Thursday, June 25, 2020

1967 Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Manual on Jesus' being Truly Tempted and the Real Possibility of Sinning


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)