the cells begin to multiply, every germinated human cell through conception is in sin.

All humans are from the moment of conception in sin, and from the time of birth till death they are in iniquity. The ramifications of those truths will answer many questions, and bring purpose and stability to many areas of life.

In similar manner, when a person is redeemed, they are born again and are in Christ. Through the natural birth we are in sin and iniquity, therefore, we are identified by what sin and iniquity is. (Romans 3) Through the new birth we are in Christ, therefore, we are identified by Who Christ is.

The Redeemer had to come into the world as all other humans. Yet, He had to come into the world as no other human.

If Christ would have come into the world through the natural process of human conception of father and mother, there would have been no way to identify His humanity as exclusive property of His divinity. Since the Fall of Adam, humanity has been the exclusive property of Satan.

Therefore, the ultimate destination of the property of Satan is the same ultimate destination as Satan, himself. Likewise, when we are the exclusive property of God, we will share His ultimate destiny - eternal life. You can see from this how important it is to build theology on the proper and only foundation, the Word of God.

John 8:38 I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father [Satan].

John 8:41-44 You do the deeds of your father.[Satan] Then they said to Him, We were not born of fornication; we have one Father-- God. 42 Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

If Christ would have come into the world without a relationship or connection with human parentage, there would be no basis for the fact of His humanity. Therefore, God's solution was that the life of Christ would be generated by the Holy Spirit, Who is deity. Mary, a virgin would carry that life and give birth to a baby boy who was not conceived in sin, nor born in iniquity, yet was truly divine and fully human.

Hebrews 2:17-3:1 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. 3:1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,

The question is often asked, Is there anything God cannot do? Here is one thing that could not have been done, if Christ had not come as a human. Notice v.18. Because Christ suffered and was tempted as a human, He is able to aid us in our temptation. Just a sideline. It has a lot to do with our subject, but very little to do with direct answer to the question of the day.

Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Not by Design

For most who fail to believe or understand this truth, of undiminished deity and sinless humanity eternally united into one Being called in Scripture the Second Adam, it's quite natural for their human logic to suppose that sin is an integral and inseparable part of humanity.

The human mind looks around, and all it sees are sinful humans. The human mind looks back in history, and all it finds are sinful humans. The human mind concludes that sin and humanity are one and the same. Therefore, by that conclusion, they are inseparable. It is vital if you are to ever have even the remotest understanding of the incarnation of God in sinless flesh.

Once again, the problem with our understanding is that we have been taught, and we teach less than the entirety of the Word of God. Therefore, we think in proof texts or manmade dogmas, instead of the whole council of God given to us from Genesis to Revelation. Any subject in the Word of God cannot be fully understood apart from the totality of the Word of God, itself. Sin is not a native, inseparable part of humanity.

Genesis 1:26-28 Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.

Genesis 1:31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Well, look at that. Adam, as created in humanity, did not have any sin, or possess an old sin nature. Sin is not a native part of humanity, as created by God.

Sin's Entrance

Sin entered the human race as an intrusion into the lives of those whom God had created as truly human, yet without sin. Sin enter the human race at the invitation of Adam, not through the creation or council of God. Because of that willful disobedient act by Adam, sin entered the human race, and the sin nature has been passed down from Adam to all human descendants through procreation.

I cannot say it often enough, or in enough different ways, you cannot build proper theology on proof texts. Proper theology must be developed on the totality of the Word of God. All conclusions as a result of this process must be in perfect harmony with all the facts of the Word of God.

Curse

As a result of sin, there was a curse placed on humanity and all of mankind's natural habitat. The curse was not sin. The curse was given by God for many reasons, too many to mention, but one reason was so that all of creation would have hope and look forward to the redemption of the Believer's bodies described in Romans 8.

Sin-Free Conception

Adam as created fresh from the hand of God had no sin. Likewise, Christ in His divinity and flesh had no sin, because His conception was not generated by a descendant of Adam, but by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, Christ, in his physical life, came into this world in a similar condition as Adam came into this world - without sin. Adam became a sinner because of disobedience. Those descending from Adam through natural birth share in his sin nature, and the result of that sin nature was eternal separation from God. Those descending from Christ through the new birth have His new nature, and will share in the result of that new nature, eternal bliss with God.

1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

New Lineage

So, the human body is not sinful in and of itself. The body becomes sinful through procreation when the old sin nature is passed to the body at conception by the father. Adam, as created fresh from the hand of God, had no sin. Likewise, Christ in His divinity and flesh had no sin, because His conception was not generated by a descendant of Adam, but by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, Christ, in his physical life, came into this world in a similar condition as Adam - without sin. Those descending from Adam through natural birth share in his sin and nature.

1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

Therefore, in Adam all die, both physically and spiritually. Adam is the head of a race by natural birth. That natural race are all sinners and condemned to eternal death.

Christ came in similar manner as Adam, in that He did not have a nature of sin, nor did He have any personal sin. Christ is the head of a race by spiritual birth. That spiritual race are all Sons of God and have the gift of God which is eternal life. Therefore, Christ is called the Last Adam, or sometimes referred to as the Second Adam.

Deity of Christ

It is good to emphasize that the sinfulness of mankind was not an integrated aspect of the human life as created by God. Sin was introduced into human life as an intrusion through the invitation of Adam through disobedience. That nature of sin has been passed down to all the descendants of Adam through procreation since that day.

There are several distinctions in the manner in which these two Adams became human. The first Adam entered the arena of humanity as a result of the direct creative act of God, therefore without sin. The first Adam sinned by a choice of his own volition.

The Second or Last Adam entered this human arena through birth. The Last Adam remained sinless through His own choice by always doing those things that pleased the Father. Hang in there, now. You will need to follow this closely, or you will get lost on one of the turns and wander around in some other subdivision for the rest of this lesson.

Creator or Parent

The Generating Agent of the humanity of Christ was none other than the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit did not have a sexual relationship with Mary. There was no need for this type of action, because this was not procreation in any sense of the word. The Holy Spirit did not beget the deity of Christ, only His humanity. Hold on to this and we will come back to expand on the aspect deity later.

The Holy Spirit was not so much the progenerator of the physical life of Christ, as He was the Creator of that life. This Greek word for overshadow is used 5 time in the New Testament:

Once in regards to the conception of Christ.
Three times in connection to the transfiguration of Christ.
Once in speaking of Peter's shadow.

Matthew 17:5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him! "

Acts 5:15 so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.

This overshadowing has to do with God's power alone. That is easy to see in the account of the transfiguration. Peter makes that fact clear in regards to his healing power. Peter declares that this was the healing power of God alone.

Acts 3:12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?

Another time in the Old Testament, we see a similar reference to the work of the Holy Spirit.

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Some assert the Christ received His human body from His human parent, Mary, and His deity for His Divine Parent, the Holy Spirit. That just isn't so! Christ's deity did not begin with the conception by the Holy Spirit. John 1 and many other passages clearly present that this One called The Christ had always existed with the Father before time began. The only aspect of Christ's life that began at the conception was his humanity. Christ's deity did not begin with the conception!

John 1:1-4 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

This is the Second Person of the Trinity, referred to here as the Word.

John 1:14-15 And the Word became 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. 15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, "He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me." "

Christ's deity was not generated by another. He was Himself deity. He had always been deity. Through the incarnation, that which He always was now became joined in everlasting union with His humanity.

The God of all gods, who created all things caused Mary, a virgin to conceive and bear a Son. Even though she gave birth to this One, who was legitimately her Son, it was made clear by the angel that this One born to Mary was the possession of God. He was the only begotten Son of God.

Luke 1:30 Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.

Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.

Adam's Compared

The next passage we will look at has a great deal in it. As a matter of fact, it is chocked full of spiritual truth. However, for this study, we want to see just a couple of features that apply directly to our subject.

1 Corinthians 15:45-47 And so it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being. " The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.

Notice, some very distinct differences as the Holy Spirit through Paul compares the first and Second Adam.

The first was a living being -- the Second is a life-giving spirit.
The first was of the earth -- the Second is the Lord from heaven.

The first Adam was a living being. The Greek word for living being is psuche meaning breath. It is from the Greek root that we get psyche or soul.

The first Adam had a soul. This soul was given by God and was in the likeness or image of God. Even though given by God, that first soul was not divine. It was similar to the divine nature, but it was only a shadow image. This soul was without sin, as given to Adam. The first Adam was of the earth. There is much more in this statement, but for now, I want us to see that (internally) Adam's soul, and (externally), Adam's body were only of this sphere or of the earth. Both, as given by God, were without sin, but they were in no way connected to the spiritual or divine.

Contrary to that fact, Christ, the Second Adam, was not only connected with another sphere, the spiritual, He was all that divinity was. He was the Lord from heaven. There were differences and many similarities. Some we'll have to save for later study.

The humanity of Christ and His divinity are indissolubly joined together, just as the soul of a person is joined to the body. Christ's humanity was not elevated to a higher plane by His divinity. Nor was His divinity made any less because of his humanity. To hold such a view would only be warmed over and refined paganism.

Infinite Capacity

Of itself divinity could not provide redemption. And if possible, a human who was without sin could only redeem one other sinner through his sacrificial death. Therefore, for the possibility for the human race to be redeemed requires the need of a sinless human with infinite capacity. Only deity is infinite. Therefore, the need of the hypostatic union of sinless humanity and omnipotent divinity in one personality, Who would become the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Hypostatic union is truly a phrase of theology, and is applicable only to Christ.

hypostatic: the mode in which a substance, thought or nature has separate and independent existence and distinct individuality.

The hypostatic union would be the uniting of two distinct and dissimilar natures, with each retaining its own characteristics and existence. That being the case, how could Christ experience true humanity as you and I must experience it?

Temptation of Christ

Luke 4:2 (Christ)... being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.

Christ was tempted by the Devil for forty days, and then we have the account of the last few super temptations. If there was no way Christ could have yielded to those offers by Satan, would those offers really have been temptations? The answer is obvious. If there is no ability to yield, the things offered would not be tempting.

Hebrews 2:17-18 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

Notice again, the clear teaching in the passage. In all things, He (Christ) was made like his brethren. The "all things " would include His ability to be tempted, as we see v.18. Christ suffered. The suffering referred to in this passage was temptation. His brethren had all been tempted. Now Christ can come to their aid because He was tempted in like or similar manner as His brethren. Would it be a temptation "like His brethren " if there were no possibility of yielding to that temptation?

Hebrews 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

This is a very strong passage showing the possibility of sinning because of temptation. Christ was in all points tempted as we are. Once again, we have a comparison and the conclusion of that comparison is obvious. Then the Holy Spirit makes this very plain by the next phrase, "yet without sin. " These were temptations to sin, or there would be no need to say "yet without sin ". Christ was fully human, and like the first Adam, without personal sin or a sin nature.

Problem: God cannot be tempted

James 1:12-14 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been proved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God "; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.

Well, we were doing so good, until James had to put in his two cents worth. Now we have a problem of colossal proportions. If Christ is God, and He is, He can't be tempted with evil. Yet, we just read several portions that clearly state that He was tempted.

God's Great Love

Hang on because this is truly one of the great demonstrations of God's love to us in the matter of redemption.

Philippians 2:5-8 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

made Himself of no reputation (Greek): to make empty; to abuse; to neutralize; to falsify.

The phrase "made Himself of no reputation " is all one word in the Greek. The Greek structure of that word just sends a religious thrill up and down your spine, doesn't it? No? This word/phrase is aorist imperative active. Well, that had to thrill you, didn't it? Hmm? Well, with all that said and done, it means that Christ, Himself, gave the command for this action to take place. But what was the action that Christ ordered of Himself?

The NKJV translates it as made Himself of "no reputation ". The NIV translates it as "made Himself nothing ". The NASB says "He emptied " Himself. The Amplified says He "stripped " Himself. Living Bible says He "laid aside " His mighty power. The list could on and on as the different translators struggle to find an English word or words to describe what Christ did. For the most part, all of these are good translations from the Greek. The problem stems from the fact that this is one of those passages that must be translated from the Greek, plus the context, plus the use of this Greek word in other passages, plus the general theology of the person of Christ. Simply put we need to look at a number of things to understand what is going on here. We certainly will not attempt to follow all of those trails. However, with the information already given, I believe we can pretty well think through this to a proper conclusion.

made Himself of no reputation (Greek): to make empty; to abuse; to neutralize; to falsify.

Laid Aside

As we look at the Greek definition of that phrase, along with what we know of the theology of Christ, it would seem best to reject the possible meaning of to make empty as the best translation. Christ did not loose or drain out any of His divinity when He took on humanity. Obviously, Christ did not abuse Himself. Nor did He falsify any aspect of His being or character. So, that leaves us with the possible Greek definition of to neutralize. There were other possible English words given in the lexicon for this Greek word, but they all had the about same or similar meanings as ones placed in the definition list.

Think through what we know of Christ's life, and the doctrine of Christ. We know that Christ could not cease to be God. He couldn't really empty out his Godness or even His reputation as God.

He is the only person in history that had His reputation declared before He even came. If there were no other declarations of that reputation, the angels declared who He was even before He was born. Most people's reputations follow them, but Christ's proceeded Him.

Christ did not deny or conceal His reputation as God. At age 12 He asked, "don't you know I must be about My Father's business." John the Baptist declared who He was before His public ministry. The use of the word empty certainly would not be a false translation, but based on what else we know, it seems that a better translation would be.,

Philippians 2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, He neutralized His divinity and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Christ lived His earthly life by the power and strength of God the Father and the Holy Spirit only. Christ did not draw on His personal divinity to overcome temptation or for strength to get through the day. He stated again and again that He came only to do the Father's will and not His own. Christ said that what He taught was directed by the Father.

While on earth, Christ said that He did not know when He would return, only the Father knew. He did not reach into His own divinity or His all knowingness to find out when He was coming back. He also relied only on the Father's strength in the garden, and the list could go on and on. Christ did not empty out his divinity from His life, He simply laid it aside or put it in a neutral state, and did not use His personal divinity for strength of living or to overcome temptation.

He didn't use the power of His divinity to raise Himself from the dead. This, too, was the Power of the Father and the Holy Spirit. If you take the time to think through the life of Christ, you will see many other times when Christ did not use His own divinity, but relied only on the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Coulda?

So, could Christ have sinned while on earth?

As we conclude our very short and incomplete examination, it is important to keep in mind several facts:

Christ in His person always existed. Christ’s deity did not begin with His conception.
The human body, in and of itself, is not sinful. It becomes sinful when, through conception, the old sin nature is passed down from Adam through the father to that new little body.
The Holy Spirit was the generating agent of the humanity of Christ. Therefore, Christ had no inherited sin nature.
The deity of the ever existent Second Person of the Trinity was joined with the humanity generated by the Holy Spirit in an inseparable Hypostatic Union. Sinless humanity and omnipotent divinity became one Person.
Christ willingly laid aside or made neutral His divinity, and trusted and relied only on the Power of God the Father and the Holy Spirit, not using His own divinity to overcome temptation or to live in holiness.
God or deity can notbe tempted by evil (James 1:12-14).
Christ was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:14-16).

All of these facts and many more are presented throughout the Scriptures concerning the deity and humanity of Christ. All Scripture must agree with itself. There must be no contradiction with any part of Scripture or the conclusions drawn from those facts.

To have any understanding of this very, deep aspect of God, we must understand and accept the fact of the two distinct and dissimilar natures involved in this Hypostatic Union. We must understand that these two natures, even though different, were both without sin. We must also understand that these two natures had separate, independent existence and distinct individuality, as per definition and as evidenced throughout Scripture.

hypostatic: the mode in which a substance, thought or nature has separate and independent existence and distinct individuality.

Philippians 2:5-8 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

made Himself of no reputation - (Greek): to make empty; to abuse; to neutralize; to falsify.

We must realize that Christ, in and through His own sovereignty, chose to "make Himself of no reputation" or lay aside His rights to Godness, or place His personal divinity in neutral when He took on the form of a servant.

So, I will give you my opinion, and then I will give you the Biblical answer. The two are not the same, but they are in harmony.

Based on the facts of the Word of God we have examined, plus much information we have not had time to look at, the humanity of Christ was tempted in all points as we are. Based on this and other Biblical facts, it would seem that the humanity of Christ could have sinned. The divinity of Christ was not tempted, because it was laid aside, or placed in neutral by Christ’s own sovereign choice. This fact is one of the great glories of God’s love for us. God laid His Godness on the line, so that whosoever would believe on Him, the Son, would have everlasting life.

This is our conclusion based the facts of Scripture known at this stage of life study. This is the conclusion we have come to based on careful study. It is not the declaration of Scripture. Scripture does not definitelydeclare the answer to this question in any passage. What the Scripture does clearly present is that Christ was tempted in all point like we are, yet He was without sin.

The important fact is that it was the Christ, the very Son of God, who was tempted, and He did not sin. Therefore, we can have salvation, and He can help us in our time of temptation.

Knowing the what-ifs, as interesting as that may be, has little or no bearing on the reality of your eternal destiny. But what you do with the knowledge of the Son of God does have everything to do with your eternal destiny. Some good people disagree with this conclusion, and there's no need to think any less of them for it. After all, they have a right to be wrong. Please excuse the levity.

In reality, when we get to heaven, there will be so many other grand and important things that these will seem distant and insignificant. But there are a couple of things that will be of prime importance when we get to eternity:

Have you accepted this One, who was tempted yet without sin, as your personal Savior?
As a Believer, do you have the mind of Christ, and is your conduct holy?

The right answers to these questions are far more important to your spiritual well being than any of the great theological mind twisters.

It is right and proper, yes even needful, to search for and find all the Biblical information concerning these great theological mind twisters. But we must be very careful not to push the facts of the Word of God beyond what they clearly say, or we too will find ourselves in a religious slime pit, turning the truths God into fables.