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To: GonzoII

Jesus is both natural man, being born of a woman, and spiritual man, being born of God. It’s why he is called both Son of man and Son of God.

And we also are both natural and spiritual.

I think Jesus refusal to sin, even though he was met with the same temptations as the rest of us with a natural nature is similar to my experience, of late, with all you can eat chinese food.

Here’s how it works:

When I was younger, I LOVED all-you-can-eat chinese for all sorts of reasons, but I always felt lousy for hours after gourging myself.

So I am of two minds before I make the decision to get the food: It’s really good and I’ll really enjoy it, but I’m gonna feel lousy afterward. Think of the former as the “natural” man not caring about the consequences but wanting that yummy food. And he is at war with the “spiritual” man who knows that in the long run I am going to be sorry I at the food.

As I have gotten older, the latter wins. The former submits because he has been controlled by the wisdom of the “spiritual”.

So, Jesus knew what was on the line. He saw hot women. He saw chances to save himself and destroy the plan, but the spiritual side successfully subdued the human side.

And how fierce was this battle? He sweat blood.


7 posted on 10/31/2013 10:38:28 AM PDT by cuban leaf
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To: cuban leaf
“And how fierce was this battle? He sweat blood.”

The first thing I thought of is we are human, but we also have God dwelling in us. And of course we sin. I think the Garden of Gethsemane was Christ's biggest temptation - I would go even as far as saying that Christ was anxious, but then quickly turning that worry into a prayer. Like Paul tells us “Don't be anxious about anything, but with prayer and thanks call on God” (or something to that effect). While dwelling on worry is probably a sin (not trusting in God), I think the momentary anxiousness is the normal human response to a bad situation.

Could Jesus have jumped ship? Yes, I think He had free will and could have. Would He? No. Another scene comes to mind, when Jesus is baptized and God says something like “This is my Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Why would it please God for Jesus to be baptized if Jesus had no choice in the matter? It would make Jesus an automaton imho.

29 posted on 10/31/2013 11:37:34 AM PDT by 21twelve ("We've got the guns, and we got the numbers" adapted and revised from Jim M.)
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