DIMMING THE LIGHT

BY STEVE NIEMEIER

Jesus Christ is described as a light that shines through the darkness in John 1:5 and II Corinthians 4:6.  Luke 2:32 reveals that there would be a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles and we see that fulfilled in Acts 10:45; Acts 13:47 and other passages.  A question that we might ask is “just how did Jesus keep this light burning?”

The promise of one to come and bruise the head of Satan was first given in Genesis 3:15 as God dealt punishment for the first sin.  Matthew 1:21 states that Mary was going to have a son and his name would be “Jesus” for He will save His people from their sins.  Jesus then began His life here on earth as His birth is recorded in Luke 2:7.  We find Him circumcised in Luke 2:21 and being presented in the temple in Luke 2:25-35.  Luke 2:41-52 tells of Him amazing the scholars in the temple and increasing in stature and in favor with God and men.  Then we see Jesus being baptized with the baptism of John in Matthew 3:13-17 to fulfill all righteousness.

We then see Jesus being led up by the Spirit into the wilderness in Matthew 4:1 and fasting for 40 days and 40 nights in preparation for His temptation by Satan.  Satan tempts Jesus with the lust of the flesh (Matthew 4:3); the lust of the eye (Matthew 4:9); and the pride of life (Matthew 4:5-6).  According to I John 2:15-17 this is all that that Satan has to offer someone.  Satan also used all of these tools to tempt Eve in Genesis 3:6.  Jesus starts His ministry teaching for all to repent, for the kingdom is at hand (Matthew 4:12-17).  Jesus then chooses some fishermen to become His first disciples and tells them that He will make them fishers of men (Matthew 4:18-22).  This then starts a series of events that lasts almost three years before Jesus is taken to the cross and crucified, being betrayed by one of His own, Judas (John 18-19).

The Gospel According to John then gives the amazing story of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and His appearing to His disciples and Paul even tells us that He appeared to over 500 brethren at once and then to James and all the apostles and then finally to Paul who was born out of due season (I Corinthians 15:1-11).  We see Jesus extending the great commission to His eleven disciples in Matthew 28:16-20 and they went forth carrying on His work and so are we to do the same today driven by the fact that Jesus became was the Light to shine through the darkness of sin because He was tempted in all points as we are but did not commit sin (Hebrews 4:15).

Unfortunately many did not believe Jesus when He was on the face of the earth and many do not believe in Him now.  One of the most disturbing facts about the story of Jesus is Him being betrayed by one of His own.  Today we see this again occurring just as it has through out time since this first betrayal.  Jesus warned us that this would happen in Matthew 7:21-23.  Paul expounds upon this in I Corinthians 1:10-17 as he explains the dangers of division within the body of Christ.

Paul also addressed the Ephesians elders in Acts 20:29-31 and warned them of the danger of those savage wolves coming in and that from within their own congregation some would rise up speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after themselves.  Paul told the young gospel preacher Timothy in I Timothy 6:1-5 to withdraw yourself from those who do not consent to the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Surely we can see the danger of upholding anyone who “adds to or takes away” from the word of God (Revelation 22:18-19).

There are those who seem to be questioning the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:11-18) by limiting Him to what He overcame while on the face of this earth.  They seem to believe that Jesus was not tempted in all points as we are (Hebrews 4:15) and thus could not have had the same temptations that we experience.  They seem to play on words saying that one temptation is wrong while another temptation is okay and that seems to be at the basis of their teaching.  I Corinthians 5:20-21 tells us that Jesus who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become righteousness of God in Him.  Jesus told His disciples in Luke 22:28 “But you are those who have continued with Me in My temptations (trials).” Hebrews 2:18 states “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.”

How can we look at these passages and come up with some strange doctrine that states that our Savior (Ephesians 5:23) does not know how some are tempted?  Can we make any scriptural argument at all that these passages eliminate any sin of which we may be tempted with?  If I am tempted with the sin of lying can I state that Jesus does not know about lying because He never was tempted with lying?  What if I am tempted with alcoholic beverages? Was Jesus not tempted in a way that He knows what I am going through?  Would one who has been tempted with fornication be able to say that Christ does not know what one is going through with that temptation?  Could any who have the temptation of homosexuality, murder, stealing, or any temptation make the claim that Jesus does not know what they are dealing with?  If Christ does not know what I am going through then how is He the perfect sacrifice for my sins?  If I overcome something He didn't wouldn't that place me above Him?

Jesus evidently faced more temptation than just that of Matthew 4:1-11 because of His statement in Luke 22:28 and we might even add what John records in John 20:30-31 and John 21:24-25 to see that Jesus did many things which we do not have recorded.  While it may sound good to try and limit what Jesus went through while on this earth, let us never underestimate or even try to teach a doctrine that would limit His temptations or His power to overcome those temptations.  He being a perfect sacrifice means that He knows of everything that we might be faced with and He overcame those things without sinning (Hebrews 2:18; Hebrews 4:15).

Teaching anything else about Jesus Christ falls under another doctrine (Galatians 1:6-10) that limits the power of Jesus to overcome a certain temptation. Let us remember that Jesus went through all Satan could throw at Him so He would be a perfect sacrifice for us.  Let those that have been upholding this false teaching repent immediately or be “noted” and “marked” as false teachers because they are “dimming the Light that shines through the darkness of sin!”