Model of resisting temptation

I wrote this to myself a while ago and recently stumbled across it, so, I thought I would share with everyone:

When struggling with sin or temptation it will do us well to remember the humanity of Jesus. Why? In no attempt to embrace heretical Arian ideologies, Jesus’  being fully man is critically important to the possibility and efficacy of his atoning death and restriction. However, when struggling with Sin and Temptation I believe it to be equally important from an example and Application standpoint. Why?

Jesus, while fully God never used His deity to overcome potentially sinful and tempting situations he found himself in. Sure he cured people of disease,  prophesied with flawless accuracy and even rose people from the dead – but in all of those circumstances, his divine works were to validate him as the Son of God and not to deliver himself from a tempting situation.  Remember Hebrews 5:8 tells us

“he learned obedience through what he suffered” –

not that he used his divine power to deliver himself from all trials and suffering.

When hungry – he ate, when tired – he needed rest, when weary – he needed spiritual encouragement (Mat 4:11), when challenged by Pharisees or tempted by Satan – He responded with Holy Scripture (Matthew 4:1-11).  Why did he do this? Firstly to be obedient to the will of God the Father. Secondly to model for His Disciples and for us how we are to respond to the fleshy impulses and worldly traps that await us. To show us that while He, being both fully God and fully man that we have been given the exact same tools He (Jesus) used to combat these circumstances – the truth of God found in the Holy scriptures. Moreover, we have the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit inside us that Jesus himself said:

“It is for your benefit that I go so that I can send the Helper/Advocate (Holy Spirit) to you”.

Studying and meditating on Scripture enables us to be indwelt with and abide in the Spirit.  

Abiding in the Spirit points us to Jesus and conforms us to His likeness.

Do you want to be more like Jesus, Read the word – he is the word (John 1:1) .

Do you want to abide in the spirit- read the word – the spirit is the word (Ephesians 6:17) .

Do you need help with sin in your life today? Jesus showed us how to persevere and it’s only as far away as the nearest Bible.

Vera Homo Vera Deus:

I again want to reiterate this should in no way diminish the reality of the deity of Christ in your thinking, He is Very God and Very man. However, In times of temptation we would do well to remember Jesus was ‘very man’ and look to his examples in scripture and if you are a Christian, a Disciple, a Follower of Christ, to follow His example.

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Philippians 2:4-8 [ESV]