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It appears that God the Son created an image or form that He then indwelled when He created everything else. This is why He is called the image of the invisible God. Col 1:15 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” After man sinned, Christ was still in the form of God. But He was willing to leave this wonderful position and become a man so He could redeem man. Phi 2:5-8 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”
We must always remember that He was God. John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Much Scripture attests to that besides John 1:1. For instance, He is referred to as God in Heb 1:8,10 “But to the Son He says: ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom.’ 10 And: ‘You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.’”
. He was holy. Lk 1:35 “And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One (agion) who is to be born will be called the Son of God.’”
He was begotten of the Father. Heb 1:5 For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son”? John 1:18 “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” And He was worshipped. Heb 1:6 “But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: ‘Let all the angels of God worship Him.’”
He became a man so He could redeem man. 1 Jo 4:2-3 “By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.” Phi 2:7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and becoming (genomeno") in the likeness of men. Heb 2:14 “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.”
Because He became a real man, He could be tempted. Heb 2:18 “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” Heb 4:15 “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are (pepeirasmenon de kata panta kaq· omoiothta), yet without sin.” He also could be made perfect through suffering. Heb 2:10 “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” He endured these thins so He could die for sins. 1 Pe 1:18-19 “knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Heb 5:8-9 “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.”
Because He became a man He endured the same things we did so He could be compassionate. Heb 2:17 “Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”
Could He sin? This is where things begin to get difficult to answer. Because He was God, He did not sin, but could God die? That’s also a no, but Christ died. 1 Co 15:3 “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” In the same vein, could God feel separated from Himself? Mat 27:46 “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’” Therefore, in some respects, the man Christ Jesus could experience things that God the Son could not experience.
Because He was man He could have sinned, but He conformed His will to the Father’s and did not sin. Further, we can see that His will was not always the same as the Father’s. Mat 26:39-44 “He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.’ 40 Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, ‘What? Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ 42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.’ 43 And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.” As the man, Jesus Christ, He said things He could not have said as God the Son. John 5:30 “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” John 6:38 “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” Mark 14:35,36 “He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. 36 And He said, ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.’”
Because He was man, Christ could have been tempted by evil. Jam 1:13 “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.” His temptation was real, but He relied on His Father and His Spirit for the strength He needed. We should be imitators of Christ and rely on our Father and the Holy Spirit to form Christ in us.