Vance Farrel×the Nature of Christ

The Nature of Christ
Why it Is Important
How to Explain it to Others
All about the Subject
The History of the Changeover
BY VANCE FERRELL
Pilgrims Books
PB–551
The Nature of Christ
by Vance Ferrell
Published by Pilgrims Books
Beersheba Springs, TN 37305 USA
Printed in the United States of America
Cover and Text Copyright © 1998
by Pilgrims Books
“He took our nature that He might understand how to sym-

pathize with our frailty.”—Review, April 19, 1970.*
“And as Jesus was in human flesh, so God means His fol-

lowers to be.”—Signs, April 1, 1897.
“In the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin
in the flesh.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, 373.
“Christ humiliated Himself to humanity, and took upon Him-

self our nature, that . . He might become a stepping stone
to fallen men.”—Review, May 25, 1886.
“The Divine Son of God, who had . . come from heaven and
assumed their fallen nature.”—Signs, September 23, 1889.
“Had He not been fully human, Christ could not have been
our substitute.”—Signs, June 17, 1897.
“He took our nature upon Him . . and knowing all our expe-
riences, He stands as Mediator and Intercessor before the
Father.”—Signs, November 24, 1887.
*All quotations in this book, not otherwise attributed,

are Spirit of Prophecy statements.
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Contents 3
Contents
SPECIAL STUDIES
A Bible-Spirit of Prophecy Study on the Nature of Christ 6
Hebrews 2:14-17 6
Hebrews 4:14-16 7
Desire of Ages, 49 7
Desire of Ages, 117 7
A Bible Study on the Nature of Christ 9
Hebrews 2:14-17 9
Hebrews 4:14-16 9
Hebrews 5:7-9 9
Christ Took Our Nature 10
Christ Was the Offspring of Abraham and David 10
Two Sublime Passages 10
The Antichrist Doctrine 11
Comprehensive Bible Summary 11
Answers to Objections 12
1 - Christ Was the Second Pre-Fall Adam 12
2 - Christ Had Different Temptations 12
3 - Christ Was Tempted to Use His Divinity 12
4 - Our Pioneer Position Was Different 13
5 - Christ Only Took Our Physical Weaknesses 13
6 - The Baker Letter Shows that Christ Was Not Fully Like Us 14
REPLYING TO UN-BIBLICAL POSITIONS

An Un-Biblical Position: Christ Did Not Take Our Nature 15
A Second Un-Biblical Position: Christ Was a Sinner 18
Part One: The Baker Letter 18
Part Two: Current Statements that Christ Had a Sinful Will 23
4 The Nature of Christ
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The Ladder Connecting Earth with Heaven 27
The Kenosis 28
Analysis of Philippians 2 28
All the Steps Down 28
Additional Spirit of Prophecy Statements on the
Human Nature of Christ 31
Topical Summary of Spirit of Prophecy Concepts 53
The Human Side of Christ: A Brief Compilation 60
HISTORY OF THE CHANGEOVER

History of the Changeover to the Unfallen Nature Position 63
In the 19th Century 63
Prescott’s Sermon 64
First Half of the 20th Century 66
Step One: The Change in Bible Readings 67
Step Two: The Evangelical Conferences 70
Step Three: The Ministry Magazine Articles 71
Step Four: Questions on Doctrine 72
Step Five: Froom’s Movement of Destiny 73
Step Six: Johnsson and the Review 74
Step Seven: The 1983 Gulley Quarterly and Book 75
Step Eight: The Book, Seventh-day Adventists Believe 75
Step Nine: The Book, Issues 76
Summary and Conclusion 79
Introduction 5
Introduction
Few topics are as important as the human nature of Christ.
Did Christ really take our nature or did He take some kind of na-
ture different than anything which we can possibly have?
Most are agreed that, when Christ came to earth, He had two
natures: one human and the other divine. And most are agreed
that Christ never sinned.
But a special question is whether the human side of Christ was
insulated from temptation and sin—because He had a special hu-
manity none of the rest of us have.
DID CHRIST REALLY TAKE OUR NATURE, AND RESIST AND OVER-
COME SIN IN THAT NATURE? That is the key question.
Only God’s Word can give the answer. What does it say?
If Christ did not take our nature, then

• He is neither our example, nor our pattern.
• He cannot redeem us.
• He is not the ladder from earth to heaven.
• Sin cannot be resisted or overcome in this life.
What are our pioneer teachings?

What does the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy say?
What are the alternative views?
Which key doctrines are closely connected to the nature of Christ?
How can I give a simple Bible study and explain the truth?
What are the two best Spirit of Prophecy passages to show them?
What are the possible objections and what are the answers?
What did our pioneers teach on this matter?
When did the changeover to the new teaching begin?
Exactly how did the changeover occur?
How far has it progressed?
A Bible-Spirit of Prophecy Study

on the Nature of Christ
A BIBLE-SPIRIT OF PROPHECY STUDY “Forasmuch then as the children are partak-
ON THE NATURE OF CHRIST ers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise
took part of the same; that through death He
The human nature of Christ is a fundamen- might destroy Him that had the power of death,
tal historic belief. Because of its ramifications, it that is, the devil.
is far more important than it would at first seem. “And deliver them who through fear of death
Although there are two positions on this sub- were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”—He-
ject, causing confusion among some, only one brews 2:14-15.
has clear Bible-Spirit of Prophecy statements in Verses 14 and 15 explain that, as we par-
its defense. We can have certainty as to the right take of flesh and blood, so Christ did also. He
position. did it so He could deliver us from bondage to
One view is called the “unfallen nature of Satan and final death. It was for this reason that
Christ,” and the other is known as the “fallen Christ became a human being like us. Accord-
nature of Christ.” However, the use of these ing to verse 14, it is obvious that Christ became
terms can cause a misconception in some fully human.
minds—the idea that “fallen nature” means that However, we might ask, in that humanity, did
Christ sinned. That, of course, never happened. Christ take the pre-fall nature of Adam or the
Actually, all sides are fully agreed that Christ post-fall nature of Adam’s descendants? Verse
never once yielded to temptation or sin in 16 unequivocally provides the answer:
thought, word, or action. “For verily He took not on Him the nature of
Therefore, it is somewhat better to say that angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abra-
one view declares that “Christ took the nature ham.”—Hebrews 2:16.
of unfallen Adam”; and the other is that “Christ Verse 16 clearly says that Christ took the na-
took our nature,”—the same nature you and I ture of the offspring of Abraham. We know that
have. Abraham lived about 2,000 years after the world
Or, to say it quite simply: One view is that was created. Christ took the nature of Abraham’s
Christ took our nature—and that is what we find descendants—not Abraham’s ancestor, unfallen
in the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy. The other Adam!
view is that Christ did not take our nature— So then, Christ took our fallen nature,—but
and that is an error. did He fully take it? Verses 17-18 answers that:
“Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to
There are large numbers of Inspired pas- be made like unto His brethren, that He might
sages which clearly explain the truth of the mat- be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things
pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for
ter, but two passages in Hebrews and one in
the sins of the people.
Desire of Ages does it quite well. When you want
“For in that He Himself hath suffered being
to explain the matter to someone else, these will tempted, He is able to succour them that are
generally suffice. (All quotations not otherwise tempted.”—Hebrews 2:17-18.
identified are by Ellen White.) According to verses 17-18, Christ was made
like us “in all things.” Therefore, as our High Priest,
HEBREWS 2:14-17 He is able to help us when we are tempted.
The book of Hebrews, the second chapter, And that is what we are told, when we turn
speaks directly about the human nature of to Hebrews 4:14-16.
Christ:
Bible-Spirit of Prophecy Study 7
HEBREWS 4:14-16 shown in the history of His earthly ancestors.
He came with such a heredity to share our sor-
The last part of Hebrews 4 is truly wonder-
rows and temptations, and to give us the ex-
ful in many ways. In addition, it tells us more ample of a sinless life.
about the human nature of Christ. Let us turn to “Satan in heaven had hated Christ for His
Hebrews 4:14-16: position in the courts of God. He hated Him
“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, the more when he himself was dethroned. He
that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son hated Him who pledged Himself to redeem a
of God, let us hold fast our profession. race of sinners. Yet into the world where Satan
“For we have not an high priest which can- claimed dominion God permitted His Son to
not be touched with the feeling of our infirmi- come, a helpless babe, subject to the weakness
ties; but was in all points tempted like as we of humanity. He permitted Him to meet life’s
are, yet without sin. peril in common with every human soul, to fight
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne the battle as every child of humanity must fight
of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find it, at the risk of failure and eternal loss.
grace to help in time of need.”—Hebrews 4:14- “The heart of the human father yearns over
16. his son. He looks into the face of his little child,
Hebrews 4:14-16 explains that the basis of and trembles at the thought of life’s peril. He
Christ’s right to be our great High Priest—was longs to shield his dear one from Satan’s power,
that He fully became like us, was fully tempted; to hold him back from temptation and conflict.
yet, in our nature, He never once sinned: To meet a bitterer conflict and a more fearful
risk, God gave His only-begotten Son, that the
path of life might be made sure for our little
So, first present the last verses in Hebrews
ones. ‘Herein is love.’ Wonder, O heavens! and
2 and then the last verses in Hebrews 4. (You be astonished, O earth!”—Desire of Ages, 48-
might also wish to keep in mind Hebrews 5:7-9, 49.
which explains that Christ wrestled for help from Christ took, not the nature of Adam, but the
the Father, just as we must do; this is another nature of man that was “weakened by 4,000
reason why He is now our perfect High Priest.) years of sin.” In His body were the results of “the
great law of heredity,” so He could “share our
DESIRE OF AGES, 49 sorrows and temptations” and give us “the ex-
ample of a sinless life.” “Subject to the weak-
In addition, there are just two more passages,
ness of humanity,” He came to “fight the battle
both of which are from the Spirit of Prophecy,
as every child of humanity must fight it, at the
which nicely detail the message that we learned
risk of failure and eternal loss.” He had to meet
in Hebrews. They happen to be the only two pas-
“life’s peril” as you and I do, the peril of “tempta-
sages in Desire of Ages which fully explain the
tion and conflict.”
human nature of Christ: Desire of Ages, pp. 49
and 117.
Read both passages slowly and meaningfully. DESIRE OF AGES, 117
Here is the first of them. All that is needed is Here is the second key passage in Desire of
page 49, but we will start on page 48, in order to Ages. Although page 117 is sufficient, we will
better introduce it: begin on page 116, to show that Satan threw ev-
“We marvel at the Saviour’s sacrifice in ex- ery possible temptation at Christ.
changing the throne of heaven for the manger,
Yes, He was “in all points tempted like as we
and the companionship of adoring angels for
the beasts of the stall. Human pride and self-
are” (Heb. 4:15)—and more so! He resisted the
sufficiency stand rebuked in His presence. Yet very temptations on which Adam and Eve fell;
this was but the beginning of His wonderful and, we are told, He met and overcame Satan in
condescension. It would have been an almost a nature not like that which the pair in the Gar-
infinite humiliation for the Son of God to take den possessed, but weakened by 4,000 years of
man’s nature, even when Adam stood in his degeneracy:
innocence in Eden. But Jesus accepted human- “Satan saw that he must either conquer or
ity when the race had been weakened by four be conquered. The issues of the conflict involved
thousand years of sin. Like every child of Adam too much to be entrusted to his confederate
He accepted the results of the working of the angels. He must personally conduct the war-
great law of heredity. What these results were is fare. All the energies of apostasy were rallied
against the Son of God. Christ was made the to temptation. We have nothing to bear which
mark of every weapon of hell. He has not endured.”—Desire of Ages, 116-117.
“Many look on this conflict between Christ Farther down on the page is another brief
and Satan as having no special bearing on their comment:
own life; and for them it has little interest. But “From the time of Adam to that of Christ,
within the domain of every human heart this self-indulgence had increased the power of the
controversy is repeated. Never does one leave appetites and passions, until they had almost
the ranks of evil for the service of God without unlimited control. Thus men had become de-
encountering the assaults of Satan. The entice- based and diseased, and of themselves it was
ments which Christ resisted were those that we impossible for them to overcome. In man’s be-
find it so difficult to withstand. They were urged half, Christ conquered by enduring the sever-
upon Him in as much greater degree as His est test. For our sake He exercised a self-con-
character is superior to ours. With the terrible trol stronger than hunger or death.”—Op. cit.,
weight of the sins of the world upon Him, Christ 117.
withstood the test upon appetite, upon the love
of the world, and upon that love of display which
It is of the highest significance that the above
leads to presumption. These were the tempta-
tions that overcame Adam and Eve, and that
two statements, Desire of Ages 49 and 117, are
so readily overcome us. the key passages in that book which explain the
“Satan had pointed to Adam’s sin as proof human nature of Christ (although there are oth-
that God’s law was unjust, and could not be ers: pages 25, 112, 174-175, and 311-312). We
obeyed. In our humanity, Christ was to redeem would expect that, in a book dealing with the life
Adam’s failure. But when Adam was assailed of Christ, the topic would be explained some-
by the tempter, none of the effects of sin were where. And it is—on pages 49 and 117 in crys-
upon him. He stood in the strength of perfect tal-clear detail.
manhood, possessing the full vigor of mind and Although it is true that there are hundreds
body. He was surrounded with the glories of
of Spirit of Prophecy statements which say this
Eden, and was in daily communion with heav-
in a variety of ways, the above two passages, along
enly beings. It was not thus with Jesus when
He entered the wilderness to cope with Satan. with Hebrews 2 and 4, ought to be sufficient to
For four thousand years the race had been de- explain the matter to those willing to submit their
creasing in physical strength, in mental power, opinions to the test of God’s Word.
and in moral worth; and Christ took upon Him
the infirmities of degenerate humanity. Only Memorize this: the end of Hebrews 2, the
thus could He rescue man from the lowest end of Hebrews 4, and Desire of Ages 49 and
depths of his degradation. 117. There you have it; now you are ready to
“Many claim that it was impossible for Christ explain the nature of Christ to others, as you have
to be overcome by temptation. Then He could opportunity.
not have been placed in Adam’s position; He
But, what about the objections which can be
could not have gained the victory that Adam
failed to gain. If we have in any sense a more raised? We need to consider them. But first, here
trying conflict than had Christ, then He would is a Bible-only study, on the nature of Christ,
not be able to succor us. But our Saviour took which you can give to someone who is not of our
humanity, with all its liabilities. He took the faith or someone who does not accept the Spirit
nature of man, with the possibility of yielding of Prophecy.
Bible Study on the Nature of Christ 9
A Bible Study
on the Nature of Christ
Here is a brief Bible study on the human pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for
nature of Christ. It is clear and comprehensive: the sins of the people.
First, give the Bible study, given earlier, on “For in that He Himself hath suffered being
Hebrews 2 and 4. For purposes of simplifica- tempted, He is able to succour them that are
tion, we will repeat it here. tempted.”—Hebrews 2:17-18.
According to verses 17-18, Christ was made
like us “in all things.” Therefore, as our High
HEBREWS 2:14-17
Priest, He is able to help us when we are tempted.
The book of Hebrews, the second chapter, And that is what we are told, when we turn
speaks directly about the human nature of Christ: to Hebrews 4:14-16:
“Forasmuch then as the children are partak-
ers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise
took part of the same; that through death He HEBREWS 4:14-16
might destroy Him that had the power of death, The last part of Hebrews 4 is truly wonder-
that is, the devil. ful in many ways. In addition, it tells us more
“And deliver them who through fear of death about the human nature of Christ. Let us turn to
were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”—He- Hebrews 4:14-16:
brews 2:14-15.
“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest,
Verses 14 and 15 explain that, as we par- that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son
take of flesh and blood, so Christ did also. He of God, let us hold fast our profession.
did it so He could deliver us from bondage to “For we have not an high priest which can-
Satan and final death. It was for this reason that not be touched with the feeling of our infirmi-
Christ became a human being like us. Accord- ties; but was in all points tempted like as we
ing to verse 14, it is obvious that Christ became are, yet without sin.
fully human. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne
However, we might ask, in that humanity, did of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find
Christ take the pre-fall nature of Adam or the grace to help in time of need.”—Hebrews 4:14-
16.
post-fall nature of Adam’s descendants? Verse
16 unequivocally provides the answer: Hebrews 4:14-16 explains that the basis of
“For verily He took not on Him the nature of Christ’s right to be our great High Priest—was
angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abra- that He fully became like us, was fully tempted;
ham.”—Hebrews 2:16. yet, in our nature, He never once sinned:
Verse 16 clearly says that Christ took the na-
ture of the offspring of Abraham. We know that HEBREWS 5:7-9
Abraham lived about 2,000 years after the world
Just below that, in Hebrews 5, we learn that
was created. Christ took the nature of Abraham’s
Christ was like us in yet another way:
descendants—not Abraham’s ancestor, unfallen
“Who in the days of His flesh, when He had
Adam! offered up prayers and supplications with
So then, Christ took our fallen nature,—but strong crying and tears unto Him that was able
did He fully take it? Verses 17-18 answers that: to save Him from death, and was heard in that
“Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to He feared.
be made like unto His brethren, that He might “Though He were a Son, yet learned He obe-
be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things dience by the things which He suffered;
“And being made perfect, He became the au- stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of
thor of eternal salvation unto all them that obey his roots.”—Isaiah 11:1.
Him.”—Hebrews 5:7-9. “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that
While He was on earth, Christ suffered from I will raise up unto David a righteous Branch,
temptation; yet never once, in thought, word, or and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall
action, did He yield to temptation in the slight- execute judgment and justice in the earth.”—
est. Christ, who was made fully like us, is our Jeremiah 23:5.
perfect example. He wrestled for help from the “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ,
the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.”—Mat-
Father, just as we must do. This is another rea-
thew 1:1 (Matt. 1:1-17).
son why He is now our perfect High Priest.
“Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
which was made of the seed of David according
Now, the above verses in the book of Hebrews to the flesh; and declared to be the Son of God
clearly explains that Christ took our nature; and, with power, according to the spirit of holi-
in that nature, He never once sinned. ness.”—Romans 1:3-4.
Two key facts brought out in those verses “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s
were these: (1) Christ took our fallen nature, and seed, and heirs according the promise.”—
(2) Christ took the nature of Abraham’s offspring. Galatians 3:29.
Here are additional passages which amplify “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto
on both of these principles: you these things in the churches. I am the root
and the offspring of David, and the bright and
morning star.”—Revelation 22:16.
CHRIST TOOK OUR NATURE “The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David;
Christ took the nature that we have, not the He will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body
nature of unfallen beings: will I set upon thy throne.”—Psalm 132:11.
“But when the fulness of the time was come, And all the people were amazed, and said, Is
God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made not this the seed of David?”—Matthew 12:23.
under the law.”—Galatians 4:4. Thus we can understand why Paul said this
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt in Hebrews:
among us (and we beheld His glory, the glory as “For verily He took not on Him the nature of
of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abra-
and truth.”—John 1:14. ham.”—Hebrews 2:16.
“For both He that sanctifieth and they who “Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to
are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He be made like unto His brethren.”—Hebrews
is not ashamed to call them brethren.”—He- 2:17.
brews 2:11.
“Forasmuch then as the children are partak- TWO SUBLIME PASSAGES
ers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise
took part of the same.”—Hebrews 2:14. All these Bible passages explain that grand
“God, sending His own Son in the likeness statement, given by John:
of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word
the flesh.”—Romans 8:3. was with God, and the Word was God. The same
“For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who was in the beginning with God. All things were
knew no sin: that we might be made the righ- made by Him; and without Him was not any
teousness of God in Him.”—2 Corinthians 5:21. thing made that was made . . And the Word was
made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we be-
hold His glory, as of the only begotten of the
CHRIST WAS THE OFFSPRING Father), full of grace and truth.”—John 1:1-3,
OF ABRAHAM AND DAVID 14.
Adam lived about 4000 B.C., Abraham lived And then there is that glorious passage in
about 2000 B.C., and David lived about 1000 Philippians. Because Christ stooped to the low-
B.C. Here are additional passages which empha- est level, the time is coming when He will be ex-
size that Christ took the nature of Abraham’s alted to the highest:
descendants and the nature of David’s descen- “[Jesus Christ] made Himself of no reputa-
dants: tion, and took upon Him the form of a servant,
“And there shall come forth a rod out of the and was made in the likeness of men: and be-
ing found in fashion as a man, He humbled Him-
Bible Study on the Nature of Christ 11
self, and became obedient unto death, even the 5:8).
death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath He had a human life with human experiences
highly exalted Him, and given Him a name (Matt. 4:2; 8:24; 9:36; Mark 3:5; Luke 22:44;
which is above every name; that at the name of John 4:6; 11:35; 12:27; 19:28, 30). But He never
Jesus every knee should bow, of things in
committed an act of sin (Luke 1:35; John 8:46;
heaven, and things in earth, and things under
the earth; and that every tongue should con- 14:30; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 9:14; 1 Peter 2:22;
fess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of 1 John 3:5).
God the Father.”—Philippians 2:7-11. Although He was the ideal man (Heb. 2:8-9;
1 Cor. 15:45; 2 Cor. 3:18; Phil. 3:21), yet He
Christ went from the highest to the lowest, stooped to the lowest in order to save us (Phil.
just for us. Thank God for His inexpressible Gift! 2:5-9). He took the nature of Abraham’s descen-
dants (Heb. 2:16) and He died the most shame-
THE ANTICHRIST DOCTRINE ful of deaths, the death on a cross (Phil. 2:6-8).
Those who deny the truth that Christ came He suffered terribly both in body and soul
in our flesh are of antichrist: (John 12:27; Acts 3:18; Heb. 2:14; 9:22).
“And every spirit that confesseth not that He had to take the lowest nature—our na-
Jesus is come in the flesh is not of God: and ture—and experience our infirmities (Heb. 2:17-
this is the spirit of antichrist.”—1 John 4:3. 18), yet without ever committing sin (Heb. 7:26).
For only by both could He provide us with an
But remember that, throughout the entire ex-
acceptable sacrifice, a perfect priesthood, and a
perience, He never once yielded to temptation
complete mediatorial and atoning work.
or sin:
Only such a truly human Mediator, who had
“Who did no sin, neither was guile found in
His mouth.”—1 Peter 2:22. experimental knowledge of the woes of mankind,
“Ye know that He was manifested to take away who yet rose superior to all temptations inflicted
our sins; and in Him is no sin.”—1 John 3:5. upon Him, could enter sympathetically into ev-
“The prince of this world cometh, and hath ery experience,—every trial and temptation of
nothing in Me.”—John 14:30. man (Heb. 2:17-18; 4:15-5:2), and thus be a per-
fect human example for His followers (Matt.
11:29; Mark 10:39; John 13:13-15; Phil. 2:5-8;
COMPREHENSIVE BIBLE SUMMARY
Heb. 12:2-4; 1 Peter 2:21).
Jesus fully took upon Himself our nature. Do not be satisfied with less than the best.
He came in the flesh—in human nature (John We need the whole Christ—the Man Christ and
1:14; 1 Tim. 3:16; 1 John 4:2), and called Him- the God Christ—in order to receive complete for-
self a man, and was so called by others (John giveness and enabling power to conquer in the
8:40; Acts 2:22; Rom. 5:15; 1 Cor. 15:21). battles of life, faith, submission, and obedience.
He had a body such as we have (Matt. 26:26, While on earth, He called Himself “the Son
28, 38; Luke 23:46; 24:39; John 11:33; Heb. of Man.” Why are men today ashamed of His hu-
2:14). He was subject to the ordinary laws of manity? He is not ashamed to call us brethren
human development, as well as human wants (Heb. 2:11). Why should we be ashamed to call
and sufferings (Luke 2:40, 52; Heb. 2:10, 18; Him fully man, as well as fully God?
Answers to Objections
There are several objections which may be provides life to those who do not deserve it:
raised. Let us discuss them individually: “The first man Adam was made a living soul;
the last Adam was made a quickening [life-giv-
ing] spirit.”—1 Corinthians 15:45.
1 - CHRIST WAS
It was only by taking Adam’s fallen nature
THE SECOND PRE-FALL ADAM
that Christ could save us.
It has been said that, because Christ was the “Through His humiliation and poverty, Christ
“Second Adam,” therefore he had to take Adam’s would identify Himself with the weakness of the
unfallen nature, so He could overcome where fallen race . . The great work of redemption
Adam failed; and Adam failed in a perfect gar- could be carried out only by the Redeemer tak-
den with an unblemished nature. ing the place of fallen Adam . . The King of
In Scripture, Christ is called “the second Glory proposed to humble Himself to fallen hu-
manity.”—Review, February 24, 1874 [italics
Adam.” But we have here a contrast, not a com-
ours].
parison. Jesus did not overcome in the circum-
stances in which Adam did, far from it. We are
repeatedly told that He overcame in circum- 2 - CHRIST HAD
stances far more severe. Both Desire of Ages, DIFFERENT TEMPTATIONS
49 and 117, quoted earlier in this study, make It has been said that Christ did not experi-
this very clear. ence our temptations, but different kinds of
The Bible passages make it clear that the sec- temptations which we never experience. What-
ond Adam overcame where the first Adam failed, ever these imaginary temptations are supposed
but nowhere are we told that Christ did it in a to be, we are nowhere told that He did not expe-
Garden or in an unfallen nature. Here are the rience our temptations. We are told that Christ
three passages, in which the first and second was “in all points tempted like as we are, yet
Adam are contrasted: without sin” (Heb. 4:15).
Romans 5:12-19 contrasts Adam’s failure
with the free gift brought by Christ: 3 - CHRIST WAS TEMPTED
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into TO USE HIS DIVINITY
the world, and death by sin; and so death passed
upon all men, for that all have sinned . . It has been said that Christ was tempted to
“Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to use His divinity, but that He did not. Therefore
Moses, even over them that had not sinned af- His experience is different and He is not our
ter the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who Example. Yet Scripture says He was tempted “in
is the figure of Him that was to come. all points like as we are, yet without sin”; and
“But not as the offense, so also is the free that it was this which qualified Him to be our
gift. For if through the offense of one many be High Priest and able to minister to us. Let us
dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift accept Scripture for what it says.
by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ,
Whether or not He was, in addition, tempted
hath abounded unto many.”—Romans 5:12,
to use His divine power—is beside the point. All
14-15 (cf. verses 16-19).
that counts is that He was tempted like us, in
1 Corinthians 15:22 contrasts death through
our nature overcame, and is therefore able to be
Adam vs. life through Jesus Christ:
“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ
our High Priest and help us resist and overcome
shall all be made alive.”—1 Corinthians 15:22. sin.
“He did not employ His divine power to lessen
1 Corinthians 15:45 contrasts Adam, as al-
His burdens or to lighten His toil.”—Desire of
ready having life within him, with Christ who
Answers to Objections 13
Ages, 72. the fact that Christ took our fallen nature about
400 times (see The Word Was Made Flesh, by
4 - OUR PIONEER POSITION Ralph Larson).
WAS DIFFERENT Actually, the doctrinal changeover from fallen
nature to unfallen nature did not begin until the
It has been suggested that our original posi- late 1940s and 1950s. (See the section, “His-
tion was that Christ had Adam’s unfallen nature. tory of the Changeover,” near the back of this
But, to date, we have not heard of one passage book, for details of how it happened.)
or statement cited in support of that idea.
Nowhere do we find a pre-fall Adamic na-
ture of Christ teaching in our earliest publica- 5 - CHRIST ONLY TOOK
tions. In fact, it does not appear anywhere in OUR PHYSICAL WEAKNESSES
Adventist literature, until the mid-1950s. Here It has been said that Christ only took a body
are a few samples from our earliest books and with the physical degeneracies of 4,000 years,
journals: but not the moral degeneracy. This may sound
“Like Aaron and his sons, He took upon Him nice, but it is not Scriptural. The Bible specifi-
flesh and blood, the Seed of Abraham.”—Edi- cally speaks about the moral factors—more than
torial, Review, September 16, 1852. the physical; and the Spirit of Prophecy speaks
“To say that God sent His own Son ‘in the of both. Christ was not said to be afflicted in all
likeness of sinful flesh’ is equivalent to saying
ways with physical problems and diseases, with-
that the Son of God assumed our nature.”—J.
out succumbing to them; but, rather, He was
M. Stephenson, Review, November 9, 1854.
“What blood was shed ‘for the remission of
tempted “in all points like as we are, yet without
sins?’ Was it not the identical blood which had sin.”
flowed through the veins of Mary, His mother, The implications of the DA 49 statement, that
and back through her ancestry to Eve, the Christ took a body subject to “the great law of
mother of all living? Otherwise He was not ‘the heredity,” indicates He was not born with spe-
seed of the woman,’ of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, cial physical characteristics different than those
and David . . He had all the sensations flesh is of others at the time.
heir to . . He had all the innocent human pas- Here are some of the great variety of ways in
sions.”—J. M. Stephenson, Review, September which the Spirit of Prophecy describes the na-
15, 1854.
ture Christ took at His birth:
Many, many more statements could be cited. “He was subject to the frailties of human-
—But what about early Spirit of Prophecy state- ity.”—Signs, April 22, 1897.
ments? “Christ declared, ‘no single principle of hu-
“Jesus also told them . . that He should take man nature will I violate.’ ”—Manuscript Re-
man’s fallen nature, and His strength would not leases, Vol. 5, 114.
be even equal with theirs.”—1 Spiritual Gifts, “An angel would not have known how to sym-
25 (1858). pathize with fallen man, but . . Jesus can be
“It was in the order of God that Christ should touched with all our infirmities.”—Review, Oc-
take on the form and nature of fallen man.”—4 tober 1, 1889.
Spiritual Gifts, 115 (1864). “As Jesus was in human flesh, so God means
“Christ humiliated Himself to humanity, and His followers to be.”—Signs, April 1, 1897.
took upon Himself our nature . . that . . He might “Christ took upon Him the infirmities of de-
become a stepping stone to fallen men.”—Re- generate humanity.”—Signs, December 3, 1902.
view, April 31, 1870. “He took upon Himself our sinful nature.”—
“This was the reception the Saviour met when Review, December 15, 1896.
He came to a fallen world. He . . took upon Him- “He took upon Himself fallen suffering hu-
self man’s nature, that He might save the fallen man nature, degraded and defiled by sin.”—
race. Instead of men glorifying God for the honor Youth’s Instructor, December 20, 1900.
He had conferred upon them in thus sending
“Like every child of Adam, He accepted the
His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh . .”—Re-
results of the working of the great law of hered-
view December 24, 1872.
ity.”—Desire of Ages, 49.
Many, many more examples could be cited, “His human nature was created; it did not
both from the Spirit of Prophecy and other even possess angelic powers. It was human,
Adventist authors. Ellen White, alone, mentioned identical to our own.”—3 Selected Messages,
129. White said that Christ was not fully like us. But
in that letter, she is not talking about Christ’s
6 - THE BAKER LETTER SHOWS nature, but His total lifelong sinlessness. She was
THAT CHRIST WAS NOT FULLY LIKE US writing to a minister who believed a strange er-
ror that Christ had once been a sinner.
It has been said that Christ did not really —More on this later in this book, in a spe-
take our nature because, in one letter (written to cial section.
W. L. H. Baker, a minister in Tasmania), Ellen
Un-Biblical Positions 15
An Un-Biblical Position:
Christ Did Not Take Our Nature
At this point, let us briefly become more ac- Since neither the Bible nor the Spirit of
quainted with the primary alternative view. It is Prophecy teach these errors, one would think
remarkably unscriptural. that everyone would reject them. But, unfortu-
Within recent years, the introduction by lib- nately, these ideas are very attractive to the hu-
erals, into our denomination, of the Calvinistic man mind, for they provide an excuse for sin.
idea that Christ took the unfallen nature of Adam
was followed by the appearance among us of the In an article published in Insight magazine,
Calvinistic idea that it is impossible for man to Morris Venden explained why he holds to the
stop sinning. The two go together. pre-fall Adamic nature of Christ view:
Those favoring the position, that Christ had “There doesn’t seem to be any question that
the “unfallen Adamic nature,” do not have Scrip- the definition of sin, and the nature of Christ,
ture for their defense. Anyone who has frequently and perfectionism are a package. I think that
heard them speak or write their view will be able the contention is quite valid that if a person
defines sin primarily in terms of transgression
to recite it with little trouble. Their argument goes
of the law—in terms of legalistic terms and un-
something like this: derstandings—then he is going to need to have
Because He would have yielded to Satan’s a Saviour who has struggled with all of his same
temptations and would have sinned if He had temptations to transgress the law. In the pro-
taken our nature, Christ must have taken cess one ends up with perfectionism and a be-
Adam’s unfallen nature. If He had taken our haviorally oriented Christianity.
nature, weakened after thousands of years of
“Now, if you go back to define sin in terms of
sinful ancestors, He could not have resisted sin.
relationship—sin in terms of living a life apart
There is no doubt about it. Because Scripture
from God—you don’t need to have a Saviour
says Christ never sinned, therefore He must
exactly as you are.”—Morris Venden Talks to
have come in Adam’s pre-fall nature. Also,
Insight, Part 1, Insight magazine, May 8, 1979.
Scripture says Christ was the “second Adam”;
surely, that must mean He had Adam’s pre-fall Venden is saying that the way we define sin,
nature. what we believe about the human nature of
Therefore, it is all right for us to yield to Christ, and whether we believe it is necessary to
temptation and sin, since Christ did not live obey the Ten Commandments—all go together.
and die to give us an example in right living. He He adds that those people who believe the error
only died as our substitute. Not having our na- that “sin is the transgression of the law” (and
ture, Christ was insulated—protected—against therefore believe they are obligated to obey it)
sin; He could not sin. But we can. So we will will, indeed, need a Saviour who took their na-
inevitably keep sinning till the Second Coming. ture, relyed on God as they must do,—and suc-
At that time, sin will be miraculously taken from
cessfully resisted sin.
us.
To this, Venden adds that, according to his
But, in reality, as Hebrews and Desire of Ages
view, “sin” is not transgression of God’s law, but
clearly reveals, Christ had far more than Adam’s
only separation from God; therefore mankind
post-fall nature, Christ had the nature of Adam’s
does not need Christ’s example and strength to
descendants—thousands of years later! We ear-
resist temptation—for sin has nothing to do with
lier mentioned that this subject of the nature of
obedience!
Christ had important ramifications. Defenders
Conclusion: We can sin and still be saved.
of the unfallen nature theory explain those rami-
In this position, Venden not only rejects the
fications in this way:
plain statement of 1 John 3:4, but he mistakes
the cause for the effect of sin. The transgression Do not be afraid of that “sinneth not” phrase
of the law is the cause, and separation from God in 1 John. It just means “is empowered to obey,”
is the effect. and that is good news indeed! Through the en-
“But your iniquities have separated between abling strength of Christ, we can obey His Writ-
you and your God, and your sins have hid His ten Word. That makes Him happy, and brings
face from you, that He will not hear.”—Isaiah us truest happiness also.
59:2. He is not asking us to rely on our own strength,
But Venden was right about the three parts to resist temptation, and fulfill His will for our
to the one package: (1) What sin is, (2) what the lives. He will be by our side, as long as we will let
nature of Christ is, (3) and whether we need to Him.
obey God—are closely connected.
(1) If sin is not the transgression of the law, Worldlings, trying to disparage those who love
then we do not need a Saviour to enable us to God and want to obey Him, label them as “legal-
obey it. (Indeed, if sin is not disobedience, then ists” and “perfectionists.” Concern yourself not
we do not need a Saviour at all, for there is noth- about such terms; just know that, as you love
ing to separate us from God!) God and want to obey Him, He will enable you,
(2) If obedience is not necessary, then Christ in His strength, to live clean, godly lives—just as
could have a nature not like ours. He would not long as you choose to remain close to His side.
have to rely on God to help Him resist sin; in- This is what He wants for you and what you want
stead, He would have an automatic not-able-to- for yourself. It is a sweet experience.
sin quality. (And, if that be true, then He need
not have come to earth at all!) Frankly, in view of that majestic passage in
(3) If obedience is not necessary, then we can Philippians 2:7-11 (in which God’s Word tells
be saved in our sins. Eat, drink, and be merry, us that Christ went from the highest to the low-
for everyone is going to heaven anyway. est place in order to save us, and that, because
of it, someday every knee shall bow in worship
Thank God for the truth! Thank God for the to Him), it is an insult to the Godhead for men to
precious pages of the Bible and Spirit of Proph- flippantly say that Christ did not go all the way
ecy! Thank God we can know the truth; and, down to our nature! Satan is laughing at his suc-
coming to Christ, the truth can, in His strength, cess. He does not want mankind to realize the
make us free to obey Him! extent of the sacrifice of Christ in its fullness.
“That the Son of God should come to this
Sin is the transgression of the law. earth as a man filled him [Satan] with amaze-
“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth ment and with apprehension. He could not
also the law; for sin is the transgression of the fathom the mystery of this great sacrifice. His
law.”—1 John 3:4. selfish heart could not understand such love
He lived to provide us an example that we for the deceived race . . Since he had lost heaven,
might live as He lived, and walk in His steps. he was determined to find revenge by causing
“For even hereunto were ye called: because others to share his fall. This he would do by
Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an ex- causing them to undervalue heavenly things,
ample that we should follow in His steps.”—1 and to set the heart upon things of earth.”—
Peter 2:21. Desire of Ages, 115-116.
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus “So now the tempter seeks to inspire Christ
the Lord, so walk in Him.”—Colossians 2:6. with his own sentiments. ‘If Thou be the Son of
Christ came to this world to save us from God.’ The words rankle with bitterness in his
mind. In the tones of his voice is an expression
our sins, not in our sins.
of utter incredulity. Would God treat His Son
“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou
thus? . . He insinuates that God never meant
shalt call His name Jesus; for He shall save His
His Son to be in such a state as this . . He [Christ]
people from their sins.”—Matthew 1:21.
had come as a man among men, and it was the
“And ye know that He was manifested to take
Word that declared His connection with heaven.
away our sins; and in Him is no sin. Whoso
It was Satan’s purpose to cause Him to doubt
abideth in Him sinneth not.”—1 John 3:5-6.
that Word. If Christ’s confidence in God could
Christ can take away our sins because He be shaken, Satan knew that the victory in the
took our nature and, in it, never yielded to sin: whole controversy would be his.”—Op. cit., 118-
119. is a view startlingly similar to the antichrist teach-
Today, Satan is seeking to shake our confi- ing! Read 1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3-4; 2 John 7. They
dence in the plan of redemption! He whispers, say that Christ took the nature of Adam. Totally
“No, it cannot be true that Christ actually be- immaculate, in conception, is what they tell us.
came a human. Surely, it would have been im- This, of course, is close to the Roman Catholic
possible for Him to keep from sinning, even with dogma of the “Immaculate Conception” which
the help of His Father. —And you can’t stop sin- Pope Pius IX proclaimed as infallible doctrine in
ning either. Get this settled in your mind!” A.D. 1854.
“He [Satan] is constantly seeking to deceive “And every spirit that confesseth not that
the followers of Christ with his fatal sophistry Jesus is come in the flesh is not of God: and
that it is impossible for them to overcome. But this is the spirit of antichrist.”—1 John 4:3.
Jesus pleads in their behalf . . ‘My grace is suf- The error is also closely related to that other
ficient for thee’ . . Let none, then, regard their Catholic error, Original Sin, invented by Augus-
defects as incurable. God will give faith and tine, a very licentious man whom the Vatican
grace to overcome.”—Great Controversy, 489.
sainted. That is the teaching that we can neither
It is remarkable that the liberals dare say resist nor overcome sin, with or without divine
that Christ did not really take our flesh, for this help, until Christ returns the second time.
A Second Un-Biblical Position:

Christ Was a Sinner
Part One:
The Baker Letter
In that same letter, she said that Christ did W. L. H. Baker was an Adventist pastor in
not have our “sinful propensities.” We are repeat- Tasmania, a large island just off the southeast-
edly told that Christ was born with the moral ern coast of Australia. He had accepted an an-
tendencies to sin that we have, but that not once cient error, called Adoptionism.
did He develop sinful propensities; that is, be- Baker was not an ordinary pastor. From
gin loving it. These two statements explain one 1882 to 1887, he had been an assistant editor
another: at Pacific Press; and, later, he accepted a call to
“Not for one moment was there in Him an go to the newly started publishing house in Aus-
evil propensity.”—Baker Letter, 5 BC 1128. tralia. During his research work, he discovered
“Our natural propensities must be controlled, the writings of the so-called “early church fa-
or we can never overcome as Christ overcame.”— thers” who frequently speculated about theology
4 Testimonies, 235. and the nature of Christ. Baker became in-
Likewise, He inherited the same ability to in- trigued, and accepted one of those errors.
dulge passion that we do, but He never once did Very early in church history, after New Testa-
so: ment times a theology developed among certain
“He was a mighty petitioner, not possessing Greeks, that Christ was a man with a non-virgin
the passions of our human fallen nature . . but
birth, on whom divine qualities had later been
compassed with infirmities, tempted in all
points like as we are.”—2 Testimonies, 509.
conferred. It was taught in Rome, during the
“Though He had all the strength of passion
years A.D. 189-199, by a leather merchant from
of humanity, never did He yield to temptation Byzantium named Theodotus (Phillip Carrin-
to do one single act which was not pure and gton, The Early Christian Church, Vol. 2, 415).
elevating and noble.”—In Heavenly Places, 155. Paul of Samosata, who served as bishop of
It is obvious, from the above statements, that Antioch from 260 to 269, expanded the error
the words, “propensities” and “passions,” are still further. Because this was an influential
used in two senses: (1) an inherited tendency bishop, many in the Eastern and Armenian
which could be indulged; (2) a tendency which, churches held on to the error for centuries (A.
during His life, never was indulged. H. Newman, A Manual of Church History, Vol
But, in another sense, Ellen White used “pro- 2, 379-380).
pensities” and “passions” in two ways: First, hu- In the 8th century it was advocated among
man passions and propensities must be con- the Western churches by Elipandus of Spain (H.
trolled by the Christian; and, second, evil ones R. Mackintosh, The Person of Jesus Christ, 223-
must be eliminated. More on this later in this 224).
study. The Ebionites, Paul of Samosata, Theodore
of Mopsuestia, and the Antiochene School in gen-
eral exemplified this type of Christology. Then
the concept died away. key portion has been reprinted in 5 Bible Com-
But, in eighth-century Spain, the theory mentary, 1128-1129. All of the statements which
broke out again; and, still later in the Dark Ages, liberals use to infer that Ellen White did not be-
it reappeared in more moderate forms when lieve that Christ took our nature are to be found
Abelard and others revived similar views. in those two pages.
The Adoptionists maintained that Jesus was Here is the complete passage, with the con-
a regular man, without a virgin birth, who had troverted statements (used to suggest that Ellen
sinned less than those around Him—so He had White did not believe that Christ took our na-
been “adopted” by the Word and thus incorpo- ture) in italics. She was telling him that Christ
rated into the Godhead. (For more on the was not merely a good man who had sinned on
Adoptionists, see Philip Schaff, History of the occasion, whom God adopted into the Godhead.
Christian Church, Vol. 3, 618-621 and Albert “Be careful, exceedingly careful as to how you
Henry Newman, A Manual of Church History, dwell upon the human nature of Christ. Do not
Vol. 2, 379-380.) set Him before the people as a man with the
In modern times, certain liberal Protestant propensities of sin. He is the second Adam. The
first Adam was created a pure, sinless being,
theologians have taught the concept.
without taint of sin upon him; he was in the
According to this theory, God waited until a image of God. He could fall, and he did fall
good-enough man grew up; and, then, He through transgressing. Because of sin, his pos-
adopted him into the Godhead. But, according terity was born with the inherited propensities
to Scripture, God sent His Son into the world. of disobedience. But Jesus Christ was the only
There is a world of difference between the begotten Son of God. He took upon Himself hu-
view that a man became God and the Bible posi- man nature, and was tempted in all points as
tion, that God became man. human nature is tempted. He could have
Near or shortly after the end of the year 1895, sinned; He could have fallen, but not for one
moment was there in Him an evil propensity.
Ellen White wrote a letter to W. L. H. Baker, warn-
He was assailed with temptations in the wilder-
ing him against his theory—that Christ had not
ness, as Adam was assailed with temptations
only been adopted, but that He had sinned at in Eden.
various times in His life! “Brother Baker, avoid every question in rela-
In this letter, she warned Pastor Baker about tion to the humanity of Christ which is liable to
spending too much time in reading and cau- be misunderstood. Truth lies close to the track
tioned him against accepting the speculations of of presumption. In treating upon the humanity
the early church fathers. of Christ, you need to guard strenuously every
As one might expect, she also stressed the assertion, lest your words be taken to mean
fact that Christ was sinless. But, because in that more than they imply, and thus you lose or dim
letter she said that Christ did not have our “pas- the clear perceptions of His humanity as com-
bined with divinity. His birth was a miracle of
sions” and “propensities,” advocates of a pre-
God; for, said the angel, ‘Behold thou shalt con-
fall nature of Christ position have cited those ceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and
passages as evidence that Christ did not really shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be great
have our fallen nature. and shall be called the son of the Highest; and
Christ was divine-human, and Baker be- the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of
lieved Him to be altogether human. His Father David: And He shall reign over the
If the charge of these critics is true, then the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom
Baker letter would run entirely opposite to all there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the
her other hundreds of statements on the sub- angel, ‘How shall this be, seeing that I know not
a man?’ And the angel answered and said unto
ject, and would disagree with the Bible as well!
her, ‘The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and
But, viewed in the context of Pastor Baker’s the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee;
error, her statements are understandable. therefore also that holy thing which shall be
The Baker letter (Letter 8, 1895) was 13 born of thee shall be called the Son of God.’
pages in length. Nearly all of 11 pages were con- “These words are not addressed to any hu-
cerned with pastoral work. Much of the letter is man being, except to the Son of the Infinite God.
to be found in Manuscript Release 414 (released Never, in any way, leave the slightest impres-
February 12, 1975). Slightly over 2 pages are sion upon human minds that a taint of, or in-
concerned with Baker’s Christological error. This clination to, corruption rested upon Christ or
that He in any way yielded to corruption. He ..
was tempted in all points like as man is “Satan found nothing in Him . .”—Baker
tempted, yet He is called “that holy thing.” It Letter.
is a mystery that is left unexplained to mor- This is why she wrote:
tals, that Christ could be tempted in all points “He [Christ] could have sinned, He could have
like as we are and yet without sin. The incar- fallen, but not for one moment was there in Him
nation of Christ has ever been, and will ever an evil propensity.”—Baker Letter.
remain, a mystery. That which is revealed is for “Let every human being be warned from the
us and for our children, but let every human ground of making Christ altogether human,
being be warned from the ground of making such an one as ourselves.”—Baker Letter.
Christ altogether human, such an one as our-
Christ was not altogether human; He was
selves: for it cannot be. The exact time when
humanity blended with divinity, it is not neces- God and man combined. Instead of being “alto-
sary for us to know. We are to keep our feet on gether human,” she said He had a miraculous
the rock, Christ Jesus, as God revealed in hu- birth and total sinlessness throughout His life.
manity. But she also points out two great similarities
“I perceive that there is danger in approach- between Christ’s life and ours: His temptations
ing subjects which dwell on the humanity of the and His human nature.
Son of the infinite God. He did humble Himself
when He saw He was in fashion as a man, that But why did she write, in the Baker letter,
He might understand the force of all tempta- that Christ did not have evil “passions” and “pro-
tions wherewith man is beset.
pensities”? She used “propensities” and “pas-
“The first Adam fell; the second Adam held
sions” in two ways: First, human passions and
fast to God and His Word under the most try-
ing circumstances; and His faith in His Father’s propensities must be controlled by the Chris-
goodness, mercy, and love did not waver for one tian; and, second, evil ones must be eliminated.
moment. ‘It is written’ was His weapon of resis- Consider this:
tance, and it is the sword of the Spirit which God’s people are to have controlled pas-
every human being is to use. ‘Hereafter I will sions:
not talk much with you: for the prince of this “His [unfallen Adam’s] appetites and pas-
world cometh, and hath nothing in Me’—noth- sions were under the control of reason.”—Pa-
ing to respond to temptation. On not one occa- triarchs and Prophets, 45.
sion was there a response to His manifold temp- “A man of like passions as ourselves, the pen
tations. Not once did Christ step on Satan’s of inspiration describes him [Daniel] as with-
ground, to give him an advantage. Satan found out fault.”—Prophets and Kings, 546.
nothing in Him to encourage his advances.”— “All circumstances, all appetites and pas-
Letter 8, 1895, 5 Bible Commentary, 1128- sions, are to be servants of the God-fearing
1129 [Italics ours]. man.”—Testimonies to Ministers, 421.
“The appetite and passions should be re-
It is clear, throughout the above passage, that stricted and under the control of an enlightened
Ellen White was telling Baker that he should not conscience.”—3 Testimonies, 491.
give the people the idea that Jesus Christ might God’s people are to have their propensities
have sinned. This is clearly her chief concern. under control:
Ten times she stated in the strongest terms that “That your passions and appetites may be
Christ never sinned—not once, not in the slight- subject to the control of reason . . Our natural
est degree: propensities must be controlled, or we can never
“Not for one moment was there in Him an overcome as Christ overcame.”—4 Testimonies,
evil propensity.” 235.
“Never, in any way . . “ . . enabling men to bring all their propensi-
“Do not leave the slightest impression . . ties under the control of the higher powers.”—
3 Testimonies, 491.
“That He in any way yielded . .
“If enlightened intellect holds the reins, con-
“Did not waver for one moment . .
trolling the animal propensities, keeping them
“ ‘Hath nothing in Me’ . .
in subjection to the moral powers, Satan well
“Nothing to respond to temptation . . knows that his power to overcome with his
“Not one occasion has been given in response temptations is very small.”—Messages to Young
.. People, 237.
“Not once did Christ step on Satan’s ground
God’s people must eliminate evil passions: It is highly significant that Ellen White wrote
“Our pride, selfishness, evil passions, and the Baker letter at the very time that she was
love of the world must all be overcome.”—3 Tes- putting the finishing touches on the manuscript
timonies, 115. for the book, Desire of Ages, which contains
“The unsanctified will and passions must be outstanding passages on the nature of Christ.
crucified.”—3 Testimonies, 84.
That letter was also written in the very middle
“When this [the grace of Christ] is implanted
of a two year period in which many, many ear-
in the heart, it will cast out the evil passions
nest sermons and articles were written by Ellen
that cause strife and dissension.”—Desire of
Ages, 305. White and other workers in favor of the Bible
God’s people must eliminate evil propensi- position (that Christ had a sinful, fallen nature
ties: like ours, but in that nature had never sinned).
“We need not retain one sinful propensity.”— A. T. Jones, in a series of talks, made the
Review, April 24, 1900. point not less than 90 times. Taken down steno-
“Although their evil propensities may seem graphically, they were reported in the General
to them as precious as the right hand or the Conference Bulletin. Later that year, William
right eye, they must be separated from the Covert, J. H. Durland, and W. W. Prescott pub-
worker, or he cannot be acceptable to God.”— lished on the subject in the Review.
Testimonies to Ministers, 171-172. Then, in 1896, along with 20 statements by
As it must be with us, so it was with Christ. Ellen White and several by J. E. Evans, Stephen
This is why it was written of Him: Haskell, and others, the Review published a se-
“He was a mighty petitioner, not possessing ries of articles by W. W. Prescott, in which he
the passions of our human, fallen natures, but restated his conviction about the human nature
compassed with infirmities, tempted in all
of Christ at least 25 times.
points even as we are.”—2 Testimonies, 509.
During that two-year period (1895-1897),
“He is a brother in our infirmities, but not in
there were not less than 250 statements made
possessing like passions.”—2 Testimonies, 202.
“Not for one moment was there in Him an
by Ellen White and other prominent workers—
evil propensity.”—Baker Letter. that Christ came to our world in the human na-
Because of the two aspects (passions and ture of fallen man.
propensities that we must control), this was In conclusion, we can say that the Baker let-
penned: ter should be viewed in light of Baker’s errors,
“Though He had all the strength of passion Ellen White’s concern for his soul, and her hun-
of humanity, never did He yield to temptation dreds of other statements on the nature of Christ.
to do one act which was not pure and elevating She never published that letter.
and noble.”—In Heavenly Places, 155. The Baker letter does not say that Christ
“He was made like unto His brethren, with came in the unfallen nature of Adam, even though
the same susceptibilities, mental and physi- critics interpret it that way.
cal.”—Review, February 10, 1885. Regarding “passions” and “propensities,” the
“Our natural propensities must be controlled, Spirit of Prophecy spoke of them in two ways:
or we can never overcome as Christ overcame.”— (1) as hereditary potential which Christ could
4 Testimonies, 235.
have exercised:
“Though He had all the strength of passion
In one passage, Adam’s unfallen nature, of humanity, never did He yield to do one single
without fallen principles and tendencies, is con- act which was not pure and elevating and en-
trasted as different than the nature Christ took: nobling.”—In Heavenly Places, 155.
“Adam was tempted by the enemy, and he “He was made like unto His brethren, with
fell. It was not indwelling sin that caused him the same susceptibilities, mental and physi-
to yield; for God made him pure and upright; cal.”—Review, February 10, 1885.
in His own image. He was as faultless as the (2) Speaking of passions and propensities,
angels before the throne. There were in him no which He did not have:
corrupt principles, no tendencies to evil; but “He was a mighty petitioner, not possessing
when Christ came to meet the temptations of the passions of our human, fallen nature, but
Satan, He bore ‘the likeness of sinful flesh.’ ”— compassed with infirmities, tempted in all
Signs, October 17, 1900 [italics ours]. points like even as we are.”—2 Testimonies,
509.
“He is a brother in our infirmities, but not in years of sin.”—Desire of Ages, 49.
possessing like passions.”—2 Testimonies, 202. “And in order to elevate fallen man, Christ
“Not for one moment was there in Him an must reach him where he was. He took human
evil propensity.”—Baker letter, 5 Bible Com- nature, and bore the infirmities and degeneracy
mentary, 1128. of the race.”—Review, July 28, 1874.
In summary, we are told: “In taking upon Himself man’s nature in its
“It would have been an almost infinite hu- fallen condition, Christ did not in the least par-
miliation for the Son of God to take man’s na- ticipate in its sin.”—5 Bible Commentary, 1131.
ture, even when Adam stood in his innocence “Just that which you may be He was in hu-
in Eden. But Jesus accepted humanity when man nature.”—Letter 106, 1896.
the race had been weakened by four thousand
A Second Un-Biblical Position:

Christ Was a Sinner
Part Two:
Current Statements that
Christ Had a Sinful Will
It is surprising how inventive people can be Here are a couple sample statements, so the
when it comes to the human nature of Christ. reader will know what to watch out for:
Down through history, there have always been ERRING STATEMENTS
two erroneous extremes: Either Christ did not
take our nature at all or He did take our nature Disputed book quotation #1: “Why did
and sinned. Jesus say, ‘I seek not mine own will’ (John 5:30),
The former position is held by liberals in our and ‘I came down from heaven, not to do mine
church today; the latter by Elder Baker. own will’ (John 6:38)? Why would it be neces-
Another, who came close to this other ex- sary to say this if His own will was faultless and
treme, that Christ had sin in His life, was A. T. pure, and holy? But if His own will and His own
Jones, who said that Jesus had “flesh laden with inclination were tending toward the negative,
sin”: then it would make sense for Him to ask His
“That He can manifest Himself in flesh laden Father’s will be done.”—Page 59.
with sin and with all the tendencies to sin, such Our comment: It is clear, from both the Bible
as ours, is—this is a mystery.”—A. T. Jones, and Spirit of Prophecy, that Jesus was the un-
Bible Echo, November 30, 1896. blemished Sacrifice. His own will was faultless,
But in recent years, one strong defender of pure, and holy. As our example, He submitted to
the correct position has carried the matter to the Father as we today should submit to the
extremes. In his writings, he has suggested that Godhead. It is totally unnecessary to declare Him
Christ thought sinful thoughts and had a cor- weak in will power and almost overwhelmed by
rupt will. This cannot be true! Both the Bible temptation, as is implied in the above statement.
and Spirit of Prophecy are adamant that Christ This is not the portrait of Jesus that we find any-
was totally sinless in thought, word, and deed. where in the Inspired Writings! His will was never
His will power was strong. Yes, He was tempted, tending toward the negative.
but He instantly resisted and was not in the slight-
est affected—or infected—with evil thoughts or Disputed quotation #2: “He [Christ] knew
motives. He was tempted, but never entertained what it was like to go wrong. He knew what it
the temptation for a moment. was like to feel the temptation to rebel against
The individual referred to is a very fine indi- God, and that temptation arose from within His
vidual who, very likely, overstepped a little in a own nature.”—Page 60.
few paragraphs in his writings. Therefore it Our comment: Jesus was fully God, and He
should not be necessary to name him. became fully man. He took the fallen nature of
mankind, after 4,000 years of sin. In that na- Pages 55, 27.
ture, He was fully tempted of Satan, by His sur- Our comment: We inherit weaknesses, but
roundings, and associates. In exactly what way we do not inherit badness. That would be tanta-
He was tempted, we are not necessarily told. It mount to inheritance of sin. We inherit a sinful
is not for us to presume to delve into such mat- nature, but we do not inherit sinfulness; there is
ters. But the sentence, “He knew what it was like a difference. Jesus inherited a fallen nature; He
to go wrong,” is totally abhorrent! Jesus knows did not inherit badness. Such a view is not Scrip-
what we are all like, and He can read the mind tural. Let us stay with the simplicity of God’s
of a criminal—but He Himself was no criminal Word rather than trying to reshape it.
in His mind, and He never went wrong! He did A corollary erroneous statement is cited next.
no evil. It comes from Alonzo T. Jones, who tended to
Equal in sacred status with the statement, be flamboyant in his speeches:
“He took our nature,” is the teaching, “He never
sinned.” We are not to ignore the second, in or- Disputed quotation #5: “Then Satan took
der to add strength to the first. Jesus upon an exceeding high mountain, and
showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and
Disputed quotation #3: “Are not our prob- the glory of them too—the glory, the honor, the
lems basically self and pride and the desires that dignity,—He showed Him all that. And there, at
come from our fallen nature? Do we not fall most that moment, there was stirred up all the ambi-
often because of the inner desires that lead us tion that ever appeared in Napoleon, or Caesar,
astray? If Jesus did not have any of these, could or Alexander, or all of them put together. But from
it really be true that He was tempted in all points Jesus still the answer is: ‘It is written, Thou shalt
as we are?”—Page 59. worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt
Our comment: According to this statement, thou serve.’ ”—1895 General Conference Bul-
Jesus had self, pride, and sinful desires. Why letin, Number 7.
are not the grand words of Inspiration on this Our comment: A. T. Jones is here attribut-
subject thought sufficient for us? Why must we ing evil ambitions to Jesus—stronger than those
insert the suspicion that Christ had sinful de- that were in three of the most devilishly ambi-
sires? We fully agree that He was tempted, but tious men who ever lived. Note that, according
Christ did not have sinful desires! to Jones, Christ was not presented with those
Hundreds of times the Spirit of Prophecy con- ambitions; they were stirred up within Him.
firms the Bible truth that Christ took our fallen For shame, for shame, that a man must, for
nature; and hundreds of times those writings at- the sake of making a more startling speech, re-
test to the fact that, in that nature, He never once duce Jesus to a sinful man, barely able to con-
sinned in any way—in thought, word, or action. trol His feelings and thoughts! Yet, in the Spirit
The Bible fully concurs in this. Indeed, those of Prophecy, we are told that “the thoughts and
Inspired books go on to say that, because in our feelings combined make up the moral charac-
nature He never sinned or in the slightest yielded ter.”
to temptation, therefore we can avoid sin in our Men are willing to attribute evil thoughts and
lives just as fully. But, if in His life Jesus was feelings to Jesus, in order to strengthen a Scrip-
locked into selfish and prideful desires, then we tural truth which is already clear enough. Jesus
are too. was tempted as we are; but, because He never
Jesus had pure desires, not sinful desires. once yielded, the temptations did not awaken
Yes, He was tempted to accept the sinful desires. memories of past indulgences. One may say then,
But, in the strength of His Father, He instantly Was He tempted as strongly as we are? Yes, for
repulsed the thought. Although tempted to do He was tempted incessantly, far beyond anything
so, He did not accept the temptation. we are subject to. Second, He underwent the
agony of the wilderness temptation, the crisis of
Disputed quotation #4: “If Jesus’ life is to Gethsemane, and the Crucifixion—which none
have any meaning as an example for us, then it of us will ever face to the degree He did. Third,
is crucial that He inherit just what I inherit.” [We He was tempted to use His super-powerful di-
agree with that, but not with this:] “We do inherit vine nature, which He never did.
badness, weakness, and corruption from Adam.”—
There is an area of speculation which we swering chord to worry about. In the strength of
should avoid: We should not seek to implant Christ, repulse it immediately. Refuse it instantly.
sinful aspirations, hopes, and desires in the In addition, as you continue doing that, the an-
mind of Jesus! swering chords tend to fade away.
The disputed passages should never have I speak from experience. I am sure you have
been written! This type of thing can result in most experienced it also. It is an experience we can all
startling errors. We should remain with the have, from day to day. In the strength of Christ
Words of God, as found in the Bible and Spirit we can overcome all the power of the evil one.
of Prophecy. Our strength will be found in stay- Thank God!
ing close to Scripture, not in wandering from it. (Yet, as we draw closer to our Creator, we
We should be careful how we discuss the nature will continually feel more and more our defi-
of Christ, so as not to lead minds away from ciencies and our weakness apart from Him.
basic truths and into speculative errors. There will be no vaunted pride, “Hey, look at
Christ took our fallen human nature. The me! I have overcome, and am living without
Bible definition of His humanity is wonderfully sin!” Flee from anyone who claims to be with-
accurate. It is equally wonderful for its simplic- out sin. Earnest Christians do not consider
ity: “He was tempted in all points as we, yet with- themselves sinless and worthy of eternal life.
out sin.” Why is it thought necessary to delve Men, such as those from LOR (see our tracts
into that mystery—so that we place sinful on that cult), have hypnotized and overcome
thoughts in the mind of Jesus? To do so is ter- Advent believers by telling them that, if they
rible. Let us remain with the simplicity in which accept them as spiritual guides—they could
Scripture endows the subject. tell them how to overcome sin, once and for
all, that same evening.)
Here is an example of how it works: A per- But, from time to time, those strong temp-
son is tempted to have thoughts of rebellion tations will come again. Yet, just as Jesus did,
against God. Christ was tempted with that we can as quickly resist them—and cast them
thought also. But the temptation came to Him out.
even more powerfully than it does to us. Why do we do this? because we love Jesus
However, when the temptation came to with all our hearts, more than we love the evils
Christ—He instantly cast it out. He repulsed it, of earth. Our loyalty is to the God of heaven,
just as we may do. not to the devilish trinkets Satan presents to
When the temptation comes to a person who us.
has had rebellious thoughts before, that person Thus, we find that Jesus did not have evil
is also free to reject the temptation or accept it. feelings, evil thoughts, evil words, or evil ac-
If he is trusting in Jesus, God will give him tions. He was sinless. He harbored nothing
grace to repulse it as Christ did—even though evil.
he may earlier have indulged in rebellious Did He have evil tendencies or propensi-
thoughts. It is in that sense that Christ has no ties? He inherited weaknesses just as we all
advantage over us in meeting temptation. The do. But He yielded to none of them. He enter-
strength He received to meet them, we too can tained none of them in His thoughts. Thus it
have. is clear that Christ did have inherited tenden-
But, if the man chooses to linger on the temp- cies, but He had no evil propensities such as
tation for a moment, then it strikes an answer- we do. To say that again: He inherited weak-
ing chord in his own mind. He lingers over the nesses and tendencies as we do; but, because
temptation as Eve lingered about the forbidden he did not respond favorably to any of them
tree. when tempted, He did not change it into an
But Christ never lingered. evil disposition or liking, in His mind. He did
Someone will say, “Well, then, Christ had no not transform the potential immorality into
answering chords, but we do.” Yes, but the an- actual immorality. He did not respond favor-
swering chords—the sympathies with sin—are ably to inherited or environmental negative fac-
only there when we linger. Christ did not linger, tors. Because He did not accept them, He did
and neither need we. If you do not linger over it, not make them His own.
when the temptation comes, there will be no an-
In view of all that we have discussed, it is else falls into place.
clear that Christ is our perfect Example. He is
the great Exemplar, the Pattern Man, the One Here are several interesting statements, re-
we can safely follow in every way. lating to this matter of the will:
He was tempted in every way we are, yet He “There are many who in their hearts mur-
never once yielded to the temptations. He did mur against God. They say, ‘We inherit the fallen
not have the blood of raging rebels burning in nature of Adam, and are not responsible for
His veins; He did not have rebellious thoughts our natural imperfections.’ They find fault with
God’s requirements, and complain that He de-
against God; He did not have pride, stubborn-
mands what they have no power to give. Satan
ness, and evil desires overwhelming Him. made the same complaint in heaven, but such
But someone will say, “But I do!” Well, the thoughts dishonor God.”—Signs, August 29,
same strength available to Him is now available 1892.
to you. Read the little book, Steps to Christ, care- “Since the sin of Adam, men in every age have
fully; and you will find it all outlined in clear de- excused themselves from sinning, charging God
tail. with their sin, saying that they could not keep
Keep in mind that Christ was also tempted His commandments.”—Australian Signs, Sep-
more than you will ever be tempted. tember 14, 1903.
First, He was tempted incessantly by Satan. “The will is the governing power in the na-
No human being was ever tempted as constantly ture of man, bringing all the other faculties
under its sway . . It is the deciding power.”—5
as was Christ. Why? Whether Satan conquers
Testimonies, 513.
you or me is of some importance to him.—But
“While Satan can solicit, he cannot compel
whether he could overcome Christ was a life-or- to sin . . The tempter can never compel us to
death issue to him! If the devil could win Christ do evil . . The will must consent.”—Desire of
to his side, he, Satan, would not have to perish Ages, 125.
someday in the lake of fire! There would be no “There is no excuse for sinning.”—Desire of
lake of fire! So the temptations experienced by Ages, 311.
Christ were utterly devastating in strength and “Let the children bear in mind that the child
in constancy. Jesus had upon Himself human nature, and
In this life, Christ was continually harassed was in the likeness of sinful flesh, and was
by evil relatives, associates, priests, and people— tempted of Satan like all children are tempted.”—
to a degree you and I will never experience. Sa- Youth’s Instructor, August 23, 1894.
tan did no idling while Christ walked this planet. “Just that which you may be He was in hu-
man nature.”—Letter 106, 1896.
Second, Christ experienced the forty-day Wil-
derness temptations for our sakes, and He went May Jesus give us strength to live His life.
through Gethsemane and the agony of the cross. Here is a significant statement to close this sec-
Third, Christ was tempted to call upon His tion:
“And as Jesus was in human nature, so God
divine nature to come to His aid. But He never
means His followers to be.”—Ministry of Heal-
did that. That alone was a powerful temptation. ing, 426.
So then, the temptations of Christ were far As Jesus was on earth, so God wants us to
greater than any experienced by mankind. Yet, be. He does not want sinful thoughts raging
through it all, He never once yielded. Never once through our minds. He wants us in peace with
was His mind tainted by the evil of this world. Heaven, as His own Son was when here.
How can we know it? Because God’s Word
tells us so. When we believe the Word, everything
The Ladder 27
The Ladder
Connecting Earth with Heaven
Both Peter’s ladder (2 Peter 1:4-8) and view, April 25, 1886.
Jacob’s ladder (Genesis 28:12-15) have been “The Divine Son of God, who had . . come
cited, by Inspiration, as symbols of how fully the from heaven and assumed their fallen nature
connection between earth and heaven had to be . . to unite the fallen race with Himself.”—Signs,
in order to save man: September 23, 1889.
“Jesus was in all things made like unto His “In the likeness of sinful flesh, He condemned
brethren. He became flesh, even as we are . . sin in the flesh.”—Review, May 6, 1875.
Christ is the ladder that Jacob saw, the base “Christ became sin for the fallen race.”—Re-
resting on the earth . . If that ladder had failed view, May 6, 1875.
by a single step of reaching the earth, we would “Had He not been fully human, Christ could
have been lost. But Christ reaches us where we not have been our substitute.”—Signs, June 17,
are. He took our nature and overcame, that we 1897.
through taking His nature might overcome. “He consented to become fallen man’s sub-
Made ‘in the likeness of sinful flesh,’ He lived a stitute and surety.”—Review, June 15, 1891.
sinless life.”—Australian Signs, December 14, “He took our nature upon Him . . and know-
1903. ing all our experiences, He stands as Mediator
“Christ, who connects earth with heaven, is and Intercessor before the Father.”—Signs, No-
the [Peter’s] ladder. The base is planted firmly vember 24, 1887.
on the earth in His humanity; the topmost “He [Jesus] is the ‘Daysman’ between a Holy
round reaches the throne of God in His divin- God and our sinful humanity,—One who can
ity. The humanity of Christ embraces fallen ‘lay His hand upon us both.’ ”—Signs, August
humanity.”—6 Testimonies, 147. 24, 1891.
In a great variety of ways, God revealed “With His human arm Christ encircles the
through Inspired Writings that Jesus Christ fully fallen race, and with His divine arm He grasps
became like us in every way, except in indulging the throne of the Infinite.”—Signs, April 18,
in sin. Here are some additional examples: 1892.
“[He] took our nature that He might under- “Christ took upon Him the infirmities of de-
stand how to sympathize with our frailty.”— generate humanity. Only thus could He rescue
Review, April 19, 1870. man from the lowest depths of degradation.”—
Signs, December 3, 1902.
“Jesus clothed His divinity with humanity that
He might have an experience in all that pertains “This was the only way in which fallen men
to human life.”—Signs, September 30, 1890. could be exalted . . It was in the order of God
that Christ should take upon Himself the form
“And as Jesus was in human flesh, so God
and nature of fallen man.”—Review, Decem-
means His followers to be.”—Signs, April 1,
ber 31, 1872.
1897.
“In order to elevate fallen man, Chirst must
“Christ humiliated Himself to humanity, and
reach him where he was.”—1Selected Mes-
took upon Himself our nature, that . . He might
sages, 268.
become a stepping stone to fallen men.”—Re-
The Kenosis
“The kenosis” means “the emptying.” The and impressive passages in all the Spirit of
phrase comes from the Greek of a word in Prophecy. Read it slowly, thoughtfully. Read it
Philippians, chapter 2. That chapter is a high- out aloud, meaningfully! Here you find the Ken-
point in the Apostle Paul’s writings. osis! Christ emptied Himself, and “went lower
and lower in His humiliation, until there were
ANALYSIS OF PHILIPPIANS 2 no lower depths that He could reach, in order to
The following analysis of the Greek, of lift man out of his moral defilement.”
Philippians 2:5-11, is reprinted from one of the Our Lord and Saviour went from the highest
more than 200 studies in the present writer’s to the lowest, in order to bring us up to the high-
book, The Biblical Sanctuary, which is an in- est—to live with Him for eternity. “Be astonished,
depth Biblical defense of our historic Sanctuary O ye heavens, and be amazed ye inhabitants of
teaching: the earth.”
“Think about Philippians 2: The same Paul The passage is taken from the Review, Sep-
who presents us with the two Adams also tember 4, 1900 (5 BC 1126-1128 on John 1:1-
penned the second chapter of Philippians. We 3, 14). It is actually an expanded presentation of
should have the attitude of Jesus (Phil. 2:5). Philippians 2:5-11.
Consider Him: Jesus, who had the inner sub-
stance (morphe) of God (2:6), had no need to “The apostle would call our attention from
grasp for divinity, for He already had it (2:6). ourselves to the Author of our salvation. He pre-
And yet—this same Jesus who was the highest sents before us His two natures, divine and hu-
in the universe in nature and power—emptied man. Here is the description of the divine: ‘Who,
(kenosis) Himself and took the inner nature being in the form of God, thought it not rob-
(morphe) of a slave [to sin] and was made in bery to be equal with God.’ He was ‘the bright-
the characteristics (homoio) of a human being ness of His glory and the express image of His
(2:7). And being found with the manner of life person.’
(schema) of a human,—He humbled Himself “Now, of the human: He ‘was made in the
[still further] and became obedient unto death,— likeness of men: and being found in fashion as
even the death by a cross (2:8)! a man, He humbled Himself, and became obe-
“In spite of what theologians may say, Jesus dient unto death.’ He voluntarily assumed hu-
Christ went from the highest to the lowest—for man nature. It was His own act, and by His own
you and for me—because there was no other consent. He clothed His divinity with human-
way in which man could be saved. ity. He was all the while as God, but He did not
“And because of the ‘descent’ of Christ to the appear as God. He veiled the demonstrations
very bottom, yet without sinning, the Father hath of Deity, which had commanded the homage,
exalted Him, and given Him a name that is above and called forth the admiration, of the universe
every other name (2:9). That at the name of Jesus of God. He was God while upon earth, but He
every knee in heaven and on earth and under divested Himself of the form of God, and in its
the earth shall [one day soon] bow (2:10), and stead took the form and fashion of a man.
every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is “He walked the earth as a man. For our sakes
Master—to the glory of God the Father (2:11). He became poor, that we through His poverty
Jesus who was fully God became fully like us, might be made rich. He laid aside His glory and
and then died for us in order to save us by His His majesty. He was God, but the glories of the
death and by His life—and that is the gospel.”— form of God He for a while relinquished. Though
Biblical Sanctuary, part of Study 15: “The Hu- He walked among men in poverty, scattering His
man Nature of Christ,” on Hebrews 2:9 [italics blessings wherever He went, at His word legions
in my original]. of angels would surround their Redeemer, and
ALL THE STEPS DOWN do Him homage. But He walked the earth un-
recognized, unconfessed, with but few excep-
Reprinted below is one of the most solemn
The Kenosis 29
tions, by His creatures. The atmosphere was bitterness as no other being could feel it. He
polluted with sin and curses, in place of the was pure, holy, and undefiled, yet arraigned as
anthem of praise. His lot was poverty and hu- a criminal! The adorable Redeemer stepped
miliation. As He passed to and fro upon His down from the highest exaltation. Step by step
mission of mercy to relieve the sick, to lift up He humbled Himself to die—but what a death!
the depressed, scarce a solitary voice called Him It was the most shameful, the most cruel—the
blessed, and the very greatest of the nation death upon the cross as a malefactor. He did
passed Him by with disdain. not die as a hero in the eyes of the world, loaded
“Contrast this with the riches of glory, the with honors, as men in battle. He died as a con-
wealth of praise pouring forth from immortal demned criminal, suspended between the heav-
tongues, the millions of rich voices in the uni- ens and the earth—died a lingering death of
verse of God in anthems of adoration. But He shame, exposed to the tauntings and revilings
humbled Himself, and took mortality upon Him. of a debased, crime-loaded, profligate multi-
As a member of the human family, He was mor- tude! “All they that see me laugh me to scorn:
tal; but as a God, He was the fountain of life to they shoot out the lip, they shake the head” (Ps.
the world. He could, in His divine person, ever 22:7).
have withstood the advances of death, and re- “He was numbered with the transgressors,
fused to come under its dominion; but He vol- He expired amid derision, and His kinsmen ac-
untarily laid down His life, that in so doing He cording to the flesh disowned Him. His mother
might give life and bring immortality to light. beheld His humiliation, and He was forced to
“He bore the sins of the world, and endured see the sword pierce her heart. He endured the
the penalty, which rolled like a mountain upon cross, despised the shame. He made it of small
His divine soul. He yielded up His life a sacri- account in consideration of the results that He
fice, that man should not eternally die. He died, was working out in behalf of, not only the in-
not through being compelled to die, but by His habitants of this speck of a world, but the whole
own free will. This was humility. The whole trea- universe, every world which God had created.
sure of heaven was poured out in one gift to “Christ was to die as man’s substitute. Man
save fallen man. He brought into His human was a criminal under the sentence of death for
nature all the life-giving energies that human transgression of the law of God, as a traitor, a
beings will need and must receive. rebel; hence a substitute for man must die as a
“Wondrous combination of man and God! malefactor, because He stood in the place of the
“He might have helped His human nature to traitors, with all their treasured sins upon His
withstand the inroads of disease by pouring divine soul. It was not enough that Jesus should
from His divine nature vitality and undecaying die in order to fully meet the demands of the
vigor to the human. But He humbled Himself broken law, but He died a shameful death. The
to man’s nature. He did this that the Scripture prophet gives to the world His words, ‘I hid not
might be fulfilled; and the plan was entered into my face from shame and spitting.’
by the Son of God, knowing all the steps in His “In consideration of this, can men have one
humiliation, that He must descend to make an particle of exaltation? As they trace down the
expiation for the sins of a condemned, groan- life and sufferings and humiliation of Christ,
ing world. What humility was this! It amazed can they lift their proud heads as if they were to
angels. The tongue can never describe it; the bear no trials, no shame, no humiliation? I say
imagination cannot take it in. The eternal Word to the followers of Christ, Look to Calvary, and
consented to be made flesh! God became man! blush for shame at your self-important ideas.
It was a wonderful humility. “All this humiliation of the Majesty of heaven
“But He stepped still lower; the man must was for guilty, condemned man. He went lower
humble Himself as a man to bear insult, re- and lower in His humiliation, until there were
proach, shameful accusations, and abuse. no lower depths that He could reach, in order
There seemed to be no safe place for Him in to lift man up from his moral defilement. All
His own territory. He had to flee from place to this was for you who are striving for the su-
place for His life. He was betrayed by one of His premacy—striving for human praise, for human
disciples; He was denied by one of His most exaltation; you who are afraid you will not re-
zealous followers. He was mocked. He was ceive all that deference, that respect from hu-
crowned with a crown of thorns. He was man minds, that you think is your due. Is this
scourged. He was forced to bear the burden of Christlike?
the cross. “ ‘Let this mind be in you, which was also
“He was not insensible to this contempt and in Christ Jesus.’ He died to make an atonement,
ignominy. He submitted, but, oh! He felt the and to become a pattern for every one who
would be His disciple. Shall selfishness come itants of the earth, that such returns should be
into your hearts? And will those who set not made to our Lord! What contempt! what wick-
before them the pattern, Jesus, extol your mer- edness! what formality! what pride! what efforts
its? You have none except as they come through made to lift up man and glorify self, when the
Jesus Christ. Shall pride be harbored after you Lord of glory humbled Himself, agonized, and
have seen Deity humbling Himself, and then as died the shameful death upon the cross in our
man debasing Himself, till there was no lower behalf!”—Review, September 4, 1900 (5 BC
point to which He could descend? ‘Be aston- 1126-1128 on John 1:1-3, 14 [but actually com-
ished, O ye heavens,’ and be amazed, ye inhab- menting on Philippians 2:5-11]).
Spirit of Prophecy Statements 31
Additional Spirit of Prophecy State-

ments on the Human Nature of
Christ
Here is an extensive collection of Spirit of 1874.
Prophecy statements on the human nature of “The victory gained was designed not only to
Christ. But it is far from complete! There are set an example to those who have fallen under
over 400 such statements, so these constitute the power of appetite, but to qualify the Re-
only a small fraction. deemer for His special work of reaching to the
It is remarkable how many different ways that very depths of human woe. By experiencing in
the Inspired Writings is able to describe the fact Himself the strength of Satan’s temptation, and
that Christ took the nature that you and I have. of human sufferings and infirmities, He would
But there is a reason for this: The nature of Christ know how to succor those who should put forth
is an integral part of the plan of salvation. So efforts to help themselves.”—Review, March 18,
this is a matter which concerns each of us deeply. 1875.
It is surely not a truth which men ought to at- “He knows how strong are the inclinations
tempt to deny! of the natural heart, and He will help in every
“When we want a deep problem to study, let time of temptation.”—5 Testimonies, 177.
us fix our minds on the most marvelous thing “Shall pride be harbored after you have seen
that ever took place in earth or heaven—the in- Deity humbling Himself, and then as man de-
carnation of the Son of God.”—7 Bible Commen- basing Himself till there was no lower point to
tary, 904. which He could descend.”—Review, July 5, 1887.
“The humanity of the Son of God is every- “Forasmuch then as the children are partak-
thing to us. It is the golden chain that binds our ers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise
souls to Christ, and through Christ to God.”— took part of the same; that through death He
Our High Calling, 48. might destroy him that had the power of death,
“He came with such a heredity to share our that is, the devil.”—Hebrews 2:14.
sorrows and temptations, and to give us the ex- “But when the fulness of the time was come,
ample of a sinless life.”—Desire of Ages, 49. God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made
“The great work of redemption could be car- under the law.”—Galatians 4:4.
ried out only by the Redeemer taking the place “For what the law could not do, in that it was
of fallen Adam . . He would take man’s fallen weak through the flesh, God sending His own
nature and engage to cope with the strong foe Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin,
who triumphed over Adam.”—Review, February condemned sin in the flesh.”—Romans 8:3.
24, 1874. “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every
“The humanity of Christ reached to the very spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come
depths of human wretchedness and identified in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that
itself with the weaknesses and necessities of confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the
fallen man, while His divine nature grasped the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of
Eternal . . Christ’s work was to reconcile man to antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should
God through His human nature, and God to man come; and even now already is it in the world.”—
through His divine nature.”—Review August 4, 1 John 4:3-4.
“For many deceivers are entered into the cember 11, 1888.
world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come “Wondrous combination of man and God! He
in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. might have helped His human nature to with-
Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things stand the inroads of disease by pouring from
which we have wrought.”—2 John 7-8. His divine nature vitality and undecaying vigor
“But made Himself of no reputation, and took to the human, but He humbled Himself to man’s
upon Him the form of a servant, and was made nature . . God became man.”—Review, Septem-
in the likeness of men: And being found in fash- ber 4, 1900.
ion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became “Notwithstanding that the sins of a guilty
obedient unto death, even the death of the world were laid upon Christ, notwithstanding the
cross.”—Philippians 2:7-8. humiliation of taking upon Himself our fallen
“The Son of God humbled Himself and took nature, the voice from heaven declared Him to
man’s nature after the race had wandered four be the Son of the Eternal.”—Desire of Ages, 112.
thousand years from Eden, and from their origi- “He humbled Himself and took mortality
nal state of purity and uprightness. Sin had been upon Him.”—The Faith I Live by, 46.
making its terrible marks upon the race for ages; “He came to this world in human form to
and physical, mental, and moral degeneracy pre- live a man among men. He assumed the liabili-
vailed throughout the human family . . Christ ties of human nature, to be proved and tried.”—
bore the sins and infirmities of the race as they Signs, June 9, 1905.
existed when He came to the earth to help man.”— “Christ who knew not the least taint of sin or
1 Selected Messages, 267-268. defilement, took our nature in its deteriorated
“Think of Christ’s humiliation. He took upon condition. This was humiliation greater than fi-
Himself fallen, suffering human nature, degraded nite man can comprehend . . He stooped to pov-
and defiled by sin . . He endured all the tempta- erty and to the deepest abasement among
tions wherewith man is beset. He united human- men.”—1 Selected Messages, 253.
ity with divinity: a divine Spirit dwelt in a temple “He condescended to connect our fallen na-
of flesh.”—4 Bible Commentary, 1147. ture with His divinity . . Having taken our fallen
“Letters have been coming to me, affirming nature . .”—3 Selected Messages, 134.
that Christ could not have had the same nature “Christ did not make-believe take human
as man, for if He had, He would have fallen un- nature, He did verily take it. He did in reality
der similar temptations. If He did not have man’s possess human nature. ‘As the children are par-
nature, He could not be our example. If He was takers of flesh and blood, He also Himself like-
not a partaker of our nature, He could not have wise took part of the same’ (Heb. 2:14). He was
been tempted as man has been. If it were not the Son of Mary. He was the seed of David ac-
possible for Him to yield to temptation, He could cording to human descent.”—5 Bible Commen-
not be our helper. It was a solemn reality that tary, 1130.
Christ came to fight the battles as man, in man’s “Taking human nature fitted Christ to under-
behalf. His temptation and victory tell us that stand the nature of man’s trials, and all the temp-
humanity must copy the Pattern; man must be- tations wherewith he is beset . . It was in the
come a partaker of the divine nature.”—Review, order of God that Christ should take upon Him-
February 18, 1890. self the form and nature of fallen man that He
“Christ, by His own example, made it evident might be made perfect through suffering and
that man may stand in integrity. Man may have Himself endure the strength of Satan’s fierce
a power to resist evil—a power that neither earth, temptations, that He might understand how to
nor death, nor hell can master; a power that will succor those who should be tempted.”—Spirit
place them where they may overcome as Christ of Prophecy, Vol. 2, 39.
overcame. Divinity and humanity may be com- “It was not a make-believe humanity that
bined in them.”—Review, February 18, 1890. Christ took upon Himself. He took human na-
“He who was one with the Father stepped ture, and lived human nature . . Christ’s life rep-
down from His glorious throne in heaven, laid resents a perfect manhood. Just that which you
aside His royal robe and crown, and clothed His may be He was in human nature. He took our
divinity with humanity, thus bringing Himself to infirmities. He was not only made flesh, but He
the level of man’s feeble faculties.”—Review, De- was made in the likeness of sinful flesh.”—5
Bible Commentary, 1124 (Letter No. 106, “For a period of time Christ was on proba-
1896). tion. He took humanity on Himself, to stand the
“He did not have a mere semblance of a body, test and trial which the first Adam failed to en-
but took human nature, participating in the life dure. Had He failed in His test and trial, He would
of humanity.”—7 Bible Commentary, 925. have been disobedient to the voice of God, and
“Clad in the vestments of humanity, the Son the world would have been lost.”—Signs, May
of God came down to the level of those He wished 10, 1899.
to save. In Him was no guile or sinfulness. He “He [Christ] was to take His position at the
was ever pure and undefiled; yet He took upon head of humanity by taking the nature but not
Him our sinful nature. Clothing His divinity with the sinfulness of man.”—Signs, May 29, 1901.
humanity, that He might associate with fallen “Yet into the world where Satan claimed do-
humanity.”—Review, December 15, 1896. minion God permitted His Son to come, a help-
“It behoved Him to be made like unto His less babe, subject to the weakness of humanity.
brethren.”—Hebrews 2:17. He permitted Him to meet life’s perils in com-
“When Jesus took human nature, and be- mon with every human soul, to fight the battle
came in fashion as a man, He possessed all the as every child of humanity must fight it, at the
human organism. His necessities were the ne- risk of failure and eternal loss.”—Desire of Ages,
cessities of a man. He had bodily wants to be 49.
supplied, bodily weariness to be relieved. By “In our humanity Christ was to redeem Adam’s
prayer to the Father He was braced for duty and failure. But when Adam was assailed by the
trial.”—5 Bible Commentary, 1130. tempter, none of the effects of sin were upon him
“He came as a helpless babe, bearing the . . It was not thus with Jesus when He entered
humanity we bear.”—7 Bible Commentary, 925. the wilderness to cope with Satan. For four thou-
“He . . became like one of us except in sin.”— sand years the race had been decreasing in physi-
Youth’s Instructor, October 20, 1886. cal strength, in mental power, and in moral
“Think what Christ’s obedience means to us! worth; and Christ took upon Him the infirmities
It means that in His strength we too may obey. of degenerate humanity.”—Desire of Ages, 117.
Christ was a human being. He served His heav- “The nature of God, whose law had been
enly Father with all the strength of His human transgressed, and the nature of Adam, the trans-
nature. He has a twofold nature, at once human gressor, meet in Jesus—the Son of God and the
and divine. He is both God and man.”—6 Bible Son of man.”—7 Bible Commentary, 926.
Commentary, 1078. “It is the path that He traveled, and we may,
“Though He had all the strength of passion with Him, experience the self-denial and the suf-
of humanity, never did He yield to temptation to fering, and walk in this pathway imprinted by
do one single act which was not pure and elevat- His own blood.”—2 Testimonies, 358-359.
ing and ennobling.”—In Heavenly Places, 155. “In taking upon Himself man’s nature in its
“He took upon His sinless nature our sinful fallen condition, Christ did not in the least par-
nature, that He might know how to succor those ticipate in its sin. He was subject to the infirmi-
that are tempted.”—Medical Ministry, 181. ties and weaknesses by which man is encom-
“As one of us He was to give an example of passed, ‘that it might be fulfilled which was spo-
obedience. For this He took upon Himself our ken by Isaias the prophet, saying, Himself took
nature, and passed through our experiences . . our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.’ He was
By His humanity, Christ touched humanity; by touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and
His divinity, He lays hold upon the throne of God. was in all points tempted like as we are. And yet
As the Son of man, He gave us an example of ‘knew no sin.’ He was the lamb ‘without blemish
obedience; as the Son of God, He gives us power and without spot.’ Could Satan in the least par-
to obey.”—Desire of Ages, 24. ticular have tempted Christ to sin, he would have
“But our Saviour took humanity, with all its bruised the Saviour’s head. As it was, he could
liabilities. He took the nature of man with the only touch His heel. Had the head of Christ been
possibility of yielding to temptation.”—Desire of touched, the hope of the human race would have
Ages, 117. perished. Divine wrath would have come upon
“He became flesh, even as we are.”—Desire Christ as it came upon Adam. Christ and the
of Ages, 311. church would have been without hope.”—5 Bible
Commentary, 1131. isted when He came to the earth to help man. In
“Christ bore the sins and infirmities of the behalf of the race, with the weaknesses of fallen
race as they existed when He came to the earth man upon Him, He was to stand the temptations
to help man. In behalf of the race, with the weak- of Satan upon all points wherewith man would
nesses of fallen man upon Him, He was to stand be assailed . .
the temptations of Satan upon all points where- “In what contrast is the second Adam as He
with man would be assailed.”—1 Selected Mes- entered the gloomy wilderness to cope with Sa-
sages, 267. tan single-handed! Since the fall the race had
“Satan had asserted that men could not keep been decreasing in size and physical strength,
the commandments of God. To prove that they and sinking lower in the scale of moral worth,
could Christ became a man, and lived a life of up to the period of Christ’s advent to the earth.
perfect obedience through divine power.”—Signs, And in order to elevate man, Christ must reach
May 10, 1899. him where he was. He took human nature, and
“The study of the incarnation of Christ is a bore the infirmities and degeneracy of the race.
fruitful field, which will repay the searcher who He, who knew no sin, became sin for us (2 Cor.
digs deep for hidden truth.”—1 Selected Mes- 5:21). He humiliated Himself to the lowest depths
sages, 244. of human woe, that He might be qualified to reach
“In His closing hours, while hanging upon man, and bring him up from the degradation in
the cross, He experienced to the fullest extent which sin had plunged him.
what man must experience when striving against “ ‘For it became Him, for whom are all things,
sin. He realized how bad a man may become by and by whom are all things, in bringing many
yielding to sin.”—Youth’s Instructor, July 20, sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their sal-
1899. vation perfect through sufferings’ ” (Heb. 2:10)
“The great work of redemption could be car- [Heb. 5:9; 2:17-18, quoted].
ried forward only by the Redeemer taking the “ ‘For we have not an high priest which can-
place of fallen Adam . . He would take man’s not be touched with the feeling of our infirmi-
fallen nature.”—Review February 24, 1874. ties; but was in all points tempted like as we are,
“Christ was not in as favorable position in yet without sin’ (Heb. 4:15).”—Review, July 28,
the desolate wilderness to endure the tempta- 1874.
tions of Satan as was Adam when he was tempted “Christ has entered the world as Satan’s de-
in Eden. The Son of God humbled Himself and stroyer . . He would leave an example in His own
took man’s nature after the race had wandered victorious life for man to follow and overcome
four thousand years from Eden, and from their the temptations of Satan . .
original state of purity and uprightness. Sin had “Christ thus entered upon His life of conflict
been making its terrible marks upon the race to overcome the mighty foe, in bearing the very
for ages; and physical, mental, and moral de- test Adam failed to endure, that, through suc-
generacy prevailed throughout the human fam- cessful conflict, He might break the power of
ily. Satan, and redeem the race from the disgrace of
“When Adam was assailed by the tempter in the fall.
Eden he was without the taint of sin. He stood in “The humanity of Christ reached to the very
the strength of his perfection before God. All the depths of human wretchedness, and identified
organs and faculties of his being were equally itself with the weaknesses and necessities of
developed, and harmoniously balanced. fallen man, while His divine nature grasped the
“Christ, in the wilderness of temptation, Eternal . .
stood in Adam’s place to bear the test he failed “His first temptation to Christ was upon ap-
to endure. Here Christ overcame in the sinner’s petite. He had, upon this point, almost entire
behalf, four thousand years after Adam turned control of the world, and his temptations were
his back upon the light of his home. Separated adapted to the circumstances and surroundings
from the presence of God, the human family had of Christ, which made his temptations upon ap-
been departing, every successive generation, far- petite almost overpowering . .
ther from the original purity, wisdom, and knowl- “Satan hoped to insinuate doubts as to His
edge which Adam possessed in Eden. Christ bore Father’s love that would find a lodgment in the
the sins and infirmities of the race as they ex- mind of Christ, and that under the force of de-
spondency and extreme hunger He would exert February 10, 1885.
His miraculous power in His own behalf, and “Those who claim that it was not possible
take Himself out of the hands of His heavenly for Christ to sin, cannot believe that He really
Father. This was indeed a temptation to Christ. took upon Himself human nature; but was not
But He cherished it not for a moment. He did Christ actually tempted not only by Satan in the
not for a single moment doubt His heavenly wilderness, but all through His life from child-
Father’s love, although He seemed to be bowed hood to manhood. In all points He was tempted
down with inexpressible anguish. Satan’s temp- as we are, and because He successfully resisted
tations, though skillfully devised, did not move temptation under every form, He gave man the
the integrity of God’s dear Son. His abiding con- perfect example, and through the provisions
fidence in His Father could not be shaken . . Christ has made, we may become partakers of
“He was to bear the trial and temptation of His divine nature, having escaped the corrup-
man, in man’s behalf, under the most trying cir- tion which is in the world through lust. Jesus
cumstances, and leave an example of faith and says, to him that overcometh will I grant to sit
perfect trust in His heavenly Father. with Me on My throne even as I also overcame,
“Christ knew that Adam in Eden, with his and am set down with My Father on His throne.
superior advantages, might have withstood the Here is the beginning of our confidence, which
temptations of Satan, and conquered him. He we must hold unto the end.
also knew that it was not possible for man, out “If Jesus resisted Satan’s temptations, He will
of Eden, separated from the light and love of God help us to resist. He came to bring divine power
since the fall, to resist the temptations of Satan to combine with human efforts. Jesus was free
in his own strength. In order to bring hope to from all sin and error; there was no trace of im-
man, and save him from complete ruin, He perfection in His life or character.”—Manuscript
humbled Himself to take man’s nature, that, with 16, 1890.
His divine power combined with the human, He “In Christ, divinity and humanity were com-
might reach man where he is. He obtains for the bined. Divinity was not degraded to humanity;
fallen sons and daughters of Adam that strength divinity held its place, but humanity by being
which it is impossible for them to gain for them- united to divinity withstood the fiercest test of
selves, that in His name they may overcome the temptation in the wilderness. The prince of this
temptations of Satan. world came to Christ after His long fast, when
“The exalted Son of God in assuming human- He was an hungered, and suggested to Him to
ity draws Himself nearer to man by standing as command the stones to become bread. But the
the sinner’s Substitute. He identifies Himself with plan of God, devised for the salvation of man,
the sufferings and afflictions of men. He was provided that Christ should know hunger, and
tempted in all points as man is tempted, that He poverty, and every phase of man’s experience.
might know how to succor those who should be He withstood the temptation through the power
tempted. Christ overcame in the sinner’s be- that man may command. He laid hold on the
half.”—1 Selected Messages, 271-279. throne of God, and there is not a man or woman
“Jesus also told them (angels] that they would who may not have access to the same help
have a part to act, to be with Him and at differ- through faith in God. Man may become a par-
ent times to strengthen Him; that He would take taker of the divine nature; not a soul lives who
man’s fallen nature, and His strength would not may not summon the aid of Heaven in tempta-
be equal with theirs . . tion and trial. Christ came to reveal the Source
“He [Satan] . . told his angels that when Jesus of His power, that man might never rely on his
should take fallen man’s nature, he could over- unaided human capabilities . . Men may have a
power Him and hinder the accomplishment of power to resist evil—a power that neither earth,
the plan of salvation.”—Early Writings, 150-153. nor death, nor hell can master; a power that will
“Jesus . . took upon Himself the infirmities place them where they may overcome as Christ
and bore the griefs and sorrows of humanity, overcame.”—1 Selected Messages 408-409.
and conquered in our behalf. He was made like “Satan, the fallen angel, had declared that
unto His brethren, with the same susceptibili- no man could keep the law of God after the dis-
ties, mental and physical. He was tempted in all obedience of Adam. He claimed the whole race
points like as we are, yet without sin.”—Review, under his control.
“The Son of God placed Himself in the Christ was to take from the claims of Satan his
sinner’s stead, and passed over the ground where control of man, and he could do this only in the
Adam fell, and endured the temptation in the way that He became man, tempted as a man,
wilderness which was a hundred-fold stronger rendering the obedience of a man . .
than was or ever will be brought to bear upon “Bear in mind that Christ’s overcoming and
the human race. Jesus resisted the temptations obedience is that of a true human being. In our
of Satan in the same manner that every tempted conclusions, we make many mistakes because
soul may resist, by referring him to the inspired of our erroneous views of the human nature of
record and saying, ‘It is written.’ our Lord. When we give, to His human nature, a
“Christ overcame the temptations as a man. power that is not possible for man to have in his
Every man may overcome as Christ overcame. conflicts with Satan, we destroy the complete-
He humbled Himself for us. He was tempted in ness of His humanity. His imputed grace and
all points like as we are. He redeemed Adam’s power He gives to all who receive Him by faith.
disgraceful failure and fall and was conqueror, The obedience of Christ to His Father was the
thus testifying to all the unfallen worlds and to same obedience that is required of man.
fallen humanity that man could keep the com- “Man cannot overcome Satan’s temptations
mandments of God through the divine power without divine power to combine with his instru-
granted to him from heaven. Jesus the Son of mentality. So with Jesus, He could lay hold on
God humbled Himself for us, endured tempta- divine power. He came not to our world to give
tion for us, overcame in our behalf, to show us the obedience of a lesser God to a greater, but as
how we may overcome; He has thus bound up a man to obey God’s law, and in this He is our
His interests with humanity by the closest ties, example.
and has given the positive assurance that we shall “The Lord Jesus came to our world, not to
not be tempted above that we are able, for with reveal what a God could do, but what a man
the temptation He will make a way of escape could do, through faith in God’s power to help
“Not only did Christ give explicit rules show- in every emergency. Man is, through faith, to be
ing how we may become obedient children, but a partaker in the divine nature, and to overcome
He showed us in His own life and character just every temptation wherewith he is beset. The Lord
how to do those things which are right and ac- now demands that every son and daughter of
ceptable with God, so there is no excuse why we Adam, through faith in Jesus Christ, serve Him
should not do those things which are pleasing in in human nature which we now have.
His sight. “The Lord Jesus has bridged the gulf that
“We are ever to be thankful that Jesus has sin has made. He has connected earth with
proved to us by actual facts that man may keep heaven, and finite man with the infinite God.
the commandments of God, giving contradiction Jesus, the world’s Redeemer, could only keep
to Satan’s falsehood that man cannot keep them. the commandments of God in the same way that
The Great Teacher came to our world to stand humanity can keep them. ‘Whereby are given
at the head of humanity, to thus elevate and sanc- unto us exceeding great and precious promises,
tify humanity by His holy obedience to all God’s that by these ye might be partakers of the divine
requirements showing it is possible to obey all nature, having escaped the corruption that is in
the commandments of God. He has demon- the world through lust’ (2 Peter 1:4) . . We must
strated that a lifelong obedience is possible. Thus practice the example of Christ, bearing in mind
He gives chosen, representative men to the world, His Sonship and His humanity. It was not God
as the Father gave the Son, to exemplify in their that was tempted in the wilderness, nor a god
life the life of Jesus Christ. that was to endure the contradiction of sinners
“We need not place the obedience of Christ against Himself. It was the Majesty of heaven who
by itself as something for which He was particu- became a man—humbled Himself to our na-
larly adapted, by His particular divine nature, ture.”—Manuscript Releases, Vol. 6, 342.
for He stood before God as man’s representa- “Christ did in reality unite the offending na-
tive and was tempted as man’s substitute and ture of man with His own sinless nature, because
surety. If Christ had a special power which it is by this act of condescension He would be en-
not the privilege of man to have, Satan would abled to pour out His blessing in behalf of the
have made capital of this matter. The work of fallen race.”—Review, July 17, 1900.
that He did not in a single point yield one jot or
“As God He could not be tempted: but as a one tittle. Through being partakers of the divine
man He could be tempted, and that strongly, and nature we may stand pure and holy and unde-
could yield to the temptations. His human na- filed. The Godhead was not made human, and
ture must pass through the same test and trial the human was not deified by the blending to-
Adam and Eve passed through. His human na- gether of the two natures. Christ did not pos-
ture was created; it did not even possess angelic sess the same sinful, corrupt, fallen disloyalty
powers. It was human, identical with our own. we possess, for then He could not be a perfect
He was passing over the ground where Adam offering.”—3 Selected Messages, 129-131.
fell. He was now where, if He endured the test “Leaving the royal courts of heaven Christ
and trial in behalf of the fallen race, He would came down to our world to represent the char-
redeem Adam’s disgraceful failure and fall, in acter of His Father, and thus help humanity to
our own humanity. return to their loyalty. The image of Satan was
“A human body and a human mind were His. upon men, and Christ came that He might bring
He was bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh. to them moral power and efficiency. He came as
He was subjected to poverty from His first en- a helpless babe, bearing the humanity we bear.
trance into the world. He was subject to disap- ‘As children are partakers of flesh and blood,
pointment and trial in His own home, among His He also Himself likewise took part of the same.’
own brethren. He was not surrounded, as in the He could not come in the form of an angel; for
heavenly courts, with pure and lovely characters. unless He met man as man, and testified by His
He was compassed with difficulties. He came into connection with God that divine power was not
our world to maintain a pure, sinless character given to Him in a different way to what it will be
. . in just that way in which all may live the law in given to us, He could not be a perfect example
human nature if they will do as Christ was do- for us. He came in humility, in order that the
ing. He had inspired holy men of old to write for humblest being upon the face of the earth could
the benefit of man: ‘Let him take hold of My have no excuse because of his poverty or igno-
strength, that he may make peace with Me; and rance, and say, Because of these things, I cannot
he shall make peace with Me’ (Isa. 27:5). obey the law of Jehovah. Christ clothed His di-
“Abundant provision has been made that fi- vinity with humanity, that humanity might touch
nite, fallen man may so connect with God that, humanity, that He might live with humanity, and
through the same Source by which Christ over- bear all the trials and afflictions of man. He was
came in His human nature, he may stand firmly tempted in all points like as we are, yet without
against every temptation, as did Christ. He was sin. In His humanity He understood all the temp-
subject to inconveniences that human nature is tations that will come to man.”—7 Bible Com-
subjected to. He breathed the air of the same mentary, 925.
world we breathe. He stood and traveled in the “He was to come as one of the human family,
same world we inhabit, which we have positive and to stand as a man before heaven and earth.
evidence, was no more friendly to grace and righ- He had come to take man’s place, to pledge Him-
teousness than it is today. self in man’s behalf, to pay the debt that sinners
“The higher attributes of His being it is our owed. He was to live a pure life on earth, and
privilege to have, if we will, through the provi- show that Satan told a falsehood when he claimed
sions He has made, appropriate these blessings that the human family belonged to him forever,
and diligently cultivate the good in the place of and that God could not take men out of his
evil. We have reason, conscience, memory, will, hands. ‘He became one with us.’ ’’—Youth’s In-
affections—all the attributes a human being can structor, November 21, 1895.
possess. Through the provision made when God “It was not make-believe humanity that Christ
and the Son of God made a covenant to rescue took upon Himself. He took human nature, and
man from the bondage of Satan, every facility lived human nature . . Christ’s life represents a
was provided that human nature should come perfect manhood. Just that which you may be,
into union with His divine nature. In such a na- He was in human nature. He took our infirmi-
ture was our Lord tempted. He could have ties. He was not only made flesh, He was made
yielded to Satan’s lying suggestions as did Adam, in the likeness of sinful flesh.”—5 Bible Com-
but we should adore and glorify the Lamb of God mentary, 1124 (Letter 106, 1896).
“Satan declared that it was impossible for was dependent on the Omnipotent for His life.
the sons and daughters of Adam to keep the law In His humanity, He laid hold of the divinity of
of God, and thus charged upon God a lack of God; and this every member of the human fam-
wisdom and love . . Jesus humbled Himself, ily has the privilege of doing. Christ did nothing
clothing His divinity with humanity, in order that that human nature may not do if it partakes of
He might stand as the head and representative the divine nature
of the human family, and by both precept and “If we repent of our transgression, and re-
example condemn sin in the flesh, and give the ceive Christ as the Life-giver, our personal Sav-
lie to Satan’s charges. He was subjected to the iour, we may become one with Him, and our will
fiercest temptations that human nature can is brought into harmony with the divine will. We
know, yet He sinned not; for sin is the transgres- become partakers of the life of Christ, which is
sion of the law . . Although tempted upon all eternal. We derive immortality from God by re-
points even as men are tempted, He sinned not. ceiving the life of Christ; for in Christ dwells all
He did not surrender His allegiance to God, as the fulness of the Godhead bodily. This life is
did Adam . . But He fulfilled every specification the mystical union and cooperation of the divine
of the law, and condemned sin in the flesh . . with the human.”—Signs, 23, June 17, 1897.
“God was manifested in the flesh to condemn “The Lord Jesus has made a great sacrifice
sin in the flesh, by manifesting perfect obedience in order to meet man where he is. He took not
to all the law of God. Christ did no sin, neither the nature of angels. He did not come to save
was guile found in His mouth. He corrupted not angels. It is the seed of Abraham that He is help-
human nature, and though in the flesh, He trans- ing. ‘I came not to call the righteous, but sinners
gressed not the law of God in any particular. More to repentence.’ Christ helps humanity by taking
than this, He removed every excuse from fallen human nature.”—7 Bible Commentary, 927.
man that he could urge for a reason for not keep- “He was born without a taint of sin, but came
ing the law of God. Christ was compassed with into the world in like manner as the human fam-
the infirmities of humanity, He was beset with ily. He did not have a mere semblance of a body,
the fiercest temptations, tempted in all points but He took human nature, participating in the
like as men, yet He developed a perfectly up- life of humanity.”—5 Manuscript Releases, 115.
right character. No taint of sin was found upon “After the fall of man, Satan declared that
Him.”—Signs, January 16, 1896. human beings were proved to be incapable of
“Though He had no taint of sin upon His char- keeping the law of God, and he sought to carry
acter, yet He condescended to connect our fallen the universe with him in this belief. Satan’s words
nature with His divinity. By thus taking human- appeared to be true, and Christ came to unmask
ity, He honored humanity. Having taken our fallen the deceiver. The Majesty of heaven undertook
nature, He showed what it might become, by the cause of man, and with the same facilities
accepting the ample provision He had made for that man may obtain, withstood the temptations
it, and becoming a partaker of the divine na- of Satan as man must withstand them. This was
ture.”—3 Selected Messages, 134. the only way in which fallen man could become
“All may study with profit the experience of a partaker of the divine nature. In taking hu-
the first Adam in contrast with that of the sec- man nature Christ was fitted to understand
ond Adam . . Christ, the second Adam, came to man’s trials and sorrows and all the temptations
a world polluted and marred, to live a life of per- wherewith he is beset. Angels who were una-
fect obedience. The race, weakened in moral cquainted with sin could not sympathize with
power, was unable to cope with Satan, who ruled man in his peculiar trials. Christ condescended
his objects with cruel authority. Christ came to to take man’s nature, and was tempted in all
stand on the field of battle in warfare against all points like as we, that He might know how to
the satanic forces. By representing in His life the succor all who should be tempted.
character of God, He sought to win man back to “In assuming humanity Christ took the part
his allegiance. of every human being. He was the Head of hu-
“Had He not been fully human, Christ could manity. A Being divine and human, with His long
not have been our substitute.”—Signs, June 17, human arm He could encircle humanity, while
1897. with His divine arm He could lay hold of the
“While bearing human nature, He [Christ] throne of the Infinite.
“What a sight was this for heaven to look “It would have been an almost infinite hu-
upon! Christ, who knew not the least taint of sin miliation for the Son of God to take man’s na-
or defilement, took our nature in its deteriorated ture, even when Adam stood in his innocence in
condition . . Christ came to the earth, taking Eden. But Jesus accepted humanity when the
humanity and standing as man’s representative, race had been weakened by four thousand years
to show in the controversy with Satan that man, of sin. Like every child of Adam He accepted the
as God created him, connected with the Father results of the working of the great law of hered-
and the Son, could obey every divine require- ity. What these results were is shown in the his-
ment . . tory of His earthly ancestors. He came with such
“But Christ was unmoved. He felt the strength an heredity to share our sorrows and tempta-
of this temptation; but He met it in our behalf, tions, and to give us the example of a sinless life.
and conquered. And He used only the weapons “Satan in heaven had hated Christ for His
justifiable for human beings to use—the Word position in the courts of God. He hated Him the
of Him who is mighty in counsel—‘It is written’ more when he himself was dethroned. He hated
.. Him who pledged Himself to redeem a race of
“Christ’s humanity would demonstrate for sinners. Yet into the world where Satan claimed
eternal ages the question which settled the con- dominion God permitted His Son to come, a
troversy. In taking upon Himself man’s nature helpless babe, subject to the weakness of hu-
in its fallen condition, Christ did not in the least manity. He permitted Him to meet life’s peril in
participate in its sin. He was subject to the infir- common with every human soul, to fight the
mities and weaknesses by which man is encom- battle as every child of humanity must fight it, at
passed, ‘that it might be fulfilled which was spo- the risk of failure and eternal loss.”—Desire of
ken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took Ages, 49.
our infirmities . . and was in all points tempted “Upon Him who had laid off His glory and
like as we are. And yet He ‘knew no sin’ . . We accepted the weakness of humanity the redemp-
should have no misgivings in regard to the per- tion of the world must rest. He saw and felt it all,
fect sinlessness of the human nature of Christ.”— but His purpose remained steadfast. Upon His
Signs, June 9, 1898 (1 Selected Messages, 252- arm depended the salvation of the fallen race,
256). and He reached out His hand to grasp the hand
“We must open our understanding to realize of Omnipotent Iove.”—Desire of Ages, 111.
that Christ laid aside His royal robe, His kingly “Satan had pointed to Adam’s sin as proof
crown, His high command, and clothed His di- that God’s law was unjust, and could not be
vinity with humanity, that He might meet man obeyed. In our humanity, Christ was to redeem
where he was, and bring to the human family Adam’s failure. But when Adam was assailed by
moral power to become the sons and daughters the tempter, none of the effects of sin were upon
of God. To redeem man, Christ became obedi- him. He stood in the strength of perfect man-
ent unto death, even the death of the cross. hood, possessing the full vigor of mind and body.
“The humanity of the Son of God is every- He was surrounded with the glories of Eden, and
thing to us. It is the golden chain that binds our was in daily communion with heavenly beings.
souls to Christ, and through Christ to God. This It was not thus with Jesus when He entered the
is to be our study. Christ was a real man; He wilderness to cope with Satan. For four thou-
gave proof of His humility in becoming a man. sand years the race had been decreasing in physi-
Yet He was God in the flesh. When we approach cal strength, in mental power, and in moral worth;
this subject, we would do well to heed the words and Christ took upon Him the infirmities of de-
spoken by Christ to Moses at the burning bush, generate humanity. Only thus could He rescue
‘Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place man from the lowest depths of his degradation.
whereon thou standest is holy ground’ (Ex. 3:5). “Many claim that it was impossible for Christ
We should come to this study with the humility to be overcome by temptation. Then He could
of a learner, with a contrite heart. And the study not have been placed in Adam’s position; He
of the incarnation of Christ is a fruitful field, could not have gained the victory that Adam
which will repay the searcher who digs deep for failed to gain. If we have in any sense a more
hidden truth.”—Youth’s Instructor, October 13, trying conflict than had Christ, then He would
1898 (1 Selected Messages, 243-244). not be able to succor us. But our Saviour took
humanity with all its liabilities. He took the na- even by a thought did He yield to temptation. So
ture of man, with the possibility of yielding to it may be with us. Christ’s humanity was united
temptation. We have nothing to bear which He with divinity; He was fitted for the conflict by the
has not endured . . From the time of Adam to indwelling of the Holy Spirit. And He came to
that of Christ, self-indulgence had increased the make us partakers of the divine nature. So long
power of the appetites and passions, until they as we are united to Him by faith, sin has no more
had almost unlimited control. Thus men had dominion over us. God reaches for the hand of
become debased and diseased, and of them- faith is us to direct it to lay fast hold upon the
selves it was impossible for them to overcome. divinity of Christ, that we may attain to perfec-
In man’s behalf, Christ conquered by enduring tion of character.
the severest test. For our sake He exercised a “And how this is to be accomplished, Christ
self-control stronger than hunger or death. And has shown us. By what means did He overcome
in this first victory were involved other issues in the conflict with Satan? . . ‘It is written,’ He
that enter into all our conflicts with the powers said. And unto us are given ‘exceeding great and
of darkness.”—Desire of Ages, 117. precious promises: that by these ye might be par-
“The uncontrolled indulgence and conse- takers of the divine nature, having escaped the
quent disease and degradation that existed at corruption that is in the world through lust’ (2
Christ’s first advent will again exist, with inten- Peter 1:4). Every promise in God’s Word is ours.
sity of evil, before His second coming . . ‘By every word that proceedeth out of the mouth
“In our own strength it is impossible for us of God’ are we to live. When assailed by tempta-
to deny the clamors of our fallen nature. Through tion, look not to circumstances or to the weak-
this channel Satan will bring temptation upon ness of self, but to the power of the Word. All its
us. Christ knew that the enemy would come to strength is yours. ‘Thy Word,’ says the psalmist,
every human being, to take advantage of heredi- ‘have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin
tary weakness, and by false insinuations to en- against Thee.’ ‘By the Word of Thy lips I have
snare all whose trust is not in God. And by pass- kept me from the paths of the destroyer’ (Ps.
ing over the ground which man must travel, our 119:11; 17:4).”—Desire of Ages, 123.
Lord has prepared the way for us to overcome. “There is no excuse for sinning. A holy tem-
It is not His will that we should be placed at a per, a Christlike life, is accessible to every re-
disadvantage in the conflict with Satan. He would penting, believing child of God.
not have us intimidated and discouraged by the “The ideal of Christian character is Christ-
assaults of the serpent. ‘Be of good cheer,’ He likeness. As the Son of man was perfect in His
says; ‘I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33). life, so His followers are to be perfect in their
“Let him who is struggling against the power life. Jesus was in all things made like unto His
of appetite look to the Saviour in the wilderness brethren. He became flesh, even as we are. He
of temptation. See Him in His agony upon the was hungry and thirsty and weary. He was sus-
cross, as He exclaimed, ‘I thirst.’ He has endured tained by food and refreshed by sleep. He shared
all that it is possible for us to bear. His victory is the lot of man; yet He was the blameless Son of
ours.”—Desire of Ages, 122-123. God. He was God in the flesh. His character is to
“Jesus rested upon the wisdom and strength be ours. The Lord says of those who believe in
of His heavenly Father. He declares, ‘The Lord Him, ‘I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and
will help Me; therefore shall I not be confounded I will be their God, and they shall be My people’
. . and I know that I shall not be ashamed . . (2 Cor. 6:16).
Behold the Lord God will help Me.’ Pointing to “Christ is the ladder that Jacob saw, the base
His own example, He says to us, ‘Who among resting on the earth, and the topmost round
you that feareth the Lord . . that walketh in dark- reaching to the gate of heaven, to the very thresh-
ness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name old of glory. If that ladder had failed by a single
of the Lord, and stay upon his God’ (Isa. 50:7- step of reaching the earth, we should have been
10). lost. But Christ reaches us where we are. He took
“ ‘The prince of this world cometh,’ said our nature and overcame, that we through tak-
Jesus, ‘and hath nothing in Me’ (John 14:30). ing His nature might overcome. Made ‘in the like-
There was in Him nothing that responded to ness of sinful flesh’ (Rom. 8:3), He lived a sinless
Satan’s sophistry. He did not consent to sin. Not life.”—Desire of Ages, 311-312.
“In what consisted the strength of the assault on probation, as was Adam and as is man.”—
made upon Adam, which caused his fall? It was Manuscript Releases, Vol. 6, 1.
not his indwelling sin; for God made Adam after “Christ declared, where stands Satan’s throne,
His own character, pure and upright. There were there shall stand My cross, the instrument of hu-
no corrupt principles in the first Adam, no cor- miliation and suffering. No single principle of
rupt propensities or tendencies to evil. Adam was human nature will I violate. Clothing My divinity
as faultless as the angels before God’s throne . . with humility, I will endure every temptation
“His humanity had felt the shock of Satan’s wherewith man is beset. I will call to My aid the
tremendous effort to overcome Him, but the en- powers of heaven, that men and women, imbued
emy was vanquished and the human race was with My Spirit, may overcome as I overcame . .
placed on vantage ground with God. In His hu- The working out of My purposes in behalf of de-
man nature Christ conquered in behalf of the graded humanity require that divine and human
fallen race. For time and eternity man would be forces be combined.”—Manuscript, Vol. 5, 114.
able to resist the power of the satanic agencies “Satan has asserted that men could not keep
by becoming partaker of the divine nature. He the commandments of God. To prove that they
could keep the law of God . . Every advantage could, Christ became a man, and lived a life of
that Christ had in the conflict He has made it perfect obedience, an evidence to sinful human
possible for man to have . . Oh, if men would beings, to the worlds unfallen, and to the heav-
avail themselves of their advantages, they would enly angels, that man could keep God’s law
in turn become victors over the powers of dark- through the divine power that is abundantly pro-
ness.”—Manuscript Releases, Vol. 16, 86, 88. vided for all that believe. In order to reveal God
“Christ stooped to take man’s nature, that to the world, to demonstrate as true that which
He might reveal the sentiments of God toward Satan has denied, Christ volunteered to take hu-
the human race. Divine power was brought within manity, and in His power, humanity can obey God
the reach of all, that sinful beings might reflect . . He was, as we are, subject to the enemy’s temp-
the image of God. Christ assumed our nature in tations. Satan exulted when Christ became a hu-
order to counterwork Satan’s false principles. man being, and he compassed His path with ev-
He came to give by His ministry an expression ery conceivable temptation. Human weakness
of the mind of God.”—Signs, May 16, 1900. and tears were His portion; but He sought unto
“Adam was tempted by the enemy, and he God, praying with His whole soul, with strong
fell. It was not indwelling sin which caused him crying and tears; and He was heard in that He
to yield; for God made him pure and upright in feared. The subtlety of the enemy could not en-
His own image. He was as faultless as the angels snare Him while He made God His trust, and
before His throne. There were in him no corrupt was obedient to His words. ‘The prince of this
principles, no tendencies to evil. But when Christ world cometh,’ He said, ‘and hath nothing in Me.’
came to meet the temptations of Satan, He bore He can find nothing in Me which responds to his
‘the likeness of sinful flesh.’ ”—Signs, October sophistry.
17, 1900. “Amid impurity, Christ maintained His pu-
“Think of Christ’s humiliation. He took upon rity. Satan could not stain or corrupt it. His char-
Himself, fallen suffering human nature, degraded acter revealed a perfect hatred for sin. It was
and defiled by sin. He took our sorrows, bear- His holiness that stirred against Him all the pas-
ing our grief and shame. He endured all the temp- sion of a profligate world; for by His perfect life
tations wherewith man is beset. He united hu- He threw upon the world a perpetual reproach,
manity with divinity, a divine spirit dwelt in a and made manifest the contrast between trans-
temple of flesh. He united Himself with the gression and the pure, spotless righteousness
temple. ‘The Word was made flesh and dwelt of One that knew no sin . . Christ was buffeted
among us,’ because by so doing He could asso- with temptations, and convulsed with agony.”—
ciate with the sinful sorrowing sons and daugh- Signs, May 10, 1899, 2.
ters of Adam.”—Youth’s Instructor, December “In the councils of heaven the cross was or-
20, 1900. dained as the means of atonement. This was to
“He could not have been tempted in all points be God’s means of winning souls to Him. Christ
like as man is tempted had their been no possi- came to this earth to show that in humanity He
bility of His falling. He was a free agent, placed could keep the holy law of God. ‘I have kept My
Father’s commandments,’ He declared. The Sav- not to become the enemy’s bondslave.
iour proposed to re-establish the principles of “Adam had the advantage over Christ, in that
human dependence upon God and cooperation when he was assailed by the tempter, none of
between God and man. He proposed to unite God the effects of sin were upon him.”—Signs, De-
and man by the golden chain of love.”—5 Manu- cember 3, 1902.
script Releases, 114. “The Father and the Son in consultation de-
“Christ took on Him the nature of man, and cided that Christ must come to the world as a
passed over the ground where Adam fell, to be babe, and live the life that human beings must
tested and tried as all human beings are tested live from childhood to manhood, bearing the tri-
and tried. Satan came as an angel of light, to als that they must bear, and at the same time
induce Him if possible to commit sin, and thus living a sinless life, that men might see in Him
place the human race entirely under the domin- an example of what they can become, and that
ion of evil. But Christ was victorious, and man He might know by experience how to help them
was placed on vantage ground with God. in their struggles with sin.”—Signs, May 17,
“When the Father gave His Son to live and 1905.
die for man, He placed all the treasure of heaven “A divine-human Saviour, He came to stand
at our disposal. There is no excuse for sin. God at the head of the fallen race, to share in their
has given us all the advantages He could possi- experience from childhood to manhood. That
bly give, that we may have strength to withstand human beings might be partakers of the divine
the temptations of the enemy. Had man, when nature, He came to this earth, and lived a life of
tested and tried, followed the example of Christ, perfect obedience.”—Review, June 15, 1905.
he would have given his children and his children’s “He knows by experience what are the weak-
children an example of steadfast purity and righ- nesses of humanity, what are our wants, and
teousness, and the race would not have deterio- where lies the strength of our temptations; for
rated, but improved.”—Manuscript Releases, He was in all points tempted like as we are, yet
Vol. 6, 3. without sin.”—Ministry of Healing, 71 (1905).
“The nature of God, whose law had been “Christ humbled Himself to stand at the head
transgressed, and the nature of Adam, the trans- of humanity, to meet the temptations and endure
gressor, meet in Jesus as the Son of God, and the trials that humanity must meet and endure.
the Son of man.”—Manuscript Vol. 17, 338. He must know what humanity has to meet from
“To keep His glory veiled as the child of a the fallen foe, that He might know how to succor
fallen race, this was the most severe discipline those who are tempted.”—My Life Today, 335
to which the Prince of Life could subject Him- (1905).
self.”—5 Bible Commentary, 1081. “He was not only made flesh, but He was
“Laying aside His royal robe and kingly crown, made in the likeness of sinful flesh.”—5 Bible
He clothed His divinity with humanity.”—2 Tes- Commentary, 1124.
timonies, 68. “By His obedience to all the commandments
“That He might by His own example condemn of God, Christ wrought out a redemption for
sin in the flesh, He took upon Himself the like- men. This was not done by going out of Himself
ness of sinful flesh.”—Signs, September 3, 1902. to another, but by taking humanity into Himself.
“He took upon His sinless nature our sinful Thus Christ gave to humanity an existence out
nature, that He might know how to succor those of Himself. To bring humanity into Christ, to
that are tempted.”—Medical Ministry, 181 bring the fallen race into oneness with divinity,
(1902). is the work of redemption. Christ took human
“Christ came to this world as a man, to prove nature that men might be one with Him as He is
to angels and to men that man may overcome, one with the Father, that God may love man as
that in every emergency he may know that the He loves His only begotten Son, that men may
powers of Heaven are ready to help him . . be partakers of the divine nature, and be com-
“Satan charmed the first Adam by his soph- plete in Him.”—Review, April 5, 1906.
istry, just as he charms men and women today, “God was in Christ in human form, and en-
leading them to believe a lie. Adam did not reach dured all the temptations wherewith man was
above his humanity for divine power. He believed beset; in our behalf He participated in the suf-
the words of Satan. But the second Adam was fering and trials of sorrowful human nature . .
Jesus is our Pattern. The Majesty of Heaven, the will accept by faith the virtues of Him who was
King of Glory, was tempted in all points like as tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin.”—
sinful man is tempted. But through Christ we Review, January 28, 1909.
may be placed upon vantage ground, and be- “Christ rendered obedience to God, and over-
come partakers of the divine nature, escaping came as humanity must overcome. We are led to
the corruption that is in the world through wrong conclusions because of erroneous views
lust.”—Review, January 2, 1896. of the nature of our Lord. To attribute to His
“Christ in the courts of heaven had known nature a power that it is not possible for man to
that the time would come when the power of have in his conflicts with Satan, is to destroy the
Satan must be met and conquered if the human obedience that is required of man. Man cannot
race was ever to be saved from his dominion. overcome Satan’s temptations except as divine
And when that time came, the Son of God laid power works through humanity. The Lord Jesus
off His kingly crown and royal robe, and cloth- came to our world, not to reveal what God in His
ing His divinity with humanity, came to the earth own divine person could do, but what He could
to meet the prince of evil, and to conquer him. do through humanity. Through faith man is to
In order to become the advocate of man before be a partaker of the divine nature, and to over-
the Father, the Saviour would live His life on earth come every temptation wherewith he is beset. It
as every human being must, accepting the ad- was the Majesty of heaven who became a man,
versities and sorrows and temptations. As the who humbled Himself to our human nature; it
Babe of Bethlehem, He would become one with was He who was tempted in the wilderness and
the race, and by a spotless life from the manger endured the contradiction of sinners against
to the cross He would show that man, by a life of Himself.
repentance and faith in Him, might be restored “We are not to serve God as if we were not
to the favor of God. He would bring to man re- human, but we are to serve Him as those who
deeming grace, forgiveness of sins. If men would have been redeemed by the Son of God, through
return to their loyalty, and no longer transgress, the righteousness of Christ we shall stand be-
they would receive pardon. fore God pardoned, as if we had never sinned.”—
“Christ in the weakness of humanity was to Signs, April 10, 1893.
meet the temptations of one possessing the pow- “Christ gave Himself as a ransom, He laid
ers of the higher nature that God had bestowed off His kingly crown, stepped down from His high
on the angelic family. But Christ’s humanity was command over all heaven, clothing His divinity
united with divinity, and in this strength He would with humanity, that He might carry all the infir-
bear all the temptations that Satan could bring mities and bear all the temptations of human-
against Him . . yet keep His soul untainted by ity.”—7 Bible Commentary, 469 (Letter 22,
sin. And this power He would give to every son 1900).
and daughter of Adam who would accept by faith “But the plan of redemption had a yet
the righteous attributes of His character. broader and deeper purpose than the salvation
“God loved the world so dearly that He gave of man . . The act of Christ in dying for the salva-
His only begotten Son that whosoever might action of man would not only make heaven acces-
cept Him might have power to live His righteous sible to men, but before all the universe it would
life. Christ proved that it is possible for man to justify God and His Son in their dealing with the
lay hold by faith on the power of God. He showed rebellion of Satan. It would establish the perpe-
that the sinner, by repentence and the exercise tuity of the law of God, and would reveal the
of faith in the righteousness of Christ, can be nature and the results of sin . . Satan had sought
reconciled to God, and become a partaker of the to prove that God was unjust, that His law was
divine nature, overcoming the corruption that is faulty.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, 68-69.
in the world through lust. “He [Satan] hoped to establish the claim put
“Today Satan presents the same temptations forth when he rebelled in heaven,—that the re-
that he presented to Christ, offering us the king- quirements of God were unjust, and could not
doms of the world in return for our allegiance. be obeyed. Even Israel, he declared, did not keep
But upon him who looks to Jesus as the author the law.”—Desire of Ages, 29.
and finisher of his faith, Satan’s temptations have “It was in the order of God that Christ should
no power. He can not cause to sin the one who take upon Himself the form and nature of fallen
man.”—2 Spiritual Gifts, 39. obeyed is at man’s command.”—That I May
“The King of Glory proposed to humble Him- Know Him, 292.
self to fallen humanity! He would place His feet “The Majesty of heaven undertook the cause
in Adam’s steps. He would take man’s fallen na- of man, and with the same facilities that man
ture and engage to cope with the strong foe who may obtain, withstood the temptations of Satan
triumphed over Adam. He would overcome Sa- as man must withstand them. This was the only
tan, and in thus doing He would open the way way in which fallen man could become a par-
for the redemption, from the disgrace of Adam’s taker of the divine nature . . Christ, who knew
failure and fall, of all those who would believe not the least taint of sin or defilement, took our
on Him.”—Review, February 24, 1874. nature in its deteriorated condition.”—1 Selected
“Christ did in reality unite the offending na- Messages, 252-253.
ture of man with His own sinless nature, because “There are thoughts and feelings suggested
by this act of condescension He would be en- and aroused by Satan that annoy even the best
abled to pour out His blessings in behalf of the of men; but if they are not cherished, if they are
fallen race.”—Review, July 17, 1900. repulsed as hateful, the soul is not contaminated
“Christ had two natures, the nature of a man, with guilt, and no other is defiled by their influ-
and the nature of God. In Him divinity and hu- ence.”—Review, March 27, 1888.
manity were combined . . and by preserving each “The life of Christ was a perpetual warfare
nature distinct, He has given to the world a rep- against satanic agencies. Satan rallied the whole
resentation of the character of God, and the char- energies of apostasy against the Son of God. The
acter of a perfect man.”—General Conference conflict increased in fierceness and malignity, as
Bulletin, December 1, 1899. again and again the prey was taken from out of
“He took our nature and overcame, that we His hands. Satan assailed Christ through every
through taking His nature might overcome. Made conceivable form of temptation.”—Review, Oc-
in the likeness of sinful flesh (Rom. 8:3), He lived tober 29, 1895.
a sinless Iife.”—Desire of Ages, 312. “Satan showed his knowledge of the weak
“Let children bear in mind that the child points of the human heart, and put forth his ut-
Jesus had taken upon Himself human nature, most power to take advantage of the weakness
and was in the likeness of sinful flesh, and was of humanity which Christ had assumed in order
tempted of Satan as all children are tempted.”— to overcome his temptations on man’s ac-
Youth’s Instructor, August 23, 1894. count.”—Review, April 1, 1875.
“He took upon Himself, fallen suffering hu- “Temptation is resisted when a man is pow-
man nature, degraded and defiled by sin”—4 erfully influenced to do a wrong action; and,
Bible Commentary, 1147. knowing that he can do it, resists, by faith, with
“As the image made in the likeness of the a firm hold upon divine power. This was the or-
destroying serpents was lifted up for their heal- deal through which Christ passed.”—Youth’s In-
ing, so One made in the likeness of sinful flesh structor, July 20, 1899.
was to be their Redeemer.”—Desire of Ages, 147. “The Son of God in His humanity wrestled
“What a strange symbol of Christ was the like- with the very same fierce, apparently overwhelm-
ness of the serpents which stung them. This sym- ing temptations that assail men—temptations to
bol was lifted on a pole, and they were to look indulgence of appetite, to presumptuous ventur-
on it, and be healed. So Jesus was made in the ing where God has not led them, and to the wor-
likeness of sinful flesh. He came as the sin ship of the god of this world, to sacrifice an eter-
bearer.”—Sons and Daughters of God, 222. nity of bliss for the fascinating pleasures of this
“For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who Iife.”—1 Selected Messages, 95.
knew no sin; that we might be made the righ- “Our Saviour came to this world to endure
teousness of God in Him.”—2 Corinthians 5:21. in human nature all the temptations wherewith
“He, the sinbearer, endures judicial punish- man is beset.”—Sons and Daughters of God,
ment for iniquity and becomes sin itself for 230; Letter 264 (1903).
man.”—Story of Redemption, 225. “Christ was put to the closest test, requiring
“Christ possessed the same nature that man the strength of all His faculties to resist the incli-
possesses. He was tempted in all points like as nation when in danger, to use His power to de-
man is tempted. The same power by which He liver Himself from peril, and triumph over the
prince of darkness.”—Review, April 1, 1875. “The apostle would call our attention from
“I present before you the great Exemplar . . ourselves to the Author of salvation. He presents
as really did He meet and resist the temptations before us His two natures, divine and human.”—
of Satan as any of the children of humanity. In Review, July 5, 1887.
this sense alone could He be a perfect example “The humanity of Christ embraces fallen
for man. He subjected Himself to humanity to humanity, while His divinity lays hold upon the
become acquainted with ALL the temptations throne of God.”—6 Testimonies, 147.
wherewith man is beset; He took upon Him the “One with the Father in dignity and power,
infirmities and bore the sorrows of the sons of yet in His humanity tempted in all points like as
Adam.”—Manuscript Releases, Vol. 20, 71-72. we are tempted.”—Signs, April 26, 1905.
“In the wilderness of temptation . . He [our “It is the Righteousness of Christ, His own
Lord] was exposed to the assaults of satanic unblemished character, that through faith is
agencies. These assaults were more severe than imparted to all who receive Him as their per-
man has ever passed through . . In this conflict sonal Saviour . . This robe, woven in the loom of
the humanity of Christ was taxed as none of us heaven, has in it not one thread of human devis-
will ever know . . These were real temptations, ing. Christ in His humanity WROUGHT OUT a
no pretense. Christ ‘suffered being tempted’ perfect character, and this character He offers
(Heb. 2:18).”—1 Selected Messages, 94-95. to impart to us.”—Christ’s Object Lessons, 310-
“The welfare of the whole human family and 311.
of Christ Himself was at stake. One admission “The law drives us to Christ, who was hanged
from Christ, one word of concession, and the upon the cross that He might be able to impart
world would be claimed by Satan as his.”—1 His righteousness to fallen, sinful man and thus
Selected Messages, 95. present men to His Father in His righteous char-
“The temptations to which Christ was sub- acter.”—1 Selected Messages, 341.
jected were a terrible reality. As a free agent, He “But Christ, coming to the earth as man, lived
was placed on probation, with liberty to yield to a holy life, and developed a perfect character.
Satan’s temptations and work at cross purposes These He offers as a free gift to all who will re-
with God.”—Youth’s Instructor, October 26, ceive them.”—Desire of Ages, 762.
1899. “He employed the human faculties . . He lived
“He could have sinned; He could have fallen, out the character of God through the human
but not for one moment was there in Him an evil body which God had prepared for Him. He
propensity.”—5 Bible Commentary, 1128. blessed the world by living out in human flesh
“Was the human nature of the Son of Mary the life of God.”—Review, June 25, 1895.
changed into the divine nature of the Son of God? “Satan made stronger attacks upon Christ
No; the two natures were mysteriously blended than he will ever make upon us. There was much
in one person—the man Christ Jesus. In Him at stake with him, whether Christ or himself
dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. When should be conqueror. If Christ resisted his most
Christ was crucified, it was His human nature powerful temptations, and Satan did not suc-
that died. Deity did not sink and die; that would ceed in leading Him to sin, he knew that he must
have been impossible.”—5 Bible Commentary, lose his power, and finally be punished with ev-
1113. erlasting destruction. Therefore Satan worked
“As a member of the human family He was with mighty power to lead Christ to do a wrong
mortal, but as God He was the fountain of life to action, for then he would gain advantage over
the world. He could, in His divine person, ever Him . . You can never be tempted in so deter-
have withstood the advances of death, and re- mined and cruel a manner as was our Saviour.
fused to come under its dominion; but He vol- Satan was upon His path every moment.”—
untarily laid down His Iife.”—Review, July 5, Youth’s Instructor, April 1, 1873.
1887. “Satan instigated the cruel abuse of the de-
“He might have helped His human nature to based mob, led on by the priests and rulers to
withstand the inroads of disease by pouring from provoke if possible, retaliation from the world’s
His divine nature vitality and undecaying vigor Redeemer, or to drive Him to deliver Himself by
to the human. But He humbled Himself to man’s a miracle from the hands of His persecutors and
nature.”—Review, September 4, 1900. thus break up the plan of salvation. One stain
upon His human life, one failure of His human- for the sinner, made an atonement for him, that
ity to bear the terrible test imposed upon it, whosoever believeth in Him should not perish,
would make the Lamb of God an imperfect of- but have everlasting life. Genuine faith appro-
fering, and the redemption of man would be a priates the righteousness of Christ, and the sin-
failure.”—Story of Redemption, 59, 1877. ner is made an overcomer with Christ; for he is
“It was necessary for Him to be constantly made a partaker of the divine nature, and thus
on guard in order to preserve His purity.”—De- divinity and humanity are combined.”—1 Se-
sire of Ages, 71. lected Messages, 363-364.
“Jesus, the world’s Redeemer, could only keep “Those who are seeking the righteousness of
the commandments of God in the same way that Christ will be dwelling upon the great themes of
humanity can keep them.”—Manuscript 1, 1892. salvation . . They meditate upon the incarnation
“The holy angels were horror stricken that of Christ, they contemplate the great sacrifice
one who had been of their number could fall so made to save them from perdition, to bring in
far as to be capable of such cruelty. Every senti- pardon, peace, and everlasting righteousness.
ment of sympathy or pity which they had ever The soul is aglow with these grand and elevating
felt for Satan in his exile was quenched in their themes.”—Testimonies to Ministers, 87-88.
hearts. That his envy should be exercised in such “For verily He took not on Him the nature of
a revenge upon an innocent person was enough angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abra-
to strip him of his assumed robe of celestial light, ham.”—Hebrews 2:16.
and to reveal the hideous deformity beneath; but “Jesus has been over the ground. He knows
to manifest such malignity toward the divine Son the power of every temptation. He knows just
of God, who had, with unprecedented self-de- how to meet every emergency, and how to guide
nial, and love for the creatures formed in His you through every danger. Then why not trust
image, come from Heaven and assumed their Him?”—Review, July 19, 1892.
fallen nature, was such a heinous crime against “Christ alone had experience in all the sor-
Heaven that it caused the angels to shudder with rows and temptations that befall human beings.
horror, and sever forever the last tie of sympa- Never another of woman born was so fiercely
thy existing between Satan and the heavenly beset by temptation; never another bore so heavy
world.”—3 Spirit of Prophecy, 183-184. a burden of the world’s sin and pain. Never was
“Because He has tasted the very dregs of there another whose sympathies were so broad
human affliction and temptation, and under- or so tender. A sharer in all the experiences of
stands the frailties and sins of men, because in humanity, He could feel not only for, but with,
our behalf He has victoriously withstood the every burdened and tempted and struggling
temptations of Satan, and will deal justly and one.”—Education, 78.
tenderly with the souls that His own blood has “This is a deep mysterious truth, that Christ
been poured out to save, because of this, the Son is bound to humanity by the most sensitive sym-
of man is appointed to execute the judgment.”— pathies. The evil works, the evil thoughts, the
Story of Redemption, 44. evil words of every son and daughter of Adam
“The law requires righteousness, a righteous press upon His divine soul.”—Review, Decem-
life, a perfect character, and this man has not to ber 20, 1892.
give . . But Christ, coming to earth as man, lived “It was a difficult task for the Prince of Life
a perfect life, and developed a perfect character. to carry out the plan which He had undertaken
These He offers as a free gift to all who will re- for the salvation of man, in clothing His divinity
ceive them . . More than this, Christ imbues men with humanity. He had received honor in the
with the attributes of God. He builds up the hu- heavenly courts, and was familiar with absolute
man character after the similitude of the divine power. It was as difficult for Him to keep the level
character, a goodly fabric of spiritual strength of humanity as it is for men to rise above the low
and beauty. Thus the very righteousness of the level of their depraved natures, and be partak-
law is fulfilled in the believer in Christ. God can ers of the divine nature.”—Review, April 1, 1875.
‘be just, and the justifier of him which believeth “Christ suffered keenly under abuse and in-
in Jesus.”—Desire of Ages, 762. sult . . He knew that in a moment, by the flash-
“Christ satisfied the demands of the law in ing forth of His divine power, He could lay His
His human nature. He bore the curse of the law cruel tormentors in the dust. This made the trial
the harder to bear . . Thus when Christ was a man. Describe, if human language can, the hu-
treated with contempt, there came to Him a miliation of the Son of God, and think not that
strong temptation to manifest His divine char- you have reached the climax, when you see Him
acter . . But it was His difficult task to keep the exchanging the throne of light and glory which
position He had chosen as one with humanity.”— He had with the Father, for humanity . . (He) ‘be-
Desire of Ages, 700. came obedient unto death,’ but the manner of
“He became subject to temptation, endanger- His death was an astonishment to the uni-
ing as it were His divine attributes. Satan sought, verse.”—Review, September 11, 1888.
by constant and curious devices of his cunning, “The mystery of the incarnation of Christ, the
to make Christ yield to temptation.”—7 Bible account of His sufferings, His crucifixion, His
Commentary, 926. resurrection and ascension, open to all human-
“Science is too limited to comprehend the ity the marvelous love of God. This imparts a
atonement, the mysterious and wonderful plan power to the truth.”—Review, June 18, 1895.
of redemption is so far reaching that philosophy “Christ has not been presented . . as a faith-
can not explain it; it will ever remain a mystery ful and merciful High Priest, Who was in all
that the most profound reason cannot fathom.”— points tempted like as we are, yet without sin . .
Signs, October 24, 1906. His work as sacrifice, substitute, and surety, has
“The work of redemption involved conse- been coldly and casually dwelt upon . . The un-
quences of which it is difficult for man to have paralleled love of Christ, through the agency of
any conception. There was to be imparted to the the Holy Spirit, will bring conviction and con-
human being striving for conformity to the di- version . . This is life eternal, that they might
vine image an outlay of heaven’s treasures, an know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ
excellency of power, which would place them whom thou hast sent.”—Review, November 29,
higher than the angels who had not fallen.”— 1892.
Sons and Daughters of God, 243. “This robe, woven in the loom of heaven, has
“With what intense interest was this contro- in it not one thread of human devising. Christ in
versy watched by the heavenly angels and the His humanity wrought out a perfect character,
unfallen worlds, as the honor of the law was be- and this character He offers to impart to us . .
ing vindicated. Not merely for this world, but for When we submit ourselves to Christ, the heart
the universe of heaven, was the controversy to is united with His heart, the will is merged in
be forever settled.”—1 Selected Messages, 255. His will, the mind becomes one with His mind,
“Great truths that have lain unheeded and the thoughts are brought into captivity to Him;
unseen since the day of Pentecost, are to shine we live His life. This is what it means to be clothed
from God’s Word in their native purity. To those with the garment of His righteousness.”—Christ’s
who truly love God the Holy Spirit will reveal Object Lessons, 311-312.
truths that have faded (gone) from the mind, and “Jesus, considered as a man, was perfect, yet
also will reveal truths that are entirely new.”— He grew in grace. ‘And Jesus increased in wis-
Review, August 17, 1897. dom and stature, and in favor with God and man
“As one with us, He must bear the burden of (Luke 2:52). Even the most perfect Christian may
our guilt and woe. The Sinless One must feel the increase continually in the knowledge and love
shame of sin.”—Desire of Ages 111. of God.”—1 Testimonies, 339-340.
“He [Adam] was as faultless as the angels . . “Every miracle that Christ performed was a
no tendencies to evil . . But when Christ came . . sign of His divinity.”—Desire of Ages, 406.
He bore the likeness of sinful flesh.”—Signs, “The enemy was overcome by Christ in His
October 17, 1900. human nature. The power of the Saviour’s
“The burden of our message should be the Godhead was hidden. He overcame in human
mission and life of Jesus Christ . . Show to your nature, relying upon God for power.”—7 Bible
hearers Jesus in His condescension to save fallen Commentary, 924.
man. Show them that He who was their surety “When Christ took human nature upon Him,
had to take human nature, and carry it through He bound humanity to Himself by a tie of love
the darkness and fearfulness of the malediction that can never be broken by any power save the
of His Father, because of man’s transgression of choice of man himself.”—Steps to Christ, 72.
His law; for the Saviour was found in fashion as “There is an inexhaustible fund of perfect
obedience accruing from His obedience . . In “He did not employ His divine power to lessen
heaven, His merits, His self-denial, and self-sac- His burdens or lighten His toil. He had taken
rifice, are treasured up as incense, to be offered upon Himself the form of humanity, with all its
up with the prayers of His people.”—Review, attendant ills, and He did not flinch from its se-
October 30, 1900. verest trials.”—Counsels to Teachers, 276-277.
“For the past fifty years every phase of her- “Christ died that the life of man might be
esy has been brought to bear upon us . . espe- bound up with His life in the union of divinity
cially concerning the ministration of Christ in and humanity. He came to our world and lived a
the heavenly sanctuary . . Do you wonder that divine-human life, in order that the lives of men
when I see the beginning of a work that would and women might be as harmonious as God
remove some of the pillars of our faith, I have designs them to be.”—7 Testimonies, 49.
something to say? I must obey the command, “Passing down through the centuries, we find
‘Meet it!’ ”—Series B, No. 2, 59. that there came a time when God’s law must once
“He is a brother in our infirmities, but not in more be unmistakably revealed as the standard
possessing like passions . . While He was a child, of obedience. Christ came to vindicate the sa-
He thought and spoke as a child, but no trace of cred claims of the law. He came to live a life of
sin marred the image of God in Him. Yet He was obedience to its requirements and thus prove
not exempt from temptation. He was subject to the falsity of the charge made by Satan that it is
all the conflicts which we have to meet.”—2 Tes- impossible for man to keep the law of God. As a
timonies, 202. man He met temptation and overcame in the
“The soul must purpose the sinful act before strength given Him from God. As He went about
passion can dominate over reason, or iniquity doing good, healing all who were afflicted by
triumph over conscience.”—5 Testimonies, 177. Satan, He made plain to men the character of
“We need not retain one sinful propensity.”— God’s law and the nature of His service. His life
7 Bible Commentary, 943. testifies that it is possible for us also to obey the
“It was in the order of God that Christ should law of God.”—8 Testimonies, 207-208.
take upon Himself the form and nature of fallen “Christ’s identity with man will ever be the
man.”—Review, December 31, 1872. power of His influence. He became bone of our
“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield your- bone and flesh of our flesh . . He clothed His
selves servants to obey, his servants ye are to divine nature with the garb of humanity, and
whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of demonstrated before the heavenly universe, be-
obedience unto righteousness?”—Romans 6:16. fore the unfallen worlds, and before the fallen
“He took upon His sinless nature our sinful world how much God loves the human race.”—
nature.”—Medical Ministry, 181. Manuscript Releases, Vol. 5, 114 (Manuscript
“We want to comprehend so far as possible 165, 1899, “Words of Counsel to Ministers and
the truly human nature of our Lord. The divine Physicians”).
and human were linked in Christ, and both were “What Christ was in His perfect humanity,
complete.”—3 Selected Messages, 135. we must be, for we must form characters for eter-
“This is a great mystery, a mystery that will nity.”—Testimonies to Ministers, 173.
not be fully, completely understood in all its great- “His (Christ’s] life and character were the
ness until the translation of the redeemed shall unfolding or representation of the perfection of
take place. Then the power and greatness and character that man may attain by becoming par-
efficacy of the gift of God to man will be under- taker of the divine nature, and overcoming the
stood. But the enemy is determined that this gift world through daily conflicts.”—Faith I Live By,
shall be so mystified that it will become as noth- 114.
ingness.”—5 Bible Commentary, 1113. “Through faith in Christ, every deficiency of
“Satan cannot touch the mind or intellect character may be supplied, every defilement
unless we yield it to him.”—6 Bible Commen- cleansed, every fault corrected, every excellence
tary, 1105. developed.”—Education, 257.
“Behold Christ, the Sent of God, who, in this “As a man He supplicated the throne of God
world and in human nature, lived a pure, noble, till His humanity was charged with a heavenly
perfect life, setting an example that all may safely current that should connect humanity with di-
follow.”—Counsels to Teachers, 488. vinity . . His experience is to be ours.”—Desire
of Ages, 363. their sins and corruption. This is all to be done
“The heavenly intelligences will work with the in these hours of probation. It is now that this
human agent who seeks with determined faith work is to be accomplished for us.”—2 Testi-
that perfection of character which will reach out monies, 355.
to perfection in action. To everyone engaged in “All who profess godliness are under the most
this work Christ says, I am at your right hand to sacred obligation to guard the spirit, and to ex-
help you. ercise self-control under the greatest provoca-
“As the will of man cooperates with the will tion . . God has made ample provision for His
of God, it becomes omnipotent. Whatever is to people; and if they will rely upon His strength,
be done at His command may be accomplished they will never become the sport of circum-
in His strength. All His commands are en- stances. The strongest temptation cannot excuse
ablings.”—Christ’s Object Lessons, 332-333. sin. However great the pressure brought to bear
“This is an age famous for surface work, for upon the soul, transgression is our own act. It is
easy methods, for boasted holiness aside from not in the power of earth or hell to compel any-
the standard of character that God has erected. one to do evil. Satan attacks us at our weak
All short routes, all cutoff tracks, all teaching points, but we need not be overcome. However
which fails to exalt the law of God as the stan- severe or unexpected the assault, God has pro-
dard of religious character, is spurious. Perfec- vided help for us, and in His strength we may
tion of character is a lifelong work, unattainable conquer.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, 421.
by those who are not willing to strive for it in “Those who have accepted the light from
God’s appointed way, by slow and toilsome steps. God’s Word are never, never to leave an impres-
We cannot afford to make any mistake in this sion upon human minds that God will serve with
matter.”—5 Testimonies, 500. their sins. His Word defines sin as transgression
“Even one wrong trait of character, one sin- of the law (1 John 3:4).”—1 Selected Messages,
ful desire cherished, will eventually neutralize 115.
all the power of the gospel. The prevalence of a “Do not flatter yourself that He does not de-
sinful desire shows the delusion of the soul. Ev- nounce the particular sins that you love. Do not
ery indulgence of that desire strengthens the imagine that by some means you can enter into
soul’s aversion to God. The pains of duty and life without being free from moral pollution. If
the pleasures of sin are the cords with which we would live with Jesus in the mansions that
Satan binds men in his snares. Those who would He has gone to prepare, we must be like Him in
rather die than perform a wrong act are the only this world. We must be diligent to set our hearts
ones who will be found faithful.”—5 Testimonies, in order. Let us greatly fear seIf-deception.”—
53. Signs, June 5, 1884.
“By beholding Jesus we receive a living, ex- “The condition of eternal life is now just what
panding principle in the heart, and the Holy Spirit it has always been—just what it was in Paradise
carries on the work, and the believer advances before the fall of our first parents—perfect obe-
from grace to grace, from strength to strength, dience to the law of God, perfect righteousness.
from character to character. He conforms to the If eternal life were granted on any condition short
image of Christ, until in spiritual growth he at- of this, then the happiness of the whole universe
tains unto the measure of the full stature in Christ would be imperiled. The way would be open for
Jesus. Thus Christ makes an end of the curse sin with all its trail of woe and misery, to be im-
of sin, and sets the believing soul free from its mortalized.”—Steps to Christ, 62.
action and effect.”—1 Selected Messages, 395. “God has spoken, and He means that man
“When He comes, He is not to cleanse us of shall obey. He does not inquire if it is convenient
our sins, to remove from us the defects in our for him to do so. The Lord of life and glory did
characters, or to cure us of the infirmities of our not consult His convenience or pleasure when
tempers and dispositions. If wrought for us at He left His station of high command to become
all, this work will all be accomplished before that a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief . .
time . . No work will then be done for them [the Jesus died, not to save man in his sins, but from
unsanctified] to remove their defects and give his sins. Man is to leave the error of his ways, to
them holy characters. The Refiner does not then follow the example of Christ, to take up his cross
sit to pursue His refining process and remove and follow Him, denying self and obeying God
at any cost.”—4 Testimonies, 250-251. perfection and places before us the example of
“The righteousness of Christ is not a cloak Christ’s character. In His humanity, perfected by
to cover unconfessed and unforsaken sin.”— a life of constant resistance to evil, the Saviour
Desire of Ages, 555-556. showed that through cooperation with Divinity,
“The very image of God is to be reproduced human beings may in this life attain to perfec-
in humanity. The honor of God, the honor of tion of character. This is God’s assurance to us
Christ, is involved in the perfection of the char- that we, too, may obtain complete victory.”—Acts
acter of His people.”—Desire of Ages, 671. of the Apostles, 531.
“We cannot enter heaven with any deformity “What Christ was in His perfect humanity,
or imperfection of character, and we must be fit- we must be; for we must form characters for eter-
ted for heaven now in this probationary time.”— nity.”—Testimonies to Ministers, 173.
Signs, February 15, 1892. “Among the heathen are those who worship
“We must learn of Christ. We must know what God . . Though ignorant of the written law of
He is to those He has ransomed. We must real- God . . (they] have done the things that the law
ize that through belief in Him it is our privilege required.”—Desire of Ages, 638.
to be partakers of the divine nature, and to es- “There were occasions when Jesus stood
cape the corruption that is in the world through forth while in human flesh as the Son of God.
lust. Then we are cleansed from all sin, from all Divinity flashed through humanity, and was seen
defects of character. We need not retain one sin- by the scoffing priests and rulers . . When Christ’s
ful propensity.”—7 Bible Commentary, 943. indwelling glory flashed forth, it was too intense
“The controlling power of appetite will prove for His pure and perfect humanity entirely to
the ruin of thousands; when, if they had con- conceal . . His majesty shone forth. The truth,
quered on this point, they would have had moral obscured as it was by a veil of humiliation, spoke
power to gain the victory over every other temp- to every heart with unmistakable evidence. This
tation of Satan. But those who are slaves to ap- led to the words of Christ, ‘Ye know who I am.’
petite will fail in perfecting Christian charac- Men and devils were compelled, by the shining
ter.”—3 Testimonies, 491-492. forth of His glory, to confess, ‘Truly, this is the
“If we will trust Him, and commit our ways Son of God.’ Thus God was revealed; thus Christ
to Him, He will direct our steps in the very path was glorified . . the stamp of divinity was upon
that will result in our obtaining the victory over His humanity. He came as a divine Teacher, to
every evil passion and every trait of character uplift human beings, to increase their physical,
that is unlike the character of our divine Pat- mental, and spiritual efficiency.”—5 Bible Com-
tern.”—Our High Calling, 316. mentary, 1129.
“How man can be a counterpart of Jesus ‘In Him was life; and the life was the light of
Christ is beyond human comprehension. But the men.’ It is not physical life that is here specified,
Holy Spirit can strengthen our spiritual eye- but eternal life, the life which is exclusively the
sight.”—Sons and Daughters of God, 34. property of God. The Word, who was with God,
“The Life that Christ lived in this world, men and who was God, had this life. Physical life is
and women can live through His power and un- something which each individual received. It is
der His instruction.”—9 Testimonies, 22. not eternal or immortal; for God, the Lifegiver,
“He who has not sufficient faith in Christ to takes it again. Man has no control over his life.
believe that He can keep him from sinning, has But the life of Christ was unborrowed. No man
not the faith that will give him an entrance into can take this life from Him. ‘I lay it down of My-
the kingdom of God.”—Review, March 10, 1904. self,’ He said. In Him was life, original, unbor-
“Scarcely can the human mind comprehend rowed, underived. This life is not inherent in
what is the breadth and depth and height of the man. He can possess it only through Christ. He
spiritual attainments that can be reached by be- cannot earn it; it is given him as a free gift if he
coming partakers of the divine nature.”—Our will believe in Christ as his personal Saviour.
High Calling, 60. ‘This is life eternal, that they might know Thee,
“The greatest work that can be done in our the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom Thou
world is to glorify God by living the character of hast sent’ (John 17:3).”—5 Bible Commentary,
Christ.”—6 Testimonies, 439. 1130.
“God calls upon us to reach the standard of “What speech is to thought, so is Christ to
the invisible Father. He is the manifestation of “When it becomes the habit of the soul to
the Father, and is called the Word of God. God converse with God, the power of the evil one is
sent His Son into the world, His divinity clothed broken; for Satan cannot abide near the soul
with humanity, that man might bear the image that draws nigh unto God.”—Our High Calling,
of the invisible God. He made known in His words, 96.
His character, His power and majesty, the na- “Exact obedience is required, and those who
ture and attributes of God. Divinity flashed say that it is not possible to live a perfect life
through humanity in softening, subduing light. throw upon God the imputation of injustice and
He was the embodiment of the law of God, which untruth.”—Manuscript Releases, Vol. 1, 369.
is the transcript of His character.”—5 Bible Com- “Some few in every generation from Adam
mentary, 1131. resisted his [Satan’s] every artifice and stood
“The enemy of God and man is not willing forth as noble representatives of what it was in
that this truth should be clearly presented; for the power of man to do and be—Christ working
he knows that if the people receive it fully, his with human efforts, helping man in overcoming
power will be broken. If he can control minds so the power of Satan. Enoch and Elijah are the
that doubt and unbelief and darkness shall com- correct representatives of what the race might
pose the experience of those who claim to be the be through faith in Jesus Christ if they chose to
children of God, he can overcome them with be. Satan was greatly disturbed because these
temptation . . Unless divine power is brought noble, holy men stood untainted amid the moral
into the experience of the people of God, false pollution surrounding them, perfected righteous
theories and erroneous ideas will take minds characters, and were accounted worthy of trans-
captive, Christ and His righteousness will be lation to Heaven. As they stood forth in moral
dropped out of the experience of many, and their power, in noble uprightness, overcoming Satan’s
faith will be without power or life.”—Gospel temptations, he could not bring them under the
Workers, 161-162 (1915). dominion of death.”—Review, March 3, 1874.
“None are living Christians unless they are “Enoch’s life and character . . represent the
having a daily experience in the things of God lives and characters of all who will be translated
and daily practice self-denial, cheerfully bearing when Christ comes.”—Signs, November 11,
the cross and following Christ. Every living Chris- 1886.
tian will advance daily in the divine life. As he “In order for man to retain justification, there
advances toward perfection, he experiences a must be continual obedience, through active, liv-
conversion to God every day; and this conver- ing faith that works by love and purifies the
sion is not completed until he attains to perfec- soul.”—1 Selected Messages, 366.
tion of character, a full preparation for the fin- “After Christ had taken the necessary steps
ishing touch of immortality.”—2 Testimonies, in repentence, conversion, and faith in behalf of
505. the human race, He went to John to be baptized
“Man must do his part; he must be victor on of him in Jordan.”—General Conference Bulle-
his own account, through the strength and grace tin, 04-04-01.
that Christ gives him . . The Saviour overcame “Christ came not confessing His own sins;
to show man how to overcome. All the tempta- but guilt was imputed to Him as the sinner’s
tions of Satan, Christ met with the Word of God. substitute. He came not to repent on His own
By trusting in God’s promises, He received power account; but in behalf of the sinner . . He takes
to obey God’s commands.”—4 Testimonies, 32- upon Himself their sins numbering Himself with
33. the transgressors, taking the steps the sinner is
“Christ is waiting with longing desire for the required to take; and doing the work the sinner
manifestation of Himself in His church. When must do.”—Review, January 21, 1873.
the character of Christ shall be perfectly repro- “Christ . . had taken the steps which every
duced in His people, then He will come to claim sinner must take, in conversion, repentence, and
them as His own.”—Christ’s Object Lessons, 69. baptism. He Himself had no sins of which to re-
“Therefore he [Satan] is constantly seeking pent, and therefore He had no sins to wash away.
to deceive the followers of Christ with his fatal But He was our example in all things, and there-
sophistry that it is impossible for them to over- fore He must do that which He would have us
come.”—Great Controversy, 489. do.”—In Heavenly Places, 252.
“I present before you the great Exemplar . . are recognized as the children of God.”—Desire
As really did He meet and resist the temptations of Ages, 638.
of Satan as any of the children of humanity. In “There are many who in their hearts mur-
this sense alone could He be a perfect example mur against God. They say, ‘We inherit the fallen
for man. He subjected Himself to humanity, to nature of Adam, and are not responsible for our
become acquainted with all the temptations natural imperfections.’ They find fault with God’s
wherewith man is beset. He took upon him the requirements, and complain that He demands
infirmities and bore the sorrows of the sons of what they have no power to give. Satan made
Adam. the same complaint in heaven, but such thoughts
“He was ‘made like unto His brethren’ (Heb. dishonor God.”—Signs, August 29, 1892.
2:17). He felt both joy and grief as they feel. His “Let no one say, I cannot remedy my defects
body was susceptible to weariness, as yours. His of character. If you come to this decision, you
mind, like yours, could be harassed and per- will certainly fail of obtaining everlasting Iife.”—
plexed. If you could have hardships, so did He. Christ’s Object Lessons, 331.
Satan could tempt Him. His enemies could an- “The righteousness of God is absolute. This
noy Him. The ruling powers could torture His righteousness characterizes all His works, all His
body; the soldiers could crucify Him; and they laws. As God is, so must His people be.”—1 Se-
can do no more to us. Jesus was exposed to lected Messages, 198.
hardships, to conflict and temptation, as a man “Christ could not have come to this earth with
. . Your circumstances, your cogitations at this the glory that He had in the heavenly courts. Sin-
period of your life, Jesus has had . . He sees ful human beings could not have borne the sight.
your dangers. He is acquainted with your temp- He veiled His divinity with the garb of humanity,
tations. He invites you to follow His example.”— but He did not part with His divinity. A divine-
Our High Calling, 57. human Saviour, He came to stand at the head of
“Among the heathen are those who worship the race, to share in their experience, from child-
God ignorantly, those to whom the light is never hood to manhood.”—5 Bible Commentary,
brought by human instrumentality yet they will 1128.
not perish. Though ignorant of the written law “He did not cease to be God when He be-
of God, they have heard His voice speaking to came man . . The two expressions ‘human’ and
them in nature, and have done those things that ‘divine’ were, in Christ, closely and inseparably
the law required. Their works are evidence that one, and yet they had a distinct individuality.’ ”—
the Holy Spirit has touched their hearts, and they Signs May 10, 1899.
Topical Summary 53
Topical Summary
of Spirit of Prophecy Concepts
The following summary analysis of Spirit of ity and lived a sinless life (MH 180). He assumed
Prophecy statements on the human nature of the liabilities of human nature (5 BC 1114; 1
Christ was written by the present author in the SM 226). He took on His sinless nature man’s
early 1980s, and originally printed in Summary sinful nature (MM 181). He took the weakness
of the Human Nature of Christ (FF–306). of humanity (DA 111). He took man’s nature de-
It will provide you with an excellent source graded by sin (4 BC 1147), in its fallen condi-
overview of the subject, so that you can study tion (1 BC 1085; 4 BC 1147; DA 112; EW 150; 1
further into this wondrous theme as you have SM 256), and in its deteriorated condition (1 SM
opportunity. 253). The weaknesses of fallen man were upon
Him when He was tempted by Satan (5 BC 1081).
HIS NATURE He subjected Himself voluntarily to the condi-
Christ took the same human nature which tions of human nature (AA 333).
we inherit.
He did in reality possess human nature (1 HIS CHOICES
SM 247). He did not make-believe take human In this nature and in spite of those weak-
nature (5 BC 1130; 1 SM 247) and humanity nesses, He could have sinned; but He never
upon Himself (5 BC 1124). God gave Christ to sinned. He took our heredity, but He never made
be flesh of our flesh (SD 11). He had the same sinful choices. Though He had our inherited
nature as man (1 SM 408). He possessed all the weaknesses, yet He never indulged in transgres-
human organism (5 BC 1130). He took human sion. So He developed no propensities or per-
nature and lived human nature (5 BC 1124). He sonal tendencies to sin. Thus, though He took
took humanity that He might meet humanity (DA the wholeness of our inherited nature, He never
296; TM 190). He took upon Himself the same took our sinfulness; for He never chose sin. Be-
nature as man had (5 BC 1082). He took man’s cause of this, although He had the inherited na-
nature (5 BC 1081; DA 24, 49; 2T 201; 5T 235; ture of man after 4,000 years of sin, He at the
Te 287). God mysteriously allied Himself with same time had the sinlessness of Adam before
fallen human beings (CT 259). His fall. (Propensities are urges toward trans-
gression, resulting from earlier decisions to in-
HIS WEAKNESSES dulge in sin. But Christ never chose sin, so He
He took our inherited human weakness, with had no propensities.)
all the liabilities, degeneracies, limitations, and Christ could have yielded to temptation (5
infirmities of that nature. Every inherited weak- BC 1128) if He had chosen to do so (DA 117).
ness to sin that we have, He took upon Himself. He could have sinned (5 BC 1128). The earth
He was subject to the weakness of humanity would have become Satan’s kingdom if Christ
(DA 49) and to the infirmities and weaknesses had been overcome (DA 687). For our sakes,
by which man is encompassed (1 SM 256). He Christ took the risk of failure and eternal loss
subjected Himself to all of the humbling condi- (DA 49, 131). He took the nature that we have,
tions of man’s nature (4T 458). He took human- with the possibility of yielding to temptation (DA
ity with all its liabilities (DA 117). He took the 117). In His humanity, He was a free moral agent
infirmities of degenerate humanity upon Him (DA (5 BC 1082; 6 BC 1074). As with us, He experi-
117; MH 180). He took the infirmities of human- enced hunger, thirst and weariness (DA 311). He
was placed on probation (5 BC 1082). He was were those that the rest of us find so difficult to
not exempt from temptation (DA 71). He took withstand (DA 116). The fiercest assailed Him
man’s nature, but not its sinfulness (7 BC 912, in time of weakness (DA 120). All of these temp-
925). He took on Himself the infirmities of hu- tations could not bring Him to yield even by a
manity and then lived a sinless life (MH 180). thought (7 BC 927; GC 123). He met them with
Christ as man had no evil propensities (5 BC the Word of God (MH 181; DA 123). God’s Word
1128). Christ alone can strengthen man to fully was His weapon of warfare in meeting them (DA
overcome his evil propensities (3T 482). 120). Humanity would have been lost if He had
yielded to them (SD 24). Although they were
HIS RELATIONSHIP TO GOD most terrible, yet he did no parleying with Satan
He never chose separation from His Father. when he brought them upon Him (DA 120). He
This is a deeply significant fact. Although He took never invited temptation (DA 114); and when
our fallen nature, yet He ever linked His life and they came He had one answer for them (DA 88).
interests with those of His heavenly Father. (From His victory in meeting temptation has shown us
Gethsemane down to the time of His death, the how to meet and resist temptation also (3T 491).
Father separated from Him because He bore our They were overcome at every step (MYP 16) in
sins. But, throughout that time, it continued to the strength given Him from God (DA 24).
be His choice to keep His mind fixed upon the
Father.) HIS RESPONSES
—Citations for this section can be found un- Yet in spite of these intense temptations, He
der “His Method” and “His Example,” below. never once yielded to any of them. He never trans-
gressed His Father’s Law. Not once did He ever
HIS TEMPTATIONS choose sin. He never once chose a sinful thought,
In His human nature, He was tempted on all word, or action. He only lived to help and bless
points like as we are; and He was tempted on others.
each point more strongly than any of us ever shall It was Satan’s plan to overthrow Christ in
be. The temptations that Satan pressed upon the His fallen nature (EW 152). Christ defeated Sa-
humanity of Christ were far more severe than tan on every point in our behalf (9T 190). In our
those that any other human being has ever, or humanity, He met and overcame Satan (5 BC
shall ever, experience. The fierceness of the temp- 1108; MYP 95). He had a perfect hatred for sin
tations that wrung the heart of Christ were far (5 BC 1142; 7 BC 904; 1 SM 254, 322). The life
greater even than the habitual propensities (ten- of Christ, as a man, was perfect at each stage of
dencies aiding temptations, resulting from sin- development (COL 83). He lived a sinless (COL
ful practices and habits) that we must face. (In 83; DA 312; MH 180) and a spotless life (2T 50)
this paragraph, we are not referring to Satan’s from the manger to the cross (1 SM 223). He
temptations upon Christ to make use of His di- never sinned once with His lips (7 BC 936). He
vine nature, to aid His human nature. These manifested no human weakness or imperfection
temptations were also very strong, but because (PP 480). He was obedient and sinless unto death
they are not temptations akin to ours, we shall (1 SM 324). He was perfect as a man (1T 339;
not discuss them here.) TM 173), perfect in life (DA 311), and His per-
Fierce temptations wrung His heart (DA 753). fect purity is an example for us (ML 300). It is
He encountered the fiercest temptations that an unexplained mystery that Christ could have
Satan could invent (CD 167). They were greater been tempted in all points like as we, and yet be
than any other man has ever borne (4T 45). They without sin (5 BC 1128-1129). He was perfect in
were much greater than Adam’s (DA 117; ML His humanity (TM 173). He would not have been
323; 1 SM 267-268) or ours (DA 116). There a perfect offering if He had sinned (5 BC 1081).
has never been another born of woman who was
so fiercely beset by temptation as was Christ (Ed HIS PERFECTING
78). Never will mankind be tried with tempta- Because of this continual habit of obedience,
tions as powerful as those that Christ resisted the indication is that He removed from His hu-
(4T 45). They were Satan’s fiercest and most manity the inherited weaknesses that could have
subtle temptations (GC 510). The temptations inclined Him toward sin. In this way, He perfected
Topical Summary 55
a Christian character. But He did not purge sin HIS EXAMPLE
from His life, for there never were any sins exist- He was guarded by the angels as we may be
ing in His life. He removed the fallen hereditary guarded. He was guided by the Holy Spirit as we
characteristics from His nature,—and then took may be guided. He remained in continual con-
that nature to Heaven, there to bear it forever. tact with His Father as we may. He resisted temp-
He took a perfected nature to heaven, not a fallen tation as fully as we may resist it. He overcame
nature. and came off conqueror as we may. He overcame
every possibility of a hereditary and environmen-
HIS PERFECTING tal tendency to evil as we may. He lived life as we
may live it. His example and pattern is for us. If
Christ in His humanity wrought out a per-
we follow His example and walk in His steps, we
fect character, and this character He offers to
may daily have His victory. His life may be ours.
impart to us (COL 311). He retains His human
He exercised no powers or qualities that men
nature forever (DA 25-26). He took His glorified
may not have by faith in Him (DA 664). He was
humanity to heaven (5 BC 1125; 6 BC 1054; MH
guided step by step by the Father’s will (DA 147).
421; SD 22; 8T 267). He will wear His humanity
He elevates humanity by assuming human na-
throughout eternal ages (5 BC 1125; 6 BC 1054).
ture (SC 15).
—For additional citations on this topic, see
below under His Relationship to Us.
HIS RELATIONSHIP TO US
HIS USE OF ABILITIES While on earth He resisted and overcame

every hereditary and environmental tendency to
In His steadfast resistance of sin and obedi-
evil as we may do, through His empowering
ence to God, He made use of no power, capacity,
grace. He ascended to heaven still bearing that
strength, resource, or qualification that is not
nature, but perfected by steadfast adherence to
fully available to us.
the right, through reliance upon His Father. He
—Citations for this section can be found un-
continues today to be one with us in bearing our
der “His Method” and “His Example,” given be-
human nature. He fully sympathizes, under-
low.
stands, and ministers to us today. He asks us to
live as He lived while on earth. And through His
HIS METHOD Inspired Word, He explains how it may be done
Through submission, faith, prayer, study of and promises abundant help in fulfilling it.
the Word, and a constant dependence upon His Through His Holy Spirit He empowers us to do
Father for enabling strength, He continually it. He is our life Companion and will never leave
gained the victory. us for any reason, save that of our own choice.
He depended on His Father for means to re- By His humanity, Christ is linked with man
lieve His necessity (DA 368; MH 48-49), wisdom (COL 169). Through His humanity He is closer
and strength (DA 123), and for power to over- to us than a father, mother, brother, friend, or
come (DA 208). He did not employ His divine lover (DA 327). He is “near of kin” to us (DA 327).
power to lessen His burdens or to lighten His Although now in heaven, He has lost none of His
toil (CT 276-277). His divine power was not used humanity (TM 19). The human form of human-
for His own benefit (1 SM 276). He lived the Law ity will be borne by Christ through the eternal
of God in humanity (7 BC 915). He lived a pure, ages (SC 14). The life that He laid down in hu-
noble and perfect life, even though cumbered manity He took up again (5 BC 1113-1114; DA
with humanity (CT 488). He met and overcame 787). He never forgets that He bears our nature
Satan by relying on God’s power (7 BC 924). He (TM 19). Humanity is united with God’s throne
was not at liberty to use His divine powers to by Christ (DA 143). He is pledged to intercede in
relieve His necessities (Te 276). He received our behalf. He appears now before God, not
power to obey God’s commandments (MH 181). merely as a petitioner but as a conqueror claim-
Though bearing our nature, He rendered to His ing the victory (COL 156). He pleads before God
Father the same obedience that He required of for sinful men (AA 495; 8T 178), and introduces
man (7 BC 929). He was victor by faith (DA 756). them to the Father as His sons and daughters
(6T 363). He is a personal Saviour in His role of
intercessor on our behalf (Ed 132; MH 419). He cumstances in every way more trying (ML 323).
presents His spotless merits with our prayers, By enduring the test that Adam failed, Christ
confessions, and thanksgiving (COL 156). placed man on vantage ground so that he could
overcome on his own account through the mer-
HIS RELATIONSHIP its of Jesus (SD 24). All was lost when Adam
TO ADAM AND HIS RACE yielded to the power of appetite. The Redeemer
standing in His place, endured a six-week fast.
Christ stands in the place of Adam, and for
The length of this fast is the strongest evidence
these reasons: Adam was the federal head of the
of the extent of the sinfulness and power of de-
race. When he fell, all the race fell with him (for
based appetite upon the human family (5 BC
they were all his descendants). Christ is the “sec-
1079). But the first Adam was in every way more
ond Adam.” In Christ the race has a second
favorably situated than was Christ when each
chance. His victory redeems Adam’s failure. He
met temptation (ML 323). Adam had the advan-
has become the new federal head of the race. As
tage over Christ, in that when he was assailed by
in Adam, we are all destined to fail; so, choosing
the tempter, none of the effects of sin were upon
Christ, we may all be empowered to overcome.
him (Signs, Dec 3, 1902). He overcame, reveal-
Christ conquered on the point where Adam fell—
ing to all that the sons and daughters of Adam
the test of appetite. And He resisted this tempta-
can, through His grace, keep the Law of God (ML
tion in the wilderness under the worst conditions
323). Christ’s victory was as complete as had
and while bearing the nature of man after 4,000
been Adam’s failure. So we may resist tempta-
years of sin. Adam, on the other hand, was not
tion and force Satan to flee from us (ML 323).
even hungry when he was tempted. But Christ
did not overcome in the unfallen nature of Adam,
for then He could only have saved the unfallen HIS NATURE
Adam—and unfallen Adam needed no Saviour. In consideration of all this, be careful, ex-
Adam and all his race had fallen into environ- ceedingly careful, how you view the earthly life
mental and hereditary weakness to sin. And they of Christ. We have considered His nature, but
needed One who could reach them where they we must also correctly understand how He lived
were, conquer environment and heredity in their His earthly days in that nature. Do not think that
behalf and in their nature, and give them an ex- because He took our human nature, that there-
ample of overcoming in their nature, through the fore it must have defiled Him in some way. It did
power of God—an example that they could genu- not. He was ever pure, sinless and holy. The
inely follow. Adam taught them how to fail and 4,000-year mental, moral, physical heredity that
led them into a pit of failure; Christ teaches them He took upon Himself did not taint Him in the
how to succeed and strengthens them to over- least, for He never personally yielded to sin. Do
come. So, in summary of the matter: (1) Christ not presume to think that Christ was altogether
took Adam’s nature, that is, He took the nature human—an ordinary human being—in the way
of Adam’s race—human nature. He took the na- in which He lived, for He was not. He bore our
ture of man, not the nature of angels. (2) Christ nature; but, in it, He lived a totally sinless life.
took the nature of Adam’s descendants after He was “that Holy Thing.” No selfishness, tem-
4,000 years of sin—He took our nature, and it is per, haste, indulgence in appetite or passion ever
fallen nature. He took not the immaculate na- marred His days. He was a pure, sinless being,
ture of unfallen Adam. (3) He did not take two without a stain of sin upon Him. He never in-
different human natures; He only took one na- dulged in sin. He had the nature of man but not
ture. This was the nature of the human race in His conduct. And this makes all the difference—
its fallen, apparently hopeless condition. And for it sustains God’s position in the great con-
then, in that nature, He proved that through the troversy, that men on earth can obey the Law of
power of God there is no excuse for disobedi- God through divine aid. One of Satan’s charges
ence. was that it is impossible for God’s creatures to
He passed over the ground where the first obey His laws, with or without His help. Jesus
Adam fell and redeemed His failure (ML 323). took upon His holy being a fallen sinful ancestry
He endured the test where Adam failed (SD 24). and the weaknesses and degeneracies common
Christ was tempted by Satan in a hundredfold to us—yet He remained ever pure in that nature.
severer manner than was Adam, and under cir- His ancestry and heredity were fallen, but His
Topical Summary 57
soul was unfallen. Christ was not altogether such come upon Christ if He had sinned (1 SM 256).
a one as ourselves, for He always made correct He was free from all sin and error (7 BC 929),
choices. This may seem to be a great paradox, from the slightest stain of sin (MM 20; WM 53-
but the key lies in the difference between nature 54) and from the taint of sin (7 BC 927). As a
and choice. He fully took our damaged nature, sinless offering, He was a full and perfect sacri-
but He did not even once choose our wrong fice (LS 246). He was the great sinlessness pro-
thoughts and acts. Christ could take our sinful pitiation (7 BC 925). Guiltless, He bore the guilt
nature without ever being defiled by it, for He of the guilty (1 SM 322). He had no evil propen-
never made a sinful choice. And, without a sin- sity (5 BC 1128), no inclination to corruption (5
ful choice on His part, a fallen sinful nature could BC 1128), no propensities to sin (5 BC 1128),
give Him no defilement. Thus, at His birth, He and no taint of corruption (5 BC 1128). He had
had no taint of sin, nor thereafter. On His sinless a perfect hatred for sin (5 BC 1142; 7 BC 904; 1
divine nature, He took our sinful human nature— SM 254, 322) and was holy and pure. Have no
but that sinful nature had no effect in disturbing misgivings regarding the perfect sinlessness of
His purity. A consistent life of obedience by faith the human nature of Christ (5 BC 1131; 1 SM
was a power that Satan could not conquer. In 256). He was tempted in all points as we are, yet
regard to His heredity, He took all of our fallen He was untainted by corruption (7 BC 907). He
and sinful nature. But because of His pure was the spotless Lamb of God (DA 652; SD 25).
choices and decisions, it was as if He had a He was a perfect specimen of sinless humanity
sinless nature. For even though the fallen nature (7 BC 907). The perfection revealed in Christ,
and physical limitations pressed Him hard in God expects from us (CG 477). The purity and
His conflict with temptations, He determinedly, elevated morality of Christ awed men (3T 422).
and fully, resisted them all. The fact was that He The purity of divine character was maintained
bore our fallen nature; but, by consistent depen- in the midst of His human nature (ML 323). Sin
dence upon divine power, the effect was as if He found no place in Christ (5 BC 1117).
did not have a fallen nature. But, if He had not
had it, He could not be our Example. And this is THE NATURE THAT HE TOOK
what He is: a Perfect Example for us—a totally Christ really took our nature—all of it. He
Godly life in a nature exactly like ours. And yet, did not merely take our “physical nature” and
the intensity of this contrast is amazing (so much weaknesses. The physical part of man can only
so that most theologians cannot accept it). But it be separated from the rest—the mental and the
only accentuates something else that is amaz- emotional—by the theoretician. If such a major
ing: the overcoming divine power that is avail- division took place within Christ at His incarna-
able to mankind in the battle with sin. tion, we would be told about it somewhere. In-
stead, we are told: (1) Christ did not make-be-
THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL lieve take our nature or half-take our nature. (2)
He was holy and pure. His human soul was He took our fallen, sinful nature. (3) He took all
holy (2T 201) and His humanity was perfect (DA of our weaknesses, all of the weaknesses of our
664). In taking man’s nature, He did not in the nature. Do remember: He partook of all of our
least participate in its sin (5 BC 1131; 1 SM 256). fallen nature, but He partook in none of our fallen
He is the one faultless character that has lived choices. That is the key to the entire issue. Also
on this planet (4T 541). He knew not the least remember that if Christ only took part of our
taint of sin or defilement (1 SM 253). The life nature, then He can only be partly our Example.
and death of Christ would have been of no value Is Jesus only an example for your physical na-
to us if He had not been without sin (7 BC 933). ture—your skin, bones, and physical organs—
He became like one of us except in sin, so that but not an example for your moral nature—your
His life and character should be a pattern for us mind, emotions and thinking, choices and will
to copy (SD 23). He was a brother in our infirmi- power? The splitting of the intellectuals in re-
ties but not in possessing like passions (2T 202). gard to the incarnation of Christ is simply an
He never did one wrong action (WM 287). He attempt to explain away a truth which they are
did not become a sinner by His incarnation (SD not willing to accept.
25). He did not possess the passions of man’s He took on His sinless nature man’s sinful
fallen nature (2T 509). Divine wrath would have nature (MM 181). He took man’s nature degraded
by sin (4 BC 1147). He was made in the likeness our God: but those things which are revealed
of sinful flesh (Letter 106,1896). He united the belong unto us and to our children for ever, that
offending nature of man with His own nature we may do all the words of this law” (Deut.
(Review, July 17, 1900). He took fallen, suffer- 29:29).
ing human nature, degraded and defiled by sin It is an unexplainable mystery that Christ
(Youth’s Instructor, Dec 20, 1900). He took our could be tempted in all points like as we, and
sinful nature (Review, December 15, 1896). He yet be without sin (5 BC 1128-1129). The doc-
had all the strength of passion of humanity (Heav- trine of the incarnation of Christ is mystery (1
enly Places, 155). He came down to the level in SM 246, 249), a great a profound mystery of god-
humanity of those whom He wished to save (Re- liness (1 SM 246). It is a great mystery (7 BC
view, Dec 15, 1896). He took humanity in its de- 915) of love (2T 215). It is a mystery (5 BC 1130-
teriorated condition (1 SM 253). He was made 1131; 5 BC 1082) of mysteries that no man can
in the likeness of sinful flesh (DA 147). He had a explain (5 BC 1129). It is too deep for the hu-
truly human nature (3 SM 135). He had a human mind to explain or fully comprehend (SC
man nature that was identical to that of our own 106). It is a mystery that even the disciples did
(MS 94, 1893). He took upon Him the infirmi- not understand (DA 507). It is an unfathomable
ties of degenerate humanity (DA 117). God per- mystery (5 BC 1130). It is one of the most pre-
mitted Him to meet life’s peril in common with cious and most mysterious truths of the entire
every human soul, and to fight it as every hu- plan of redemption. It will ever remain a mys-
man being must fight it (DA 49). He bore the tery (5 BC 1129).
humanity that we bear (Manuscript 21, 1895).
He accepted humanity when the race had been SUMMARY
weakened by sin (DA 49). He was placed on pro- Here is the heart of this Scriptural teaching:
bation, just as man is (Manuscript 29, 1899). Christ took our fallen nature, but He never made
He came in the likeness of sinful flesh (DA 312). our fallen choices. This is the two sides to the
He carried all our infirmities and bore all our truth of the human nature of Christ. And here is
temptations (Letter 22, 1898). the heart of what it can mean to you: We have
the same nature that He took. In His strength we
THE GREAT MYSTERY can make the same good choices that His Father
We are repeatedly told that the human na- enabled Him to make. Jesus offers to let you
ture of Christ is a great mystery. What is myste- live His humble, submissive, obedient life—and
rious about Christ’s human nature? If we had to begin it right now. Christ’s way of living is of-
all the answers, there would be no mystery. It is fered to you at this very time. Take it. It is free
because some aspects of the nature of Christ are for the asking; but it costs—it costs a way of Iife,—
beyond our understanding and/or were never Christ’s way of life, Christ’s clinging, Christ’s
revealed, that there is a mystery. Among these prayers, Christ’s victories. You already have His
are: (1) How could Christ be at once fully hu- nature; now accept His life in that nature.
man and fully divine? How could He have two The truth is that the human nature of Christ
distinct natures? We do not know, but He did; is an open door that you may enter, just now. An
for this is what we are told in the lnspired Word. open door into His life. And, to express this won-
(2) How could Christ go through early childhood drous truth in a different way: As you draw near
without sin? How could He fully bear our fallen to receive that life, you kneel in repentance be-
nature and resist sin in His infancy? We do not fore Him at the cross; rising, you enter the Sanc-
know, but He did take our fallen ancestry and tuary in acceptance, and sit with Him in heav-
nature; He never sinned. This the teaching of enly places as He ministers for you precious
God’s Word. In connection with this, it is of in- blessings from His Father.
terest that we are told that Christ was guided by
the Holy Spirit from His birth; and, elsewhere,
we are told (in Adventist Home) that through
the faith of praying mothers, their children may
be guided by the Holy Spirit from their earliest
childhood also. In summary, then, on this great
mystery: “The secret things belong unto the Lord
Topical Summary 59
Doctrine was published.
———————————————————
5 - BECAUSE I DON’T BELIEVE IN THE
WHY I BELIEVE ROMAN CATHOLIC ERROR OF ORIGINAL
THAT CHRIST TOOK OUR NATURE SIN—the teaching that all men are born saddled
1 - BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS SO—It with Adam’s guilt,—and therefore Christ could
says He was the son of Abraham, and the son of not have been born with a nature like ours or He
David, through the line of Judah. He was the could never have been able to resist temptation,
second Adam in that He did the work of resist- even with the help of God. It is because so many
ing sin that the first Adam failed to do. In na- modernist theologians believe that legend that
ture, He was the son of 4,000 years of human- they see logic in the concept that Christ had to
ity; in mission, He overcame on those points on be somehow protected from that nature also. The
which Adam failed—and far more besides. truth is that the problem is not with historic
Adventist theology; the problem is in sending our
2 - BECAUSE THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY men to worldly universities, to obtain their
SAYS SO—In all those voluminous writings, she Ph.D.s—and refusing to hire them for key posi-
repeatedly, and in many ways, describes how He tions in our schools unless they have those de-
took the very nature that we have, the very na- grees. Catholic legends laid the foundation for
ture of real, fallen people such as you and me. this error.
And then in that nature, by relying upon the
strength of His Father, He fully resisted sin and 6 - BECAUSE I LOVE GOD AND WANT TO
never once yielded to it. He was a perfect Ex- OBEY HIM, CHRIST IS MY GREAT EXAM-
ample in overcoming for His children. PLAR; AND HE WILL ENABLE ME TO DO
SO—His life and death and mediation are all for
3 - BECAUSE DESIRE OF AGES SAYS me, and I intend that no one shall remove from
SO—The book about Jesus is Desire of Ages. me His life on earth or His mediation in heaven.
And pages 49 and 117 are the passages within it The “new theology” is trying to tear out both from
that discuss the human nature of Christ. Read the heart of Adventism. Calvary is not all that
them. They tell the human nature that He took. there is to the salvation of mankind. His life of
And other Spirit of Prophecy statements in other obedience by faith and His heavenly intercession
books only add to this basic concept of the very on our behalf are equally important.
real humanity of Christ, while cautioning us not
to think that He ever once sinned, for He never 7 - BECAUSE I BELIEVE, FROM SCRIP-
did. His inheritance is ours; His choices were TURE, THAT THE HUMAN NATURE OF
what ours may be by relying upon Him as He CHRIST IS PART OF GOD’S PLAN FOR MY
relied upon His Father. LIFE—By laying hold, by faith, on the earthly
life of Jesus and by clinging to the intercessory
4 - BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN THE HIS- work of Jesus in heaven, He enables His little
TORIC TEACHING OF OUR CHURCH DOWN children to be successful in following that pat-
THROUGH THE YEARS, until the 1940s, when tern—in resisting sin and living a Godly life. His
the Bible Readings note was changed and the life may be my life, and I thank God for it. Be-
1950s, when the General Conference-Evangeli- cause Christ’s nature is part of God’s plan for
cal Conferences were held and Questions on my life.
The Human Side of Christ:

A Brief Compilation
This is the only study in this book which was with such heredity to share our sorrows and
not written by the present author. It was sent to temptations, and to give us the example of a
him by a friend in the early 1980s, and was sinless life.”—Desire of Ages, 49.
printed in Christ’s Nature and You (FF–309). “But when Adam was assailed by the tempter,
This study is actually a very nicely arranged none of the effects of sin were upon him. He stood
Spirit of Prophecy compilation. The original title in the strength of perfect manhood, possessing
was “The Incarnation and the Human Side of the full vigor of mind and body. He was sur-
Christ.” Here is this study: rounded with the glories of Eden, and was in
daily communion with heavenly beings. It was
“The humanity of the Son of God is every- not thus with Jesus when He entered the wilder-
thing to us. It is the golden chain which binds ness to cope with Satan. For four thousand years
our souls to Christ, and through Christ to God. the race had been decreasing in physical strength,
This is to be our study.”—Youth’s Instructor, Oct. in mental power, and in moral worth; and Christ
13, 1898. took upon Him the infirmities of degenerate hu-
manity. Only thus could He rescue man from the
ARE MISTAKES BEING MADE?—“Christ’s lowest depths of his degradation.”—Desire of
overcoming and obedience is that of a true hu- Ages, 117.
man being. In our conclusions we make many “The great work of redemption could be car-
mistakes because of our erroneous views of the ried out only by the Redeemer taking the place
human nature of our Lord. When we give to His of fallen Adam . . What love! What amazing con-
human nature a power that it is not possible for descension!
man to have in his conflicts with Satan, we de- “The King of glory proposed to humble Him-
stroy the completeness of His humanity.”—7 self to fallen humanity!
Bible Commentary, 929 (2 John7). “He would place His feet in Adam’s steps. He
would take man’s fallen nature and engage to
WHY HUMAN?—“The only begotten Son of cope with the strong foe who triumphed over
God came to our world as a man, to reveal to Adam.”—Review, Vol. 1, 140.
the world that man could keep the law of God.
Satan, the fallen angel, had declared that no man THE DIFFERENCE—“He . . became like one
could keep the law of God after the disobedi- of us except in sin, that His life and character
ence of Adam.”—Manuscript 1, 1892. should be a pattern for all to copy, that they might
have the precious gift of eternal Iife.”—Youth’s
THE SECOND ADAM—“lt would have been Instructor, October 20, 1886.
an almost infinite humiliation for the Son of God “Be careful, exceedingly careful as to how you
to take man’s nature, even when Adam stood in dwell upon the human nature of Christ. Do not
his innocence in Eden. But Jesus accepted hu- set Him before the people as a man with the pro-
manity when the race had been weakened by four pensities of sin. He is the second Adam. The first
thousand years of sin. Like every child of Adam was created pure, a sinless being without a taint
He accepted the results of the working of the great of sin upon him; he was in the image of God. He
law of heredity. What these results were is shown could fall, and he did fall through transgression.
in the history of His earthly ancestors. He came Because of sin his posterity was born with in-
A Brief Compilation 61
herent propensities of disobedience. But Jesus cording to human descent. He is declared to be
Christ was the only begotten Son of God. He took a man, even the Man Christ Jesus.”—1 Selected
upon Himself human nature, and was tempted Messages, 247.
in all points as human nature is tempted. He “Though He had all the strength of passion
could have sinned; He could have fallen. But of humanity, never did He yield to temptation to
never for one moment was there in Him an evil do one single act which was not pure and elevat-
propensity.”—5 Bible Commentary, 943. ing and ennobling.”—In Heavenly Places, 155
(Letter 179, 1902).
THE DIFFERENCE MUST GO—“Self-indul- “Not withstanding that the sins of a guilty
gence, self-pleasing, pride, and extravagance world were laid upon Christ, not withstanding
must be renounced. We cannot be Christians and the humiliation of taking upon Himself our fallen
gratify these propensities.”—Review, May 16, nature, the voice from heaven declared Him to
1893. be the Son of the Eternal.”—Desire of Ages, 112.
“We need not retain one sinful propensity.”— “Clad in the vestments of humanity, the Son
7 Bible Commentary, 943. of God came down to the level of those He wished
“Moral perfection is required of all. Never to save. In Him was no guilt of sinfulness; He
should we lower the standard of righteousness was ever pure and undefiled; yet He took upon
in order to accommodate inherited or cultivated Him our sinful nature.”—Review, Dec 15, 1896.
tendencies to wrongdoing. We need to under- “In taking upon Himself man’s nature in its
stand that imperfection of character is sin.”— fallen condition, Christ did not in the least par-
Christ’s Object Lessons, 330. ticipate in its sin.”—5 Bible Commentary, 1131.
“As we partake of the divine nature, heredi- “He took upon His sinless nature our sinful
tary and cultivated tendencies to wrong are cut nature, that He might know how to succor those
away from the character and we are made a liv- that are tempted.”—Medical Ministry, 181 (Ro-
ing power for good.”—Review, April 24, 1900 m. 1:3; Gal. 4:4-5; John 5:20; Phil. 2:8).
(1 Peter 2:24; 2 Cor. 9:8; 1 John 2:29; 1 John
3:6-9). WHAT DID JONES AND WAGGONER
SAY?—“Moreover the fact that Christ took upon
CHRIST’S NATURE—“A human body and a Himself the flesh, not of a sinless being, but of
human mind were His. He was born bone of our sinful man, that is, that the flesh which He as-
bone and flesh of our flesh.”—3 Selected Mes- sumed had all the weaknesses and sinful ten-
sages, 129-130. dencies to which fallen nature is subject, is
“Christ did in reality unite the offending na- shown by the statement that He ‘was made of
ture of man with His own sinless nature.”—Re- the seed of David according to the flesh.’ David
view, Vol. 4, 201. had all the tendencies of sinful human nature.”—
“Letters have been coming in to me, affirm- Christ and His Righteousness, by E. J. Wag-
ing that Christ could not have had the same na- goner, 25-27.
ture as man, for if He had, He would have fallen “For Him to be separated a single degree, or
under similar temptations. If He did not have a shadow of a single degree, in any sense, from
man’s nature, He could not be our example. If the nature of those whom He came to redeem,
He was not a partaker of our nature, He could would be only to miss everything.”—The Conse-
not have been tempted as man has been. If it crated Way to Christian Perfection, A. T Jones,
were not possible for Him to yield to temptation, 34.
He could not be our helper. It was a solemn real- “And that this likeness to man as he is in his
ity that Christ came to fight the battles as man, fallen, sinful nature and not as he was in his origi-
in man’s behalf. His temptations and victory tell nal, sinless nature is made certain.”—The Con-
us that humanity must copy the Pattern; man secrated Way to Christian Perfection, A. T.
must become a partaker of the divine nature.”— Jones, 21.
1 Selected Messages, 408.
“Christ did not make believe take human EXAMPLE TO US IN CHILDHOOD, YOUTH,
nature, He did verily take it. He did in reality AND MANHOOD—“Christ did nothing that hu-
possess human nature (Heb. 2:14) . . He was man nature may not do if it partakes of the di-
the son of Mary. He was the seed of David ac- vine nature.”—Signs, June 17, 1897.
“If we have in any sense a more trying con- humanity can keep them.”—7 Bible Commen-
flict than had Christ, then He would not be able tary, 929; 3 Selected Messages (1 Peter 1:21,
to succor us. But our Saviour took humanity, 22; 1 John 2:6).
with all its liabilities. He took the nature of man
with the possibility of yielding to temptation. We CONCLUSION—“In His humanity, Christ
have nothing to bear which He has not en- partook of our sinful fallen nature. If not, then
dured.”—Desire of Ages, 117. He was not made like unto His brethren; there-
“As one of us He was to give an example of fore He was not, in all points tempted like as we
obedience. For this He took upon Himself our are, did not overcome as we have to overcome,
nature, and passed through our experiences.”— and is not therefore the complete and perfect
Desire of Ages, 24. Saviour man needs, and must have to be saved.
“Temptation is resisted when a man is pow- The idea that Christ was born of an immaculate,
erfully influenced to do a wrong action; and sinless mother and inherited no tendencies to
knowing that he can do it, resists, by faith, with sin removed Him from the realm of a fallen world
a firm hold upon divine power. This was the or- and from the very place where help is needed.
deal through which Christ passed.”—Youth’s In- On His human side, Christ inherited just what
structor, July 20, 1899. every child of Adam inherited, a sinful nature.
“The Son of God in His humanity wrestled On the divine side, from His very conception, He
with the very same fierce, apparently overwhelm- was begotten and born of the Spirit. And all this
ing temptations that assail men—temptations to was done to place mankind on vantage ground
indulgence of appetite, to presumptuous ventur- and to demonstrate that, in the same way, every
ing where God has not led them, and to the wor- one who is born of the Spirit may gain like victo-
ship of the god of this world.”—1 Selected Mes- ries over sin in his own sinful flesh. Thus each
sages, 95. one is to overcome as Christ overcame (Rev.
“But the plea, ‘I cannot keep the command- 3:21). Without this birth, there can be no victory
ments,’ need never be presented to God; for be- over temptation and no salvation from sin.”—
fore Him stands the marks of the crucifixion Bible Readings for the Home 1914-1946 (Rev.
upon His body, a living witness that the law can 3:21; Rev. 14:12).
be kept. It is not that man cannot keep the law, Since God’s messenger, as well as Jones and
but that they will not.”—Review, May 28, 1901. Waggoner, clearly shows that a proper under-
“Jesus revealed no qualities and exercised standing of Christ’s fallen nature is essential to
no powers that men may not have through faith a proper understanding of the “Faith of Jesus,”
in Him. His perfect humanity is that which all and therefore of the Third Angel’s Message of
His followers may possess, if they will be in sub- Righteousness by Faith,—shouldn’t we study into
jection to God as He was.”—Desire of Ages, 664. this matter and accept the light that God has
“The world’s Redeemer, could only keep the given us on it? Is it not for our best good to do
commandments of God in the same way that so?
History of the Changeover 63
History of the Changeover to the

Unfallen Nature Position
We have learned that the human nature of and frailties of the physical organism were not
Christ is an important truth. We will conclude innately and intrinsically a part of Christ’s hu-
this book with a brief overview of the history of man body but were borne vicariously.
the doctrinal change. It was only a few decades Let us now consider, in more detail, the his-
ago that our church was teaching the truth on tory of the changeover in the doctrine of the hu-
this point; but now, in books, magazines, and man nature of Christ in the Seventh-day Adven-
lectures, an error is being taught. tist Church.
From its earliest days, the Seventh-day Ad- IN THE 19TH CENTURY
ventist Church has taught that, when God par-
This great truth about the human nature of
took of humanity, He took, not the perfect, sinless Christ was shared by the pioneer writers in the
nature of man before the fall, but the fallen, sin-
Advent movement. Here are a few examples,
ful, offending, weakened, degenerated nature of penned by some of the leading men in our
man after the fall of Adam.
church:
The inclinations and tendencies to sin that “[Jesus] was made in all things like unto
are in fallen man’s flesh were in His flesh; but those whom He came to save . . In all points He
that, by complete dependence upon His Father, was made like His brethren . . And what the
His mind held its integrity and never by a shadow Law could not do, Christ came in the likeness
of a thought responded to the weakness or sin- of sinful flesh to do . . By His life He has shown
ful cravings of the flesh. that sin in the flesh is condemned, and He has
This view of Christ’s human nature in no way destroyed it, for in Him the body of sin is de-
denied or contradicted the Church’s stand on stroyed . . He has taken away this sinful na-
ture,—taken it upon Himself that we might be
the complete Deity and absolute sinlessness of
delivered from it.”—E. J. Waggoner, General
Jesus Christ. Conference Bulletin, 1891.
As late as 1949, this was the accepted teach- “The garment was woven in Jesus, in the
ing of the Church as presented in denomination- same flesh that you and I have, for He took part
ally published lesson quarterlies, books, and of the same flesh and blood that we have . . In
periodicals. my flesh;—it was my flesh that He had. It was
But, during the fifteen-year period between your flesh that He had . . The Lord Jesus Christ,
1940 and 1955, the words, “sinful” and “fallen,” who came and stood where I stand, in the flesh
with reference to Christ’s human nature were in which I live.”—A. T. Jones, General Confer-
largely eliminated from denominationally pub- ence Bulletin, 1893.
lished materials. “Christ came the first time, clothed with hu-
manity, taking not upon Himself the nature of
Since 1952, phrases such as “sinless human
angels, but the seed of Abraham, that He might
nature,” “nature of Adam before the fall,” and be made, like ourselves, subject to temptation,
“human nature defiled” have taken the place of pain, and death, that by His connection with
the former terminology. These phrases are in- humanity He might sympathize with His fallen
terpreted to mean that the human nature of creatures.”—S. H. Haskell, Bible Echo, March
Christ was “sinful,” “fallen,” or “degenerated,” only 15, 1889.
in the sense of weakness and frailty of the physi- “Very few of us realize how nearly the Divine
cal organism. It is said that these weaknesses nature approached the human in the person of
Jesus of Nazareth. More properly speaking, it yet He stooped to marry the lost race.”—E.
is impossible for us even to conceive of the infi- Farnsworth, Signs, May 6, 1897.
nite condescension that was necessary in or- “[Waggoner:] We begin with the ninth verse:
der that the Son of God, the associate of the ‘We see Jesus.’ Where are we looking?
Father, should appear in mortal flesh and par- “[Voice:] To man in his fallen state.
ticipate in human experiences, with all their “[Waggoner:] Yes, our gaze is directed to man’s
trials and weaknesses . . But ‘He was tempted first dominion; as we look, we see him fail, and
in all points like as we are’: consequently He still looking, we see Jesus taking man’s fallen
must have partaken of our nature. Should any condition.”—E. J. Waggoner, General Confer-
think this expression too strong, let them read ence Bulletin, 1897.
verse 16 of Hebrews 2: ‘For verily He took not “He brought divinity from the courts of glory
on Him the nature of angels; but He took on into fallen humanity.”—S. N. Haskell, Signs,
Him the seed of Abraham’ . . His faultless life January 17, 1900.
under those circumstances becomes a constant
“And that this is likeness to man as He is in
reprover of our sins as well as an encourage-
His flesh, sinful nature, and not as He was in
ment to our weakness.”—G. C. Tenney, edito-
His original [heavenly] sinless nature, is made
rial, Bible Echo, April 15, 1889.
certain by the Word: ‘We see Jesus who was
“By partaking of our nature, His human arm made a little lower than the angels, for the suf-
encircles the fallen race.”—Stephen Haskell, fering of death.’ Therefore, as man is since he
Bible Echo, February 15, 1892. became subject to death; this is what we see
“He took upon Him sinful flesh to suffer and Jesus to be, in His place, as man.”—A. T. Jones,
die for guilty man.”—A. W. Semmens, Bible Consecrated Way to Christian Perfection.
Echo, April 15, 1892. “Moreover, the fact that Christ took upon
“But if He [Christ] comes no nearer to us than Himself the flesh, not of a sinless being, but of
in sinless nature, that is a long way off . . It is sinful man; that is, the flesh which He assumed
true He is holy; He is altogether holy. But His and all the weaknesses and sinful tendencies
holiness is not that kind that makes Him afraid to which fallen nature is subject, is shown by
to be in company with people who are not holy, the statement that He ‘was made of the seed of
for fear He will get His holiness spoiled.”—A. T. David according to the flesh.’ ”—E. J. Waggoner,
Jones, General Conference Bulletin, 1895. Christ and His Righteousness, 27.
“The second Adam came not at the point Many, many more examples could be cited!
where the first Adam stood when he failed, but
(Later in this present book, we will document
at the point at which mankind stood at the end
the change that later occurred in Bible Read-
of four thousand years of degeneracy.”—A. T.
Jones, Review, February 18, 1896. ings.)
“So you see that what the Scripture states
very plainly is that Jesus Christ had exactly the PRESCOTT’S SERMON
same flesh that we bear—flesh of sin, flesh in On Sunday evening, October 31, 1895, W. W.
which we sin; flesh, however, in which He did Prescott preached a powerful sermon on the na-
not sin. But He bore our sins in that flesh of ture of Christ, at the Armadale camp meeting, in
sin. And what flesh could He take but the flesh Victoria, Australia. It contained 25 statements,
of the time? Not only that, but it was the very
that Christ took our nature in His birth and life
flesh He designed to take; because, you see, the
problem was to help man out of the difficulty
on this planet. Twice in that sermon, Prescott
into which he had fallen, and man is a free moral stated that Christ did not take the unfallen na-
agent. He must be helped as a free moral agent. ture of Adam.
Christ’s work must be, not to destroy him, not Ellen White was present and heard that ser-
to create a new race, but to re-create man, to mon; and, in eight manuscripts and letters, soon
restore him in the image of God.”—W. W. after expressed grateful appreciation for that lec-
Prescott, Bible Echo, January 6, 1896. ture (MS 19, 23, 47, and 52, 1895; and Letter
In the section, just below, we will quote more 25, 32, 83, and 84, 1895). It was only a couple
extensively from that sermon by W. W. Prescott. months later that she wrote that letter to W. L.
“He did not come to this world and take upon H. Baker, which we will discuss shortly, reprov-
Himself Adam’s condition, but He stepped down ing him for teaching that Christ had sinned.
lower, to meet man as he is, weakened by sin,
Prescott’s sermon was printed in the Janu-
polluted in his own iniquity.”—Stephen Haskell,
ary 6 and 13, 1896, issues of the Bible Echo
Signs, April 2, 1896.
“Infinitely superior in every respect to Boaz,
(our Australian journal). Here are portions of that
sermon. You will see why she valued it so highly: brethren’ (Heb. 2:11). He has come into the fam-
ily, identified Himself with the family, is both
“The theme of redemption will be the science father of the family and brother of the family.
and the song of the eternal ages, and well may As father of the family, He stands for the family.
it occupy our minds during our short stay here. He came to redeem the family, condemning sin
There is no portion of this great theme that in the flesh, uniting divinity with flesh of sin . .
makes such a demand on our minds in order “ ‘For there is one God, and one mediator
to appreciate it in any degree, as the subject we between God and men, the man Christ Jesus’
shall study tonight,—‘The Word became flesh (1 Tim. 2:5). There is a man in heaven now,—
and dwelt among us.’ Through Him all things the man Christ Jesus,—bearing our human na-
became; now He Himself became. He who had ture; but it is no longer a flesh of sin; it is glori-
all glory with the Father, now lays aside His glory fied. Having come here and lived in a flesh of
and becomes flesh. He lays aside His divine sin, He died; and in that He died, He died unto
mode of existence, and takes the human mode sin; and in that He lives, He lives unto God.
of existence, and God becomes manifest in the When He died, He freed Himself from the flesh
flesh. This truth is the very foundation of all of sin, and He was raised glorified . . Jesus
truth . . Let us consider, first, what kind of flesh, Christ, our own brother, the man Christ Jesus,
for this is the very foundation of this question is in heaven, living to make intercession for us
as it relates to us personally (Heb. 2:14-18, ..
quoted). “This union of the divine and the human has
“That through death, being made subject to brought Jesus Christ very near to us. There is
death, ‘taking upon Him the flesh of sin, He not one too low down for Christ to be there with
might, by His dying, destroy him that had the him. He identified Himself completely with this
power of death [Heb. 2:16, quoted] . . So you human family . . One version reads, ‘Inasmuch
see that what the Scripture states very plainly as ye have done it unto one of the least of these
is that Jesus Christ had exactly the same flesh My little brothers, ye have done it unto Me.’
that we bear—flesh of sin, flesh in which we Christ looks upon every one of the human fam-
sin, flesh, however, in which He did not sin, but ily as His. When humanity suffers, he suffers.
He bore our sins in that flesh of sin. Do not set He is humanity; He has joined Himself to this
this point aside . . family . .
“God made man a little lower than the an- “Jesus Christ thus united Himself with the
gels, but man fell much lower by his sin. Now human family, that He might be with us by be-
he is far separated from God; but he is to be ing in us, just as God was with Him by being in
brought back again. Jesus Christ came for that Him. The very purpose of His work was that He
work; and in order to do it, He came, not where might be in us, and that, as He represented the
man was before he fell, but where man was af- Father, so the children, the Father, and the El-
ter he fell . . Jesus Christ comes right down to der Brother might be united in Him . .
where he is, and meets him there. He takes his “ ‘Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end
flesh and becomes a brother to him. Jesus of the world’ (Matt. 28:20). By being in us, He
Christ is a brother to us in the flesh; He was is with us alway, and that this might be pos-
born into the family . . sible, that He might be in us, He came and took
“He came and took the flesh of sin that this our flesh. This also is the way in which the ho-
family had brought upon itself by sin, and liness of Jesus works. He had a holiness that
wrought out salvation for them, condemning sin enabled Him to come and dwell in sinful flesh,
in the flesh . . To redeem man from the place and help sinful flesh by His presence in it; and
into which he had fallen, Jesus Christ comes, that is what He did, so that when He was raised
and takes the very flesh now borne by human- from the dead, He was glorified. His purpose
ity; He comes in sinful flesh, and takes the case was that having purified sinful flesh by His ind-
where Adam tried it and failed . . welling presence, He might now come and pu-
“Christ came, and after a forty days’ fast the rify sinful flesh in us, and glorify us. He ‘shall
devil tempted Him to use His divine power to change our vile body, that it may be fashioned
feed Himself. And notice, it was in sinful flesh like unto His glorious body, according to the
that He was tempted, not the flesh in which working whereby He is able even to subdue all
Adam fell. This is wondrous truth, but I am things unto Himself ’ (Phil. 3:21) . .
wondrously glad that it is so. It follows at once “Let us enter into the experience that God
that by birth, by being born into the same fam- has given Jesus Christ to us to dwell in our
ily, Jesus Christ is my brother in the flesh, ‘for sinful flesh, to work out in our sinful flesh what
which cause He is not ashamed to call them He worked out when He was here. He came and
lived here that we might through Him reflect “Many hold that from the nature of Christ it
the image of God. This is the very heart of Chris- was impossible for Satan’s temptations to
tianity . . weaken or overthrow Him. Then Christ could
“By following where He leads, we shall know not have been placed in Adam’s position, to go
what Christian experience is, and what it is to over the ground where Adam stumbled and fell;
dwell in the light of His presence. I tell you, this He could not have gained the victory that Adam
is a wondrous truth. Human language cannot failed to gain. If man has in any sense a more
put more into human thought or language than trying conflict to endure than had Christ, then
is said in these words: ‘The Word became flesh, Christ is not able to succor him when tempted.
and dwelt among us.’ This is our salvation . . Christ took humanity with all its liabilities. He
Nothing short of it will meet what we have to took the nature of man, capable of yielding to
meet,—the world, the flesh, and the devil. But temptation; and, with the same aid that man
He that is for us is mightier than he that is may obtain, He withstood the temptations of
against us. Let us have in our daily lives Jesus Satan and conquered the same as we may con-
Christ, ‘the Word’ that ‘became flesh.’ ”—W. W. quer . . He assumed human nature, being the
Prescott, Sermon given October 31, 1895; infirmities and degeneracy of the race. It is not
printed in Bible Echo, January 6, 13, 1896. true that humanity has trials to bear which the
“Therefore, just as certainly as we see Jesus Son of God has not experience.”—International
lower than the angels, unto the suffering of Sabbath School Quarterly, “The Spirit of Sac-
death, so certainly it is by this demonstration rifice” a special testimony (Senior Division, No.
that, as man, Jesus took the nature of man as 41, Third Quarter, 1905, Oakland: Pacific Press
he is since death entered: and not the nature of Publishing Association), 8-9.
man as he was before He became subject to “Jesus was God acting in sinful flesh on be-
death.”—A. T. Jones, General Conference Bul- half of the sinner. He made Himself one with
letin, 1895. humanity.”—International Sabbath School
E. J. Waggoner wrote, “Here is the same mys- Quarterly, “Baptism and Temptation of Jesus,”
tery as that the Son of God should die. The Senior Division, No. 56, Second Quarter, 1909,
spotless Lamb of God, who knew no sin, was Pacific Press, 20.
made to be sin. Sinless, yet not only counted as “By assuming sinful flesh, and voluntarily
a sinner, but actually taking upon Himself sin- making Himself dependent upon His Father to
ful nature.”—E. J. Waggoner, Christ and His keep Him from sin while He was in the world,
Righteousness, 27-28 (1890). Jesus not only set the example for all Chris-
“When sin entered, death came; so when man tians, but also made it possible for Him to min-
sinned, death came upon him. God stayed with ister for sinful flesh the gift of His own Spirit
him; therefore, in that He stayed with man, al- and the power for obedience to the will of
though man had sinned, God took upon Him- God.”—International Sabbath School Quar-
self sinful flesh. And so He took upon Himself terly, “The Incarnation and the Priesthood”
death, for death had passed upon all the (Senior Division, No. 71, First Quarter, 1913,
world.”—General Conference Bulletin, “Stud- Pacific Press), 15.
ies in the Book of Hebrews” (Series by E. J. “That Son took the flesh of sinful man, and
Waggoner, No. 4. Lincoln, Nebraska, 1897), 45. overcame where man failed, overthrew sin in
“Christ taking fallen, sinful humanity upon the flesh . .”—International Sabbath School
Him is Christ crucified.”—Op. cit., 31. Quarterly, “The Flesh and the Spirit” (Senior
“The fact that He came in fallen humanity is Division, No. 75, First Quarter, 1914, Pacific
an evidence of God’s presence and His pres- Press), 16.
ence to give life.”—Op. cit., 46. “Christ assumed, not the original unfallen,
but our fallen humanity. In this second experi-
ment, He stood not precisely where Adam be-
FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY fore Him had, but as has already been said,
Throughout the first half of the 20th century, with intense odds against Him . .”—Interna-
tional Sabbath School Quarterly, “The Purpose
our speakers and writers continued to teach the
of the Incarnation” (Senior Division, No. 103,
truth about the human nature of Christ.
First Quarter, 1921), 248-249.
Here are a few examples:
“As the Son of man, He accepted the limita-
“Over a period of years this view of Christ’s
tions and conditions of our common human-
human nature continued to reach the majority
ity.”—International Sabbath School Quarterly,
of church members through the medium of the
“The Last Adam” (Senior Division, No. 105,
Sabbath School Lesson quarterlies. Sample
Third Quarter, 1921, Pacific Press), 3.
quotations are given below.
“Christ took upon Himself the infirmities and plainly indicates ‘that His heart, too, was ‘deceitful
sins of the flesh . . but to every sin He died, above all things and desperately wicked.’ In harmony
every lust He crucified, every selfish desire He with this, they also teach ‘that Christ might have failed
denied Himself—and all for our sakes.”—Inter- while on His mission to earth as man’s Saviour—
national Sabbath School Quarterly, “The Godly that He came into the world at the risk of failure and
Life” (Senior Division, No. 112, Second Quar- eternal loss.’ But the Bible repeatedly states that
ter, 1923, Pacific Press), 22. Christ was holy, that ‘He knew no sin,’ and that He
In 1924, Southern Publishing Association would ‘not fail nor be discouraged.’ ”—Frances D.
published a book by our evangelist, Carlyle B. Nichol, Answers to Objections, Review and Herald,
Haynes, in which (on pages 80, 83) he unequivo- 1952, 389.
cally states that as a people we believe and teach In part, the author replied that the “distin-
that Christ took sinful, fallen flesh. He points guishing mark of fallen mankind (that is, a de-
out that there really was no need for Christ to ceitful heart or mind) is not necessarily involved
come at all unless He was to take such flesh. in the possession of a human nature that is ca-
Through the efforts of colporteur evangelists, pable of sin” (op. cit., 392). He cites as an ex-
this Seventh-day Adventist teaching regarding ample, Adam, who as a human being was ca-
Christ’s human nature entered thousands of non- pable of sin but who did not sin until he exer-
Adventist homes tucked between the covers of cised his will in the wrong direction.
“In other words, Adventists believe that
Bible Readings for the Home Circle. This book,
Christ, the ‘last Adam,’ possessed on His hu-
under the heading, “A Sinless Life,” contained man side, a nature like that of the ‘first man
the following note: Adam,’ a nature free from every defiling taint of
“ ‘In His humanity Christ partook of our sin- sin, but capable of responding to sin, and that
ful, fallen nature. If not, then He was not ‘made nature was handicapped by the debilitating ef-
like unto His brethren,’ was not ‘in all points fects of four thousand years of sin’s inroads on
tempted like as we are,’ did not overcome as man’s body and nervous system and environ-
we have to overcome, and is not, therefore, the ment.”—Ibid., 393.
complete and perfect Saviour man needs and
In 1950, Southern Publishing Association
must have to be saved . . On His human side,
printed the book, Drama of the Ages. Authored
from His very conception He was begotten and
born of the Spirit.”—Bible Readings for the by the General Conference president, William
Home, Review and Herald, 174 (1942). Branson, this book was distributed and sold all
It was apparently with a similar view of over the English-speaking world. On page 70 of
Christ’s sinful flesh but sinless life that L. A. this missionary book, Branson wrote that Christ
Wilcox wrote in the Signs of the Times in 1927: “had taken upon Himself the nature of fallen
He came where I was, He stood in my place. In man.”
His veins was the incubus of a tainted heredity like a
caged lion ever seeking to break forth and destroy. STEP ONE:
For four thousand years the race had been deterio-
THE CHANGE IN BIBLE READINGS
rating in physical strength, in mental power, and in
moral worth: and Christ took upon Him the infirmi- On the next two pages (pages 68-69) will be
ties of humanity at its worst.”—Llewellen Wilcox, found documentary reprints of four pages from
Signs of the Times, March, 1927. Bible Readings for the Home Circle.
“In every temptation that assails, it is strength to Here is a brief overview of the printing his-
know that just such a temptation in all its overwhelm- tory of that book:
ing force attacked Him in unexpected times and ways;
In 1888, the first edition of Bible Readings
and that, with equal tendencies toward evil, in spite
of bad blood and inherited meanness, by the same
came off the Review presses. Those who have
power to which I have access, He conquered.”—Ibid. read the present writer’s book, Editions of Great
Like A. T. Jones and others, even while ex- Controversy, will know that the Review manag-
pressing this view of Christ’s humanity, Elder ers pushed that book ahead of the 1888 edition
Wilcox believed in the perfect sinlessness of of Great Controversy, because the several au-
Jesus Christ. (See Walter R. Martin, The Truth thors of Bible Readings relinquished royalty pay-
about Seventh-day Adventists [Grand Rapids: ments, whereas Ellen White refused to do so.
Zondervan Publishing House, 1960], 86-87. She had been instructed that she should receive
“ ‘Seventh-day Adventists teach that, like all man- that money, so it could be used to help Advent
kind, Christ was born with a ‘sinful nature.’ ” This work in various areas where needed. For this
place pages from BIBLE READINGS on

pages 68-69
place pages from BIBLE READINGS on

pages 68-69
reason, the “1888 edition” of Great Controversy ter, “A Sinless Life.” This happens to be the low-
did not come off the presses at the Review until est-cost Bible Readings available anywhere, and
1889, and at Pacific Press until 1890. (See the is also the first Bible Readings in history to in-
author’s book, Editions of Great Controversy clude a Scripture Index—which the book has
for the full story of the history of that most im- always obviously needed. The main print size is
portant book—in all its editions.) also slightly larger than the $50 colporteur edi-
On page 174 of the 1915 edition of Bible tion!)
Readings, a note was added to the chapter, “A
Sinless Life,” which clearly stated that Christ STEP TWO:
took our nature. THE EVANGELICAL CONFERENCES
But in the late 1940s, the decision was made
The present author’s review of the Evangeli-
to revise Bible Readings. On pages 143-144 of
cal Conferences and their aftermath (The Begin-
the 1949 edition, that note was changed to a dif-
ning of the End–Part 1-18 [DH–101-118]) is the
ferent one which downplayed the idea that Christ
most extensive analysis of the subject available
took our nature. It questioned “how far that ‘like-
anywhere. (At the present time, it is included as
ness’ (to sinful flesh) goes.”
Section 2 in our Doctrinal History Tractbook.)
So, in this new edition the statement, which
As Walter Martin and Donald Barnhouse later
had circulated with the book for thirty years, was
wrote in Evangelical magazines, the conferences
omitted because “it was recognized as being out
(many of which were held at our General Con-
of harmony with our true position” (Roy A.
ference building in Washington, D.C.) began when
Anderson, “Human, Not Carnal”; The Minis-
Martin, a Baptist writer, approached our lead-
try, September, 14, 1946). It was replaced by
ers and told them he was going to write an in-
the following statement:
depth book, exposing the doctrinal errors of our
“Jesus Christ is both Son of God and Son of
man. As a member of the human family ‘it be-
denomination.
hoved Him to be made like unto His brethren’— As he later wrote, they entered into a series
’in the likeness of sinful flesh.’ Just how far that of discussions with him that lasted two years—
‘likeness’ goes is a mystery of the incarnation during which they vigorously denied that the
which men have never been able to solve . .”— Adventist denomination still held to earlier doc-
Bible Readings (Washington, D.C.: Review and trines which the Evangelicals did not like. It was
Herald Publishing Association, 1949), 143. obvious that the men on the other side of the
In that same September 1956, Ministry table were determined to gain acceptance by
magazine article, Anderson discussed the revi- Protestants!
sion in Bible Readings, and gave the reason why “There were eighteen conferences, lasting one
the change had been made—because non- to three days and usually with three sessions a
Adventists did not like it! day. These were held periodically, in Washing-
“In fact, this particular point in Adventist the- ton, D.C., Reading [Pa.], Philadelphia, and New
ology had drawn severe censure from many out- York City over a period of eighteen months.”—
standing Biblical scholars both inside and out- L. E. Froom, Movement of Destiny, 477.
side our ranks.”—Ibid. The two men in charge of what became a
R. A. Anderson went on to state that the idea doctrinal sellout were Leroy Edwin Froom and
that on His human side Christ partook of man’s Roy Allen Anderson. Martin would come to the
sinful, fallen nature was eliminated because it meetings with questions to be answered; and, in
did not represent our “true position” (see Min- collaboration with Anderson, Froom would write
istry, September 1956, 12-14).
those answers. Anderson’s key work was keep-
Although that statement had first appeared ing Reuben Figuhr, the General Conference presi-
in Bible Readings in 1915, we have observed dent, contented with the progress of the confer-
that it correctly represented our “true position,” ences.
held down through the years from the time of Froom later described the first conference:
our earliest pioneers. In addition, the terms “sin- “The first conference with Martin and Can-
ful nature” and “fallen nature” were repeatedly non [Dr. George Cannon, Greek professor at a
in the writings of Ellen G. White. college in the Hudson Valley of New York], fol-
(For your information, in our own edition of lowed by others, took place in an available of-
Bible Readings, initially released in the late fice at our General Conference headquarters,
1980s, we included that 1915 note in the chap- in Takoma Park, Washington, D.C. Martin came
armed with a formidable list of definitely hos- denominational publishing venture. His organi-
tile and slanted questions, most of them drawn zation had sponsored Martin’s talks with the
from well-known critics of Seventh-day Adven- Adventists. In September 1956, this (in their own
tists—among them the inevitable Canright, on words) “bombshell article” came off the presses.
down to the late defector, E. B. Jones.”—Op.
Fortunately for our leaders, few of our people
cit., 479.
ever heard about it. Both Barnhouse and Martin
The outcome of the Evangelical Conferences
wrote articles in it, exposing the Adventist doc-
and the book which, in agreement with Martin,
trinal sellout, and promising that the Adventists
the Review published—radically altered church
planned to publish a book which would discuss
doctrine for all time to come.
their new doctrinal positions.
That book, Seventh-day Adventists Answer
In the above quoted statement, you will note
Questions on Doctrine (commonly referred to
that our leaders used a confusion of terms to get
as Questions on Doctrine), undermined our his-
their point across. They told Martin that our
toric teaching on the atonement, the nature of
people always believed Christ was sinless, which
Christ, and several other points.
is true. But they said it in such a way that Martin
(For an in-depth analysis of these matters,
believed they said that Christ had a sinless na-
we refer you to our two books, Doctrine Tract-
ture. Martin, who had a powerful mind, was a
book and Doctrinal History Tractbook, which
fast reader, had something of a photographic
contain all the relevant material.)
memory, and had scanned through many of our
“On a [Martin’s] second visit [to the General
Conference], he was presented with scores of books, including those by Ellen White.
pages of detailed theological answers to his Our men assured him that statements about
questions. Immediately it was perceived that the a “sinful nature” or “fallen nature” would hence-
Adventists were strenuously denying certain forth not be found in our new publications.
doctrinal positions which had been previously And this was done. In the years since the mid-
attributed to them . . 1950s, “sinful nature” has seldom if ever ap-
“He pointed out to them that in their book- peared in our journals and new books. At the
store adjoining the building [The ABC on Carroll same time, terms such as “Adam’s nature” and
Avenue] in which these meetings were taking “sinless nature” have appeared more frequently.
place, a certain volume published by them and
written by one of their ministers categorically
stated the contrary to what they were now as- STEP THREE:
serting. The leaders sent for the book, discov- THE MINISTRY MAGAZINE ARTICLES
ered that Mr. Martin was correct, and immedi- As head of the Ministerial Association, R. A.
ately brought this fact to the attention of the Anderson was editor-in-chief of Ministry maga-
General conference officers, that this situation zine, which is published for our ministers and
might be remedied and such publications be workers, worldwide.
corrected. In 1956 and 1957, a series of articles, in-
“This same procedure was repeated regard- tended to soften the blow for the changeover,
ing the nature of Christ while in the flesh which were released. Here are some examples:
the majority of the denomination has always
“Christ did indeed partake of our nature, our
held to be sinless, holy, and perfect despite the
human nature with all its physical limitations,
fact that certain of their writers have occasion-
but not of our carnal nature with all its lustful
ally gotten into print with contrary views com-
corruptions.
pletely repugnant to the church at large. They
“His was not a corrupt, carnal nature. When
further explained to Mr. Martin that they had
He took upon Him sinless human nature. He
among their number certain members of their
did not cease to be God, for He was God mani-
‘lunatic fringe’ even as there are similar wild-
fest in the flesh!”—Roy A. Anderson, “Human,
eyed irresponsibles in every field of fundamen-
Not Carnal,” Ministry magazine, September
tal Christianity. This action of the Seventh-day
1956.
Adventists was indicative of similar steps that
were taken subsequently.”—Donald Grey Barn- “He was indeed a man, but withal He was
house, “Are Seventh-day Adventists Chris- God manifested in the flesh. True, He took our
tians? A New Look at Seventh-day Adventists, human nature, that is, our physical form, but
Eternity magazine, September, 1956. He did not possess our sinful propensities.”—
R. A. Anderson, “God With Us,” Ministry, April,
Barnhouse had founded Eternity magazine, 1957.
which had proven to be a very successful inter-
“When God became man He partook of the God originally created it.”—Earnest W. Cox,
same moral nature that Adam possessed be- “The Immaculate Christ,” Ministry, December,
fore the fall. Adam was created holy, and so 1957, 10.
was Christ, for He became the second Adam.”— From 1955 to 1958, the present writer at-
R. A. Anderson, “Human, Not Carnal,” ibid. tended our Seminary which at that time was next
“When the incarnate God broke into human door to the General Conference building, where
history and became one with the race, it is our many of the Evangelical Conferences were held.
understanding that He possessed the sinless-
We were beginning to hear hints of the doctrinal
ness of the nature with which Adam was cre-
ated in Eden.”—R. A. Anderson, “God with Us,” changeover in the classes; and, outside of class,
ibid. students were quietly discussing the matter.
These quotations, illustrating a compara- When the “bombshell” Eternity article came
tively recent emphasis upon the perfection and out, as well as the 1956 and 1957 Ministry maga-
“sinlessness” of Christ’s human nature, present zine articles, everyone—students and faculty—
a striking contrast to earlier statements on this were quietly sending for copies. The present
subject. For example, the Sabbath School les- writer argued many times with Edward Heppen-
son for May 17, 1913, entitled, “God Manifest stall in various classes over some of these changes,
in the Flesh,” quoted a Roman Catholic state- but to no avail.
ment; and, then, stated unequivocally that it was
erroneous: STEP FOUR:
“God the Son, by assuming this perfect hu- QUESTIONS ON DOCTRINE
man nature, which He took from the blessed Leroy Edwin Froom (1890-1974) was held
virgin, was born in the flesh.”—Catholic Belief, in the highest respect at the General Conference.
208. As their in-house theologian and church histo-
“Thus by shutting Christ away from the same rian, he had produced the 4-volume Faith of Our
flesh and blood which we have (compare Heb.
Fathers and the 2-volume Conditionalist Faith
2:14), modern Babylon really denies the vital
truth of Christianity, although pretending to
of Our Fathers. During and following the Evan-
teach it. Such is the mystery of iniquity.”—In- gelical Conferences, which on the Adventist side
ternational Sabbath School Quarterly, “God Froom led out in, Walter Martin also viewed him
Manifested in the Flesh” (Senior Division, No. with the highest respect,—especially since it was
72, Second Quarter, Oakland: Pacific Press obvious that Froom, the pivotal Adventist leader
Publishing Association, 1913), 26. in the talks, went out of his way to doctor our
“By its dogma concerning the immaculate teachings so they would be received by the Evan-
conception of the virgin Mary, the Roman Catho- gelicals.
lic Church gives to the Son of God in the incar- As part of the agreement, Martin’s forthcom-
nation a ‘perfect human nature,’ and thereby
ing book, The Truth about Seventh-day Adven-
separates Him from those He came to save.
tists, exonerating us as “Christians,” was to be
“This denial of the perfect union of Christ
with sinful flesh opens the way for a series of
released at the same time as a book published
subsidiary mediators whose duty it is to bring by the Review, titled Seventh-day Adventists An-
the sinner into saving touch with Christ.”—In- swer Questions on Doctrine.
ternational Sabbath School Quarterly, “The In- When Questions on Doctrine was released
carnation and the Priesthood” (Senior Division, in 1957, Roy Anderson, who was extremely in-
No. 71, First Quarter, Oakland: Pacific Press fluential, arranged for thousands of free copies
Publishing Association, 1913), 14. to be mailed to every Christian college and semi-
The belief that Christ had the “sinless” hu- nary in the world. Multiplied thousands of free
man nature of Adam before the fall rather than copies were also mailed to various denomina-
the “sinful” nature of fallen man is clearly ex- tional headquarters, leaders, and local pastors.
pressed in an article in a Ministry magazine ar- The cost of all this (Questions on Doctrine was
ticle, entitled, “The Immaculate Christ.” a full-size, cloth-bound book) was immense. For
“Before Adam fell, he was pure and clean, many more details, see the author’s documen-
without taint of sin. He possessed human na- tary on the Evangelical Conferences, The Begin-
ture, undefiled, as God created it. When Jesus,
ning of the End, now in our Doctrinal History
‘the second man,’ ‘the last Adam’ (1 Cor. 15:45-
Tractbook.
47), came, in addition to His divine nature, He
“Many thousands of copies have been placed
also possessed human nature, undefiled, as
with clergymen and theology teachers not of our ited passions and pollutions that corrupt the
faith—in a few instances thousands in a single natural descendants of Adam. He was ‘without
conference. And they have had their wholesome sin,’ not only in His outward conduct, but in
effect. Its total circulation by 1970 had exceeded His very nature. [He was] sinless in His life and
138,000.”—L. E. Froom, Movement of Destiny, in His nature.”—Op. cit., 383.
489. Of course, we all believe that Christ never
In Questions on Doctrine, Froom (the author sinned. But, in the above passage, Froom says
of the book) very skillfully explained away the that Christ inherited none of the negative fac-
fact that Ellen White used the words, “sinful,” tors which we inherit.
“fallen,” and “deteriorated” human nature” in From the beginning, the two books (Martin’s
referring to Christ: and ours) were to be released simultaneously,
“It could hardly be construed, however, from and to be sold in each other’s bookstores. But
the record of either Isaiah or Matthew, that this did not happen. After ours was released,
Jesus was diseased or that He experienced frail- extensive revisions were on Martin’s book; it was
ties to which our fallen human nature is heir.
not published until three years later (1960). Be-
But He did bear all this. Could it not be that He
bore this vicariously also, just as He bore the cause it contained so many attacks on Adven-
sins of the whole world? tists, our ABCs refused to carry it.
“These weaknesses, frailties, infirmities, fail-
ings are things which we, with our sinful, fallen STEP FIVE:
natures, have to bear. To us they are natural, FROOM’S MOVEMENT OF DESTINY
inherent; but when He bore them, He took them As Leroy Edwin Froom neared the end of his
not as something innately His, but He bore them
life, he wrote a book reviewing doctrinal changes
as our substitute. He bore them in His perfect,
sinless nature. Again, we remark, Christ bore
in our denomination. In view of the very serious
all this vicariously, just as vicariously He bore changes which have occurred, the book, Move-
the iniquities of us all. ment of Destiny, could well have been called
“It is in this sense that all should understand “Destiny of a Movement.”
the writings of Ellen G. White when she refers Published in 1971 (Froom died in 1974, at
occasionally to sinful, fallen, and deteriorated the age of 84), the book uses the same wordy
human nature.”—Op. cit., 59-60. style found in Questions on Doctrine and his
Froom here puts words in the mouth of Ellen Faith of our Fathers books.
White, trying to make her say that Christ did not The first chapter of Movement of Destiny is
take our nature, but that He only took it “vicari- remarkable in the way it hints at so much. Froom
ously” as our “substitute.” The dictionary defines was obviously quite pleased with his central role,
vicarious as “experienced or enjoyed by imagi- and he wanted the reader to recognize the piv-
nary sharing in the experience of another.” otal nature of his activities. He said he could not
Anyone acquainted with L. E. Froom’s writ- write the book until enough people had died off.
ings knew he was a master of vocabulary. Here The book culminated in a defense of the
is a companion statement in that book: Evangelical Conferences, the “grand results” they
“All that Jesus took, all that He bore, whether produced.
the burden and penalty of our iniquities, or the Froom said he was thankful that all his re-
diseases and frailties of our human nature— search resulted in opportunities to lecture be-
all was taken and borne vicariously. Just as
fore various Protestant and Catholic groups; so
bearing vicariously the sins of the whole world
did not taint His perfect, sinless soul, neither
they could recognize that we were, indeed, Chris-
did bearing the diseases and frailties of our tians, sharing similar beliefs.
fallen nature taint Him in the slightest degree “The church groups included Episcopalian,
with the corrupting influences of sin.”—Op. cit., Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Reformed,
61-62. Congregationist, United Brethren, and even Pen-
tecostal and Unitarian faiths—as well as an or-
The following passage from the book clearly
ganization of converted Roman Catholic priests.
teaches the error that Christ took an immacu- So I write from personal knowledge, for I spoke
late nature rather than the nature you and I in- to each of these groups.
herit: “Universities such as Marburg (Germany),
“Although born in the flesh, He was never- Rutgers (N.J.), and Pittsburg (Pa.) extended un-
theless God, and was exempt from the inher- usual invitations, with gratifying results from
the presentation opportunities, with question graph [in Movement of Destiny] opens with a
periods. And following these came various dia- title line: ‘Took Sinless Nature of Adam before
logues with Roman Catholic student priests— Fall.’ This heading is followed by nineteen state-
but groups and individuals—which were highly ments purporting to support its conclusion.
fruitful and refreshingly frank. In one instance Within each statement is a tiny quotation frag-
the contact was with thirty-eight student priests- ment from Ellen White.
in-training for the Catholic University of Amer- “ ‘But as Ellen White wrote these quotations,
ica, in Washington, D.C.—an hour for presen- not a single one of them says that Christ took
tation, and an hour for questions. Out of this, the nature of Adam before the fall, and some of
smaller follow-up groups of five to eight. Later, them say exactly the opposite! . . Three frag-
I was privileged to address a class of graduate ments are all taken from the same paragraph
students at the same ‘Catholic U.,’ on the same in Ellen White’s writings . . [which] opens with
theme.”—L. E. Froom, Movement of Destiny, the unequivocal statement that Christ took the
466. fallen nature of man!’ ”—Ralph Larson, Docu-
Elsewhere in the book, Froom says that Mar- mentary Fraud, FF–26, p. 2, now in Doctrinal
tin initially complained about four heretical no- History Tractbook.
tions; and Froom set to work to clarify these: So much for the scholarship of Dr. Froom.
“According to Martin, the four leading charges
commonly brought against Adventism, dealt
STEP SIX:
with in his article [in a Protestant journal], were:
JOHNSSON AND THE REVIEW
“(1) that the atonement of Christ was not
completed upon the cross; (2) that salvation is When, in the early 1980s, William Johnsson
the result of grace plus the works of the law; (3) began as editor-in-chief of the Adventist Review,
that the Lord Jesus Christ was not a created major changeovers began to occur in our de-
being, not from all eternity; (4) and that He par- nominational paper.
took of man’s sinful fallen nature at the incar- Among other changes, articles began appear-
nation.’ ”—Op. cit., 473. ing which recommended erroneous doctrines
It is true that a few of our 19th century writ- and lowered standards. Photographs and draw-
ers advocated Arianism (point 3, above), but the ings were printed which would never have been
other positions are solid Adventism! Yet Froom seen in the Review in earlier decades.
set to work to change our historic beliefs on each Among the changes which occurred were
and every one of them. articles advocating the pre-fall nature of Christ.
He succeeded so well, that Martin later wrote, One example of this was an article in the June
in an Evangelical journal, as quoted below by 30, 1983, issue, authored by Norman Gulley.
Froom in his book: Gulley stated that “the church has never
“Since there is no conceivable doctrinal taken a stand for or against one or the other” of
ground, in the light of verifiable evidence where
the two positions on the human nature of Christ.
the fundamental tenets of the historic Gospel
You will recall, earlier in this present book,
are concerned for refusing that outstretched
hand, I for one encourage the extension of our we quoted Morris Venden’s statement in Insight,
hand which will usher in an new era of under- that the fallen nature of Christ concept dovetailed
standing and spiritual growth among the with that of the idea that sin was transgression
Church which is Christ’s body.”—Walter Mar- of the law, and that we can overcome sin in our
tin, quoted in L. E. Froom, Movement of Des- lives now. Venden said that he believed that sin
tiny, 475. is only a broken relationship with God.
Froom’s book, Movement of Destiny, gave In his Review article, Gulley took this same
added respectability to the doctrinal changes, in position, saying that the definition of sin “is not
the eyes of many of our church leaders and pas- so much a breaking of the law as it is a broken
tors. Yet he chopped up and twisted Spirit of relationship that leads to lawbreaking.”
Prophecy quotations, in order to support his Thus both men switch cause and effect. The
contention that Ellen White agreed with his ver- Bible says that sin is the transgression of the
sion of the human nature of Christ. See Doctri- law (1 John 3:4). That is the cause. The Bible
nal Fraud (FF–26, now in our Doctrinal His- also says that the effect of sin is the broken rela-
tory Tractbook) for more on this. Here is a tionship.
sample: “But your iniquities have separated between
“ ‘The reader has now observed that the para- you and your God, and your sins have hid His
face from you, that He will not hear.”—Isaiah Barth, Barclay, Schweitzer, etc. (see pages 48-
59:2. 51).
It is bad enough that doctrinal errors are Then Gulley uses still another “proof,” that
printed in the pages of “the good old Review.” Christ could only save us by not taking our na-
But, to make matters worse, no articles advo- ture; he says that Christ lived 2,000 years be-
cating the truth were printed! fore our time, and human nature then would not
STEP SEVEN: have been adequate to save us today!
THE 1983 GULLEY QUARTERLY “If Jesus lived four thousand years after
AND BOOK Adam, we live two thousand years farther down
the line. Surely we have a much harder time
The senior Sabbath School Quarterly for the than Jesus.”—Op. cit., 52.
First Quarter of 1983 was entitled Christ’s All- Can you imagine such trite being printed on
atoning Sacrifice. The lesson-help book which the presses of the Review & Herald and sold
accompanied it bore the name, Christ Our Sub- through Adventist bookstores as truth!
stitute. Gulley caps his arguments for error, by de-
Both were written by Norman R. Gulley, a claring that we have Original Sin and Christ did
religion teacher at Southern College (now South- not!
ern University), in Collegedale, Tennessee. “In fact, we do not have to do anything wrong
In an attempt to placate both sides while in- to become sinners. We are born that way. But
sidiously instilling error, Gulley taught that Christ Jesus was born sinless.”—Op. cit., 53.
had Adam’s pre-fall nature, combined with our Original Sin is the error invented by the li-
post-fall physical infirmities. centious “Saint” Augustine. He was so vile, that,
“Christ took the spiritual nature of man be- by his own admission, he could not stop living
fore the fall, and the physical nature of man with women he was not married to. So he de-
after the fall.”—N. R. Gulley, Christ Our Sub- vised the “Original Sin” teaching, to explain why
stitute, 33. he could still go to heaven. (Because he taught
If that is true, then He did not really take our strict submission to Rome, the Vatican later
nature. Repeatedly, the Bible and Spirit of Proph- made him a saint.)
ecy said that Christ took our nature, and that it
was a “fallen” nature; yet, in that nature, He re-
sisted temptation and sin. When the nature of STEP EIGHT: THE BOOK,
Christ is referred to in Scripture, it is moral is- SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS BELIEVE
sues which are dwelt upon, not physical flaws. The book, Questions on Doctrine, went out
Then Gulley uses another new theology ar- of print in 1980. In March 1983, Walter Martin
gument: If Christ had really taken our nature, gave a lecture at Napa, California, in which he
He would have fallen into sin, since it is impos- announced that he had written letters to our lead-
sible for mankind to stop sinning—even with ers in Takoma Park, threatening to negatively
God’s help! revise his book, The Truth about Seventh-day
“He [Christ] had to identify Himself with us Adventists, if we did not reprint Questions on
as far as His saving mission made it necessary. Doctrine or issue a new book, to take its place,
But He could not go beyond the requirements which also had the same doctrinal changes.
of His mission or He would have needed a Sav- Martin was very blunt and forceful about this.
iour Himself, and therefore His mission would The present writer reprinted sizeable portions
have been a failure.”—Op. cit., 38.
of that lecture, and also noted this:
The idea here was to “somehow save us,” “ ‘He [Martin] said that if Seventh-day Adven-
without Himself being caught by Satan. tists continued to believe they are ‘the remnant
Of course, the truth is that, if it is impossible church,’ that Christ did not have a sinless na-
to stop sinning, even with God’s help,—then the ture, and that the atonement was not finished
law of God cannot be kept—and Satan is right at the cross . . they will be classed with the cults.
in the great controversy after all! “[He said] that Reuben Figuhr and the Holy
In support of his position, Gulley quotes a Spirit had transformed the church . . they will
long (long!) list of pagans (Ovid, Euripides, have so much to lose if they do not take the
correct position, as stated in Questions on Doc-
Senaeca, Epictetus, etc.), Catholics (Augustine,
trine.
Methodius, etc.), and Protestants (Hort, Moule,
“ ‘[He said,] ‘We must fight for our Seventh-
day Adventist brethren, that the church will take “The Bible portrays Jesus’ humanity as sin-
the right position. Questions on Doctrine has less. His birth was supernatural—He was con-
been suppressed, and now voices are teaching ceived by the Holy Spirit. As a newborn baby
heresy which the church originally repudiated. He was described as ‘that Holy One.’ He took
This must be remedied. Adventism is answer- the nature of man in its fallen state [that is, He
able to the authority of the Word of God, not to took our fallen nature], bearing the conse-
those who would perpetuate heresy’ . . quences of sin, not its sinfulness [that is, He
“ ‘He stated that he had submitted a list of did not take our fallen nature]. He was one with
questions to the General Conference, to be an- the human race, except in sin.”—Op. cit., 49/
swered by the hierarchy, and not the ‘lunatic 1:1-2.
fringe,’ so that he will know what information The new theology can be subtle in the ex-
to put in his forthcoming book and tapes.’ ”— treme. They will not come out and say the truth
The Beginning of the End, Part 18, and Doc- about the human nature of Christ, but they fear
trinal History Tractbook. to pronounce the error. They talk about the ac-
The brethren at world headquarters set to tions of Jesus as though they were the nature of
work to please Martin; and, in 1988, a new Jesus.
Adventist doctrinal book, entitled Seventh-day
Adventists Believe, rolled off the presses.
It is highly unfortunate that we have had only STEP NINE:
THE BOOK, ISSUES
two official doctrinal books in our history—and
both were written to please Walter Martin and The November 5, 1992, issue of Adventist
the evangelicals! Review contained a 16-page booklet, entitled Is-
Chapter 4, in this new doctrinal book, dealt sues: The Seventh-day Adventist Church and
with the human nature of Christ. A strong at- Certain Private Ministries.
tempt was made to please all sides, but the er- Within a few months, a full-sized purple-
roneous view was still stated. cover book, with the same title, was printed and
This is understandable, since its primary widely sold. (We will here refer to it simply as
author was Norman Gulley, who wrote the infa- Issues.)
mous 1983 Gulley Quarterly and the accompa- Having changed our doctrinal beliefs nearly
nying book, Christ Our Substitute. By his own 30 years before, during the Evangelical Confer-
admission, he believes in a pre-fall nature of ences, leadership now asked that those plead-
Christ. ing for a return to historic beliefs should be tol-
“Jesus Christ took upon Himself our nature erant. The reason given was that the denomina-
with all its liabilities, but He was free from he- tion has never decided what it believes on those
reditary corruption.”—Seventh-day Adventists points!
Believe, 49/1:4 (page 49, column 1, paragraph “In other words, be tolerant on those points
4). that the church has left open.”—Issues, 16.
“He possessed the essential characteristics “Neither has the church ever ‘formally’
of human nature.”—Op. cit., 46/1:3. adopted a position on perfection and the pre-
“Christ’s humanity was not Adamic human- cise nature of human obedience.”—Issues, 47.
ity, that is, the humanity of Adam before the “One side stresses Jesus’ role as our sinless
fall, nor fallen humanity; that is, in every re- substitute, arguing that His nature was like
spect the humanity of Adam after the fall. It Adam’s before the fall. The other stresses Jesus’
was not the Adamic, because it had the inno- role as our example, arguing that He came in
cent infirmities of the fallen. It was not the fallen, the ‘likeness of sinful flesh’ with a nature like
because it had never descended into moral im- Adam’s after the fall . .
purity. It was, therefore, most literally our hu- “But the significant point for the discussion
manity, but without sin.”—Op. cit., 47/1:4-47/ here is: Adventists have never ‘formally’ adopted
2:0. a position on the question of just how Jesus’
The above statement cleverly sidesteps the nature compared with Adam’s and with ours.
key issue in the nature of Christ controversy. It Neither has the church ever ‘formally’ adopted
does this by equating “fallen nature” with actual a position on perfection and the precise nature
sinning. of human obedience.”—Op. cit., 46-47.
Two pages later, another clever statement is “[The independent group] holds certain views
made, which says that Christ took our “fallen” on the human nature of Christ, the nature of
nature—but then denies that He did: sin, and sanctification. These issues have never
been settled among Christians, much less ley, “Pressing Together,” Adventist Review,
among Seventh-day Adventists . . January 18, 1990, 8-10; reprinted in Issues,
“There is no way that the SDA Church can 114.
work with such an independent group, if it can-
not lay aside these positions that they have Part 2 is on the nature of sin. It teaches
made so central to their work and mission. Augustine’s Original Sin heresy, and defines the
“Overspecificity in the content of faith [i.e., nature of sin as being separation from God,
consistently adhering to our historic beliefs] and Gulley states our historic position on the
a rigid church structure [i.e., asking that only
nature of man, in regard to sin:
beliefs—and not errors—be presented to our
“Early Adventists considered the first death
people] reduce the possibility for healthy dis-
as being a result of Adam’s sin, and the second
sent and for creative innovation.”—Op. cit., 45.
death the result of personal sin. In other words,
“[The church should] resist any attempt by
the first death is merely the consequence of—
one segment of the church to impose its views
not the penalty for—Adam’s sin.”—Norman
on the rest.”—Op. cit., 50.
Gulley, “In Every Way but One,” Review, Janu-
Yet, at the same time, only erroneous por- ary 25, 1990, quoted in Issues, 117.
trayals of these controverted doctrines are pre- Then Gulley goes on to expound Augustine’s
sented in our denominational papers and at horrible theory: that everyone is born an evil
camp meetings. criminal, to be condemned to hellfire because of
As to what these disputed teachings might something he did not do:
be, the full-size Issues book made very clear. The “Are infants sinners at birth because of their
book reproved Independent Ministries for teach- inheritance from Adam?”. . We are born sinful
ing the truth about the nature of Christ, the con- and subject to death—prior to lawbreaking. If a
tinuing atonement, etc. —And the book did more; baby dies a few hours or days after birth, it is
it boldly proclaimed error as orthodox! What still subject to the second death—the condem-
have we come to, when our leaders dare to do nation death—even though it has never broken
this? any commandment.”—Op. cit., 117-118.
In the above passage, Gulley says that what
On pages 114-130 we find the only explana- we inherit at birth will cause us to burn in hellfire.
tory in-depth doctrinal studies in the entire book, That is not true! It is what we think, speak, and
Issues. It is a reprint form of what our leaders do that results in sin.
considered to be a landmark series of doctrinal “It is the disobedience of Adam that consti-
tutes a person a sinner, and not merely his own
studies printed the year before in the Adventist
acts of sin (disobedience).”—Op. cit., 118 (pa-
Review. renthesis his).
Since they consider it important, and since
But God’s Word says it differently:
it is the single doctrinal series in Issues, it de- “Our only definition of sin is that given in
serves our careful attention. the Word of God; it is ‘the transgression of the
And when we do so, we find it is almost en- law.’ ”—Great Controversy, 493.
tirely focused on denying one special doctrine: Gulley’s concept, which is Augustine’s Origi-
the great truth that Christ took our nature. nal Sin theory, is cited as the basis for the theory
Why is this done? Because they realize that that Christ could not have taken our nature. In-
this is the foundation upon which all the others stead, Christ is said to have had an alternate
are built: the nature of sin, the nature of man, type of immaculate conception.
the nature of the atonement, and the nature of “So if every man is born a sinner (i.e., a fallen
salvation, being, separated from God—needing salvation)
This series, consisting of six articles origi- as the result of Adam’s sin, how then could
nally printed in the Review between January 18 Christ enter the race through a human mother
to February 22, 1990, was reprinted in Issues. and yet be sinless? The immaculate conception
of Catholicism sidesteps this question by mak-
ing Mary unaffected by Adam’s sin. Rather than
Part 1, entitled “Pressing Together,” is an
this immaculate conception, it is the miracu-
appeal for all sides to unite in one position doc- lous conception.”—Op. cit., 119 [italics his].
trinally.
As do most new theologians, Gulley plays
“A meeting of minds on this question can
bring us together as a church.”—Norman Gul-
with words in order to confuse. What he is obvi-
ously saying, in the above paragraph, is that the
Catholic teaching is that Christ’s mother had an Satan’s charge was false. Adam need not have
immaculate conception, whereas Gulley is teach- sinned. Like Adam, He had nothing sinful within
ing that Christ had His own immaculate concep- to respond to Satan’s temptations, but He could
tion. Of course, the end result would be the same: be tempted from an appeal to use His sinless
passions and drives in an unlawful way. He with-
Both Gulley and Rome teach that Christ had an
stood the tempter.”—Op. cit., 120-121.
immaculate conception [i.e., He had a sinless
In other words, Christ did not come to be
nature].
our “substitute,” but unfallen Adam’s “substi-
Both concepts are based on the same error:
tute”! Such foolish logic is all the more remark-
Christ could not be born with our nature, but
able, in view of the fact that Gulley’s key phrase,
had to be different than us. As Gulley explains
which in 1983 he used as the title of his book, is
it:
“Christ Our Substitute.” But, following Gulley’s
“He [Christ] did not have ‘sinful flesh.’ Thus
He neither was a sinner by nature nor a sinner logic, Christ is not our substitute! Christ is only
by acts. He was a total Substitute.”—Ibid. unfallen Adam’s substitute.
—Thus, by the early 1990s, we find this to- Even worse is Gulley’s effort to twist the
tally erroneous, Catholic-based article featured charges of Satan against God—as only concern-
in the Adventist Review and, later, in the ing the fall of Adam!
book, Issues. But, through it all, not one article Following this, Gulley declares that the
was printed on denominational presses, advo- immaculately born Christ, with His pre-fall
cating the other, the true side—that Christ took nature, is our example, because He kept the
our very nature; and, in it, He overcame the devil law. Obviously, his statement is pointless. How
and now gives us power to do the same. would Christ’s sinless obedience, wrought out
Gulley is quite unashamed that he is teach- in a nature which supposedly cannot sin, be
ing Original Sin in this article, for he uses those an example to us in natures which can? And
words several times. this Gulley admits:
“Because His humanity was sinless, Jesus
could not experience the inner sinful urgings of
In Part 3 in the Review series, also reprinted
sinful humans. But it was necessary that He,
in Issues, Gulley began by reiterating the con- as our example, experience an equivalency in
clusion of his previous article. intensity while remaining a sinless human.”—
“Thus far we have seen that His unique Op. cit., 121.
sinless human nature made it possible for Him
Gulley then claims that Christ reached “the
to be our substitute. We shall see that the same
lowest depths” and suffered as we do—at one
unique nature qualified Him to be our ex-
ample.”—Norman Gulley, “Jesus Our Ex- time in His life: during the last part of the 40-
ample,” Review, February 1, 1990, 19, quoted day fast in the wilderness! According to Gulley,
in Issues, 120. at that one time, and no other, Christ suffered
In this article, Gulley attempts to show that as we do.
Christ could still be our example, even though But Scripture says it differently: (1) Christ
He was not like us; that is, did not take our na- took our nature, the nature of Abraham’s descen-
ture. One cannot but wonder how Gulley intends dants; (2) and in our nature was tempted “in all
to do that. Here is the strange logic he uses: points like as we”; (3) yet without ever yielding
“Clearly Jesus did not have a sinful nature; to sin; (4) so we can come to Him for help in
He had no sinful passions or any taint of sin. every time of need (Heb. 2:10-18; 4:15-16).
By contrast, all the rest of us are born into the In these words, Gulley describes the one time
world with these liabilities. On the surface, at Christ suffered “equivalent” to us:
least, this looks like a huge advantage for Christ, “To be hungry was not a sin; it was a proper
and calls into question His ability to be our ex- desire. But through a 40-day intensification, His
ample.”—Ibid. gnawing hunger became equivalent to the worst
First, Gulley explains that Christ did not sinful drives ever experienced by humans.”—
come into this world to overcome in our place, Ibid.
but in unfallen Adam’s place! How is that for “The human became so emaciated and stressed
original thinking! out, through a nearly six-week fast, that His con-
“Satan had charged God with Adam’s sin . . suming passion to eat became equivalent to sin-
The Creator became a created being. Jesus ful passions of men.”—Op. cit., 122.
came as the second Adam—sinless, to show that Second, Gulley uses the shop-worn argument
that, throughout His earthly life, the only real But, having said that, Gulley himself keeps
temptation He faced was to use His divine power coming back to the nature of Christ.
to help Himself! What kind of useful example is “Some believe that Jesus had to be exactly
that to us? None at all. like us in fallen nature in order to span the gulf
“He had received honor in the heavenly courts, gouged out by sin. Yet even that identity has a
and was familiar with absolute power. It was as qualification—for none other comes into the
difficult for Him to keep the level of humanity world ‘born of God.’ ”—Ibid.
as it is for men to rise above the low level of Gulley next twists the meaning of Romans
their depraved natures, and be partakers of the 8:3.
divine nature.”—Op. cit., 122. “Just as that brazen serpent only looked like
“Can we understand His supreme struggle? a serpent, so the sinless Jesus only took the
Never! But we must try to grasp its depths. He ‘likeness of sinful flesh.’ ”—Op. cit., 124 [ital-
had exercised absolute power from eternity! ics his].
This power He had by nature; it was inherent. Yet both the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy
If we grumble about our inheritance by nature, clearly support the position that Christ took our
think of His. If we say we have habits that bind nature; He did not just make-believe take it.
us, think of His—a habit with eternal use back
Jesus was not a mirage while in the flesh! He
of it! Can you get any greater urge than that?
Our habits, measured by His, are but drops of
was a real flesh-and-blood man. He became like
water compared to a shoreless sea. He knows us, is what God’s Word says.
the human struggle in temptations because His
were infinitely greater, and precisely because of The final two articles in this doctrinal series
His unique divine nature rather than from an mention the error of “the finished work at the
identical human nature.”—Ibid. cross; but, in general, they are more inspirational
Gulley summarizes the terrible “weight” that than doctrinal.
was on Christ:
“What an inexplicable intensification this
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
staggering load brought to the agonizing struggle
of the emaciated One! In view of this unparal- The evidence presented in this study
leled experience, can anyone question the genu- indicates that, from its earliest years
ineness of His example? No! His temptations until the late 1940s, the Seventh-day
were infinitely harder than man’s!”—Ibid. Adventist Church: (1) has always upheld
the Deity of God in human flesh—fully
In Part 4 of this Review series, Gulley once God and fully man, (2) has always been
again reiterates that Christ had a sinless nature. in close agreement in regard to the
“Sin, whether in His nature or in act, would sinlessness of Christ, and (3) has con-
have disqualified Him from being our substi- sistently taught that Christ was in every
tute. For He would have needed a substitute sense sinless.
Himself.”—Norman Gulley, “Jesus Our Substi-
Under threats and strong duress from Walter
tute,” Review, February 8, 1990, 8; in Issues,
123.
Martin, from 1954 to 1957, our leaders agreed
to make definite changes. These changes were
The primary objective of this entire series of
printed in the first official doctrinal book in our
articles has been to prove that Christ had a
history.
sinless human nature. He recognizes it to be the
The 1960s and 1970s constituted a time of
foundation stone, undergirding the entire plan
adaptation to the changes. The work of retrain-
of salvation.
ing our pastors in retreats went on quietly. Our
Yet, shrewdly, Gulley, speaking directly to
future leaders were being initiated into new teach-
those who maintain the other (the Scriptural)
ings in the colleges.
view,—declares that they should not be con-
During the 1980s as the apostasy grew,
cerned about what nature Christ had. It really
strong pleas for patience and toleration for other
does not matter.
“Nowhere do inspired sources make the birth
views were frequently heard.
of Christ as prominent as His death . . Should During the 1990s, those advocating the er-
not those who are preoccupied with His birth rors about sin, the nature of Christ, the atone-
take pause and look beyond to the cross?”— ment, and salvation were solidly in control; and
Ibid. there is intolerance for those pleading for a re-
turn to historic beliefs. Third Angel’s Message) everywhere.
Only God can change the situation, and He May we be faithful to the end. Obedience by
will do it when it becomes illegal to be a Sabbath- faith, in Christ, to the Bible and Spirit of Proph-
keeper. Then the faithful, gathered in little com- ecy is what we need today.
panies here and there, will go out and preach May we not forsake our post of duty. In His
the identifying truth of Revelation 14:6-12 (the strength, we can remain true to the end.

Vance Farrel×the Nature of Christ

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The Nature of Christ

“He took our nature that He might understand how to sym-

“And as Jesus was in human flesh, so God means His fol-

“Christ humiliated Himself to humanity, and took upon Him-

*All quotations in this book, not otherwise attributed,

FOR ADDITIONAL COPIES: One copy - $7.00, plus $1.50 p&h /

REPLYING TO UN-BIBLICAL POSITIONS

HISTORY OF THE CHANGEOVER

If Christ did not take our nature, then

What are our pioneer teachings?

A Bible-Spirit of Prophecy Study

A Second Un-Biblical Position:

A Second Un-Biblical Position:

Additional Spirit of Prophecy State-

HIS USE OF ABILITIES While on earth He resisted and overcame

The Human Side of Christ:

History of the Changeover to the

place pages from BIBLE READINGS on

place pages from BIBLE READINGS on

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