THE NATURE OF GOD

Just like a car, the nature of God had to be tested. It had to be tested under the worst case scenario. If you make a million cars without carrying out safety tests, what will happen when the Health and Safety Inspectors come and ask "Are these cars safe?" The only truthful answer you can give is "I don't know." And you don't know, because you have no evidence.

It is the same with God. He cannot put His nature into "mass production," into people, without first proving that it will not sin, even under the worst case scenario. That is because one of His principles, is to "prove all things." The nature of God was tested through Jesus, who was tested in all things, up to a terrible death - the worst case scenario.

Just look at what it says in Isaiah 7:14-15 (NASB). This is a prophecy concerning Jesus. It says "Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. (v15) He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good."

Let's look at three points in verse 15.

a.) The Hebrew verb "to know" is Yada. It can also mean (in the Qal, as it is here) "to learn." If we put that meaning into the verse, we get this "...at the time he has learnt enough to refuse evil and choose good."

b.) The Hebrew word for "to choose," Bachar, can also mean "to prove." So, "...at the time he has learnt enough to refuse evil and prove good."

c.) And finally, the Hebrew word for "good," Tov, can also mean "righteous" or "moral goodness." The ultimate in righteousness and moral goodness is the nature of God.

Therefore, at the time of His first coming "...He has learnt enough to refuse evil and prove the nature of God (moral goodness, righteousness)." And Jesus proved the nature of God by being tested in all things and refusing evil.

However, just testing Jesus, and seeing that He did not sin, does not on its own prove the nature of God. You see, whenever you are testing something, there are rules that have to be followed to ensure a fair test. It is just like an allergy test. If you go to the hospital for an allergy test, the doctor will prick your arm and put a mixture of water and, say, peanut on it, and a rash appears. But that alone does not prove that it was the peanut that caused the rash. You see, it could have been the water in the mixture. And therefore, you have room for doubt.

To prove that it was the peanut causing the rash, they need what is called a "control" - a separate drop of just pure water. So now there are two drops of water on your arm, one with nut, and one without nut. If the drop with the nut causes a rash, then you have conclusive proof that it was the nut alone causing the rash.

Likewise, with Jesus, being tested under the worst case scenario. For it to be a fair test, you also need a control - Adam.

When Adam was tested, he had never sinned. When Jesus was tested, He had never sinned. The difference between them was that one had the nature of God, but the other did not. Therefore, when Jesus, with the nature of God, did not sin, and Adam, without the nature of God, did sin, you have conclusive proof that it was the nature of God that stopped Jesus from sinning. Jesus and Adam were both the drops of water, and the nature was the nut which brought the result.

Let's look at an example. One aspect of the nature of God, is the ability to not be fooled. Genesis tells us that Satan is very cunning. All it took was some smart talking from Satan, and he had Adam and Eve eating the wrong fruit, and sinning. Adam was easily fooled - he did not have the nature.

But not so with Jesus. When he was in the desert, Satan came to tempt him, and He was not fooled. Satan tried his best, even quoting scripture, but Jesus was not fooled. Let's read it at Mat 4:3-4 "And the tempter came and said to Him, 'If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.' (v4) But He answered and said 'It is written, Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.' "