The Epistles to the Hebrews

146  The Ep i s t l e to the Hebrews : Par t I

Theological Support for the Position that Jesus Could Have Sinned Had He Chosen to Do So, continued

ask the same question: Was Adam capable of sinning? Yes, he was. Christ, the second Adam, was also capable of sinning in the sense that He had all of the faculties and all of the equipment necessary to sin if that’s what He chose to do. Could Jesus have sinned if He had wanted to? Absolutely. Of course He didn’t want to. So if you ask it a different way, could Jesus sin if He didn’t want to? No, He couldn’t sin if He didn’t want to any more than God could sin because God doesn’t want to sin. Wanting to sin is a prerequisite for sinning. But then we have to push it one step further: Could Jesus have wanted to sin? Theologians are divided on this point. I would say yes, I think He could have. I think that’s part of being made after the likeness of Adam. When we’re in heaven and are totally glorified, then we will no longer have the power and ability to sin. That’s what we look forward to; that’s what Jesus earned for Himself and for us through His perfect obedience. Christ’s perfect obedience was not a charade. He actually was victorious over every conceivable temptation that was thrown His way.

~ R. C. Sproul. URL: www.fni.com/heritage/nov96/sproul.html

Reprinted with permission at this web site from Now, That’s a Good Question! Published by Tyndale House Publishers.