Brandan Kraft clarifies that Christ never committed sin or experienced rebellion against God, remaining the spotless Lamb throughout His life, but was made sin through imputation—having the sins of God's elect charged to His account as their representative substitute. Beyond mere legal imputation, Christ bore the guilt, shame, curse, and infirmities of His people (2 Corinthians 5:21, Isaiah 53:6, Galatians 3:13), suffering God's wrath on their behalf while remaining sinless, thereby functioning as both perfect substitute and sympathizer. This doctrine emphasizes that Christ's vicarious atonement encompassed the full consequences of sin—guilt, shame, weakness, and divine judgment—without any participation in actual sin or rebellion.
Outline
I. Introduction
- Clarification of misconceptions regarding the belief that Christ was a sinner.
- Purpose of the article: to outline the author's theological stance.
II. Did Christ Sin?
- Main Point: Christ did not sin or rebel against God.
- Emphasis on Christ as the "spotless lamb of God."
- His sinlessness affirmed in His life and current position.
III. Was Christ Made a Sinner?
- Main Point: Interpretation of "made a sinner" varies based on context.
- Sub-point: Not a rebel against God.
- Sub-point: Made sin through imputation.
- Sins of the elect charged to Him.
- Treated as a substitute.
IV. Christ’s Experience as Our Substitute
- Main Point: Christ bore the guilt, shame, curse, and weaknesses of sin.
- Sub-point: Guilt of His people imputed to Him.
- Sub-point: Endured shame on the cross.
- Sub-point: Bore the curse of the law.
- Sub-point: Entered into our weaknesses.
- Sub-point: Secured victory for His people.
V. The Imputation of Sin vs. Personal Experience
- Main Point: Distinction between legal imputation and experiential suffering of sin.
- Importance of acknowledging both legal and experiential aspects.
- Critique of "imputation only" view.
VI. Misunderstandings and Misrepresentations
- Main Point: Historical context of accusations and misunderstandings regarding the belief.
- Lack of meaningful discussion between opposing views.
- Call for better doctrinal conversations within sovereign grace circles.
VII. Conclusion
- Affirmation of Christ as the perfect sympathizer and comforter.
- Encouragement for unity in understanding Christ’s role.
Key Quotes
“If you are asking did Christ sin or experience rebellion against God The answer is emphatically no.”
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“He was treated as the worst of the worst sinners on the cross, but in no way did He experience rebellion against God.”
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“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.”
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“To accuse others of this is wrong and unconscionable in my opinion.”
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“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.”
Scripture References
- 2 Corinthians 5:21: Context of imputation; Christ took on our sins.
- 1 Peter 2:24: Christ bearing our sins in His body on the cross.
- Galatians 3:13: Christ redeeming us from the curse of the law.
- Hebrews 4:15: Christ’s empathy for our weaknesses.
- Isaiah 53:6: Prophetic mention of Christ bearing iniquities.
Doctrinal Themes
- Christ’s sinlessness and impeccable nature.
- Imputation of sin versus experiential suffering.
- Christ's role as a perfect substitute and sympathizer.
- The significance of understanding Christ’s suffering in relation to human sin.
- Clarification and unity in different theological perspectives on Christ’s sacrifice.
What does the Bible say about Christ being a sinner?
The Bible affirms that Christ never sinned and is the spotless Lamb of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:24
How do we know Christ was not a sinner?
Christ's sinlessness is affirmed by both Scripture and His role as our sacrificial substitute.
Romans 8:3, Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:24
Why is Christ's sinlessness important for Christians?
Christ's sinlessness is crucial as it enables Him to be the perfect sacrifice for sin.
Galatians 3:13, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 9:28
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.
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