Yes, Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh to condemn sin and the old Adam, doing what the weak Law could not do.
Jesus took on human flesh to directly deal with the old Adam—the source of sin. By condemning sin in the flesh, He accomplished what the Law, which was powerless to cleanse or change anyone, could never achieve.
Romans 8:3 — This verse explicitly states that Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh to condemn sin, directly answering the question.
Romans 8:3 states, "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." This verse reveals that the Law was unable to accomplish something because of its weakness through the flesh. God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to condemn sin. The Law is described as being "weak" and "beggarly"—it had no power to save or change a person (Romans 8:3; Galatians 4:9).
Les Feldick teaches that Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh to confront and condemn the old Adam—the sinful nature inherited from Adam. He says that the Law was perfect but powerless, like a mirror that shows dirt but cannot clean it. The Law could only reveal man's sinfulness and helplessness (Romans 7:7, 13). Jesus' coming was the means to take the place of that old Adam so that believers could be crucified with Him and freed from the Law's condemnation. The indwelling Holy Spirit, unlike the Law, provides the power and desire to live pleasing to God.
Les Feldick explains that the Law was weak through the flesh because it had no power to help anyone keep it. It was perfect and holy, but it could only condemn, not save or cleanse. He uses the illustration of a mirror: the Law shows a person their sin, just as a mirror shows dirt, but it cannot reach out and clean them.
Les teaches that Jesus, in the likeness of sinful flesh, took the place of the old Adam so that believers could be crucified with Him. By His death, He condemned the old Adam—the fountainhead of all sin—in the flesh, breaking its power over those who are in Christ.
After condemning sin in the flesh, the Holy Spirit becomes the believer's guide for Christian living, replacing the set of rules and regulations. Unlike the Law, which was cold and condemning, the Holy Spirit is warm, loving, and gives the desire to live pleasing to God. This is the work of the indwelling Spirit, not human effort.
The Law's Weakness and the Holy Spirit's Power
Les explains that the Law was weak because it had no power to help anyone keep it, acting like a mirror that shows dirt but cannot clean it. The indwelling Holy Spirit, in contrast, is loving and gives the desire to live pleasing to God.
Redemption Explained: From Law to Grace (Romans 3 & 6)
Because the law only has one purpose in Scripture, and it is what? For by the law is the knowledge, not of God, but of what? Sin, see? Now, when God gave the Ten Commandments then, the Ten Commandments just literally showed the old Adam how he really operated, and that was all the law could do.
Why Grace Always Wins Over Sin — Romans 5:15-20 Explained
He could have stricken every Roman soldier and every Jewish priest and high priest in Jerusalem with a spoken word, but he was obedient, because he knew that this was the will of the Father, of course, the Godhead of which he himself was now a part. All right, now come back with me, and maybe we can finish Romans chapter 5. We've got about a minute left, all right? And so, verse 20, "...
The Law's Only Purpose
Les emphasizes that the Law's sole purpose was to condemn and show man his sinfulness, not to save or justify.
Jesus Condemned the Old Adam in the Flesh
Les clarifies that Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh to take the place of the old Adam so that believers could be crucified with Him, condemning that old Adam in the flesh.
Why the Law Can't Save You — Romans 7:5-14 Explained
The law shows us what old Adam is really made of. Okay? Now then, come back to chapter 7. So, what does the law do for solitarsis? It compounds his sinfulness. How? By revealing everything he does was sinful. Everything he was doing was contrary to the will of a holy God. All right, now I've got a couple minutes left.
Why the Law Can't Save You — Romans 7:5-14 Explained
Whereas old Adam did nothing but generate sins, plural, that became fruit unto death, the flip side now is that we are delivered from the law, and we commented on this in the last program, that being dead wherein we were held, that is under old Adam and under the curse, that now we should serve in newness of spirit, under the control of the Holy Spirit, under the control of the Word of God, under …
The Law's Inability and Jesus' Coming
Les connects Romans 8:2-3, showing that while the Law of the Spirit brings freedom, the Law itself was weak and beggarly, prompting God to send His Son to condemn sin in the flesh.
Romans 8:3: 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:
This is the key verse that directly answers the question about Jesus' purpose in coming in the likeness of sinful flesh.
Romans 8:2: For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Shows the contrast between the law of the Spirit (which brings life) and the law of sin and death (the Mosaic system).
Romans 7:7: What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Demonstrates that the Law's purpose was to give knowledge of sin, not to save.
It means Jesus took on a real human body that was like ours, but without sin. He came in that likeness to identify with humanity and to condemn sin at the human level.
The Law was perfect but powerless. It could only show a person their sin, like a mirror showing dirt, but it had no power to cleanse or empower them to obey.
By taking on human flesh and dying, Jesus judged and defeated the old Adam—the sinful nature inherited from Adam—so that those in Christ are no longer under its power.
Watch the Teaching: Romans 8:2 Explained — Free from the Law of Sin and Death