The question of whether Jesus was sinless is an important one for Christians. The Bible has much to say on this topic, which has significant implications for our understanding of Jesus’ nature and purpose. In approximately 9000 words, we will explore what the Bible teaches about Jesus’ sinlessness.
The Necessity of Jesus’ Sinlessness
In order for Jesus to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins, he had to be sinless himself. The author of Hebrews writes, “For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26). As our High Priest making atonement for us, Jesus had to be set apart from sin and sinners. The apostle Peter echoes this: “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth” (1 Peter 2:22). If Jesus had sinned himself, he could not pay the penalty for our sins.
Jesus’ sinlessness was also necessary for him to fulfill the Law of God perfectly on our behalf. Paul writes, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus lived the perfect life we could not live, in complete obedience to the Father, so that his righteousness could be credited to us. As Paul explains, “For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:19).
Additionally, Jesus’ moral perfection was required to make him the spotless Lamb of God, foreshadowed in the Old Testament sacrificial system. John the Baptist recognized this when he said, upon seeing Jesus, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). The Passover lambs had to be without blemish (Exodus 12:5), pointing ahead to Christ’s sinlessness. Peter says we were redeemed not with perishable things like silver or gold, “but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:19). Without sinlessness, Jesus could not have been the perfect sacrifice to take away our sins.
Old Testament Prophecies of Jesus’ Sinlessness
The Old Testament contains prophecies that the coming Messiah would have a unique birth and nature, including moral perfection. Isaiah 7:14 foretells that the Messiah would be born of a virgin. His birth would be supernatural and could not be tainted by original sin passed down through an earthly father. Centuries later, the angel told Mary that her child would be “holy” and called “the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). His sinless nature was connected to his virgin birth.
Isaiah 53, describing the suffering servant who would bear the sins of many, says “he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth” (Isaiah 53:9). Though he would be crushed for our iniquities, this righteous servant would have a character unlike any other man, without sin and guilt.
Jeremiah 23:5 predicts that one of David’s righteous Branch would come who would “execute justice and righteousness in the land.” In Jeremiah 33:15, this King is named “The LORD is our righteousness,” indicating that God himself would be coming to reign. The psalmists also point to the perfect righteousness of the Messiah who was to come (see Psalm 45:6-7, Psalm 110:4). Though expectations may have been muted over the centuries, the prophecies were clear – the Messiah would be sinless in nature and deed.
Jesus Lived Without Sin
During his earthly life and ministry, Jesus demonstrated that he was indeed without sin in thought, speech, or action.
Jesus boldly challenged his enemies to point out any sin in him. To the Jews who were persecuting him, he said, “Which one of you convicts me of sin?” (John 8:46). No one could find fault with him. When Pontius Pilate was questioning Jesus, he declared, “I find no guilt in him” (John 18:38). Even Pilate’s wife recognized Jesus’ innocence (Matthew 27:19). A hardened Roman centurion who witnessed his death concluded, “Certainly this man was innocent!” (Luke 23:47).
The writer of Hebrews says “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). Jesus faced every temptation common to man but emerged victorious over all of them. He obeyed God fully. He had to in order to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15) and to serve as our perfect representative and substitute.
Jesus’ closest companions for three years confirmed his sinlessness. Peter said he did not commit any sin (1 Peter 2:22). John called him “Jesus Christ, the righteous one” (1 John 2:1). The disciples saw Christ’s glory and perfection reflected in his works and teachings (John 1:14, John 7:46). Even Judas, who betrayed him, admitted, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood” (Matthew 27:4).
Jesus is without parallel in his moral purity. As the early church father Augustine said, “Men could not be saved except by following the example of Him who is sinless.” Jesus lived the life we should have lived but did not. By God’s grace, he gives us his perfect righteousness.
Jesus Had No Sin Nature
Not only did Jesus not commit any sins – he had no inner inclination or propensity toward sin. This is remarkable given that the rest of humanity has been corrupted at the core by original sin – a sinful nature dating back to Adam’s fall. David acknowledges, “I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Psalm 51:5). Paul laments, “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh” (Romans 7:18). Try as we might, we cannot erase the sinful nature present within us.
Jesus was different. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. The angel told Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy – the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). His miraculous conception and birth meant he was unstained by original sin. He had a fully human nature but no sin nature. He was tempted as we are but did not have an innate pull toward sin.
This is seen in Jesus’ righteous character from birth. As a boy, he was submissive to his parents (Luke 2:51). At age twelve, he prioritized being in his Father’s house (Luke 2:49). At his baptism, the Father proclaimed, “”You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22). Even Satan could find nothing unrighteous in Christ to exploit. Jesus was pure and undefiled in every way.
Jesus Was Without Sin in Thoughts and Attitudes
Not only did Jesus refrain from sinful actions, but even his thoughts and attitudes were righteous. Jesus warned that already entertaining sin internally is as bad as committing it (Matthew 5:21-28). He had to be perfect not just externally but in the inner recesses of his heart and mind.
Jesus exhibited perfect love – the summation of the law (Matthew 22:37-40). He loved the Lord with all his heart, soul, and mind. He loved his neighbor as himself, caring even for his enemies. His thoughts were free from the selfishness, jealousy, pride, greed, and lust that infect all other men and women.
He also displayed perfect humility and submission to the Father. He said, “I can do nothing on my own… because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me” (John 5:30). He lived to do the Father’s will in full obedience. He was gentle, sympathetic, and meek (Matthew 11:29, Hebrews 4:15). Sin had no place in his mind.
This sinlessness extended even to his emotional reactions. Jesus was angry at times but did not sin (Mark 3:5). He wept with compassion but never gave way to sinful grief or despair. He felt sorrow and distress but entrusted all to the Father’s will, saying, “not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). His inner life was untainted by sin.
Jesus Taught and Modeled Sinless Perfection
Jesus not only claimed to be without sin – his teachings and example demonstrated it as well. In the famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus repeatedly declared, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). He upheld God’s perfect standard in the law and exemplified it in his life.
While we cannot obtain sinless perfection in this life, Jesus holds out moral perfection as the goal. Peter enjoins us: “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:14-15). Though we fall short, we are to look to Jesus’ example of holiness.
Jesus powerfully displayed purity by respecting women and children, unlike the culture of his time. He taught the inherent dignity and value of all people, exposing the ugliness of sinful attitudes in the human heart. Though accused of sin, he turned back every accusation on the hypocritical religious leaders. His life reflected true righteousness.
Jesus Possessed the Divine Attribute of Sinlessness
While Jesus was fully man, he was more than just a man. Various passages of Scripture point to his divinity and possession of attributes that can only be ascribed to God. Scripture teaches that Christ was the divine Son, God in the flesh. As such, he shared the divine attribute of sinlessness.
The Father tells the Son, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever…you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness” (Psalm 45:6-7). Jesus embodied the same righteousness that characterizes the Father. The author of Hebrews says of the Son, “Your years will never end,” quoting Psalm 102:27 which is addressed to Yahweh, the Lord. The Son shares the eternal, unfading nature of God (Hebrews 1:8,10-12).
John writes that “in him [Christ] there is no sin” (1 John 3:5). But he has already stated in this letter that “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Jesus possesses the same moral purity as the Father. Their shared perfection is grounded in their shared divine nature.
Only God is incapable of being tempted by sin (James 1:13). When Scripture emphasizes Jesus was tempted yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15), it is underscoring his deity. He is sinless because he is truly God in human flesh.
Implications of Christ’s Sinlessness
That the man Jesus was perfectly sinless has many profound implications:
- It means he could be the unblemished sacrifice for our sins, making purification and salvation possible.
- It qualified him to be our great high priest interceding for us.
- It meant he could fulfill the righteous requirement of the law on our behalf.
- It gives power and efficacy to the moral example Christ set for us.
- It provides assurance of Christ’s total identification and sympathy with our weaknesses and temptations, even while not falling to them.
- It proves that Jesus was not merely man but the God-man, sharing God’s moral perfection.
- It displays that our Savior is holy and majestic, worthy of our worship and obedience.
Christ’s sinlessness is central to his redemptive mission. He saves us not only from the penalty of sin but from its power. We can now share in his moral purity and blameless nature.
Objections to Christ’s Sinlessness
Despite the consistent biblical testimony to Christ’s sinlessness, some raise objections:
1. Jesus sinned when he was angry or violent, like in cleansing the temple. – Jesus’ righteous anger at sin and defense of holiness were not sinful. God expresses holy wrath as well.
2. Jesus sinned when he called the Canaanite woman a ‘dog.’ – Jesus was deliberately using the woman’s culturally-conditioned view of Gentiles to test and draw out her faith. This was not sin.
3. Jesus asked God to “let this cup pass from me,” questioning God’s will. – Expressing human desires yet still submitting to God’s plan is not sinful. Jesus immediately submitted to the Father’s will in the next breath (Matthew 26:39).
4. Jesus cannot be God yet also sinless man. The incarnation is incoherent. – This is projecting finite human understanding on an infinite, supernatural God. Jesus’ two natures do not conflict.
All plausible objections falter in light of Scripture’s united witness to Christ’s moral perfection in thought, word, and deed.
Jesus Was Tempted and Suffered Without Sinning
A unique feature of Jesus’ sinless nature was that he suffered temptation to its fullest extent. The author of Hebrews stresses, “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). Jesus faced the full onslaught of Satan’s temptation (Matthew 4:1-11), yet did not succumb.
This was vital so Jesus could serve as our sympathetic high priest, having experienced the same struggles. He knows the power and deceitfulness of sin from firsthand exposure. He fully identifies with us yet achieved victory over temptation through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus also experienced injustice, rejection, misunderstanding, betrayal, sorrow, and death as the suffering servant. He felt the anguish of the cross, crying out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). He endured the penalty and separation from the Father that was due our sins. He suffered to the fullest, yet without sin in thought, word, or deed.
This sinless suffering had redemptive purposes. As Isaiah wrote, “he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5). Christ’s suffering for sin secured our salvation. His perfection amid suffering provides strength, comfort, and an example for us when we go through trials today.
Jesus Remains the Sinless Savior and Lord
Forty days after his resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father (Mark 16:19). He remains our sinless Savior and Lord, advocating for us.
The book of Hebrews tells us, “He holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:24-25). There is no more effective advocate than a sinless Christ interceding for us before the Father.
John’s vision in Revelation shows Christ on the throne, being worshiped by saints and angels who cry out, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:12). He is the worthy, spotless Lamb who alone deserves our worship and allegiance as King.
The day is coming when “the dwelling place of God is with man” and “he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more” (Revelation 21:3-4). We will dwell with a sinless Christ face to face. Until that day, we fix our eyes on the Savior who is supreme in moral perfection yet full of mercy toward sinners like us.
Our high priest Jesus is “holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners” (Hebrews 7:26). This sinless Savior is mighty to save. His perfection secures our forgiveness. His righteousness becomes ours. Let us therefore draw near with confidence to Jesus Christ, who alone is worthy of all honor, glory, power and praise.