Lesson Five: Jesus Was Sinless
Pastor Josh Combs
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15
What a wonderful joy it is to know that in our temptations we are not alone! In both the Gospel of Matthew and Luke, we see Jesus face a barrage of temptations from the enemy. Satan attacks Jesus with three distinct evil schemes (1 John 2:16 calls them, “The desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life.”) and each time the Lord repels the volleys of the Devil. What is crucial to understand is that Jesus faced each type of temptation that we will ever face, demonstrating for us how to defeat temptation. An important promise that God has made to us concerning temptation is found in 1Corinthians 10:13. The Scripture reads, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”Jesus not only gives us the battle plans for overcoming temptation, but empowers us, through the Holy Spirit, to endure the fiery trials of temptation.
Another profound principle we learn from the temptation of Christ is that to be tempted is not sin. Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted (Mathew 4:1), but He remained “without sin.” When we face temptation or our flesh (see Galatians 5:16-25) desires something evil, the devil will use guilt to make us feel defeated, but we must realize to face temptation is not sin. We must endure and look urgently for the way of escape that God has promised to provide. The promised escape hatch is there. Find it. Take it! Know that Jesus sympathizes with our human weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15), He has paved the way for escape, and empowers us to take the way of escape. Sometimes fleeing temptation (2 Timothy 2:22) will be mental, sometimes that means physically leaving where you are, changing media habits, or altering your driving patterns.
Whatever temptation tactic Satan attacks you with, know that Jesus faces that temptation with you!