Motives Why Christ Died For Us:
JesusWanted To Be Perfect and Learn Obedience
If Jesus Christ who is the Son of God had gone from deity to the cross
without a life of pain and temptation in order to test His love and His
righteousness, Jesus Christ would not be appropriate for a Savior for man who is
corrupt.
Jesus Christ has been tempted the same that we have but Jesus did not sin
(Hebrews 4:15). Jesus Christ was sinless. Even though He was the divine Son of
God He was still human with all the appetites and physical weaknesses we have.
Christ had hunger (Matt. 21:18), pain (Matt. 17:12), grief and anger (Mark 3:5).
But Christ’s heart was in perfect love with God.
“Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being
made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, designated by
God a high priest…” (Hebrews 5:8-10). Jesus Christ became the high priest to act
on behalf of men in relation to God to be the sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 5:1) in
order for those that trust in His work to be given eternal life. In doing so, Jesus
Christ had to be perfect and obedient.
It is not that Jesus had to stop disobeying to “learn obedience” or become
an obedient son. When Jesus “learned obedience” (Hebrews 5:8) this refers to that
each trial Jesus faced He learned in practice and in pain what obeying means.
“For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many
sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering”
(Hebrews 2:10). Jesus Christ didn’t suffer to get rid of defects in Him or was
gradually cleaning Himself from corruptfulness. Jesus wasn’t corrupt or
defected. Jesus suffered in order to fulfill the perfect righteousness that He had
to have so He may save us.
Jesus Wanted To Be Perfect
DwellingWithGod.com And Learn Obedience By Jay Gheen
This is what Jesus was referring to in His baptism “Let it be so now, for thus it
is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15). Jesus did not need to be
baptized because He was a sinner. It is to fulfill the perfect righteousness that He
had to have so He may save us.
His suffering not only fulfilled the perfect righteousness but it also fulfilled
His true humanity to be able to call us brothers and sisters. “Therefore he had to be
made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful
high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews
2:17).
Jesus Wanted To Be Perfect
DwellingWithGod.com And Learn Obedience By Jay Gheen