Propensity

In the letter to Brother Baker, sister White used the word “propensity” which has confused many.

“Be careful, exceeding careful as to how you dwell upon the humanity of Christ. Do not set Him before the people as a man with the propensities of sin… He took upon Himself human nature, and was tempted in all points as human nature is tempted. He could have sinned; He could have fallen but not for one moment was there in Him an evil propensity.” Manuscript Releases 13. page 18.

According to the dictionary, the word “propensity” means tendency and leaning. We also must check how sister White used this word in other testimonies to find out her understanding of this word.

“If you allow yourself to become a talebearer, you will not be welcome in any family, because of your propensity to report every transaction that may occur.” Spalding and Morgan Collection.

“Satan know that it cannot be, and for this reason he brings his temptations to bear upon men upon the point of appetite, that he may bring them into bondage to this propensity and thus work their ruin.” Mind, Character and Personality Book 1, pg 76.

“You are watching with keen business eye the best chance to secure a bargain. This scheming propensity has become second nature with you, and you do not see and realize the evil of encouraging it.” The Publishing Ministry pg. 330.

“Judas was naturally avaricious, and he had fostered this evil propensity until it had become the ruling motive in his life.” Spirit of Prophecy Vol. 3 chapter 4.

“It only increased your money-loving propensity, and was an additional weight to sink you to perdition.” Test. Vol. 2 page 240.

“Sister R., your brain is wearied and taxed by reading. You should deny your propensity for crowding your mind with everything it can devour.” Test. Vol 2. page 434.

“Brother *1BU has cultivated an almost ungovernable propensity for sight-seeing and trips of pleasure.” Test. Vol. 3 page 26.

“He cares only to indulge his scandal-loving propensity.” Test. Vol. 5 page 57.

“We need not retain one sinful propensity… as we partake of divine nature, hereditary and cultivated tendencies to wrong are cut away from the character and we are made a living power for good.” The Faith I live By, page 23.

“This propensity for speech-making frequently dampens a religious interest that might have produced great results.” Gospel Workers (1892) Chapter 1

“The higher, nobler powers of his being have been brought very much into subjection to this close, selfish propensity.” Mind, Character and Personality, Chapter 63.

“He must train his mind to good works. He must brace against his propensity to acquire.” Mind, Character and Personality, Chapter 63. In these above quoted testimonies, sister White used the word “propensity” as a habit or fault in the character which can be overcome and put away.

But then sister White wrote more than 400 testimonies about the sinful flesh which Jesus took upon Himself.

“Christ came in the likeness of sinful flesh, clothing His divinity with humanity.” ST 4/11/95

“Adam was tempted by the enemy, and he fell. It was not indwelling sin that caused him to yield; for God made him pure and upright; in His own image. He was 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'” S.T. 10/17/1900

Jesus did not come as Adam before his fall but as human beings after 4000 years of practicing sin.

“Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh.” Rom. 1:3.

The Seed of David did not have holy flesh, but sinful flesh and nature.

Yet we understand that Jesus did not have sinful habits that He had to overcome, yet He was tempted by His sinful flesh. He did not yield to the temptations. His flesh felt hunger in the wilderness after fasting for 40 days but he did not yield to the temptation that came from within Him. He overcame His appetite which have caused many others to fall. We can overcome and put away the sinful propensities but we cannot get rid of our sinful flesh. It continues to tempt us as it did with Jesus. May the Lord help us to understand the nature of Christ during His humanity and look to Him as our example, how to overcome sin and temptations.
AMEN.

Timo Martin