In order for a temptation to be a real, valid temptation the one being tempted must have the potential to surrender, or submit, to that appeal or allurement. A millionaire cannot tempt someone to jump across the Grand Canyon by offering them $100,000 to do so, because it is physically impossible for any human being to jump across the Grand Canyon. But, if offered $100,000 to do so, someone might be tempted to climb the wall of the Grand Canyon at some point as the canyon is 277 miles long and there are locations that are accessible for climbers.
“Seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession, for we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, BUT WAS IN ALL POINTS TEMPTED LIKE AS WE ARE, and yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:14-15). Yes, Jesus was tempted to sin by Satan again and again, but he never capitulated, he never submitted, he never succumbed to any temptation. It could not be rightly said that Jesus was tempted LIKE AS WE ARE if it was impossible for him to surrender himself to the temptation and sin!
“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.” (Matthew 4:1). During that confrontation Satan seeks, probes, desperately tries to find an area wherein Jesus could be tempted to listen to the devil and fall prey to one of his temptations. This was not a bit of play acting on the part of either one of these ancient opponents, nor was this their first encounter. Satan had taken out Adam and Eve long ago. He had even caused the wisest man who ever lived to fall prey to his temptations again and again. (See Genesis 2 and 3 and I Kings 11). Satan would never have engaged himself in this confrontation if he knew he had no win. His successes had been many. Even father Abraham and King David had fallen prey to his temptations. (See Genesis 12:10-20 and Genesis 16:1-6. Also 2 Samuel 11-12). Aaron had made a golden calf for Israel to worship. (See Exodus 32). And the list goes on and on. Satan knew that Jesus had divested himself of His divinity, that he was now as much of a human being as though he had never been God. This was Satan’s golden opportunity to strike. But he failed. Thanks be to God, Satan failed.
Have you ever really considered what Jesus did for YOU, for me, for all humanity? He risked it all for us! What would have happened if he had sinned? Before answering that question we need to look at some amazing revelation given us in the first chapter of Hebrews. “God who at sundry (various) times and in diverse manners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets has in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom he also made the worlds (some versions read universe or ages), who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, being made so much better than the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they, for unto which of the angels said he at any time , ‘You are my son, this day have I begotten you?’ And again, ‘I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?'” (Hebrews 1:1-5).
Those five short, terse verses contain some of the most amazing revelation found anywhere in the Word of God! They also contain the answer to the question, “What would have happened had Jesus sinned?” Notice how the International Standard Version words verse 3: “He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact likeness of his being, AND HE HOLDS EVERYTHING TOGETHER by his powerful word……” Weymouth New Testament: “He brightly reflects God’s glory and is the exact representation of his being, and upholds the universe by his all-powerful word…..” Version after version read almost exactly the same. Had Jesus sinned, would He have died? NO! Would God the Father have had no choice but to consign the Son to hell? OF COURSE NOT! Then what would have happened? Hebrews 1:3 gives the answer. The universe would have imploded! All that God had created through the Son would be gone. There would be no earth, no humanity, no inter-planetary system. God and His heaven, including Jesus and all the spirit beings who have existed throughout eternity past would be as though God had never said, “Let us make man in our own image!”
Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley