"TEMPTED IN ALL POINTS LIKE AS WE ARE"

Mrs. E. G. White

"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. For in that He Himself hath suffered, being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted."

Christ came to this world, and clothed his divinity with humanity, taking upon Him the nature of man. He came to pass through the experiences of humanity, to pass over the ground on which Adam had fallen, to redeem his failure, to meet and conquer the adversary of God and man, that through his grace man might be an overcomer, and finally have a place with Him upon his throne. ...

Christ came to represent the character of his father, to win man back to his allegiance to God, to reconcile man to God. …

He came to unite man with God, to impart divine strength to the repenting soul, and from the manger to Calvary to pass over the path which man would travel, at every step giving man a perfect example of what he should do, presenting in his character what humanity might become when united with divinity.

But many say that Jesus was not like us, that He was not as we are in the world, that He was divine, and therefore we cannot overcome as He overcame. But this is not true; "for verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. … Christ knows the sinner's trials; He knows his temptations. He took upon Himself our nature; He was tempted in all points like as we are. He has wept, He was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. As a man He lived upon the earth. As a man He ascended to heaven. As a man He is the substitute of humanity. As a man He liveth to make intercession for us. As a man He will come again with kingly power and glory to receive those who love Him, and for whom He is now preparing a place. We should rejoice and give thanks that God "hath appointed a day, in which He will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom He hath ordained."

Those who claim that it was not possible for Christ to sin, cannot believe that He took upon Him human nature. Christ was actually tempted, not only in the wilderness, but all through his life. In all points He was tempted as we are, and because He successfully resisted temptation in every form, He gave us a perfect example. Through the ample provisions made in our behalf, we may become partakers of the divine nature, and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. Jesus says, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in my throne, even as 1 also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." This, the beginning of our confidence, we must hold steadfastly unto the end. Jesus can enable us to resist Satan's temptations; for He came to bring divine power to combine with human effort.

Jesus said, "1 and my Father are one." He speaks of Himself as well as the Father when He speaks of omnipotent power, and claims for Himself perfect righteousness. In Christ dwelt the fulness of the Godhead bodily. This is why, although tempted in all points like as we are, He stood before the world untainted by the corruptions that surrounded Him. We also are to become partakers of that fulness, and only in this way shall we be enabled to overcome as Christ overcame.—The Bible Echo, Vol. 7, No. 21, Nov. 1, 1892; republished in, Ellen G. White Periodical Resource Collection, Volume l, p. 367.

THE TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS

Mrs. E. G. White

The great work of redemption could be carried out by the Redeemer only as He took the place of fallen man. Burdened with the sins of the world, He must pass over the path where Adam fell, and redeem his failure. When Adam was assailed by the tempter, none of the effects of sin were upon him, but he was surrounded by the glories of Eden. But it was not thus with Jesus; for, bearing the infirmities of degenerate humanity, He entered the wilderness to cope with the mighty foe, that He might lift man up from the lowest depths of his degradation. Alone He was to tread the path of temptation and exercise self-control stronger than hunger, ambition, or death. …

The followers of Christ are called upon to share with Him in his sufferings. The confederacy of evil is arrayed against those who would follow in the footsteps of the world's Redeemer. We are to battle with the mighty prince of evil; but the Saviour tells us that we are not to fight alone. All the heavenly intelligences will come to our help. Amid the darkness of the world, we are to catch the radiance from the throne of God, and to shed the light of heaven to the uttermost parts of the earth.—The Bible Echo, Vol. 7, No. 22, Nov. 15, 1892; Ibid. p. 368.