John Stevens talks about the challenge of facing and resisting temptation and the example of the Lord Jesus
The distinction between temptation and sin itself is supremely revealed in the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Himself.
It is axiomatic to the New Testament that Jesus, the incarnate and enfleshed Son of God (John 1:14), experienced real temptation in His human nature and yet remained without sin (1 Peter 2:22, citing Isa.53:9). He was only able to make atonement for our sins by remaining sinless, so that He could bear the wrath of God in our place as a substitute and representative (2 Cor.5:21; 1 Peter 2:24). This necessitated Him assuming a true and real human nature and entering into a fallen world where He would inevitably face temptation. He needed to live a life of perfect righteousness and obedience, which would require Him to face the full force of temptation and yet resist it. As Hebrews 4:15 assures us: ‘For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin.’
