The phrase “in the likeness of sinful flesh” comes from Romans 8:3, which says that God sent His Son “in the likeness of sinful flesh.” This is a profound statement about Jesus Christ and His incarnation. In 9000 words, here is an explanation of what it means that Jesus came “in the likeness of sinful flesh”:
To understand this phrase, we first need to understand what is meant by “flesh.” In the Bible, the term “flesh” is often used to refer to humanity or human nature in its fallen, corrupted state. For example, Romans 7:5 says “For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.” This verse contrasts living “in the flesh” with living by the power of the Holy Spirit. The flesh represents the part of human nature that has been corrupted by sin.
So when Romans 8:3 says Jesus came in the “likeness of sinful flesh,” it means Jesus took on human nature in its fallen, corrupted state. Jesus did not just appear to be human; He actually took on flesh and blood (Hebrews 2:14). He fully participated in human nature, with all its frailties and limitations, yet without sinning (Hebrews 4:15). This is very significant because it shows that Jesus can fully identify with us in our struggles and temptations.
An important phrase in this verse is “likeness of.” It does not say Jesus came in sinful flesh, but in the likeness of sinful flesh. Though Jesus took on human nature, He did not have a sinful nature. His human nature was as it was originally created – perfect and without any inward pull toward sin. This is what makes Jesus unique among human beings. Every other human has an inborn sinful nature inherited from Adam. But Jesus did not inherit a sin nature. He lived in the likeness of sinful flesh but was not actually sinful or corrupt in His nature.
There are several reasons why it was necessary for Jesus to come in the likeness of sinful flesh:
1. To be our substitute on the cross – In order to die for sinners, Jesus had to be made like His brethren in every respect (Hebrews 2:17). He had to fully enter into our human condition. As our substitute, He could not have an advantage over us by being exempt from the “likeness of sinful flesh.”
2. To condemn sin in the flesh – Sin originated in the flesh and Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil by condemning sin in the flesh through living a sinless life (Romans 8:3).
3. To be a merciful and faithful high priest – Jesus serves as our high priest before God, and His qualification for this role is having been tempted and suffered in the days of His flesh. He is able to sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15).
4. To redeem those under the law – In order to redeem those who were under the law, Jesus had to be born under the law (Galatians 4:4-5). He had to fully enter into the human condition He came to redeem.
5. To qualify as the second Adam – By sharing fully in our humanity, Jesus could serve as the representative head of a new redeemed humanity as the second Adam, providing righteousness and life where the first Adam brought sin and death (Romans 5:12-19).
6. To be a compassionate mediator – Having shared in flesh and blood, Jesus is not ashamed to call us brothers. He is able to serve as a merciful and faithful high priest before God (Hebrews 2:11-18).
7. To destroy the devil – The Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil. By sharing in humanity, Jesus broke the devil’s hold on humanity (Hebrews 2:14-15; 1 John 3:8).
8. To provide an example for believers – Jesus left an example for us to follow in His steps. By sharing fully in human nature and overcoming temptation, He demonstrated that righteousness in the flesh is possible through depending on the Father (1 Peter 2:21-24).
While Jesus was fully human and experienced the same outward temptations we face, His inward experience was entirely different. Here are some key ways Jesus differed from us in His inward human experience:
1. He did not have a sinful nature – Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh but did not inherit a sinful nature from Adam. His human nature was unfallen and without inherent corruption (Romans 8:3).
2. He did not have original sin or guilt – Being born of a virgin, Jesus did not inherit the original sin and guilt passed down from Adam to all human beings (Luke 1:35).
3. He did not have inward pulls toward sin – Though outwardly tempted, Jesus did not have any inward bent toward sin or corruption pulling Him to yield to those temptations (James 1:13-15).
4. His heart was filled with the Holy Spirit – While other humans have varying degrees of sinfulness in their hearts, Jesus’ human nature was characterized by the Holy Spirit controlling His affections and desires (Luke 4:1).
5. He had the mind of Christ – Jesus even prior to the incarnation shared the divine mind with the Father and Spirit. As God in the flesh, He retained this divine mind which would not have been subject to the depravity and foolishness human minds have suffered since the fall (1 Cor. 2:16).
6. He was motivated by righteousness – We have mixed motives for why we do good. For Jesus, everything He did originated from a heart controlled entirely by the love of God and desire for His glory (John 8:29; Hebrews 1:9).
7. He loved perfectly – While we often fail to love God and others as we should, Jesus exhibited perfect love in all His human relationships and actions (John 13:1).
In summary, though externally Jesus went through the same experiences we have of “sinful flesh,” inwardly He was untainted by sin or corruption. This allowed Him to serve as the perfect sacrifice for our sins and become the source of righteousness and life for those united to Him. Praise God that though we struggle with sinful flesh, “we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
Now let’s explore some additional questions and passages related to Jesus coming in the likeness of sinful flesh:
1. Doesn’t Jesus having “sinful flesh” contradict His sinlessness?
No, it just means He partook of mortal human nature corrupted by sin, not that He was sinful. Having “sinful flesh” just speaks of the mortality and physical corruptions human nature received at the fall – weakness, physical death, disease. Jesus wasn’t immune from these. But inwardly He was unfallen and free from the pull of sin.
2. Wasn’t Jesus prevented from sinning by having a divine nature?
No, Jesus resisted temptation the same way we do – by depending on the Father through prayer and the Spirit, not because it was impossible for Him to sin. If He couldn’t sin, His temptations weren’t genuine. Having a divine nature doesn’t preclude true temptations or meaningful obedience. But His divine nature was important in confirming His identity as the Messiah.
3. Does Hebrews 2:14-18 teach Jesus had a sinful nature?
No, this passage teaches Jesus partook of the same mortal flesh and blood as His brothers, facing death, in order to break the power of the devil and be a merciful high priest. It doesn’t say He had a sinful nature. He shared in outward experiences common to man, not inward corruption.
4. Doesn’t Hebrews 4:15 say Jesus was tempted in every way as we are, implying a sinful nature?
No, this verse is saying outwardly Jesus faced the same sort of temptations as we do, showing His compassion. But inwardly He did not have a sinful nature pulling Him to give in to temptation as we do. So His obedience was more difficult externally but easier internally.
5. How does Jesus being born of a virgin relate to coming in the likeness of sinful flesh?
Being born of a virgin means Jesus didn’t inherit original sin and a sinful nature from Joseph’s bloodline. But He still inherited the mortality of His mother’s flesh. This allowed Him to be fully human yet sinless in nature, only weakened in mortality.
6. How does 2 Corinthians 5:21 state that Jesus knew no sin?
This verse teaches that though Jesus was made to be sin (a sin offering) on our behalf, inwardly speaking He had no acquaintance with sin. Though outwardly He came in the likeness of sinful flesh, inwardly He was the spotless Lamb of God.
7. How does Romans 8:3 say Jesus condemned sin in the flesh?
Though Jesus came humbly in the likeness of sinful flesh, walking in total dependence on the Spirit by faith He inwardly condemned and overcame the weakness of the flesh that leads others to sin. His holy life condemned what the law could not.
8. Does the parallel between Adam and Jesus teach they both had similar natures?
No, Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15 show how through Adam’s one act of sin we inherited condemnation, death, and a sin nature but through Christ’s one act of righteousness we can inherit justification, life, and new nature. The natures of Adam and Christ have opposite effects on those joined to them by faith.
9. If Jesus had the mind of God, wasn’t His mind different from ours?
Yes, 1 Corinthians 2:16 indicates that even in the flesh Jesus retained the divine mind of God. While He experienced the limitations human minds face, unlike ours, His mind was in perfect communion with the Father. He understood God’s wisdom.
10. How could Jesus be tempted like us if His mind was divine?
External temptations address the mind regardless of whether it is divine or human. But since Jesus’ mind was filled with the Spirit and the Word of God, no temptation found inward correspondence or foothold there as it does with our fallen minds.
11. Doesn’t the fact Jesus had to learn show His mind was fully human?
No, Jesus learned as a normal part of human growth and development, not because He lacked divine knowledge. His learning helps us relate to Him in His humanity while knowing in deity He remains omniscient.
12. How does Jesus’ being motivated only by love for the Father relate to Him taking on human nature?
Jesus’ sinless motivations contrast with our mixed motives. We often even do right selfishly or reluctantly. But Jesus’ unmixed motives flow from a heart untainted by sin, filled with the Holy Spirit, resulting in a pure love alien to sinful human nature.
13. If Jesus loved perfectly, isn’t that proof His nature was different than ours?
Yes, while we at best love partially and imperfectly, Jesus’ perfect love shows He was different inwardly. His perfect love originates from a sinless nature. Though outwardly in mortal flesh, His inner being flowed from perfect communion with the Father.
14. How does Jesus being without sin support Him having a human but unfallen nature?
A nature tainted by sin inevitably results in outward sinful actions. Though Jesus was externally subjected to every temptation, His inward sinless nature meant no temptation ever resulted in an inward concession of lust or desire which precedes sin.
15. What do Jesus’ righteous reactions to temptations show about His human nature?
When tempted, Jesus consistently reacted in faith in God, reliance on the Spirit, and recourse to the Scriptures. This models for us righteous humans how to walk by the Spirit and not carry out the lusts of the flesh. We share His nature but must nurture it by the Spirit.
In conclusion, though Jesus came humbly in the likeness of sinful flesh, His inward nature was entirely unique from all other humans. He was like us in that He shared mortal, corruptible flesh. But He was unlike us in that inwardly He was unfallen, spirit-filled, motivated by love for the Father, and incapable of sinning. This tension of outwardly experiencing the weaknesses of human flesh while inwardly retaining His divine nature was intentional. It allowed Him to be our sinless substitute while also being able to fully sympathize with our weaknesses. What an amazing, gracious plan formulated within the Trinity to provide for our salvation!