Hebrews 2:17-18 For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

We have great difficulty wrapping our minds around the reality that Jesus was both fully God and fully man. However, that reality is essential to the whole plan of salvation. If Jesus had not been fully human, He couldn’t have died as a representative of all mankind.  For that matter, since He was God, He couldn’t have died! On the other hand, if He had not been fully God, then His singular death would hardly have been sufficient atonement for the sins of all mankind. As it is, though, Jesus in the flesh was indeed fully divine and fully human, and so is fully adequate as the Savior of all mankind. This particular passage deals with the issue of temptation. We don’t usually think of temptation as suffering. Actually, we tend to enjoy some kinds of temptation! However, for anyone who is totally committed to holiness in obedience to God, temptations are indeed suffering. Paul said something important on the subject. “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13) The point for us is to recognize temptations for what they are and then choose to stand against them. The best protection against temptation is to become so familiar with God and His Word that anything that contradicts that is immediately obvious. The problem is, if things weren’t attractive to our flesh, they wouldn’t be temptations! That’s why Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) That “himself” means our flesh. That’s not to say we aren’t to be good stewards of our bodies, keeping them as useful as possible for as long as the Lord keeps us on this earth, but it is to say that indulgence isn’t the name of the game. One problem is that the devil lies to us that some things our bodies genuinely need are indulgent, and also that other things that are indulgent are necessary. And at different times, those can be the very same thing! That’s why we need Jesus’ help, just as it says here, to keep it all straight and come out on top.

I am just as human as the next guy, and there are some tempta­tions that I find delicious. I’ve got to recognize that and be particularly on my guard against them. I have yielded to temptation more times than I could count, so one of my great anticipations of heaven is the absence of temptation. I grew up singing the hymn that says, “Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin. Each victory will help you some other to win.” That is very true, but I didn’t take it much to heart! I can remember times when I wallowed in temptation, enjoying every bit of it. I’m deeply grateful that the Lord kept me from “going over the edge,” so to speak, but I’m hardly proud of the degree to which I did yield, and I am deeply aware of my own weakness. That should make me a compassionate minister! I am to proclaim both the holiness and the grace of God, since Jesus fully exemplified both, so that people may repent and believe for their salvation.

Father, thank You for this very fundamental reminder. Help me apply it consistently every day, just as Jesus said, so that I may be an effective representative of Christ to those around me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!