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Understanding the Nature of Christ
#198802
05/24/25 10:13 AM
05/24/25 10:13 AM
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Jesus took Adams human nature after the fall. But Jesus had the cognitive or thinking (the mind of Christ) before the fall, which we can have if we allow Christ in us and we in Christ, which then allows the Holy Spirit transformative power to be instilled in us and put on the robe of righteousness of Christ and allow us to overcome. SOP gives this.."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 a 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."
Jesus took Adams human nature after the fall so He was born with all the damage done to mans nature during that time. But Jesus did not inherit sinful tendencies from Adam, that is, Jesus did not have a tendency to sin as it was the mind Adam was made with at Creation before sin entered. Now Christ inherited the flesh of man, He had our physical weaknesses, for example, Christ had to sleep when he got tired. He had to eat when he got hungry and drink when he got thirsty. He inherited our physical limitations but not our sinful inclinations.
Physically, Christ was like us, feeling pain, frail, weak, prone to get sick if we dont take care of our bodies, and under the consequences of aging. But morally, Christ could be tested by temptation as scripture shows us but did not have our ungodly desires or sinful inclinations. Jesus' mental human nature (tendency toward sin) was that of the unfallen Adam and his physical human nature (physical body) was that after the fall of Adam." and at the same time why it makes it hard to understand. What makes Jesus equal (having no advantage over other human beings), is that he had all the damage done by sin (Adam?s human nature after the fall), but he had what Peter calls 'the Mind of Christ' which was what Adam was given to begin with and Paul speaks of, that man can have and become dead to sin. Thus Christ has no advantage in overcoming sin as through the power of the Holy Spirit we also can have the 'Mind of Christ'.
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Re: Understanding the Nature of Christ
[Re: Rick H]
#198803
05/24/25 10:18 AM
05/24/25 10:18 AM
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We can have the same mind of Christ [mental cognitive nature] of Adam before the fall through the transformation power given by the Holy Spirit, this what is meant by 'having the mind of Christ' so He had no advantage. Otherwise we infer Christ had sin in His mind which of course scripture makes clear was not the case. We see more from SOP:..
"As the man is converted by the truth, the work of transformation of character goes on. He has an increased measure of understanding, in becoming a man of obedience to God. The mind and will of God become his will, and by constantly looking to God for counsel, he becomes a man of increased understanding. There is a general development of the mind that is unreservedly placed under the guidance of the Spirit of God.
This is not a one-sided education, which develops a one-sided character; but there is revealed a harmoniously developed character. Weaknesses that have been seen in the powerless, vacillating character are overcome, and continual devotion and piety bring the man in such close relation to Jesus Christ that he has the mind of Christ. He is one with Christ, having soundness and strength of principle, and clearness of perception, which is that wisdom that comes from God, who is the source of all light and understanding.
The grace of God has fallen upon the humble, obedient, conscientious soul like the Sun of righteousness, strengthening the mental faculties, and in the most astonishing manner making those who long to use their capacity in the Master's service, small though it may be, strong continually by obedience and practice, and grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and be bearers of much fruit to the glory of God, in good works. So that the men of learning and of high accomplishments have learned most precious lessons from the precepts and examples of the unlearned, as the world would call them. But could they have a deeper sight, it would be seen that they had obtained knowledge in the highest graded school, even the school of Jesus Christ.... The opening of God's Word is followed by remarkable opening in strengthening a man's faculties; for the entrance of God's Word is the application of divine truth to the heart, purifying and refining the soul through the agency of the Holy Spirit.?The Review and Herald, July 19, 1887.
By beholding we are to become changed; and as we meditate upon the perfections of the divine Model, we shall desire to become wholly transformed, and renewed in the image of His purity. It is by faith in the Son of God that transformation takes place in the character, and the child of wrath becomes the child of God. He passes from death unto life; he becomes spiritual and discerns spiritual things. The wisdom of God enlightens his mind, and he beholds wondrous things out of His law.... In becoming a man of obedience to God, he has the mind of Christ, and the will of God becomes his will.
He who places himself unreservedly under the guidance of the Spirit of God will find that his mind expands and develops. He obtains an education in the service of God which is not one-sided and deficient, developing a one-sided character, but one which results in symmetry and completeness. Weaknesses that have been manifested in a vacillating will and powerless character are overcome, for continual devotion and piety bring the man in such close relation to Christ that he has the mind of Christ. He is one with Christ, having soundness and strength of principle.?Selected Messages 1:337-338.
But the infinite sacrifice of God in giving Jesus, His beloved Son, to become a sacrifice for sin, enables Him to say, without violating one principle of His government: ?Yield yourself up to Me; give Me that will; take it from the control of Satan, and I will take possession of it; then I can work in you to will and to do of My good pleasure.? When He gives you the mind of Christ, your will becomes as His will, and your character is transformed to be like Christ's character.?Testimonies for the Church 5:515 (1889).
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Re: Understanding the Nature of Christ
[Re: Rick H]
#198804
05/24/25 10:28 AM
05/24/25 10:28 AM
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Christ was born it says when Mary was found with child, "of the Holy Ghost'. Would we think He would be given a mind full of sin and predisposed to iniquity, of course not. The seed, the flesh was Adam after the fall. But the mind had no propensity to sin, no thoughts of iniquity, it was the the mind, the thinking, the reasoning that Adam was given before the fall. It was one that Adam was given at Creation, not full of lust or evil desires, one before the fall but still like Adam able to be tempted and sin, thus the true test of the temptation brought by the devil in the wilderness, otherwise it was just a farce, a charade played out with no real test. This change, the transformation, the new heart created that David spoke of, the born again experience we must go through that Christ spoke of, on the road to sanctification that SOP unveils..
When we turn to Christ fully we are justified by faith, but we then have to be sanctified by the power of the Holy Spirit, and this is a free gift available to every man, thus Christ has no advantage, we stand at the same place with this 'mind of Christ' given us. We then come before God, transformed with a new heart, perfect, and able to stand just before His judgement rather than 'filthy rags' we have of self.
We see more of what SOP gives us.. He [Christ] was to take His position at the head of humanity by taking the nature but not the sinfulness of man. In heaven was heard the voice, "The Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord" (ST May 29, 1901). {7BC 925}
Christ made a full atonement, giving His life as a ransom for us. He was born without a taint of sin, but came into the world in like manner as the human family. He did not have a mere semblance of a body, but He took human nature, participating in the life of humanity. (Letter 97, 1898). {7BC 926}
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Re: Understanding the Nature of Christ
[Re: Rick H]
#198806
05/24/25 09:29 PM
05/24/25 09:29 PM
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