I just wrote this for a forum regarding the necessity of the virgin birth and how that all works for our redemption to see the topic in full go to http://theos.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=3083&st=0&sk=t&sd=a
Lets do a little bible study to find out what “man“ is in order to find out who Christ had to be in order to be “a high priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb. 4:15)
In the beginning… (wish I could do Star Wars style scrolling)
Gen. 2:7: And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
You see the creation of man comes in 3 parts.
1 - man’s body from the dust (the part that relates to the natural world).
2- the breath of life a.k.a. the man’s spirit (the part of man that relates to the spiritual world and God)
3- the man’s soul. This part is not formed until the sprit enters the body. It is the seat of the will and our personality. This is why throughout scripture we are referred to as souls.
Adam and Eve in their pre-fallen state were the only people who we can say had a truly “free will” because they were undefiled by the sin nature because their souls were truly free to choose to obey God or not (they were not yet “slaves to sin” Rom 6:6).
Lets now look at what they chose in tree of the knowledge of good and evil and why that was such a “bad” fruit to eat.
Gen 3:4,5 The serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
Man was already like God, being created “in His image” (Gen. 1:26,27) so what was it that would change? The change was that we would now have a sense of good and evil apart from what God says is “good” or “evil.” We would be independently moral creatures whereas before we were amoral because we relied completely on God to tell us what was right or wrong.
This brings us to Gen 3:6 where we see temptation in all 3 of its forms (lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, pride of life) first become sin.
“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, (lust of the flesh) and that it was pleasant to the eyes, (lust of the eyes) and a tree to be desired to make one wise, (pride of life) she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat (sin), and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat (sin).”
Now Eve was in fact deceived but it is never Eve who is blamed for sin entering the world; it is always Adam. Why? Because he was her husband and therefore the one ultimately responsible for their family (Eph. 5:23, 1 Cor. 11:3). Therefore it was Adam’s sin, not Eve’s, that was passed down and Adam who is responsible death entering into the world (Rom. 5:12-19).
This is how we have “sin” (as in our sin nature) because we are all Adam’s seed. This sin nature causes us to desire sins.
(If I’ve skipped over something important to you let me know… I’m trying not to write a book here)
Now, on to Jesus. Yay!
Why was it necessary for Him to be born of a virgin? It was necessary so that He would not be of Adam’s seed and therefore not tainted by Adam’s transgression. This is why Jesus is called the last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45).
Now we go back to the 3 parts of a man (Spirit, soul, body) and how they come together to form Jesus.
1- Mary provides the “dirt,” so to speak, in her egg. This then becomes His body.
2- Holy Spirit gives it the “breath of life” this is why the Bible says “before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.” (Matt 1:18)
3- Then like we learned earlier once the spirit entered the body “He became a living soul”.
This makes Jesus a man just as Adam and Eve were before the fall. An amoral being the Son of man, the last Adam and finally the second man, from heaven (1 Cor. 15:47). Jesus did not have to have the “sin nature” passed down from Adam in order to be a “man” only the three parts of “man,” sprit, soul and body. Because Jesus was a free moral being He had the chance to succeed where Adam failed in living a holy life unto God without sin.
Once Jesus was baptized and Holy Spirit came upon Him (Matt 3:16…) He was brought out to be tempted:
Matt. 4:3 And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." (lust of the flesh)
Matt. 4:5,6 Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, 'HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU'; and 'ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.'" (pride of life)
Matt 4:8,9 Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, "All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me." (lust of the eyes)
Jesus went through all this and much more I’m sure especially when the devil returned… but the important thing to know is that He did not fall into sin during these temptations.
Now for the million dollar question… how does that apply to me since I am of Adam’s seed and do have a sin nature?
The truth is that your sin nature cannot be fixed or polished up. There is no remedy for a sin nature. If there was there would be no need for the cross. Praise be to God He has found a solution… He kills us. More specifically He crucifies us with Christ (Gal 2:20) and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.
We are no longer that old person from Adam’s seed. That man is DEAD. He no longer exists. Or as the Bible puts it: Rom. 8:10,11 If Christ is in you, though THE BODY IS DEAD because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead WILL ALSO GIVE LIFE TO YOUR MORTAL BODIES THROUGH HIS SPIRIT who dwells in you.
Or to put it another way
2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW CREATION; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
You are no longer of the race from Adam but made one with Christ Jesus free of sin and the sin nature.
