For some, believing that Jesus was a real man is almost unthinkable.
They reason, for Jesus to be fully human, he would have to have inherited our human nature. Our nature is sinful. Therefore, Jesus did not inherit a fully human nature. Therefore, Jesus is God and he only looks like a man at the same time.
This is the heresy of Docetism, a word that simply means that Jesus appeared to be a man, but was not really. It was roundly rejected by the First Council of Nicaea in 325. It is considered heretical by the Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant churches alike. He is another Jesus, and another Jesus cannot be tolerated.
Now, although the heresy is defined, the problem remains: How come Jesus was born of a human but does not have human nature?
Roman Catholic scholars proposed a simple solution: make Mary perfect. A decree went out from the new “Caesar Augustus” in Rome that indeed Mary was freed from all her sins at the moment of her conception. This doctrine of the “Immaculate Conception” was a long time coming. It was not until 1854 that the Roman people decided that this was the revealed truth.
So, problem solved. Docetism denied. Maria perfected. Jesus can be fully human.
Not so fast. The Scriptures in no way support the claims of Rome, as is often the case. Not a peep, not a word, about the immaculate conception of Mary. Of Jesus, yes, but not of Mary. If Scripture is to be the norm, we must categorically reject this “Holy See” invention. And see that he is not holy.
The answer is simpler. In fact he inherited our nature. 100% of it. And he fought her by the Spirit of God all her life. As He calls us to do.
The temptation in the desert was real. The human nature of Jesus was pulled in all three directions that Satan suggested. The cry in Gethsemane was real. The flesh said no, the Spirit was willing to accept it. He passed this wisdom on to his sleeping disciples. They were examples of men without the Spirit, He was a man with the fullness of God, walking in power, but not without a fight.
No, the Bible is still true. Jesus was tempted in every way like we are, yes (Hebrews 4:15)? But without sin? Oh yeah again! He fought against the flesh and showed us what a man filled with the Holy Spirit can and should do. In our case, forgiveness is available when we fail. In his case, forgiveness was not necessary because he never failed.