Which answer I believe determines my way of life, so much so that the topic is a hot topic. But those who engage in it for the sake of liberating truth will be richly rewarded. By Alberto Rosenthal

Reading Time: 30 highly readable, potentially life-saving minutes

“Be careful, extremely careful, how you speak on the subject of the human nature of Jesus! Don't present him to the people as a man with the tendencies of sin! . . . Never, in any way, let the slightest impression enter the minds of men that Jesus was tainted with a blemish or a tendency toward corruption, or that he somehow indulged in corruption. He was tempted in all things as a man, yet he is called 'the Holy One' (Luke 1,35:XNUMX).
That Jesus was tempted as we are, yet without sin, is a mystery not explained to mortals. Jesus' incarnation is and always will be a mystery. What has been revealed is for us and our children, but let everyone be thoroughly warned against making Jesus overly human like one of us, for that cannot be. It is not necessary for us to know the exact moment when human nature merged with divine nature. We are to stand on the rock of Christ Jesus, as God manifested in human nature.”
(Bible Commentary 5, 1128; see. Bible Commentary, 311)

The statements quoted from the Bible Commentary are taken from an 1895 letter by Ellen White to Brother W. L. H. Baker. It was a personal letter she wrote to him from Australia. Brother Baker was then serving in Tasmania as a young minister.

From 1852 to 1952 we as a congregation spoke with one voice in our publications about Jesus' nature (that is, about his humanity; this is what is primarily meant in the theological questioning about the "nature of Jesus"). We come up with 1200 statements, about 400 of them from Ellen White (listed in Ralph Larson's groundbreaking study The Word Was Made Flesh). Exactly 100 years after the first written statement on this subject appeared the first statement to the contrary. The new understanding referred in particular to the Baker letter, which was only discovered in the 50s and on the basis of which all statements by Ellen White on this subject have often been interpreted since then.

For 100 years, the Adventist writers who wrote on this subject believed that there was indeed a tendency to sin in Jesus' flesh [not his spirit]. They considered Jesus' flesh to be identical with ours and used the term "flesh" and "fallen human nature" interchangeably. They recognized the great mystery of godliness, "God made manifest in the flesh" (1 Timothy 3,16:XNUMX), in Jesus' actual and more than apparent "taking on our nature in its degenerate state" (Selected messages 1, 253; see. Early writings 1, 266). »Not only did he become flesh, he became like the flesh of sin.« (Bible Commentary 5, 1124; see. Bible Commentary, 305)

It is for this reason that Ellen White used the phrase that Jesus took upon Himself our "sinful" or "fallen" nature (Review and Herald, 15.12.1896, Selected messages 3.

They all only understood it to mean the hereditary material, the “hereditary weakness”, as Ellen White also puts it. In it she saw the "channel" through which Satan tempts us (Desire of Ages, 122; see. life of Jesus, 107). Every human being is thus born tempting – in the flesh!

"Flesh" means temptation from within

Indeed, the New Testament identifies flesh with temptation, more specifically with "temptation within" (Ellen White distinguishes between "temptation without" and "temptation within"; Review and Herald.

Compare Galatians 5,24:1,14 and James XNUMX:XNUMX. The same Greek word for "desire" is found in both texts. The flesh is lust, Paul says; but lust is temptation, according to James. So what the writers are talking about here is temptation, not sin.

The word lust can be used biblically for both temptation and sin. Therefore, it is crucial to understand: "Different meanings are expressed by the same word. There is not one word for every different thought.« (Selected messages 1, 20; see. Written for the community 1, 20)

Crucify the flesh

According to Paul, Jesus includes whoever crucified the flesh, and in the language of James, whoever crucified "his own desires." In other words, those who kill the temptation to sin from within by trusting Jesus and His sustaining power overcome and are ready for heaven.

Tempted in everything like us

But Jesus was tempted in everything as we are (Hebrews 4,15:1,14), not only on the outside but also on the inside, that is, through his flesh, his own lust, which "tempted and enticed" him like every one of us (James XNUMX:XNUMX ).

Like every human being, he felt in his human nature, in his flesh, "a propensity for evil, a power which he [man] cannot resist without help." (Educations, 29; see. Education, 25)

This tendency of the flesh [not the spirit] tormented him like any other human being. It expresses itself in the thoughts and feelings that Satan inspires and awakens. “There are thoughts and feelings inspired and aroused by Satan that harass even the best of men; but if they are not cherished, if they are rejected as hateful, the soul is not defiled with guilt, and no other is defiled by its influence." (Review and Herald, 27.03.1888)

The Augustinian doctrine of original sin

Augustine and, after him, Protestantism in general, equated "flesh" with the term "original sin" (the Catholic Church modified the Augustinian understanding of original sin). Thus, we are all born sinners because our fallen human nature, which we inherit from our parents, is already sin. Therefore, Jesus could not have been endowed with the same human nature as we do, for that would have made him a sinner as well. Therefore, he took upon himself Adam's unfallen human nature at his coming (according to Catholic teaching, this was made possible by the Immaculate Conception of Mary herself; she follows Augustine on this point).

The spirit of the antichrist

In this perspective, the Bible identifies the spirit and core of the Antichrist: “By this you recognize the spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God; and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist that you heard was coming; and now he is in the world.« (1 John 4,2.3:XNUMX)

The correct definition of flesh and sin

So it is crucial to define the word "flesh" but also the word "sin" correctly. This is the first work of the Holy Spirit (John 16,8:XNUMX). Counterfeiting this work is Satan's main concern in the great battle between light and darkness. So the devil comes up with a counter definition for flesh and sin. From the pulpits we almost only hear his understanding of these things today. Satan's view has become almost universal in Christendom. We have looked at the Bible's definition of meat.

The definition of sin is found in 1 John 3,4:XNUMX: "Sin is the transgression of the law." (see King James/Hope for All) Ellen White often points out in her writings that this is the only definition of sin. Sin is always a voluntary decision.

The Baker Letter and Adoptionism

Through his intensive study of the Church Fathers, Brother Baker had accepted the doctrine of Adoptionism, according to which Jesus was not the Son of God at birth, but just a man like us. During the first phase of his human existence, he was a normal human being with a high understanding of purity and holiness, which he heroically aspired to, but in no sense divine. Thus, being exclusively human, he had the same inclinations [of spirit, of character] to sin as all human beings and could therefore also have sinned. In view of his heroic commitment to attain holiness, however, this could not prevent him from being adopted by God at the peak of his spiritual progress (at his baptism or at his resurrection, or even gradually, according to different opinions). As a result, his humanity was combined with divinity.

In her letter to Brother Baker, Ellen White exposes the heresy of adoptiveism point by point. Ten times, in different ways, she unequivocally expresses that Jesus never sinned in his life.

Jesus never sinned once

Ellen White uses the term "inclination" in this specific sense in this letter. "Don't present him to the people as having the propensities of sin." He could have fallen. But not for a single moment was there an evil propensity in him.” In other words, Jesus never sinned!

These quotations do not deal with the definition of the term »flesh«. Baker had no difficulty understanding that Jesus, like every man, was tempted by the affections of the flesh. His problem was to ascribe to Jesus "inherent disobedience tendencies" and apparently also acquired character tendencies toward evil.

However, Jesus never had a character propensity, a character disposition to sin. His will was and remained sacred!

incline and incline

Like the Bible, Ellen White sometimes uses the same word for different meanings in her writing, in this case the word "propensity." Therein lies the solution to the riddle!

The sinful tendencies

In the following statement she uses "propensity" again in the sense of sinning (or the result of sinning):

"We need not keep one sinful propensity." (Maranatha, 225)

Obviously she can't mean our flesh here, for that's what we will keep until Jesus appears in the clouds of heaven, until the transfiguration. The tendency of the flesh to sin will still be felt in the great tribulation, even stronger than before. But already at our new birth, Jesus frees us from every sinful tendency of character known to us, since he cleanses our whole heart and gives us his own mind.

That kind of propensity that Christians need to eradicate from their experience was never possessed by Jesus in any way.

The natural tendencies

But Ellen White speaks of another type of propensity (propensity) that must be controlled but cannot be eradicated. She says:

"Our natural propensities must be controlled, or we shall never be able to overcome as Jesus overcame." (Testimonials 4, 235; see. testimonials 4, 257)

Sister White thus distinguishes between sinful tendencies and natural tendencies. The former must be eradicated, the latter mastered.

The latter possessed Jesus as we do. This is also evident by examining their use of the word passion. Depending on the context, this word can also mean two things for her, a sinful passion or a natural passion. On the one hand, we read about Jesus:

'Although he hates human passions owned in full (though he had all the strength of passion of humanity), he never gave in to temptation to do what was not pure, edifying, and uplifting. He says, 'I sanctify myself for them, that they also may be sanctified' (John 17,19:XNUMX)" (Signs of the Times, 21.11.1892)

On the other hand, however, we read: 'He was a mighty supplicant, the passions of our fallen human natures did not own (not possessing the passions of our human, fallen natures), but afflicted with the same weaknesses, tempted in everything as we are.« (Testimonials 2, 508; see. testimonials 2, 501)

In the first case she speaks of temptation, in the second of sin.

The words propensity and passion can thus refer to temptation through the flesh or to sinning itself. Everything is thus clarified by the correct understanding of the language usage! A word can have two different meanings!

The Mystery of Godliness

What is fascinating is that the two different uses of the same word together convey the mystery of godliness. This consists of two realities: »The mystery of godliness is acknowledged great: God has been revealed in the flesh, justified in the Spirit.« (1 Timothy 3,16:XNUMX)

1. Jesus was tempted in everything as we are. God is revealed in the flesh: He possessed as we do natural properties.

2. Jesus was without sin. God is justified in spirit: unlike us, he had none evil propensities.

The meaning of Romans 8

This also makes Romans 8,3.4:XNUMX-XNUMX understandable:

“For what the law [the 10 commandments] could not do—because it was powerless through the flesh [hereditary weakness, the inherited tendencies of the flesh to evil, temptation from within]—God did by sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh [this is the best translation; thus afflicted by natural passions as we are, tempted as we are] and for sin's sake [to solve the problem of sin, which could only be solved in this way] and condemned sin in the flesh [conquered sin by giving faith to his son gift to resist temptation of the flesh], that the righteousness required by the law [the 10 commandments] might be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh [i.e., not yielding to temptation from within], but according to the Spirit [ who kills temptation from within when we take refuge in God and resist in Jesus name].”

Jesus has become a true, perfect example for us! "Just what you can be, he was in human nature." (Bible Commentary 5, 1124; see. Bible Commentary, 305)

The father condemned the sin (the transgression of the law) in the flesh (the temptation within) of his son!

The flesh tried to force him to do the works of the flesh. Because he resisted this enticement in the name of his father, there was no sin. Sin was thus conquered in the very place where every other human being was provoked, drawn, and deceived into sin - in the flesh itself, in fallen human nature, which has been under Satan's control since the fall.

The "lower" passions

In fact, having the correct definition of meat is of the utmost importance. Christianity has been waging a theological battle over this for 2000 years. The entire understanding of salvation and thus also the effectiveness of the sanctuary doctrine depend on it. Thank God, God has once again expressly confirmed the biblical definition to us as an Advent movement through Ellen White - and in one place in her entire work!

“The lower passions reside in the body and work through it. Words like 'flesh', 'carnal', or 'lust of the flesh' embrace the lower, depraved nature; the flesh cannot of its own accord act against the will of God.« (Adventist Home, 127; The Adventist Home, chap. 18, last paragraph)

The flesh is clearly the force of temptation! It feels sinful, but it is not sin; one feels the power of sin and feels evil, pride, selfishness, self-aggrandizement, envy, bitterness, impatience, lack of love, indifference, sometimes like an elemental force, like a river tearing down a dam would like. But the flesh cannot act against God's will on its own (it is not sin)!

That is exactly what Jesus experienced. The quote continues: “We are commanded to crucify the flesh with passions and lusts (Galatians 5,24:XNUMX). How are we supposed to do that? Should we inflict pain on the body? No! Rather, we crucify the temptation to sin! We expel the corrupt thought, capture every thought and bring it to Jesus Christ. We submit all bodily tendencies to the higher energies of the soul, letting the love of God reign supreme and Christ seated on an undivided throne. We are to regard our body as one's purchased possession, and all parts of the body are to serve righteousness.« (Adventist Home, ibid.; cf. ibid.)

We learn so much from these few sentences:

To crucify the flesh is to crucify the temptation to sin. That means expelling the corrupt thought, capturing every thought and bringing it to Jesus, thus subjecting all bodily tendencies to the higher soul powers, letting love reign supreme, letting Jesus sit on an undivided throne, regarding our bodies as His bought property and with the whole body to serve righteousness.

How did Jesus crucify his flesh?

Jesus crucified the temptation to sin. He expelled the corrupt thought, captured every thought and brought it to his father. He subjected all bodily tendencies to the higher powers of the soul, let love reign supreme, let his father sit on an undivided throne, and regarded his body as his father's property. He served justice with his whole body.

The ecumenical perspective

From a Catholic and Protestant perspective, we are making Jesus a sinner. But who will one day stand against God's people? Catholicism and Apostate Protestantism. As a matter of fact:

“By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God; and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist that you heard was coming; and now he is in the world.« (1 John 4,2.3:XNUMX)

Now a statement like the following can also be classified:

Truly tempted as we are - yet without sin

"Much as he was tried in hasty and vexatious speech, he never once sinned with his lips." (Bible Commentary 7, 936; see. Bible Commentary, 483)

Tempted as we are - yet without sin (Hebrews 4,15:XNUMX). Really trying like us. Tried in every way like us. But without sin.

“He took upon himself human nature and was tempted in all that human nature is tempted. He could have sinned, he could have fallen. But not for a single moment was there any evil inclination in him.« (Bible Commentary 5, 1128; see. Bible Commentary, 311)

"Never let the impression even remotely arise in the minds of men that Jesus had a spot or a tendency to depravity, or that he was in any way indulging in depravity." (Ibid.; cf. ibid.)

Jesus' mind was always directed toward heaven. He focused on God's thoughts. So what we are all asked to do applied to him in perfection:

“Do not for a moment think Satan's temptations to be in tune with your own mind! Turn away from them as if you were turning away from Satan himself.« (Our High Calling, 85)

A sanctified will

Jesus' spiritual nature was perfect. It corresponded to the nature and experience of Adam before the fall. But when we speak of fallen human nature, we mean the flesh, the inherited tendencies of evil. only that

So in terms of will, Jesus had the unfallen will of Adam before the fall. He was begotten of the Holy Spirit.

»The beginning, course and end of his life were subject to a sacred human will.« (Signs of the Times, 29.10.1894)

Jesus was born as we are born again - fully empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The quote just mentioned says in context: »Jesus Christ is our example in all things. The beginning, course and conclusion of his life were subject to a sacred human will. He was tempted in all things like us. Yet he was not in the least inclined to do evil or to rebel against God, because he always rested his will in God and His holiness." (Ibid.)

Jesus overcame by trusting the Father and continually submitting to His will.

The inheritance

Jesus had acquired his human inheritance from Mary. In this he was in no better position than any of us. The dimensions of human nature are clearly outlined in the following statements:

“It would have been an almost infinite humiliation for the Son of God to assume human nature when Adam stood in his innocence in Eden. But Jesus took human nature at after the human race weakened by 4000 years of sin had been. Like every child of Adam, he took the consequences the operation of the great law of heredity on yourself. The history of his earthly ancestors teaches us what these consequences consisted of. He came with one like that heritage, to share our afflictions and temptations, and to give us an example of a sinless life.« (Desire of Ages, 48; see. life of Jesus, 33)

“When Adam was attacked by the tempter, he was not yet suffering from the effects of sin. He was strong, perfect, and possessed of all his mental and physical vitality. The glories of Eden surrounded him; daily he had fellowship with heavenly beings. However, when Jesus entered the wilderness to face Satan, it was very different. For 4000 years the human race had in physical strength, mental strength and moral worth forfeited and Jesus had the weaknesses taken on by degenerate humanity. Only in this way was he able to rescue man from the deepest depths of degeneracy.« (Desire of Ages, 117; see. life of Jesus, 100)

From the Father Jesus had inherited a holy will, a holy character, a sanctified spirit. From Mary the weaknesses of mankind: weakened physical strength, weakened mental strength and weakened moral strength.

"He became equal to his brothers with the same mental and physical susceptibilities." (Review and Herald, 10.02.1885)

“He took upon himself fallen, suffering human nature, corrupted and defiled by sin... He united humanity with divinity: a divine spirit dwelt in a temple of flesh. He connected to the temple. 'And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us' [John 1,14:XNUMX] because in doing this he could associate with the sinful, grieving sons and daughters of Adam." (Bible Commentary 4, 1147; Bible Commentary, 194)

A divine and a human heritage

Character arises when we form thoughts (through personal volitions, personal decisions) that are followed by feelings. »Thoughts and feelings together form our moral character.« (In Heavenly Places. For believing parents, through the parents' prayer and faith, the Holy Spirit can "form our little ones from their earliest moments" (Desire of Ages, 512; see. life of Jesus.

Jesus lived out his human heritage as far as inherited tendencies to evil were concerned, but not for a single moment. He was begotten of the Holy Spirit. He lived only this heritage from the first moment (initially unconsciously). God's spirit, angels and parents' faith formed his protection, just as any other child can. But he alone was begotten of the Holy Spirit, Son of the living God.

His human heritage included not only weakened physical traits, but also weakened mental and moral ones. Because he was born a real human being.

This human heritage became a temptation for him as it is for us: physically, mentally and morally. He can therefore really understand us completely.

Like a rock in the surf

As newborns, don't we often feel the temptation in the spiritual realm? Nevertheless, we can stand as a rock in the surf. Because with the rebirth, the original obedient spirit that man possessed before the fall is given to us again! In sanctification it is proven and perfected.

The new birth

When we are born again, the inherited evil tendencies that we have practiced (that is, made our own) and the bad tendencies that we have acquired—that is, every sinful habit, whether inherited or acquired—are removed from our character. There may still be unknowing sins in our lives, but these do not separate us from the Lord, as we do not yet know them, and they do not affect our hearts or our surrender; for example, if we keep Sunday as the Lord's with all our hearts because we don't know any better yet.

Now our will, our motivation is new. Some inherited tendencies that we have practiced we no longer feel at all, some we continue to feel as temptations, but less and less as we do not exercise them but advance in sanctification. However, there will never be a time before the transformation when we cannot feel temptation strongly or be suddenly surprised by old temptations. Because Satan can want to attack us again and the LORD allow it to be tested.

Closely connected to the spirit

We may place our inherited feeble spirits in God's hands, and thereby receive a Spirit-filled spirit—as long as we look to Jesus!

And so it was with our Lord in his earthly experience. Therefore he says: 'Truly, truly, I say to you, the son can do nothing of himself, but only what he sees the father doing; for whatever he does, the son also does in like manner.« (John 5,19:XNUMX)

In Jesus' life only the life of his father was revealed. He was the channel for God's love, freely and from the heart.

He lived by faith alone. Just by his father's word. He could not rely for a moment on sense impressions, either his own thoughts or feelings produced by the flesh, which so easily deceive and mislead man.

Same genetic nature

He was fully aware of the power of his genetic makeup and throughout his humanity he never forgot what we too need to understand:

"His human nature was ... identical to ours." (The Truth About Angels, 156; see. The angel, 138)

"When Jesus took upon himself human nature in its fallen state, he did not participate in its sin in the slightest." (Bible Commentary 5, 1131; see. Bible Commentary, 314)

Jesus possessed the same genetic nature as we do!

"Since the children have a part in flesh and blood, he also became part of it, so that by death he might put out of effect him who had the power of death, which is the devil." (Hebrews 2,14:XNUMX)

So that was the only way he could redeem us, die for us, and defeat Satan.

"But we see Jesus, who was a little lower than the angels because of the suffering of death." (verse 9)

An attack on God's law

Satan claimed after the fall that it was not possible to keep God's law:

“The only begotten Son of God came into our world as a man to show the world that man is capable of keeping God's law. Satan, the fallen angel, had declared that no man could keep the law of God after Adam sinned.« (The Truth About Angels, 155; see. The angel, 137)

The new theology believes that we will sin until the Second Coming and therefore asserts that Jesus' human nature was different from ours. But if Jesus obeyed in a nature like ours, sinning is obviously always avoidable with God's help, regardless of the strength of the temptation, and at the same time always inexcusable. Also, many ministers and brethren in our church today believe that Jesus took upon himself the unfallen nature of Adam. Still others, who class themselves as conservative, believe that Jesus took upon himself the fallen nature of Adam, but also limit this to the physical component alone.

But Jesus was a real man. “He had not even taken upon himself the nature of angels, but humanity, completely identical to our own nature, only without the blemish of sin. He had a human body, a human spirit, with all the attributes that go with it, he was bone, brain and muscle. As a man of our flesh, he was afflicted with the frailty of human nature.« (The Truth About Angels, 181; see. The angel, 138)

But Jesus was born without a stain of sin, so he was pure in character and holy. His human spirit was directed by the father, the genetic material (in terms of inherited tendencies to evil) never broke through in him, which would have soiled and defiled his character. It remained crucified.

Jesus had the tendencies of evil in his flesh

In 1903 Ellen White wrote a letter to Doctor Kellogg. In it she explained: “Having come as a man, with all the evil tendencies to which man is heir, he was vulnerable to human agents inspired by Satan, the outcast heavenly rebel. « (Letter K-303, 1903; quoted in Adventist Review, 17.02.1994)

What an impressive statement to better understand Jesus' struggle! It cost him everything to stay pure, every step of the way!

partakers of the divine nature

Sometimes Ellen White speaks of Jesus' humanity from the perspective of His holiness. Then the fact of his connection with the father stands in the foreground. One of these quotes says:

“Through Jesus' victory, the same advantages that he had are opened up to man. Because he can now become a partaker of a power that is outside of him and above him, namely a partaker of the divine nature. Through them he can overcome the corruption that is in the world through lust. In human nature, Jesus formed a perfect character... Jesus' humanity is called 'the holy thing' (Luke 1,35:1). The inspired record says of Jesus: 'He sinned not' (2,22 Peter 2:5,21), 'knowing no sin' (1 Corinthians 3,5:7,26), and 'in him is no sin' (XNUMX John XNUMX). He was 'holy, without sin, undefiled, apart from sinners' (Hebrews XNUMX:XNUMX).« (Signs of the Times, 16.01.1896)

We too can achieve this humanity:

»Jesus perfect humanity is the same that man can have by connecting with Jesus.« (Manuscript release 16, 181)

We can unite all our higher powers—our reason, our will, and our conscience—with God's nature, and thereby attain a perfect humanity that can be kept holy and pure, and grow in that holiness and purity—until "to perfect maturity, to measure the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4,13:XNUMX).

We can be infinitely grateful: Sin can be overcome and held in death!

How far does salvation go?

Had Jesus come to this earth with an unfallen human nature, He could only have proved that Adam and Eve had no excuse for their sin before their fall. But he couldn't have shown that your or my sins were inexcusable.

But not only is this clearly proven, there is also a remedy for past sins and power for a victorious life in human flesh.

“For though we walk in the flesh, yet we fight not after the manner of the flesh; for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty with God to destroy strongholds, to destroy syllogisms, and to take in captivity every high place that rises against the knowledge of God, and every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10,3:5-XNUMX)

Become and stay an overcomer

Some things that have troubled us we can overcome immediately and forever. Others require constant great vigilance. We may have put it aside and thereby also "overcome" it, because we parted with it, heartily and resolutely, but we must constantly hold it in death, with Jesus' help and determined effort, until we have overcome it in such a way that it closes to us no longer challenges time.

We can speed up this process by always taking sufficient quiet time to consciously and deeply die away from something where we find that it still afflicts us and threatens to overcome us further. Then it is especially important to take hold of the faith in the spirit, as often as necessary - sometimes it may be necessary 100 times in a short time - that in Jesus it has already been removed forever. However, even when we have overcome something so completely that our thinking is no longer susceptible to it, we still need to remain on our guard. For our flesh still exists and Satan may plan some situation for us in which he would like to surprise us to fall. See the experience of Moses before Canaan at the end of the 40 year wandering in the wilderness.

Overcome in the End Times

The perfection of the flesh will only come about when Jesus returns, at the moment of transformation. Until then, we remain temptable. A holy church, the faithful remnant of Seventh-day Adventists, will complete the work under the latter rain, but even then Satan will continue to seek to lead God's children into sin. However, he will no longer succeed. But tempter and temptation remain until the coming of Jesus, when temptation will end at the transfiguration for God's children, and until shortly after the end of the 1000 years, when the tempter and all his followers will be judged according to their works in the lake of fire and forever be destroyed.

Where are we today?

Concerning the experience of the church, Ellen White distinguishes "the struggling church" and "the victorious church." We are still in the first of these two phases today. The transition from the struggling church, still marked by many imperfections, to the victorious one, which will stand as one man and perfectly reflect Jesus' nature in the world, is happening in the context of the Sunday Law crisis. Then the majority, we are sadly told, will leave us and join Babylon. But God's faithful children receive the fullness of the latter rain and together give the loud cry. The perfection of Christian character that the church is permitted to manifest at this time concerns her perfection of heart. Mistakes that are not moral in nature will still occur. For example, Ellen White speaks of how many less learned people will proclaim the message with grammatical errors under the latter rain, that is, filled with the fulness of the Holy Spirit.

In the struggling church phase, there will always be brothers and sisters who will tempt us and allow themselves to be used by Satan. In the phase of the victorious church, the goal and climax of the plan of salvation, no one becomes a temptation for the other. Then prophecies will be fulfilled like: »And no one will teach his neighbor anymore and no one will teach his brother anymore, saying: Know the LORD! For everyone will know me, from the smallest to the greatest among them.« (Hebrews 8,11:12,8) »In that day the LORD will protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that in that day the weakest among them will be like David, and that House of David like God, like the angel of the LORD before them.« (Zechariah XNUMX:XNUMX)

So for today the following still applies: We must not expect an ideal church in which Satan's temptations no longer appear. We may strive for the highest ourselves and encourage others to do so, but do not judge who should fall or become discouraged where revealed standards of faith are not met. We need the patience and love promised to the saints, especially with our own brethren. “The greatest triumph that Jesus' religion has given us is self-control. Our natural inclinations must be controlled, otherwise we can never overcome like Jesus.« (Testimonials 4, 235; see. testimonials 4, 257) “I give you a new commandment, that you should love one another, so that as I have loved you, you also may love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13,34.35:XNUMX)

personal

In 1990 my search for this question about the (human) nature of Jesus began. This lasted for more than three years. My understanding deepened step by step. Then the LORD graciously led me to the knowledge of this great truth and I was allowed to experience it myself in a liberating way. Soon after, we decided to spread this lost truth beyond personal testimony through a magazine in Germany. From that is now hope TODAY and this internet portal was created. In 2010, Amazing Discoveries also published an issue of the STpoints of view out about it. It is highly recommended and shows even more background.