Title: 13
Author: JBG
Last saved by: Matthew C. Lawson
Company: Auth CO

© 2001  Joe Griffin

01-03-25-B.JSH-459 /

The Inscrutable Question: Unleavened Bread: Impeccability & the Hypostatic Union
4.	Unleavened Bread & Impeccability:
1)	In the feast of Passover the selection of a lamb without spot or blemish is a type for the impeccability of Jesus Christ on the cross.
2)	In the feast of unleavened bread the absence of leaven is a type for the impeccability of Jesus Christ in hypostatic union.
3)	The English word “impeccable” contains the prefix im- which is a negation translated “not” plus the Latin verb pecarre which means “to sin.”  The literal translation is “not sinful” or “without sin.”
4)	The doctrine of impeccability is described by two Latin phrases:
1.	Non posse peccare: Not able to sin.  This refers to the undiminished deity of Jesus Christ in hypostatic union.  He was “not able to sin” in His deity.
2.	Posse non peccare: Able not to sin.  This refers to the true humanity of our Lord in hypostatic union.  He was “able not to sin” in his true humanity.
5)	The humanity of Jesus Christ was temptable but impeccable.  The deity of our Lord was neither temptable nor peccable.
6)	Therefore, in hypostatic union, Jesus Christ was temptable but impeccable.
7)	To appreciate the impact of Impeccability regarding the Person of Christ we need to review the definition of hypostatic union:
Thieme, R. B., Jr.  Christian Integrity.  (Houston: R. B. Thieme, Jr., Bible Ministries, 1997), 179:
Hypostatic Union:	The term “hypostatic” is derived from the Greek noun ØpÒstasij / hupostasis /: “essence,” or “substance.”  Jesus Christ is the “exact image of [God’s] hupostasis or divine essence” Heb. 1:3; He is God.  Christ unites in Himself the essence of God and the essence of man, forming a new hupostasis or essence, the hypostatic union, the God-Man.
8)	This information may be combined into a formal definition for “hypostatic union”:
In the Person of Jesus Christ are two natures, divine and human, inseparably united without mixture or loss of separate identity, without loss or transfer of properties or attributes.  This union of God and Man in the Lord Jesus Christ is personal and eternal.  That is, as the God-Man, He is one Person, and He will exist forever as both undiminished deity and true humanity.
9)	With reference to His undiminished deity, Jesus Christ is said to be non posse pecarre, not able to sin.  In other words, the essence of His deity cannot sin.
10)	With reference to His true humanity, Christ is said to be posse non pecarre, able not to sin.  This means that because of the prototype spiritual life empowered by the indwelling and filling ministry of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ was able not to sin.
11)	The humanity of Christ was temptable but impeccable.  This was made possible by His residence, function, and momentum inside the prototype spiritual life.
12)	Empowered by the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit, our Lord maintained His impeccability throughout the Incarnation all the way through the judgment of the cross.
13)	Thus, the divine power system was tested and proved effective in the management of all temptations.  This unique spiritual life is available to every believer in the Church Age.
14)	It was possible for our Lord not to sin because he utilized eight problem-solving devices.  He never had a need for rebound since He was impeccable and the concept of occupation with Christ was not applicable to Him.
15)	We have this same spiritual life made available to us at the moment of salvation.  When free of unconfessed sin, our status quo inside the spiritual life is the same perfection enjoyed by our Lord in the Incarnation.
16)	The only thing that destroys this perfection is personal sin which is volitional.  However, volition can through grace reacquire temporal perfection by confession alone to God alone—1 John 1:9.
17)	From this we are able to conclude that Jesus Christ was our prototype and thus we must look to His life in the Incarnation for leadership and guidance in the management of the temptations we confront on a daily basis.
18)	Our Lord was tempted in far greater intensity than we will ever be yet did not sin:
Hebrews 4:15 -	We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

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