THE IMPECCABILITY OF CHRIST
BY SYDNEY MAXWELL

The title of this article, properly defined, means much more than that our blessed Lord was faultless and sinless. The Gospels give abundant evidence and leave us in no doubt about His sinlessness. Impeccability is infinitely more than that. Charles Hodge has stated, "This sinlessness of our Lord, however, does not amount to absolute impeccability; it was rather, He was able not to sin." The humble child of God with the evidence of the Gospel records before him totally rejects such reasonings of liberal theology and says with the utmost confidence and delight, He was not able to sin.

To rest short of anything less than an impeccable Christ is to destroy the foundation of the redemptive work at Calvary upon which all our hopes are built. It will also remove from us the only perfect example of our walk and conduct. The Lord Jesus walked here for God's pleasure amidst the moral corruption of earth. He arrived at Calvary in spotless perfection, that was impossible to mar.

Let us look at this holy theme, dependent on the Holy Spirit to guide us in tracing the pathway of the Lord Jesus. Then we will be better fitted to heed the exhortation of Peter, that we should follow His steps (1 Pet. 2:21). We will view His impeccability in five areas of the Gospel records.

THE MANNER OF HIS CONCEPTION.

The reader of the two accounts given in Matthew chapter 1 and Luke chapter 1 will notice that they are independent, yet complimentary. It is noteworthy that neither Mark nor John says anything regarding His wonderful birth. Mark emphasizes His service, while John is occupied with His Sonship. The birth of our Lord Jesus was natural, it is His conception that is supernatural. The Revised reading of Luke 1:35 is preferred; "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; wherefore, also that which is to be born shall be called Holy, the Son of God."

The One Who existed before the manger in Bethlehem (John 8:58) took to Himself humanity. Thus the impeccability of the Lord Jesus is assured by the union of the Divine nature and the human nature in one glorious and unique personality. The virgin womb was the sphere of a Divine creative act. Every other birth is the creation of a new personality; in His case it was a Divine Person entering into a new sphere of existence. The humanity of the Saviour was real, like that of other men, but possessing the character of sinlessness, unlike other men. It should be stated that it is impossible to divorce His Deity from His Humanity at any time. He is God (John 1:1) and He is Man (John 1:14).

This is sufficient to satisfy our hearts. While saints, in circumstances helped by the Holy Spirit may be able not to sin; with our Lord it was vastly different, He was not able to sin, because of Who He is, evidenced by His miraculous conception. May we never at any time seek to divide His personality. He was weary (John 4:6) yet He was the source of the life-giving water (John 4:14). He wept at the grave (John 11:35) yet He raised Lazarus (John 11:43). Glorious Person! Behold the Man! (John 19:5). Behold Thy God! (Isa. 40:9). We say in worship with Thomas, "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28). If we could understand it, there would be no mystery (1 Tim. 3:16).

THE MEANING OF HIS CONCEALMENT.

There is a vast difference between outward blamelessness and impeccability. We have the testimony of the Father and of the Son regarding the sinlessness of Christ. This is evidence beyond question (Heb. 6:18). The virgin child is "called Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us" (Matt. 1:23). How marvelous then to us is His subjection as "He went down with them to Nazareth, and was subject unto them" (Luke 2:51). In contemplating this we must also remember His words "Wist ye not that I must be about My Father's business."

The years of gracious subjection, the details of which are hidden from us, are properly assessed by His Father, under Whose holy gaze He lived. The opened Heavens at His baptism (Matt. 3:16-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22, John 1:32-34) indicate to us the pleasure of the Father in Him, during those years of preparation. Here is the meal offering, the fine flour mingled with the oil (Luke 1:26-35) and anointed (Matt. 3:16) in which there was no leaven or honey but the fragrance of the frankincense in full measure (Lev. 2). The testimony of the Father to the Son in the years of concealment is this, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." This was the fulfillment of the words of the prophet, "Mine elect, in Whom My soul delighteth" (Isa. 42:1).

THE MYSTERY OF HIS CONFLICT.

Our Lord had presented Himself at the Jordan for baptism (Matt. 3:13). Seeing it was a baptism unto repentance, the reluctance of the Baptist is understood. Here was One with no sins to confess and nothing of which to repent. The Lord's words are explanation enough: "Suffer it to be so now; for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness."

From this place of commendation He goes forth to the conflict; in the perfection of His holiness He was to meet the Devil; who can find out every moral weakness in fallen man; who had instigated disobedience in the first Adam (Rom. 5:12). Satan was now to meet defeat in the Last Adam (Heb. 2:14, 1 John 3:8). In the congenial circumstances of the garden the first man proved he could sin. In the barren wilderness among the wild beasts, weary and hungry (Matt. 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13,
Luke 4:1-13) the Lord Jesus proved that Satan's temptations found no response in Him.

Luke's description of the temptation is moral. Matthew follows a chronological sequence as can be seen from the repetition of the words "then" (Matt. 4:1,5) and "again" (v.8). The first temptation was; "Please Thyself," the second" Display Thyself" and the final one was "Glorify Thyself", or in other words to leave the path of dependence, devotion and Divine leading. There was nothing in that Holy Nature to respond to the evil from without. The tempter was repelled by the dependent Man and His use of the Word of God. The question is often asked, why the temptation if our Lord could not sin? It was to prove He could not sin. "He Himself hath suffered, being tempted" will ever be a mystery to us (Heb. 2:18). The holier the person the greater degree of suffering when tempted of evil. Joseph is an example. The purer the metal the more severe is its test by fire. His impeccability is revealed as He returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee (Luke 4:14). Later He was to return to the Throne of Glory, a suitable and sympathetic High Priest as the result of His temptation and His further great triumph at Calvary (Heb. 4:14-16).

THE MEASURE OF HIS CONSECRATION.

As we draw near to the close of His pilgrimage and service, we are made to worship and say with the hymn writer, "Hallelujah! What a Saviour!" Here was impeccability to the fullest degree. His steps were ever in His Father's will; He could look up with perfect confidence and say, "I do always the things that please Him" (John 8:29). In this chapter He asserts His Deity and yet claims perfect obedience in Manhood. He could look upon those who continually sought to find a flaw in His Holy Person and ask them, "Which of you convinceth me of sin?" (John 8:46).

He stands in the blaze of the Divine Presence, before the searchlight of Omniscience and declares from a devoted heart, "I have glorified Thee on the earth; I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do" (John 17:4). In John 14:30 He declares with calm assurance, "the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in Me." The Devil had tried before (Matt. 4:1-11) and again through Peter (Matt. 16:21-23) but he had failed. The impeccability of our blessed Lord could not be sullied. Our meditations have revealed that He was a real Man but thank God, not a mere man.

THE MESSAGE OF HIS COMMENDATION.

The Mount of Transfirguration saw the Lord arrayed outwardly in what was but the manifestation of inward perfection (Matt. 17:1-8, Mark 9:1-8, Luke 9:28-36). Mark says, "And His raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them" (Mark 9:3). The commendation of the Father on the Mount spanned the brief years from the Jordan to the last week (Matt. 17:5). Great personages of a bygone day, great in their time, but peccable in their character, must be removed and the wondering disciples must see "no man, save Jesus only" (Matt. 17:8). In His impeccability He must stand alone, no son of men fit to stand beside Him. The shadows of Calvary cross His pathway now and the prospect of it only manifested the love of His devoted heart, and the Father's voice again confirmed the glory given to Him (John 12:27-28).

We have heard the Divine testimony. In closing let us listen to other voices. Demons acknowledged Him as the Holy One of God, but such testimony He rejected, because of its source (Luke 4:34). The Roman Jurist, Pilate, acknowledges, "I find no fault in this Man." The thief on the cross adds his testimony, "This Man hath done nothing amiss." The voice of the Roman Centurion cries, "Certainly this was a righteous Man." We look forward to the day when we, morally like Him, shall join our voices around the Throne and proclaim His matchless worth (Rev. 5:9). In the Gospels we have seen outward evidence of His sinlessness, but we need constantly to remember that the Father looked upon "the fat of the inwards" and found in Him inner excellencies and perfections that
we only faintly grasp.

"Thy stainless life, Thy lovely walk
In every aspect true,
From the defilement all around
No taint of evil drew.
Morning by morning Thou didst wake
Amidst this poisonous air;
Yet no contagion touched Thy soul,
No sin disturbed Thy prayer."