Christ’s sinful nature?

Not long since I received a letter describing a circumstance in which a brother had manifested indiscretion. Although it occurred years ago, and was a very small matter, hardly worthy of a second thought, the writer stated that it had forever destroyed her confidence in that brother. If that sister’s life should show upon review no greater errors, it would be indeed a marvel, for human nature is very weak. 5T.246.001

“All human ambition, all boasting, is to be laid in the dust. Self, sinful self, is to be abased, not exalted. By holiness in the daily life we are to reveal Christ to those around us. Corrupt human nature is to be subdued, not exalted. 8T.234.002

He (Man) sees that his faults must be overcome and that his appetites and passions must be subjected to God’s will that he must be a partaker of the divine nature, having overcome the corruption that is in the world through lust. Having repented of his transgression of God’s law, he strives earnestly to overcome sin. He seeks to reveal the power of Christ’s grace, and he is brought into personal touch with the Saviour.

Christ is the ladder that Jacob saw, the base resting on the earth, and the topmost round reaching to the gate of heaven, to the very threshold of glory. If that ladder had failed by a single step of reaching the earth, we should have been lost. But Christ reaches us where we are. He took our nature and overcame. that we through taking His nature might overcome. Made “in the likeness of sinful flesh” (Rom. 8:3), He lived a sinless life. Now by His divinity He lays hold upon the throne of heaven, while by His humanity He reaches us. He bids us by faith in Him attain to the glory of the character of God. Therefore are we to be perfect, even as our “Father which is in heaven is perfect.” DA.311.005

As Christ felt His unity with the Father broken up, He feared that in His human nature He would be unable to endure the coming conflict with the powers of darkness. In the wilderness of temptation the destiny of the human race had been at stake. Christ was then conqueror. DA.686.005

It is more palatable to human nature to do penance than to renounce sin; it is easier to mortify the flesh bv sackcloth and nettles and galling chains than to crucify fleshly lusts. Heavy is the yoke which the carnal heart is willing to bear rather than bow to the yoke of Christ. GC.567.003

He was clothed with light and glory, surrounded by hosts of heavenly angels eager to do his pleasure; yet He took upon Him the nature of man, and was made “in the likeness of sinful flesh,” and became sin for us, “that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God!” Here is love that no language can express. BE.1892-09-15.009

The apostle Paul clearly presents the relation between faith and the law under the new covenant. He says: “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.” “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh”–it could not justify man, because in his sinful nature he could not keep the law-“God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us. who walk not after the fleshy but after the Spirit.” Romans 5:1, 3:31, 8:3, 4. PP.373.001

Attention! Here is shown what it means to condemn sin in the flesh:
Christ took human nature upon Him, and became a debtor to do the whole law on behalf of those whom He represented. Had He failed in one jot or tittle. He would have been a transgressor of the law, and we would have had in Him a sinful, unavailing offering. But He fulfilled every specification of the law, and condemned sin in the flesh; yet many ministers repeat the falsehoods of the scribes, priests, and Pharisees, and follow their example in turning the people away from the truth. ST.1896-01-16.004

It is true that Christ at one time said of Himself, “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” John 14:30. Satan finds in human hearts some point where he can gain a foothold; some sinful desire is cherished, by means of which his temptations assert their power. But he could find nothing in the Son of God that would enable him to gain the victory. Jesus did not consent to sin. Not even by a thought could rfe be brought to the power of Satan’s temptations. Yet it is written of Christ that He was tempted in all points like as we are. Many hold that from the nature of Christ it was impossible for Satan’s temptations to weaken or overthrow rfim. Then Christ could not have been placed in Adam’s position, to go over the ground where Adam stumbled and fell; He could not have gained the victory that Adam failed to gain. Unless rfe was placed in a position as trying as that in which Adam stood, Ke could not redeem Adam’s failure. If man has in any sense a more trying conflict to endure than had Christ, then Christ is not able to succor him when tempted. Christ took humanity with all its liabilities. He took the nature of man with the possibility of yielding to temptation, and He relied upon divine power to keep Him. GCB. 1895-02-25.006

The sinful nature is to be kept under the control of the Spirit of God.

‘By their fruits ye shall know them.’ Your words, your character, your conduct, your spirit, reveal the character of the tree, for these are the fruits you bear. The sinful nature is to be kept under the control of the Spirit of God The transforming grace of Christ will bring the will into harmony with the will of Christ. The more closely we are brought into unity with Christ, the more clearly we shall discern the defects of our character. GCD.1893-02-06.015

When Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, there was no hope for the sinful race; but Christ offered to take the sin upon Himself. He offered to go over the ground where Adam stumbled and fell; to meet the tempter on the field of battle, and conquer him on man’s behalf. Behold Him in the wilderness of temptation. RH.1887-03-15.010

Yet with human nature upon Him, He met the arch apostate face to face, and single-handed withstood the foe of His throne. Not even by a thought could Christ be brought to yield to the power of temptation. Satan finds in human hearts some point where he can gain a foot-hold; some sinful desire is cherished, by means of which his temptations assert their power. But Christ declared of Himself, “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” The storms of temptation burst upon him, but they could not cause him to swerve from his allegiance to God. RH.1887-11-08.008

What is the work of the minister of the gospel? It is to rightly divide the word of truth; not to invent a new gospel, but to rightly divide the gospel already committed to them. They cannot rely upon old sermons to present to their congregations; for these set discourses may not be appropriate to meet the occasion, or the wants of the people. There are subjects that are sadly neglected, that should be largely dwelt upon. The burden of our message should be the mission and life of Jesus Christ. Let there be a dwelling upon the humiliation, self-denial, meekness, and lowliness of Christ, that proud and selfish hearts may see the difference between themselves and the Pattern, and may be humbled. Show to your hearers Jesus in his condescension to save fallen man. Show them that He who was their surety had to take human nature, and carry it through the darkness and the fearfulness of the malediction of his Father, because of man’s transgression of his law; for the Saviour was found in fashion as a man.

Describe, if human language can, the humiliation of the Son of God, and think not that you have reached the climax, when you see him exchanging the throne of light and glory which he had with the Father, for humanity. He came forth from heaven to earth; and while on earth, he bore the curse of God as surety for the fallen race. He was not obliged to do this. He chose to bear the wrath of God, which man had incurred through disobedience to the divine law. He chose to endure the cruel mockings, the deridings, the scourging, and the crucifixion. “And being made in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death; “but the manner of his death was an astonishment to the universe; for it was even the death of the cross. Christ was not insensible to ignominy and disgrace. He felt it all most bitterly. He felt it as much more deeply and acutely than we can feel suffering, as his nature was more exalted, and pure, and holy than that of the sinful race for whom he suffered. He was the majesty of heaven, he was equal with the Father, he.was the commander of the hosts of angels, yet he died for man the death that was, above all others, clothed with ignominy and reproach. O that the haughty hearts of men might realize this ! O that they might enter into the meaning of redemption, and seek to learn the meekness and lowliness of Jesus ! RH. 1888-09-11.010

In the councils of heaven the Lord planned to reshape the broken, perverted characters of man, and to restore to them the moral image of God. This work is termed the mystery of godliness. Christ, the onlybegotten of the Father, assumed human nature, came in the likeness of sinful flesh to condemn sin in the flesh. ST. 1896-07-02.003

The divine power of Christ must be added to the effort of humanity; “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” BE. 1894-06-11.002

Adam was tempted by the enemy, and he fell. It was not indwelling sin which caused him to yield; for God made him pure and upright, in His own image. He was as faultless as the angels before the throne. There were in him no corrupt principles, no tendencies to evil. But when Christ came to meet the temptations of Satan, He bore “the likeness of sinful flesh.” In the wilderness, weakened physically by a fast of forty days, He met the adversary. His dignity was questioned, His authority disputed, His allegiance to His Father assailed by the fallen foe. BE.1900-09-03.010

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” RH.1899-07-25.011

Intemperance of any kind will enervate a character originally firm, noble, and independent. His fine sensibilities will be blunted, his conscience will become seared. He will form bad associations, evil communications will corrupt his good manners. One false step leads him to another, which may be fatal, and he becomes the tool of Satan. Men plunge into wild license and reckless dissipation, and call it freedom of action, when they are in veriest bondage to the most cruel tyrant who knows no compassion for the wretched victims he allures to ruin. When the world was filled with iniquity God lifted up his standard against Satan by sending his Son to the world in the likeness of sinful flesh. Christ bridged the gulf that sin had made, which separated earth from heaven, and man from God. ST. 1878-0.8- 01.009

You are to die to self, to crucify the flesh, with the affections and lusts. You need not devise ways and methods of bringing about your own crucifixion; self-inflicted penances are of no avail, and will be found worthless when the test comes upon you. We are to surrender the heart to God, that he may renew and sanctify us, and fit us for fiis heavenly courts. We are not to wait for some special time, but to-day we are to give ourselves to him, refusing to be the servants of sin. Do you imagine that you can leave off sin by your own human power a little at a time? You cannot do this; Jesus was treated as a sinner when he assumed the likeness of sinful flesh, that the sinner might be treated as righteous. The Father loves us who believe in Christ as he loves his only-begotten Son. Thus by faith we can grasp the righteousness of Christ, and our Saviour saves us from all sin. The converted soul will hate the thing that Christ hates, and love the thing that Christ loves. Has he not by his death and suffering made provision for vour cleansing from sin? You must take the blood of Jesus and apply it to vour heart by faith: for that alone can make you whiter than snow. But you say. “The surrender of all my idols will break my heart.”

This is what is needed. In giving up all for God, you fall upon the rock and are broken. Give up all for him without delay, for unless you are broken, you are worthless. ST. 1892-08-08.002

Christ was God, but he did not appear as God. He veiled the tokens of divinity, which had commanded the homage of angels and called forth the adoration of the universe of God. He made himself of no reputation, took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of sinful flesh. For oursakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich. ST. 1893-02-20.007

Those who have experienced the blessing of God should be the most grateful of persons. They should send up to God words of thanksgiving because Christ came in the likeness of sinful flesh, clothing his divinity with humanity, in order that he might bring before the world the perfection of God in his own character. ST. 1895-04-11.002

In the councils of heaven the Lord planned to reshape the broken, perverted characters of man, and to restore to them the moral image of God. This work is termed the mystery of godliness. Christ, the onlybegotten of the Father, assumed human nature, came in the likeness of sinful flesh to condemn sin in the flesh. He came to testify to the unchangeable character of the law of God that had been impeached by Satan. Not one jot or tittle of it could be changed to meet man in his fallen condition. Christ lived the law in humanity, in order that every mouth might be stopped, and that Satan might be proved an accuser and a liar. Christ revealed to the world the character of God as full of mercy, compassion and inexpressible love. He came to lift up man. It was provided that whosoever should believe in Christ as his personal Saviour should be saved. In all his works he taught men that it was his mission not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. ST. 1896-07-02.003

Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh, by a pure and holy life to condemn sin in the flesh. He came to our world to represent the character of God, and it is our work to represent the character of Christ. PC.153.001 (Paulson Collection of Ellen G. White Letters,1985, Miscellaneous Manuscripts & Collections)

What a strange symbol of Christ was that likeness of the serpent which stung them! This symbol was lifted on a pole and they were to look to it, and be healed. So Jesus was made in the likeness of sinful flesh. He came as the sin-bearer. Under the symbol of the uplifted serpent, he was presented before the vast congregation of those who were entrusted with sacred truth. It was God’s purpose that when Christ should appear in person, men might recognize his mission, and cooperate with him in the saving of humanity. PH080.049.001

Some believe that Christ came to overcome sin in the nature of the unfallen Adam let us read what is written in Desire of Ages page 117 paragraph 1 to 3 in regards to this: Satan had pointed to Adam’s sin as proof that God’s law was unjust, and could not be obeyed, in our humanity, Christ was to redeem Adam’s failure. But when Adam was assailed by the tempter, none of the effects of sin were upon him. He stood in the strength of perfect manhood, possessing the full vigor of mind and body. He was surrounded with the glories of Eden, and was in daily communion with heavenly beings. It was not thus with Jesus when He entered the wilderness to cope with Satan. For four thousand years the race had been decreasing in physical strength, in mental power, and in moral worth; and Christ took upon Him the infirmities of degenerate humanity. Only thus could He rescue man from the lowest depths of his degradation.

Many claim that it was impossible for Christ to be overcome by temptation. Then He could not have been placed in Adam’s position; He could not have gained the victory that Adam failed to gain. If we have in any sense a more trying conflict than had Christ, then He would not be able to succor us. But our Saviour took humanity, with all its liabilities. He took the nature of man, with the possibility of yielding to temptation. We have nothing to bear which He has not endured.

With Christ, as with the holy pair in Eden, appetite was the ground of the first great temptation. Just where the ruin began, the work of our redemption must begin. As by the indulgence of appetite Adam fell, so by the denial of appetite Christ must overcome. “And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward an hungered. And when the tempter came to Him, he said, If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” DA.117.001to003