A quick search of 'sin' and 'sinless' in the NT (RSV) relevantly turns up only Romans 6:7 and I don't think it's referring to Jesus anyway.
So where in the NT is the claim expressly made that Jesus is sinless?
2 Cor 5v21 "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
This is a bad translation.
In the org Greek, word for word, it should say.... "the-one for no (not) knowing sin for-sake-of us he makes that we may-be-becoming righteousness of-God in Him"
Other translations are.... "For the one not knowing sin, He makes to be a sin offering for our sakes that we may be becoming God's righteousness in Him."
1. So why was Jesus made a "sin offering" then?......
2. Plus..... Not only are we told that Jesus went into heaven, we are also told
why he went to heaven!!
These first two elements, corrupted living and guilty moral standing, are not what sin is, they are simply the outflow of sin. Sin’s essence must be understood as a state of being; it is a corruption of ontology. The prophet Jeremiah asks “
Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?” (8:22) The prophet views sin as an affliction that needs healing. This is echoed by Paul in
Ephesians 2 when he says that we were “
dead” in our transgressions and sins. Sin is a disease that we can do nothing about, however, the New Covenant that God makes with his people in
Ezekiel 36:25-27 says,
"I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."
Jeremiah’s cry for a balm to heal the sickness (sin) of his people will be given by God as promised to Ezekiel. God promises a cleansing; a new heart and a new spirit. We will be totally recreated so that we will “walk” in His statutes. Unless our corrupt natures are healed, we will never walk the correct path. For the totality of sin to be fixed, there must be a solution that is more than simply forgiveness of wrongdoing and a moral example for us to follow. There must be a solution to sin that includes the recreation of our natures, the healing of our hearts of stone. And through baptism, (
Romans 6) we are cleansed of our sins, amoung other things too. We follow Jesus into his death and life in those waters. Paul says that we are a new man now when we get baptised. We also need to walk in the spirit or ways of our God.
There are only 2 ways that we dont sin. They are when we die and when someday we are made immortal.
Romans 8v3 "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:" Romans 8 and Hebrews 2 tells us that Christ won the war on sin and condemned sin in the flesh. He "had to have" the same nature as us. Heb 2 also tells us that too.
1 Peter 2v21 "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
22
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:"
Hebrews 4v14 "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.
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are,
yet without sin."
1 John 3v4 "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins;
and in him is no sin."
It is highly significant that in one as sensitive morally as was Jesus and who taught His followers to ask for the forgiveness of their sins there is no hint of any need of forgiveness for Himself, no asking of pardon, either from those about Him or of God.
The Pharisees and other leaders diligently observed Jesus, committed to finding fault in Him and trap Him in His own words. What, however, was the best they could come up with? That He:
~
Broke the Sabbath by doing work on it
~ Was a friend to tax collectors and other sinners, and even ate with them
~ Claimed to be the King of the Jews
~ Taught the people to refuse to pay taxes to Caesar
~ Threatened to destroy the Jerusalem temple
~ Cast out demons because He was in league with Beelzebul (the Devil)
~ Committed blasphemy by forgiving sins
~ Committed blasphemy by claiming to be the Son of God or equal to God
The Jews thought that this was sin that Jesus was doing, because it went "against" the Law that was given to them by Moses. Even Paul tells them in the book of Romans that everything has changed now in Christ.
I hope this helps esp with
1 Peter 2, Heb 4 and 1 John 3.
1. So why was Jesus made a sin offering then?
Because without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. Hebrews 9
2. Why did Jesus have to die and go to heaven?
So many verses on this I'm not going to list them all. But here's some....
John 3 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Romans 5v8 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
So again..... why did the Messiah have to die. The book of Hebrews (along with many other books) tells us that. Read Hebrews chapters 8-10. We also compare Hebrews 9 with Lev 16. Paul is comparing the two High Priests.
The Levitical priesthood had to scrafice every year for the sins of Israel. The High Priest entered into the Most Holy place once a year to atone for the sins. Hebrew 9 tells us that, Christ, a High Priest himself of good things to come, entered into the Most Holy place too. But this one was different. It was a tabernacle, not made of hands, but into Heaven it's self. But why?
Christ was the perfect sacrifice. He only had to be a sacrifice only once. Why did he have to die? Because without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. We learn that even with Adam and Eve. And because of that, we now have access to have our sins to be forgiven through baptism (Romans 6) and praying to our heavenly Father for forgiveness. We pray to God, not Jesus for that.
Why did Jesus go to heaven? Again... Hebrews 9
"For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."
Sorry for the long answer......
