THE ACTIVE OBEDIENCE OF JESUS

God’s law has demands to be fulfilled and a penalty when broken. Sadly, Adam the first federal head of the human race break the demand of God’s law and a penalty should be paid for violating the law of God. However, since the fall, God promised to send another representative to bring glory to Him (Genesis 3:15).

Therefore, Jesus active obedience was to fulfil the demands of God’s law and His passive obedience was to pay the penalty for those who are condemned by the law (Romans 8:3-4).

In particular, Jesus is whole life, sufferings and death on the cross consists of His active and passive obedience. Nevertheless, the focus of this article will be on the active obedience of Jesus as He represented many as the last federal head.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. Matthew 4:1-2 ESV

The account of the temptation of Jesus shows the active obedience of Christ. The perfect man actively obeyed God and shows the glory of God. Adam and his children fall short of the glory of God and are bound to sin ( Romans 3:23).  But the last Adam overcame sin and temptation.

WILDERNESS

Jesus was led to the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil. It is a place of austerity, danger and loneliness. However, the first Adam was placed in paradise, with safety, prosperity, community and communion with God (Genesis 2:15-25).

Although God granted Adam the gift of paradise, however due to his disobedience, the perfect world he inherited became broken. The failure at Eden disrupted the harmonious relationship between humans and nature (Genesis 3:17).  Adam failed the test God gave him in the garden of Eden.

Therefore, the last Adam inherited a wilderness due to the fall of the first Adam. The reason why Jesus the last Adam was led to the wilderness was to redeem and restore the wilderness back into a greater glory.

The last Adam picked up where the first Adam failed and to take the same test as the first Adam. Jesus entered not paradise but a wilderness to take the same type of test as Adam. He came to perfectly fulfil God’s law and as an example of the perfect person.

TEMPTATIONS

Jesus was led by the Spirit to the wilderness to face testing. This was also a direct fulfilment of Israel’s forty years in the wilderness. Sadly, they failed and disobeyed God but the Son of God was victorious (Matthew 4:1, Exodus 13:18).

Firstly, the devil tried to trick Jesus for Him to use His divine powers to bypass trials as a human. However Jesus response was a reminder that trust should always be in God the great provider (Matthew 4:4).

It’s God’s word that a person should trust and depend on. He fulfilled the failures of the Israelites (Deuteronomy 8:2). Eve wasn’t sure of God’s word and Adam must have been on his side and never proclaimed the truth to get rid of the devil (Genesis 3:1-5). On the other hand, Jesus rejected the lies of satan by declaring the Word of God (Matthew 4:4).

and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and On their hands they will bear you up,

lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” Matthew 4:6 ESV

The devil’s second temptation was a twisted use of Psalm 91 . He tried to entice Jesus into gaining fame rather than Jesus trusting the Father’s plan of redemption, which was the road of sufferings.

However, if Jesus would have succumbed to this, He would have gained fame and therefore rejected God’s plan of salvation. Half truths and false teachings are used by satan to deceive Christians to disobey and dishonour God.

Interestingly, the devil never quoted the second half of psalm 91:11 “ to guard you in all your ways”. The deception was for Jesus to seek the care of the angels to gain adulation from the Jews. However, Jesus refuted Satan’s ploy to test God (Matthew 4:7).

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Matthew 4:8-9 ESV

The final attempt of the devil’s deception was for the Son of God to exchange the love of the Father for the worship of Satan. The wisdom and eternal purpose of God was that the sufferings of Christ should precede His future reign in God’s kingdom ( Ephesians 1:7-10). Furthermore, the devil continued his attempt to undermine the plan of God (Matthew 16:23).

After Jesus perfect response and obedience to the Word of God. The angels came and ministered to Jesus. It’s interesting that it was God’s promise in Psalm 91, Jesus knew this and rejected the devil’s deception. Jesus was not only our example but also took the judgment of God on behalf of sinners (Romans 3: 25). God was pleased with Him and raised Him from the dead (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 1 John 2:15-16 ESV

Christ has delivered us from the kingdom of the world into His kingdom of heaven (Colossians 1:13-14). Therefore we should not be seduced by the world or Satan’s kingdom and succumb to his schemes. The things in the world such as the mass media are ingrained in Satan tactics and are used as his tools for deceiving the world.

The first of satan’s temptation tactics is the lust of the flesh. The lust of the flesh is when one desires are aroused by sin that are against God’s law (James 1:14-15). The flesh is good when aligned according to the law of God.

In the garden of Eden, Satan enticed Eve to eat of the fruit and in the wilderness after forty days and nights of fasting he tempted Jesus to turn stones to bread. Similarly, when we are most vulnerable in our flesh, it becomes easy for a Christian to satisfy their flesh. Sadly, when our sinful flesh is overpowered by lust it becomes perverse. This would be lusting at another man’s wife leading to fornication or adultery.

Secondly, the lust of the eyes begins with seeing. What the eyes sees, then develops into sinful desires that derive from the devil’s deception. This is often coveting things from the world such as fame and fortunes.

In some cases desiring someone’s wealth or status but also that of having selfish ambition. The devil used the same tactic with Eve in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:6). Similarly, he showed Jesus the kingdom of the earth so Jesus can see and then lust for power (Matthew 4:8).

Thirdly, In the case of the pride of life, Satan always entices our pride as he did with Eve in the garden of Eden. The nature of sinful humanity is pride such as greed and arrogance. Naturally, every person desire to be their own god rather than submit to the eternal God of the Bible.

For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Romans 5:19 ESV

Unfortunately, it’s the same tricks Satan used in Eden to deceive Eve. The lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. Since Eden the devil’s pattern of temptation has remained the same.

Gloriously, Jesus the Son of God actively obeyed God and perfectly fulfilled the law of God. Satan used the same schemes to discredit Jesus but he failed. Therefore, where Adam and Israel failed the begotten Son of God passed.

Through Adam sin and death came to all as a result all became sinners. But those who trust in the federal headship of the last Adam Jesus are granted the gift of righteousness and life (Romans 5:12-17).

Let those who have been made righteous through Christ live not to please the flesh but God. We are to wage war against sin and to master it (Genesis 4:7).

We have been crucified with Christ therefore we are dead to sin and the world (Galatians 2:20). As we actively fight sin with the help of the Holy Spirit so also we should submit to God and the devil will flee from us (Romans 8:13, James 4:7).