Tuesday, January 18
Hebrews says that Jesus adopted our human nature so that He could represent us and could die for us (Hebrews 2:9, 14-16; 10:5-10). Here is the foundation of the plan of salvation and our only hope for eternal life.
Read Matthew 16:17, Galatians 1:16, 1 Corinthians 15:50, and Ephesians 6:12. To what deficiencies of human nature do these passages relate the expression “flesh and blood”?
The expression “flesh and blood” emphasizes the frailty of the human condition, its weakness (Ephesians 6:12), lack of understanding (Matthew 16:17, Galatians 1:16), and subjection to death (1 Corinthians 15:50). Hebrews says that Jesus was made like His brothers “in all things” (Hebrews 2:17). This expression means that Jesus became fully human. Jesus did not simply “look like” or “seem to be” human; He truly was human, truly one of us.
Hebrews also says, however, that Jesus was different from us regarding sin. First, Jesus did not commit any sin (Hebrews 4:15). Secondly, Jesus had a human nature that was “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners” (Hebrews 7:26). We all have sinned, and we all have evil tendencies. Our bondage to sin begins deep inside our own very nature. We are “carnal, sold under sin” (Romans 7:14; see also 7:15-20). Pride and other sinful motivations often taint even our good actions. Jesus’ nature, however, was not marred by sin. It had to be this way. If Jesus had been “carnal, sold under sin,” like us, He would have also needed a Savior. Instead, Jesus came as a Savior and offered Himself as a sacrifice “without spot” to God for us (Hebrews 7:26-28, 9:14).
Then Jesus destroyed the power of the devil by dying as the sinless offering for our sins, thus making possible our forgiveness and reconciliation with God (Hebrews 2:14-17). Jesus also broke the power of sin by giving us the power to live a righteous life through His fulfillment of the new covenant promise to write the law in our hearts (Hebrews 8:10). Thus, Jesus has defeated the enemy and effectively liberated us so that we can now “serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:14). Satan’s final destruction, meanwhile, will come at the final judgment (Revelation 20:1-3, 10).
Since we have the promise of victory through Jesus, why do so many of us still struggle with sin? What are we doing wrong, and more importantly, how can we start living up to the high calling we have in Christ?
