Original question:
Since Jesus was to die for the sins of the whole world, why did God protect him from being killed when he was being looked for, as an infant, by the king?
Answer:
In order to be reconciled back to God, man had to first be cleansed from sin, and secondly, overcome his propensity to disobedience. What good would it have done if Jesus had shed His blood as a child, and had not overcome the disobedience of Adam? Previous sins would have been forgiven, but, without knowing obedience, man would have continued in sin. And as God would not allow Adam and Eve to stay in His Presence in the garden, neither will He allow us to stay in His Presence now if we are not obedient.
Hebrews 5:8, 9,
8 So although He was a Son, Jesus learned obedience from the things which He suffered.
9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation.
And,
Hebrews 2:17, 18,
17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.
To lend credence to what I am saying, let me also quote the following verses:
Romans 3:21-25,
21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed.
And also,
2 Peter 1:2-9,
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;
3 Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lusts.
5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge;
6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, godliness;
7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.
8 For if these things are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.
We can see by these Scriptures the theory that past, present and future sins are forgiven is just that, a theory. It is not biblical.
So God had to train up Jesus from childhood to adulthood in the way He should go, teaching Him obedience through the things He suffered, in order that He might become perfect, Hebrews 5:8, 9 above; and that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest able to come to the aid of those who are tempted, Hebrews 2:17, 18 above.
In summation, God has, through the life of Jesus, made a way of salvation and delivery from sin, and has given to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, so that we might walk in the garden eternally with Him and His holy Son.
Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant
jondavidbanks.com 