In the 1967
manual for Gospel Doctrine classes on the Book of Mormon, we read the
following, affirming that Jesus was truly
tempted and could indeed sin (though he never did):
Christ is
sinless. If Christ
had ever sinned, he would have been subject to punishment and would have been
unable to be our Redeemer since the law would have claim upon him. We must not
think that because he was the Son of God, living a perfect life was easy.
Christ was born innocent as all children are.
He was preserved from the power of Lucifer until he reached the age of
accountability; then he was subject to the same temptations that we are. It
took effort on his part—determination to be obedient to the Father in every
respect. When the time arrived for his baptism, he had no sins to be remitted,
but he eagerly entered the baptismal covenant to signify his desire to continue
in obedience to the Father. This covenant was kept, and three years later Christ
went to Golgotha still sinless.
If he had ever slipped, had ever compromised,
had ever given in, his mission would have failed. Can we begin to comprehend the
pressure that Lucifer must have applied to him, knowing the stakes were so
high? Can we imagine the burden Christ carried knowing he was responsible for
the salvation of the entire world? (Messages
for Exaltation: Eternal Insights from the Book of Mormon For the Sunday Schools
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [Salt Lake City: Deseret
Sunday School Union, 1967], 119)
