Page 12 - January 2023 - Truth & Tidings

he apostle Peter experienced sin in obscurity, growing in favor with God
and failure in his life, but he knew and men (2:52). Every single step He took
Ta perfect Man, the Lord Jesus. And was right. And God’s verdict over those
when he took up his pen to write his first hidden years was the same as over His
epistle, he included two portraits of this public ministry, “This is my beloved Son,
sinless One: first as a Lamb (1Pe 1:18-21) in whom I am well pleased” (Mat 3:17;
and then as a Shepherd (2:21-25). We want 17:5).
to see how they reveal His impeccability
and its importance to the gospel message His Sinless Actions
and our salvation. “Who did no sin” (2:22). The standard
of God’s law was already unattainably
His Holy Nature high for mankind. So what did Christ
“A Lamb without blemish and without do? He raised our understanding of it to
spot” (1:19). God sent His Son as a spot- even greater heights (Mat 5:17-48). Not
1
less, perfect Lamb into a world full of only was murder condemned but also
“sheep going astray” (2:25). He came from uncontrolled anger, not only adultery
eternity into time to redeem us (1:20). He but also lust. Not only must we love our
was holy and born of a virgin (Luk 1:35), neighbors but also our enemies, and so on.
sent to live among an entire race conceived In a world that constantly seeks to lower
in sin (Psa 51:5). And for the first time, the God’s standards, He exalted them, and
longing of Exodus 13:2 was fully met: Here then met them fully.
was a perfectly holy firstborn Son. His enemies eagerly looked for faults
in Him, but when He claimed to always
His Perfect Path please God and challenged them to con-
“His steps” (2:21). Right from the start, vict Him of sin, they had no response.
His pathway reflected His holy character. They could only resort to slander (Joh
It wasn’t just that He didn’t sin, but that 8:29,46,48).
He “loved righteousness” (Heb 1:9). He Even His mightiest foe couldn’t stumble
delighted in doing what was right. He Him. Satan knew that if he could make
loved His Father’s will. the Son of God sin just once, then every-
Our first glimpse of Him comes at thing would be ruined. But even though
twelve years of age – an age when many the Lord was alone in the wilderness and
children push back against authority. But painfully hungry, still He couldn’t be
He was no rebel; He was a submissive Son, enticed to make even one loaf of bread
focused on His Father’s will. The teach- apart from His Father’s will (Mat 4:3-4).
ers in Jerusalem were astonished at His He withstood every temptation.
knowledge, but Mary and Joseph didn’t The testimony to His holy character was
understand Him. Still, He honored them comprehensive: both angels and demons
by returning to Nazareth and submitting (Luk 1:35; 4:34), both His betrayer and His
to them (Luk 2:46-51). judge (Mat 27:4; Joh 18:38), both His ex-
For thirty years, He lived a spotless life ecutioner and the criminal executed with
¹ Bible quotations in this article are from the Him (Luk 23:41,47) – all of them declared
KJV. His righteousness.

12 TRUTH kTidings January 2023