"ABLE TO SUCCOUR THEM
WHO ARE TEMPTED"

The Bible, Ellen White, and the 1888 Messengers Confirm
that Jesus Was "Made Like Unto His Brethren"

Primacy of the Gospel Committee • Andrews University • May 14-16, 1999

"Able to Succour Them Who Are Tempted"

In paragraph No. 8 in the Primacy Report under "Areas of Disagreement" comment is made on the "Nature of Christ" and Ellen White's admonition is wisely quoted to "avoid every question in relation to the humanity of Christ which is liable to be misunderstood" (5 BC 1128; "the Baker Letter"). No one would dare contest this. Reading "everything" she says about the human nature which Christ "took" leaves no room "to be misunderstood."

Further comment in this paragraph of the Primacy Report proclaims that Jones and Waggoner "gave to the biblical materials on the human nature of Christ ['the interpretation'] not necessarily supported by Ellen White's full understanding of Christ's human nature." The implication is clear—Jones and Waggoner were out of harmony with Ellen White.

But this disparaging appraisal needs to be studied in context. This paper given to each Primacy Committee member lists over 20 Bible texts; provides a chronological record from 1858 to 1906 of Ellen White's understanding and teaching on Christ's human nature; and includes a sample of published statements of Waggoner and Jones from before Minneapolis to some 12 years afterwards. Can this record be misunderstood if words are accepted for their clear meaning? Here is the paper:

BIBLE EVIDENCE FOR "A SAVIOUR NIGH AT HAND"

(Italics added.)

John 1:1, 14 • In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Gal. 4:4, 5 • But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Rom. 1:3, 4 • Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; and declared to be the Son of God with power ... by the resurrection from the dead.

Heb. 4:15 • For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Heb. 2:16 • For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Heb. 2:17 • Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

Heb. 2:18 • For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Gal. 1:4 • [Jesus Christ] gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.

John 7:42 • Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?

John 3:17 • God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

John 4:42 • Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

Eph. 2:12-17 • At that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: and came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

John 6:33, 51 • For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. ... I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Rom. 5:10 • When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Col. 1:19-22 • For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; and, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in his sight.

1 John 4:1-3 • Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

Heb. 5:7-9 • Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.

Rom. 5:12,15-18 • Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: ... but not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

John 5:30 • I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

John 6:38 • For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

Matt. 26:39 • And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Luke 9:23 • And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Rom. 15:3 • Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

SOME ELLEN WHITE STATEMENTS ON "A SAVIOUR NIGH AT HAND"

(Taken from scores of similar statements
and sundry sources; underscore added.)

1858 • Jesus also told them [the angels] that they should have a part to act, to be with him, and at different times strengthen him. That he should take man's fallen nature, and his strength would not be even equal with theirs (Spiritual Gifts, vol. 1, p. 25).

1864 • It was in the order of God that Christ should take upon himself the form and nature of fallen man, that he might be made perfect through suffering, and endure himself the strength of Satan's temptations, that he might the better know how to succor those who should be tempted (Spiritual Gifts, vol. 4, chapter 38, pp. 115, 116).

1869 • In Christ were united the human and the divine. His mission was to reconcile God and man, to unite the finite with the infinite. This was the only way in which fallen men could be exalted through the merits of the blood of Christ to be partakers of the divine nature. Taking human nature fitted Christ to understand man's trials and sorrows, and all the temptations wherewith he is beset. Angels who were unacquainted with sin could not sympathize with man in his peculiar trials. Christ condescended to take man's nature and was tempted in all points like as we, that He might know how to succor all who should be tempted. As the human was upon Him, He felt His need of strength from His Father. ... His humanity made prayer a necessity and privilege (2T 201, 202).

1872 • It was in the order of God that Christ should take upon himself the form and nature of fallen man, that he might be made perfect through suffering, and himself endure the strength of Satan's fierce temptations, that he might understand how to succor those who should be tempted (RH, Dec. 31, 1872).

1874 • The great work of redemption could be carried out only by the Redeemer taking the place of fallen Adam. With the sins of the world laid upon him, he would go over the ground where Adam stumbled. He would bear the test which Adam failed to endure, and which would be almost infinitely more severe than that brought to bear upon Adam. He would overcome on man's account, and conquer the tempter, that through his obedience, his purity of character and steadfast integrity, his righteousness might be imputed to man, that through his name man might overcome the foe on his own account (RH, Feb. 24, 1874).

1878 • I present before you the great Exemplar. ... Jesus identified His interest with suffering humanity, and yet He is man's judge. He was a child once, and had a child's experience, a child's trials, a child's temptations. As really did He meet and resist the temptations of Satan as any of the children of humanity. In this sense alone could He be a perfect example for man. He subjected Himself to humanity to become acquainted with all the temptations wherewith man is beset. He took upon Him the infirmities and bore the sorrows of the sons of Adam (20 MR 71, 72).

1885 • I had freedom and power in presenting Jesus, who took upon himself the infirmities and bore the grief's and sorrows of humanity, and conquered in our behalf. He was made like unto his brethren, with the same susceptibilities, mental and physical. He was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin; and he knows how to succor those who are tempted. ... As Satan tempts you, so he tempted the Majesty of Heaven (RH, Feb. 10, 1885).

1886 • He for our sakes laid aside His royal robe, stepped down from the throne in heaven, and condescended to clothe His divinity with humility, and became like one of us except in sin, that His life and character should be a pattern for all to copy, that they might have the precious gift of eternal life (YI, Oct. 20, 1886).

The following six references (1)-(6) are exclusively from
1888 Materials

(1)  • After the sin of Adam man was divorced from God, but Christ came in. He was represented through the sacrificial offerings until He came to our world. ... His long human arm encircles the race, while with His divine arm He grasps the throne of the Infinite, and He opens to man all of heaven. The gates are ajar today. Christ is in the heavenly sanctuary and your prayers can go up to the Father. ... He took human nature upon Himself and fought the battles that human nature is engaged in. ... Up to the time when Christ died, though He was human, He was without sin, and He must bear His trials as a human being (pp. 124-126). (From EGW Sabbath sermon at Minneapolis General Conference, Oct. 20, 1888.)

(2)  • Did the Saviour take upon Himself the guilt of human beings and impute to them His righteousness in order that they might continue to violate the precepts of Jehovah? No, no! Christ came because there was no possibility of man's keeping the law in his own strength. He came to bring him strength to obey the precepts of the law. ... In order for man to obtain eternal life, divine power must unite with human effort, and this power Christ came to place within our reach (pp. 130, 131). (From EGW sermon at Minneapolis, Oct. 21,1888.)

(3) • We want self to die and be hid in Christ Jesus, then we will not talk of discouragement and difficulties and all these small things, but we will talk of the great plan of redemption and the matchless power of Jesus Christ to come to our world and take upon Him human nature that we through Him might be elevated and have a seat at His right hand (p. 160; c. Oct. 1888).

(4) • Christ could have done nothing during His earthly ministry in saving fallen man if the divine had not been blended with the human. The limited capacity of man cannot define this wonderful mystery—the blending the two natures, the divine and the human. It can never be explained. Man must wonder and be silent. And yet man is privileged to be a partaker of the divine nature, and in this way he can to some degree enter into the mystery. This wonderful exhibition of God's love was made on the cross of Calvary. Divinity took the nature of humanity, and for what purpose?—That through the righteousness of Christ humanity might partake of the divine nature. This union of divinity and humanity, which was possible with Christ, is incomprehensible to human minds (p. 332; June 2, 1889).

(5) • Letters have been coming in to me, affirming that Christ could not have had the same nature as man, for if he had, he would have fallen under similar temptations. If he did not have man's nature, he could not be our example. If he was not a partaker of our nature, he could not have been tempted as man has been. If it were not possible for him to yield to temptation, he could not be our helper. It was a solemn reality that Christ came to fight the battles as man, in man's behalf. His temptation and victory tell us that humanity must copy the Pattern; man must become a partaker of the divine nature.

In Christ, divinity and humanity were combined. Divinity was not degraded to humanity; divinity held its place, but humanity by being united to divinity, withstood the fiercest test of temptation in the wilderness. The prince of this world came to Christ after his long fast, when he was an hungered, and suggested to him to command the stones to become bread. But the plan of God, devised for the salvation of man, provided that Christ should know hunger, and poverty, and every phase of man's experience.

He withstood the temptation, through the power that man may command. He laid hold on the throne of God, and there is not a man or woman who may not have access to the same help through faith in God. Man may become a partaker of the divine nature; not a soul lives who may not summon the aid of Heaven in temptation and trial. Christ came to reveal the Source of his power, that man might never rely on his unaided human capabilities.

Those who would overcome must put to the tax every power of their being. They must agonize on their knees before God for divine power. Christ came to be our example, and to make known to us that we may be partakers of the divine nature. How?— By having escaped the corruptions that are in the world through lust. Satan did not gain the victory over Christ. He did not put his foot upon the soul of the Redeemer. He did not touch the head though he bruised the heel. Christ, by his own example, made it evident that man may stand in integrity. Men may have a power to resist evil—a power that neither earth, nor death, nor hell can master; a power that will place them where they may overcome as Christ overcame. Divinity and humanity may be combined in them (p. 533; RH, Feb. 18, 1890).

(6) • Christ's life of humiliation should be a lesson to all who desire to exalt themselves above their fellow-men. Though he had no taint of sin upon his character, yet he condescended, to connect our fallen human nature with his divinity. By thus taking humanity, he honored humanity. Having taken our fallen nature, he showed what it might become, by accepting the ample provision he has made for it, and by becoming partaker of the divine nature (p. 1561; May 31, 1896).

1888 • He who was one with the Father stepped down from the glorious throne in heaven, laid aside his royal robe and crown, and clothed his divinity with humanity, thus bringing himself to the level of man's feeble faculties. ... The highest gift that Heaven could bestow was given to ransom fallen humanity (RH, Dec. 11, 1888).

1890 • Christ's perfect humanity is the same that man may have through connection with Christ. As God, Christ could not be tempted any more than He was not tempted from His allegiance in heaven. But as Christ humbled Himself to the nature of man, He could be tempted. He had not taken on Him even the nature of the angels, but humanity, perfectly identical with our own nature, except without the taint of sin. A human body, a human mind, with all the peculiar properties, He was bone, brain, and muscle. A man of our flesh, He was compassed with the weakness of humanity. The circumstances of His life were of that character that He was exposed to all the inconveniences that belong to men, not in wealth, not in ease, but in poverty and want and humiliation. He breathed the very air man must breathe. He trod our earth as man. He had reason, conscience, memory, will, and affections of the human soul which was united with His divine nature.

Our Lord was tempted as man is tempted. He was capable of yielding to temptations, as are human beings. His finite nature was pure and spotless, but the divine nature ... was not humanized; neither was humanity deified by the blending or union of the two natures; each retained its essential character and properties. ...

The divine nature, combined with the human, made Him capable of yielding to Satan's temptations. Here the test to Christ was far greater than that of Adam and Eve, for Christ took our nature, fallen but not corrupted, and would not be corrupted unless He received the words of Satan in the place of the words of God. To suppose He was not capable of yielding to temptation places Him where He cannot be perfect example for man, and the force and the power of this part of Christ's humiliation, which is the most eventful, is no instruction or help to human beings. ...

He descended in His humiliation to be tempted as man would be tempted, and His nature was that of man, capable of yielding to temptation. His very purity and holiness were assailed by a fallen foe, the very one that became corrupted and then was ejected from heaven. How deeply and keenly must Christ have felt this humiliation (16 MR 181-183).

1893 • As God He could not be tempted: but as a man He could be tempted, and that strongly, and could yield to the temptations. His human nature must pass through the same test and trial Adam and Eve passed through. His human nature was created; it did not even possess the angelic powers. It was human, identical with )bur own. He was passing over the ground where Adam fell. He was now where, if He endured the test and trial in behalf of the fallen race, He would redeem Adam's disgraceful failure and fall, in our own humanity. A human body and a human mind were His. He was bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh (6 MR 111, 1893).

1895 • Christ came to our world to represent the character of His Father. ... The image of Satan was upon men, and Christ came that He might bring to them moral power and efficiency. He came as a helpless babe, bearing the humanity we bear. "As the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same." He could not come in the form of an angel; for unless He met man as man, and testified by His connection with God that divine power was not given to Him in a different way to what it will be given to us, He could not be a perfect example for us. ... Christ clothed His divinity with humanity, that humanity might touch humanity; that He might live with humanity and bear all the trials and afflictions of man. He was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin. In His humanity He understood all the temptations that will come to man (MS 21,1895).

1897 • Had he not been fully human, Christ could not have been our substitute. He could not have worked out in humanity that perfection of character which it is the privilege of all to reach. He was the light and the life of the world. He came to this earth to work in behalf of men, that they might no longer be under the control of Satanic agencies. But while bearing human nature, he was dependent upon the Omnipotent for his life. In his humanity, he laid hold of the divinity of God; and this every member of the human family has the privilege of doing. Christ did nothing that human nature may not do if it partakes of the divine nature (ST, June 17, 1897).

• He gave his own life for us. He took upon his divine soul the result of the transgression of God's law. Laying aside his royal crown, he condescended to step down, step by step, to the level of fallen humanity (GCB, April 23, 1901).

Satan claimed that it was impossible for human beings to keep God's law. In order to prove the falsity of this claim, Christ left His high command, took upon Himself the nature of man, and came to the earth to stand at the head of the fallen race, in order to show that humanity could withstand the temptations of Satan. He became the Head of humanity, to be assaulted with temptations on every point as fallen human nature would be tempted, that He might know how to succor all who are tempted. On this earth He worked out the problem of how to live in accordance with God's standard of right. Bearing our nature. ... He was tempted in all points like as we are, yet He was without sin (MS 77, 1902).

1906 • Christ took upon himself human nature, a nature inferior to his heavenly nature Christ did not make believe take human nature; he did verily take it. He did in reality possess human nature. … He was the son of Mary; he was of the seed of David according to human descent. … That God should thus be manifest in the flesh is indeed a mystery; and without the help of the Holy Spirit we can not hope to comprehend this subject. ... Christ gave to humanity an existence out of himself. To bring humanity into Christ, to bring the fallen race into oneness with divinity, is the work of redemption. Christ took human nature that men might be one with him as he is one with the Father, that God may love man as he loves his only begotten Son, that men may be partakers of the divine nature, and be complete in him (RH, April 5, 1906; from ST, April 26, 1899).

The church and the world have been given a book with a monumental record of the life of Christ from Bethlehem to the cross—The Desire of Ages, by Ellen White. This 800-page biography is built upon the Bible premise: One made "in the likeness of sinful flesh" was to be their Redeemer; like every child of Adam He accepted the results of the working of the great law of heredity; in our humanity, Christ was :o redeem Adam's failure; our Saviour took humanity, with all its liabilities; Jesus was in all things made like unto His brethren. He )became flesh, even as we are; His character is to be ours; by His humanity He reaches us (pp. 175, 49, 117, 311, 312, etc.).

THE 1888 MESSENGERS PROCLAIM
"MADE LIKE UNTO HIS BRETHREN"
(Underscore added.)

E. J. Waggoner, The Gospel in the Book of Galatians, pp. 61-63 [Feb.10,1887]:— "[Heb. 2:16,17 quoted] His being made in all things like unto his brethren, is the same as his being made in the likeness of sinful flesh. ... One of the most encouraging things in the Bible is the knowledge that Christ took on him the nature of man; to know that his ancestors according to the flesh were sinners. ... If Christ had not been made in all things like unto his brethren, then his sinless life would be no encouragement to us. ... 2 Cor. 5:21 'For He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.' Now when was Jesus made sin for us? It must have been when he was made flesh, and began to suffer the temptations and infirmities that are incident to sinful flesh. He passed through every phase of human experience. ... So I say that his being born under the law was a necessary consequence of being born in the likeness of sinful flesh.... You are shocked at the idea that Jesus was born under the condemnation of the law, because he never committed a sin in his life. But you admit that on the cross he was under the condemnation of the law. What! Had he then committed sin? Not by any means. Well, then, if Jesus could be under the condemnation of the law at one time in his life and be sinless, I see no reason why he could not be under the condemnation of the law at another time, and still be sinless. ... He was made sin in order that we might be partakers of his righteousness." (From a 71-page booklet handed to all the delegates at the 1888 Minneapolis General Conference.)

A. T. Jones, The Consecrated Way to Christian Perfection, pp. 35-39 [1905]:— [Heb. 2:17 quoted.] If He were not of the same flesh as are those whom He came to redeem, then there is no sort of use of His being made flesh at all. More then this: Since the only flesh that there is in this wide world which He came to redeem, is just poor, sinful, lost, human flesh that all mankind have; if this is not the flesh that He was made, then He never really came to the world which needs to be redeemed. For if He came in a human nature different from that which human nature in this world actual is, then, even though He were in the world, yet, for any practical purpose in reaching man and helping him, He was as far from him as if He had never come.... But the carnal mind is not willing to allow that God in His perfection of holiness could endure to come to men where they are in their sinfulness. Therefore, endeavor has been made to escape the consequences of this glorious truth, which is the emptying of self, by inventing a theory that the nature of the virgin Mary was different from the nature of the rest of mankind. ... From this theory it therefore follows ... His nature is not human nature at all. ... The faith of Rome is that we must be pure and holy in order that God shall dwell with us at all. The faith of Jesus is that God must dwell with us, and in us, in order that we shall be holy and pure at all.

E. J. Waggoner, Christ Our Righteousness, pp. 27, 28 [1892]:— "A little thought will be sufficient to show anybody that if Christ took upon Himself the likeness of man in order that He might redeem man, it had to be sinful man that He was made like, for it is sinful man that He came to redeem. Death could have no power over a sinless man, as Adam was in Eden; and it could not have any power over Christ, if the Lord had not laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Moreover, the fact that Christ took upon Himself the flesh, not of a sinless being, but of sinful man, that is, the flesh which He assumed had all the weaknesses and tendencies of which fallen man is subject, is shown by the statement that He 'was made of the seed of David according to the flesh.'... [Heb. 2:16-18 quoted.]"

A. T. Jones, Review and Herald, May 8,1900:— "[Gal. 4:1-7 quoted] 'God sent forth his Son,' 'made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law.'... Now, it is these people who are under sin: who are under the curse: who are condemned to death, because the wages of sin is death;'—it was them whom God sent his son to redeem. And in order to redeem them, it behooved him to be made in all things 'like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.' Heb. 2:17. Therefore, that he might meet men just where men are and be a complete Deliverer, he himself came to men where they are, and was made like to men where they are. Therefore, he was made to be sin. 2 Cor. 5:21. He took the place of the transgressor: he became flesh, just as is the transgressor: he was made to be sin, just as the transgressor is sin: he bore the sins of men, 'for the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.' He took the condemnation, because the sins of the transgressor were imputed to him. And, as to the transgressor himself, the consciousness of sin is accompanied with the consciousness of guilt and condemnation; so when these sins were imputed to him who knew no sin, it was sin indeed, with its accompanying sense of guilt and condemnation. He bore the curse, for sin brings the curse; and he bore the curse even unto death, because sin brings the curse even unto death."

E. J. Waggoner, General Conference Bulletin, 1901, pp. 404,405:— "The doctrine of the immaculate conception is that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was born sinless. Why?—Ostensibly to magnify Jesus; really the work of the devil to put a wide gulf between Jesus the Saviour of men, and the men whom he came to save, so that the one could not pass over to the other. That is all. We need to settle, every one of us, whether we are out of the church of Rome or not. ... Do you not see that the idea that the flesh of Jesus was not like ours (because we know ours is sinful) necessarily involves the idea of the immaculate conception of the virgin Mary? ... Mary being born sinless, then, of course, her mother also had sinless flesh. But you can not stop here. You must go back to her mother, and her parents, and so back until you come to Adam; and the result? Adam never sinned; and thus, you see, by that tracing of it, we find the essential identity of Roman Catholicism and Spiritualism and all other false doctrines. ... The words of the Bible concerning Christ. ... 'Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.' How many ... think that the suffering of Christ was only for the few moments that he hung upon the cross? ... 'Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same'—what flesh? ... He was tempted in the flesh, he suffered in the flesh, but he had a mind which never consented to sin. 'Let [therefore] this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.' Arm yourself with the same mind, the mind of God, and let that mind have control over the body, and you will experience in your own selves that mystery, the power that Jesus Christ has over all flesh. ... He established the will of God in the flesh, and established the fact that God's will may be done in any human, sinful flesh."

A. T. Jones, General Conference Bulletin, 1893, pp. 327-329 :— "In the Scriptures all the way through he [Jesus] is like us, and with us according to the flesh. He is the seed of David according to the flesh. He was made in the likeness of sinful flesh. Don't go too far. He was made in the likeness of sinful flesh; not in the likeness of sinful mind. Do not drag his mind into it. His flesh was our flesh; but the mind was 'the mind of Christ Jesus.'... Now the flesh of Jesus Christ was our flesh, and in it was all that is in our flesh,—all the tendencies to sin that are in our flesh were in his flesh, drawing upon him to get him to consent to sin. Suppose he had consented to sin with his mind; what then? Then his mind would have been corrupted, and then he would have become of like passions with us. But in that case he would have been a sinner; he would have been entirely enslaved, and we all would have been lost—everything would have perished. ... Satan reaches the mind through the flesh; God reaches the flesh through the mind. Satan controls the mind through the flesh. ... All that Satan could do with Christ was entice the flesh; to lay temptation before the flesh. He could not affect the mind of Christ. But Christ reaches the mind of Satan, where the enmity lies and where it exists, and he destroys that wicked thing. It is all told there in the story of Genesis [Gen. 3:15]."

SUMMARY

The evidence presented here from the Bible, and from Ellen White, plus the agreement of the Lord's "chosen messengers," A. T. Jones and E. J. Waggoner, indicates they have one purpose. They do not present a Saviour "afar off" who came only in the nature of Adam before the Fall. They present a Saviour who is "nigh at hand," who "took" our fallen nature, and who knows the feeling of our infirmities, and who is able to succour the human race for He was truly tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin.

This Saviour condescended to connect our fallen human nature with His divinity that we may be partakers of the divine nature and by faith have access to the same help that Christ had. The Holy Spirit can enable us to understand this glorious truth and bring the fallen race into oneness with Christ, even as He is one with the Father. This is the plan established in Eden and which completes the work of redemption.

End of Section Two — The Second Paper — Compiled in April 1999

Primacy of the Gospel Committee • Andrews University • May 14-16,1999

See Appendix C for covering letter, July 20,1999

Read Section #3 — A Brief Summary of the Nature of Christ Controversy
Before and since the 1950's with Comments

Home | Articles Index | Sabbath Studies | Baal Worship | Let History Speak Contents