Q: #479. Where does the Bible say Jesus was sinless?
A: The sinlessness of Jesus while on Earth is essential to our salvation. The Bible tells us that we are ALL sinners (1 Jn 1:8,10)(Rom 3:23)(Eccl 7:20)(1 Kin 8:46). Because we are sinners and imperfect, the wages of our sin is death (Rom 6:23) or Hell. God is holy (1 Pet 1:16)(Isa 57:15)(Lev 20:26)(Lk 1:49), and we cannot enter into His holy presence because of our sin. However, when Jesus came to earth, He lived the perfect and sinless life we never can never live. When we place our trust in Him, and come through His blood shed for us on the cross, we can be forgiven of our sins (Col 1:14,20)(Eph 1:7)(Heb 10:16-19)(1 Jn 1:7)(Rev 1:5). His blood covers our sins, and the righteousness and sinlessness of Jesus’ perfect life on Earth is “imputed” to us (counted or credited to our account)(2 Cor 5:19,21)(Rom 4:7-8,24-25)(1 Pet 3:18)(Phil 3:9). This makes us perfect before the Father. Jesus’ perfect righteousness becomes our righteousness: (2 Cor 5:21).
Therefore, knowing where the Bible tells us that Jesus was sinless is important. Following are the clearest verses that show us this.
(2 Cor 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.
(Heb 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.
(1 Jn 3:5) And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
(1 Pet 2:22) Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth
(1 Pet 1:19) But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
(Rom 8:3-4) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (4) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
(Jn 8:46)(NASB) Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me?
(Heb 7:26-27) For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; (27) Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
(Heb 9:13-14) For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: (14) How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
(Isa 53:9) And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
(Jn 7:18) He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
In addition to these, we have things like: Pilate’s wife calling Jesus an “just man” (Mt 27:19), Pilate saying he “(found) no fault in Him (Jesus)” (Jn 19:4), Judas saying Jesus had “innocent blood” (Mt 27:4), the thief on the cross saying Jesus had “done nothing amiss” (Lk 23:41), and the centurion saying Jesus was “a righteous man” (Lk 23:47).
Finally, it is also important to understand that while Jesus was on earth, he was “fully God” AND “fully man.” The technical term for this is the “hypostatic union,” which I explain more fully here. Jesus IS God, and always has been God, even while on earth. As God, He could not have sinned, because God cannot sin (Jas 1:13)(Hab 1:13)(Ps 18:30).