18  J I M TAY L O R saints in the Old Testament who were forgiven of their sins, like David (2 Samuel 12:13, 24:10), were forgiven because they tried to live for God by their faith, according to his law, the very best they could. Though their efforts to live for God and atone for their sins often involved animal sacrifices, their actual forgive- ness came only by the way of the cross of Jesus (John 14:6). Jesus came into this world as the Son of God, born of a woman, born under his own law (Galatians 4:4). He was born to a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23). He was willing to give up his equal- ity with God to become a Man. Paul wrote: Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, existing in the form of God, counted not the be- ing on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fash- ion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross. (Philip- pians 2:5–8) Jesus was born to become a man exactly like all other men—with one exception. He was not only the Son of man and the Son of God, but he was also Almighty Jehovah God himself (John 1:1–2, 14; Isaiah 9:6; Jeremiah 23:5–6). Jesus was a man in all points, just like all other men. Hebrews 2:17 says, “Wherefore it behooved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” Jesus was also tempted just like all other men are tempted, but he never sinned. Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”