Important Note: I'm more aligned towards the position that Jesus could never have sinned. However, here I just did an attempt to provide possible arguments on behalf of opposite side.
"Who can accuse me of sin?" "He had no sin in him..." "...who knew no sin."
Many withheld testimony of Jesus' sinlessness. And it is one of the fundamental doctrine that Jesus was sinless. Yet a question comes into play: Could Jesus have sinned? Now that's really interesting!
Jesus wasn't some sort of demi-god or Hindu Avatar where humanity would get either lost or intermixed with divine nature. He was truly human yet remaining truly God on earth. Now that obviously goes above our head! Yes, Jesus was a true human and he had to be! Otherwise salvation couldn't be brought to humanity. There had to be someone among "human" and not among any other creatures who could take place of corrupt human on the cross. Yet, it is clear: no one is righteous, literally no one. Then came God the Son taking up human flesh and lived a human life.
Could Jesus have any potential to sin? If answered against the favour, it would be very hard to relate with Jesus as a human. anyone could simply say, oh come on! He was God! It was easy for him to remain sinless! If answered in favour, it would sound like he had potential to sin and yet he didn't. Now that goes somehow deep. Was Jesus trying to show us that we could remain sinless?
Jesus was literally a man who grew gradually and experienced everything that we do, all except sin! He wept, he got angry, he got tired, he got anxious, he slept! Paul later equates him with second Adam, another Adam. But again, we must remember that Adam was also sinless! The Fall happened later. We don't know how long they spent time with God, but unlike Young Earthers, I do believe the event of Genesis 3 didn't immediately take place.
Adam and Eve were without sin unless the adversary tempt Eve and Adam failed to fulfil his duty of headship. Then sin entered into the world. Logically, Adam was also sinless but he sinned later. Thus, we could also imply that Jesus could have been in a state where he could have sinned, yet he didn't. The way Satan tempted Adam and Eve, he did so to Jesus. Simply to say, Jesus didn't give the Satan any chances. Jesus fully accepted the rule of God in his life and obedience to Father. In his last days, at his difficult prayer in Gethsemane garden, we can clearly see his human nature where he manifested a Jonah nature to flee way from the difficult path, but later he aligned his will according to Father's. So, we could assume safely that he could have been in a state of committing sin and yet he didn't.
Saying Jesus was God so no chance of capability to sin negotiates with his humanity. He kept aside his privileges of divinity and adopted all human weaknesses might confirm that he could have sinned. What was the point? Humanity can live without sinning! But how? Only by accepting complete rule of God in life and relying on His spirit. that's simply what Jesus did! That gives our Lord more strength than simply saying he was God, so he couldn't have sinned!
To clarify, perhaps you all know Bruce Lee! He was a legend in martial arts. Many think he was unbeatable but that wasn't the case. If he was of such nature, no martial artist could relate themselves with him. What he taught that a man can become too invulnerable and tactical by regular dedicated practice. He could have ignored practice but he didn't. Hence, Jesus could have same case!
Finally, the topic itself is unsettling and debatable. But, that's fine and what I prefer is the second option, Jesus could have sinned, but again he didn't! HE JUST DID NOT! 🙂
Considerable objections and possible explanation:
1) Isn't this a heresy? No, it isn't. I already stated that Jesus didn't sin at all. This is one of the essential beliefs. If I said, Jesus sinned, now that's a heresy!
2) Jesus was God. There could not be sin in him. There is absolutely no doubt that Jesus is God. But his mission on earth and redemption was to rescue as a Man. He literally participated in every vulnerable human situations. He faced temptations. Yet, he didn't sin and that's make him a perfect sacrifice and a substitute. Sin is not something like having hormone but an ill condition of our relationship with God. Sin is a total failure in living a life submitted to God's authority, rule and will. It ultimately is a failure of becoming true human. And Jesus succeeded.
3) Then what if Jesus had sinned? We don't know! We can see Jesus being as anxious as we are. The only statement the scripture declares is that he didn't sin at all and that's more than enough for us. God was just so much confident on Jesus, that's all we know, since Jesus is none other than God himself. What God actually taught us that, the way Jesus lived was his intention for all humanity. It is possible for humanity to skip sin and that's what even Paul keeps arguing! The one who is newly born doesn't keep sinning! So what if Jesus had sinned? That would never happen!
4) Did Jesus cease to be God when he became a man? Never, God never ceases to be God. setting aside divine privileges (kenosis: to empty) has been misunderstood greatly. This is a capability, a situation or even a necessity to enable a certain goal. God became Man without stopping to be God. But when he lived on earth, it wasn't necessary for him to use all his divine privileges as that wasn't his goal. He came to live as a man. In incarnation, he accepted all human weakness and limitations. To understand, simply take a fictional character Superman. Very strong character and yet he lives his daily normal human life. A figure who could blow off a mountain in a single shot is now celebrating his birthday and blowing off candles without disturbing even his own room! If that is possible for us to imagine and create, why then we have objection here?
All related Bible verses:
Jesus’ Sinlessness: John 8:46, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:22, 1 John 3:5 Jesus’ Humanity and Temptation: Hebrews 2:17-18, Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13, John 11:35, Mark 3:5, John 4:6, Matthew 26:38 Jesus as the Second Adam: Romans 5:12-19, 1 Corinthians 15:22, 1 Corinthians 15:45-47 Gethsemane and Obedience: Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46, John 5:30 Kenosis: Philippians 2:5-8, John 17:5, Mark 13:32 Adam and Eve’s Sin: Genesis 3:1-7, Romans 5:12 Humanity’s Call to Live Without Sin: Romans 6:11-14, 1 John 3:9, John 15:5 Jesus’ Incarnation and Divine Nature: John 1:1-14, Luke 1:35, Hebrews 1:3
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