by God's Little Boy
© MakeshiftDarkroom.com 2013
Posted 6/1/13

I make this post because it has been on my heart recently and the subject matter calls to me to write upon it. I am moved by it and out of my personal conviction I simply must set forth this word for today. Whether you agree with it or disagree I pray that you will find something profitable and edifying. May it make Jesus bigger in your heart today.

These two Latin phrases of old describe our Lord's impeccable nature. In his time on this earth, Jesus was, "able to not sin" (posse non peccare) and "not able to sin" (non posse peccare). I believe that both of these were true concerning the God-man. If he were merely 50% man and 50% God perhaps it might have been possible for him to sin, (not really) but we know that he was fully God and fully man - perfect humanity and full deity. I believe this is an issue of essence; this is what he was and is. For this reason he was able to not sin and also he was not able to sin. His perfect humanity could not have sinned for it was inseparably intermingled with his deity. It was who he is. I prefer not to approach this question from the temptation account of Matt chapter 4 but from the standpoint of Christ's essence. Some say that if it were impossible for him to sin then his temptation wasn't temptation, but this is not necessarily true. An army that is unbeatable may still be attacked. It is suggested that he didn't use his deity. Perhaps he didn't use his deity, but that wouldn't change what he was. I must ask the question, what would have happened to his deity if his humanity had sinned? Could such a question even be raised, in light of who he was? Jesus certainly "felt" the temptation in his human experience. His perfect humanity was frail in terms of its limitations. He became tired and hungry, felt pain and fatigue. His perfect humanity, no doubt, felt the pull of temptation; yet without sin. I believe he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted, not to prove whether or not he would sin, but to demonstrate his impeccability under temptation. It was a demonstration of non posse peccare. And like an invincible army, he returned victorious as a champion for all who would put their trust in him and run to him for refuge. When I think of Jesus coupled with this pair, posse non peccare / non posse peccare, my heart rejoices secure with an shout of confident victory. We have a strong savior that has gone before us to secure our way.

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

He was able to not sin and he was not able to sin. He had both of these where we, presently, have only one of these. It cannot be said of reborn man that he is not able to sin, however, we have been made able to not sin. We have been given a new nature and when we walk in our new nature we are enabled to not sin. Actually, the new nature, given to man, cannot sin; so in that sense, our new nature is also not able to sin. (1 John 3:9) (1 John 5:18) The reason we sin, and we will, is because our old nature remains a part of our essence until the day we put off these bodies of death, once and for all. This leaves us with two great truths.

1. Because we are posse peccare (able to sin), we will sin and must have the provision of pardoning grace, continually, as a way of life (mercy that endures forever). We must understand and live in our position in Christ. Living in our position is the path to posse non peccare (the ability to not sin). We make straight paths for our feet on the mercy road. God fully understands all of the practical real-life ramifications of posse peccare.

2. Because we are posse non peccare (able to not sin), we need not sin! Did you know that you do not have to sin? Though we will sin, we do not have to sin. In any given moment, we can carry off a victory through the Spirit. In Christ, we can now do this, and we will do this, by the grace that is given to us. I would state it this way:

"We do sin, and we will sin, but we need not sin. - posse peccare / posse non peccare."

There are volumes of profound understanding locked up in this saying. We have grace on every side; grace when we sin, and grace that we might not sin - receive as much of both as you possibly can. So as we embrace every provision of divine mercies for all of our unrighteousness let us also endeavor to walk in the Spirit that we may not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Creation groans until the day when the redeemed will be raised to the new glorious reality when we all may cry, posse non peccare / non posse peccare!

Peace to you.

Human nature in its four-fold state

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:2)

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