When Jesus incarnated on the earth as a man, He lived totally sinfree. 1 Peter 1:19; 1 Peter 2:22; Hebrews 4:15.
Jesus truly kept all the Commandments of God. John. 15:10.
3. We are told that His obedience was meant to deliver us from all sin. Hebrews 5:7 - 9; Hebrews 9:26.
4. No where in the scripture are we told that Christ’s obedience was meant to cause Faith to replace works in us, yet some teach this.
“Thus is explained just how faith takes the place of works and is accounted righteousness. This wonderful truth should be perfectly clear to every believer; and it must become personal experience. It should enable us to cease from our own works, efforts, and struggles, and to enter into calm, trusting, living faith in the merits, the obedience, the righteousness of Christ.” Arthur G. Daniells, Christ Our Righteousness, pp. 19 - 20.
No where are we told in the scriptures that Christ’s actual obedience is imputed to, or put on some heavenly account when we believe, to be accepted in place of our imperfect or non-obedience to the Law of God, yet some teach this.
“Jesus Christ lived a perfect life—He completely kept God’s Law. The personal righteousness worked out by Christ during His life on the earth is imputed to the sinner the moment he believes. The believer is credited with Christ’s righteousness and God views him as if he had done all the good that Christ did. Christ’s obedience, His merits, His personal righteousness is imputed to (credited to, set to the account of) the believer. This is in no way changes the believer’s nature (anymore that the imputation of sin to Christ changed His nature); it only affects the believer’s legal standing before God.” David N. Steele and Curtis C. Thomas, Romans an Interpretative Outline, p. 30.
No scripture teaches that every single person that was ever born all obeyed the Law of God in Christ collectively, when He perfectly obeyed God’s Law while on the earth 2000 years ago, yet some teach this.
“The answer lies in the idea of “in Christ.” The humanity Christ assumed really was our corporate humanity that needed redeeming. Because we were “in Him,” through our corporate humanity, we lived the perfect life He lived - “in Him.” We died the death He died - “in Him.” What He did, we did - “in Him.” This is no make-believe righteousness.” Jack Sequeira, Savior of the World, p. 41.
Yet we do know that Christ’s past obedience to God’s Law 2000 years ago do benefit us, but how? Hebrews 2:14 - 18.
First of all, we need to understand that when we are justified, we are given the Righteousness of God within our hearts. (Romans 3:22; Psalms 40:10).
This Righteousness obviously is not the works of the Law, it is the Righteousness of God which is apart from the Law. Romans 3:21,22.
It is divine Faith and the Righteousness of God (which is His Divine Nature) in us that motivates us to do the works of the Law. Romans 3:21,22,28,30,31.
11. However, our Faith - inspired works of the Law must be our actual obedience, our real and personal obedience to the Law of God. (Romans 2:26; James 2:18,22).
Since our obedience to God’s Law must be ours in reality and not Jesus Christ’s personal obedience 2000 years ago, how does His actual obedience to the Law of God affect or benefit us?
a. Christ’s obedience was an example of how God wanted us to obey, or the kind of obedience we should have. Peter 2:22 - 23.
b. Christ’s obedience was meant to encourage us that we too can truly obey by His help. 1 Peter 4:1,2.
c. Christ’s obedience was meant to prove experientially that the Plan of Salvation that He successfully used could work to produce sinfree obedience at all times in man, that he might really be saved. John 17:19; Hebrews 2:10,11.
No where in the Bible are we told that Faith replaces works of obedience to God’s Law. Faith, we are told, causes obedience, and Faith and works go together. James 2:17,18,20,22.
14. Just as the obedience of Daniel and Job etc. could not save their genetic offspring or children who were one corporate humanity with them, so also Christ’s actual obedience could not be itself given to anyone. Ezekiel 14:14,20.
Man obeying in Christ cannot save anyone, if we are to be saved we must have our personal obedience to God’s Law, and it must come by Faith. (1 John 2:3 - 6; 1 John 5:2 - 4).
16. No man ever obeyed in Christ’s actual obedience to God Law on the earth 2000 years ago, neither actually or mystically did that ever occur. Christ alone obeyed by Himself, that He might sanctify us, or make us actually obeyed the Law. 2 Corinthian 8:9; Hebrews 4:14:16.
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