We all make mistakes. It’s part of life. Whether it’s snapping at someone in frustration, giving in to temptation, or just falling short of our own standards, we know what it means to be flawed. Many people say, “To be human is to be imperfect.”
But here’s the question: What about Jesus?
If Jesus was truly human, like us, did He ever mess up? Did He ever sin?
For Christians, the answer is both surprising and essential: Jesus was fully human, but without sin. He laughed, cried, felt hunger, faced temptation, and lived in the real world—yet never once disobeyed God or did wrong.
That might leave us wondering: If Jesus never sinned, was He really human like us?
And even more importantly: What does His sinlessness mean for us today?
In this post, we’ll look at what it truly means to be human, how Jesus fits (and challenges) that definition, and why His flawless life offers hope, not just for eternity, but for how we live right now.
What does it mean to be human?
Have you ever wondered what it means to be human? After looking through the thoughts of others on this subject, a summary of what it means to be human includes the following.
- To know that you exist and to be able to reflect on your existence.
- To feel deeply – to feel empathy, love, and vulnerability.
- To have the ability to create meaning through culture, art, and moral choices.
- To acknowledge that you are flawed, yet despite being imperfect, you strive to achieve, overcome, and reach your goals.
- To have the ability to connect with others.
Did Jesus meet the criteria?
From the Scriptures, we know that Jesus knew that He existed and was able to reflect upon why He was alive. Jesus had compassion on people, felt anger, and cried. Jesus felt deeply. When it comes to meaning, the Son of God created an art masterpiece with no rival – the universe in its original form. His life has profoundly impacted cultures all over the globe, and He provided the perfect example of morality as He demonstrated how to love God and others perfectly. Jesus did life with others, especially the twelve men He selected as His disciples. People from all walks of life were drawn to Him, and He was able to connect with them on a relational level.
The only standard criterion that Jesus didn’t meet for what it means to be human is the fourth in the list above. The fourth characteristic of humaneness is to know that we are flawed, that we are imperfect, that we will be hurt and hurt others. Although biblical Christianity and the world would agree that being human is to be imperfect or flawed, there may be differing opinions on the reason behind this state of shortcoming that we have as human beings.
For those who do not have a biblical worldview, having flaws is as essential to being human as apples are to apple pie. Shortcomings are part of the ingredient list for being human. These shortcomings mean that we will prioritize ourselves over others and harm others for our benefit, among other things.
Culture recognizes that there is something broken in us as humans. As described above, these flaws are beautiful and while our God is an expert in bringing beauty from the ashes, the Bible describes these shortcomings pertaining to morality referred to flaws as sin. Paul explains that we are all sinners, that we are all flawed when it comes to mirroring God’s image flawlessly.
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. (Romans 3:23, NLT)
While there may be differing reasons, terminology, and views on the flaws of humanity, one thing is sure: we all recognize that something is broken both within us and in the world in which we live. The brokenness we see and experience primarily exists as a result of our flawed actions on both personal and communal levels.
Is being flawed a requirement for being human?
According to today’s summary of what it means to be human, Jesus doesn’t check all the boxes. Christians believe Jesus was fully God and fully man, but also entirely without sin. That belief raises a deeply human question: If imperfection defines our humanity, how can a sinless Savior truly be one of us?
This post will explore that tension. We’ll examine the biblical portrait of Jesus, revisit what it means to be human, and discover how Jesus’ perfection doesn’t distance Him from us—it redefines what it means to be human in the first place.
From our previous study, we know that Jesus was both fully God and man. Theologically stated, He was and is theanthropic. Theanthropic (adj.) is derived from the Greek theos (“God”) and anthrōpos (“man”) — it refers to Jesus as both divine and human in nature. This means Jesus was both fully God and fully man—two complete natures in one person. The Bible also states that Jesus was sinless; He was flawless in all ways.
He never sinned,
nor ever deceived anyone. (1 Peter 2:22, NLT)
And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. (1 John 3:5, NLT)
Throughout the New Testament, there is much evidence that Jesus lived a sinless life. But if having flaws or lapses in moral judgment and actions is part of being human, according to popular thinking and seemingly even according to Romans 3:23, how could Jesus be fully human if He wasn’t flawed in any way? Does the Bible confirm this idea that to be human is to be beautifully flawed, or that being human doesn’t require one to be marred in integrity or morality? To understand whether flawlessness disqualifies Jesus from being human, we must go back to the beginning.
A closer look at the Bible and what it means to be human
When the Triune God spoke before creating Adam, let’s look at what He said.
Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us…27 So God created human beings in his own image.
In the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:26-27, NLT)
Of His entire creation, including Adam and Eve, God declared it “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Adam and Eve were created without sin, with no flaws. Yes, they had the built-in capability to sin, but they were originally without sin and enjoyed an unhindered relationship with the LORD. Genesis 1 and 2 reveal God’s intent and desire for Himself and His creation, but something happens in Genesis 3.
In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 3:6-7). Their decision to rebel against Yahweh led to a state of fallenness. Creation fell from perfection, and humanity was included in its fall. Paul explains the domino effect from Adam’s choice in the book of Romans.
When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. (Romans 5:12, NLT)
From Genesis and Romans, we see that Adam and Eve were created as fully human beings, though sinless until they sinned. Thus, being flawed or, more biblically described, “fallen” is not a requirement for being human, according to the Bible. It is all we know for sure because we are Adam’s descendants (Acts 17:26; Romans 5:12) and exist in the time after his decision, but it wasn’t part of Jesus’ experience, made possible because of the virgin birth.
Being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary kept the sin nature passed down to every generation, every person, from being passed on to Jesus. Though tempted in every way that we are, He did not sin. He never rebelled against any of God’s commands in heart or action, nor did He waver from God’s will for His life. The author of Hebrews pulls back the curtain for us to eavesdrop on a conversation of God the Father and the pre-incarnate Son and in it we see that He knew the Father’s plan for Him to become human included Him giving His life as a once and for all sacrifice to take away people’s sins (Hebrews 10:1-12).
What Jesus had to be for His death to take away our sin
Previously, we stated that Jesus had to be human so that He could not only die but also be our representative. As the original representative of humanity, Adam’s one action plunged us into sin and away from God. Jesus, described as the second Adam, through His one action of obedience, presents His righteousness to us and restores us into a right relationship with God.
Jesus had to be human to die in our place as our representative, but He also had to be sinless so that His death in our place would be acceptable to God. His sinlessness, Him being without a flaw or blemish, doesn’t make Him any less human in any way, but instead shows us what our Triune God intended human beings to be like before the fall in Genesis 3.
What Jesus’s sinlessness means for us today
We benefit significantly from Jesus’s complete obedience to His Father’s will and commands. His sinless life helps us in two ways. First, we can be reconciled to God, and second, we can look to how He responded to temptation and learn how to react to the temptations in our lives.
We can be made right with God
Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. 19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:18-19, NLT)
Paul tells us that because of one man’s actions, we stand condemned before a holy God because of our rebellion against Him. Yet, through another man’s actions, Jesus’ obedience to God, we are made right with God through faith in Who Jesus is and what He has done on our behalf. If you’re ready to take the next step in following Jesus, watch the video and reflect on His flawless love.
We know how to respond to temptation
Jesus’s sinless life not only secures our salvation but also serves as a model in times of temptation. May we look to Him not only as Savior but also as our example in every trial. When facing temptation, we can reflect on the life of Jesus and consider whether He faced a similar situation to ours. After thinking for a moment or two, we will be able to consider some instances in the life of Jesus where He faced temptations, which, although not exactly like ours, bear some resemblance to ours. Once the connection is made between our situation and Jesus’s, we can respond to our temptation in the same manner Jesus did, knowing that because He was sinless, we will respond to our circumstances in a way that honors Him and is for our good.
Reflection Questions
- In what areas of your life do you struggle to believe that Jesus understands your temptations or suffering?
- What is one temptation you face regularly? How might reflecting on Jesus’ sinless example help you respond differently?
- What emotions arise when you consider that Jesus never sinned, yet chose to die for your sins?
- How does Jesus’ perfection encourage or challenge your pursuit of holiness today?
Questions for Further Study
- Why is Jesus’s sinlessness essential for our salvation? (Refer to Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
- What does Jesus’ response to temptation teach us about our own battle with sin? (Compare Matthew 4:1–11 with your own struggles)
- How does the concept of Jesus as the “second Adam” help explain the reversal of the fall? (Read Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:45-49)
Worship Jesus, the Sinless One Who died for the Sinful!
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