The Sinlessness of Christ
George H. Morrison
Hebrews 4:15
It might seem at first as if the sinlessness of Jesus were a matter far away from human need. It is as if we discussed the color of the stars, or the density of water in the depth of ocean. Why should we trouble ourselves, it may be asked, over an abstract question such as this? Were it not better, in a reverent faith, to leave these dark mysteries alone? Enough for me (a man might say) is that Jesus of the gospel story who was the friend of publicans and sinners and who went about doing good. The one fatal objection to that attitude is that to a thoughtful mind it never can be permanent. Steadily, whatever point we start from, we are forced into the presence of this problem. And especially is that true of all of us who believe in a gospel of redemption, and who cannot conceive of a message of good news which has not redemption at its heart. The keystone of our faith is this, that Jesus the Lord suffered for our sins. But if Christ was sinful, as you and I are sinful, then not for our sins, but for His own, He died. So all the efficacy of that atoning death, with all the preaching of Christ crucified, rests ultimately on the sinlessness of Jesus. It is not, then, an unimportant theme. It is one of the most important of all themes. It lifts the cross out of the realm of tragedy into the clear air of willing sacrifice. Only if Jesus Christ was sinless can we be certain of what is all-important-that in a free action of redeeming love He died for our sins according to the Scriptures.
Now when you study the New Testament writings-I mean the writings outside the four gospels, one thing that becomes plain is this, that they all record the sinlessness of Jesus. However the writers differ in their outlook-and each of them has his peculiar outlook-however they may diverge from one another in their conception of the work of Jesus, yet there is one point on which they all agree, and that is in conceiving Christ ...
George H. Morrison
Hebrews 4:15
It might seem at first as if the sinlessness of Jesus were a matter far away from human need. It is as if we discussed the color of the stars, or the density of water in the depth of ocean. Why should we trouble ourselves, it may be asked, over an abstract question such as this? Were it not better, in a reverent faith, to leave these dark mysteries alone? Enough for me (a man might say) is that Jesus of the gospel story who was the friend of publicans and sinners and who went about doing good. The one fatal objection to that attitude is that to a thoughtful mind it never can be permanent. Steadily, whatever point we start from, we are forced into the presence of this problem. And especially is that true of all of us who believe in a gospel of redemption, and who cannot conceive of a message of good news which has not redemption at its heart. The keystone of our faith is this, that Jesus the Lord suffered for our sins. But if Christ was sinful, as you and I are sinful, then not for our sins, but for His own, He died. So all the efficacy of that atoning death, with all the preaching of Christ crucified, rests ultimately on the sinlessness of Jesus. It is not, then, an unimportant theme. It is one of the most important of all themes. It lifts the cross out of the realm of tragedy into the clear air of willing sacrifice. Only if Jesus Christ was sinless can we be certain of what is all-important-that in a free action of redeeming love He died for our sins according to the Scriptures.
Now when you study the New Testament writings-I mean the writings outside the four gospels, one thing that becomes plain is this, that they all record the sinlessness of Jesus. However the writers differ in their outlook-and each of them has his peculiar outlook-however they may diverge from one another in their conception of the work of Jesus, yet there is one point on which they all agree, and that is in conceiving Christ ...
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