Was Christ a Sinner?

     Rumors are going around apparently amongst people stating that I believe Christ was a sinner.  I want to clear up any misconceptions people might have, so here is a short little article detailing exactly what I believe.

Q. Was Christ a sinner?
A. It depends on what you mean by that question.  If you are asking, did Christ sin or experience rebellion against God?  The answer is emphatically no.  I find the question to be ridiculous on its face.  Christ remained the spotless lamb of God His entire life, and even now is sitting at the right hand of the Father, having never been tainted with sin.

Q. Was Christ made a sinner?
A. Again, that depends on what you mean by that question.  Was he made a rebel?  No.  But he was made sin / sinner only in this sense - the sins of God's elect were charged to His account and He was seen as their representative substitute and suffered the wrath of God for it.  He was treated as the worst of the worst sinners on the cross.  But in no way did He experience rebellion against God.  

Q. Is Christ being made sin more than just imputation?
A. Christ was made sin through imputation (charging of offenses).  However, as the representative of His people, He was touched by the feelings of their infirmities and He bore in His body all of their shame and guilt of sin so that they may be enabled to enter into the presence of God without shame or guilt.  He was the perfect substitute of His people in all ways.  In no way did He experience the commission part of sin, or experience the rebellion of the sinners He represented.  He only experienced the wrath that was due their sin, and He suffered their shame and guilt and the wrath of God on the cross.  

Update 9/5/2025 - Here are some verses that outline what I believe.

I. Christ Bore the Guilt of His People
     2 Corinthians 5:21 – For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
     Christ was counted guilty in our place. 

     1 Peter 2:24 – Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree…
     Our sins were carried into His very body on the cross.

     Hebrews 9:28 – So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many…
     The sacrificial language of “bearing guilt.”

     Isaiah 53:6 – …the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
     The guilt of His people imputed to Him.

II. Christ Bore the Shame of Sin

     Hebrews 12:2 – …Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
     The cross was a public spectacle of humiliation.

     Psalm 22:6 – But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
     Prophecy of Christ where He is scorned and despised.

     Mark 15:28 – And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.
     Treated as if He belonged among rebels.

III. Christ Bore the Curse of the Law

     Galatians 3:13 – Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us…
     He took the covenant curse due to lawbreakers.

     Romans 8:3 – God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.
     Sin was judged in Him, though He was innocent.

IV. Christ Entered Into Our Weaknesses

     Hebrews 4:15 – For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
     This verse can be confusing, but it's a famous KJV double negative.   What this verse is saying is we DO have a High Priest who IS touched with the feeling of our infirmities / weaknesses.

     Matthew 8:17 – “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses." 

V. Christ Secured Victory for His People

     John 19:30 – When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

     Isaiah 53:11 – He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied… for he shall bear their iniquities.

     My takeaway from all this is Christ did not just bear our sin legally, but He also entered into the weakness, the grief, the shame,  and the suffering of His people, yet He was without sin.  This not only makes Him a perfect substitute, but also the perfect sympathizer and comforter for His people.  The "imputation only" / "legal only" side of the argument fails to fully emphasize this in my opinion.  Christ being made sin included all the consequences of sin that Christ suffered, and to neglect this in teaching is something we should try to avoid.  It is this point that the other side of the "controversy" has attempted to convey, and upon doing so, were accused of teaching Christ was a sinner and experienced rebellion.  This was based on one sermon that may have not been worded well, and in my opinion was intentionally misunderstood, but nevertheless, was used to hammer the opposing side.  And ever since then (20 years), no meaningful discussion has taken place between the two sides of the conflict, and thus, separation remains between Christ's people.

     On a side note, in sovereign grace circles, I have yet to meet a single individual that believes Christ experienced rebellion for the sinners He represented.  To accuse others of this is wrong and unconscionable in my opinion.