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 form 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 this 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 even 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 Gospel Doctrine Class [Sal Lake City: Deseret Sunday School Union,
1967], 119)
