Did Jesus possess a sinful or a sinless human nature? Two basic positions are often presented. One is the prelapsarian position (the Latin lapsus, "to slip").The advocates of this position state that Jesus possessed a human nature like Adam's before he fell into sin; in other words, a sinless human nature. Jesus was, therefore, 100 percent sinless. He was born sinless and He never chose to sin. Thus, His life was in every way perfect. Because He was perfect and absolutely sinless, He was able to be our substitute on the cross and died to pay the price of our sins. In exchange for the sins we gave to Him, He gives to us His perfect righteousness. Consequently, when God looks at us, He doesn't see weaknesses or failures, but only the perfect life and perfect record of Jesus, which cover us. The main problem people perceive with this view is that Jesus had an advantage over us and thus could not be our perfect example.
The second position is the postlapsarian. According to this view, Jesus possessed a human nature like Adam's after he fell into sin; consequently, Jesus possessed a sinful human nature. They claim it was necessary for Him to have a sinful human nature in order to begin at the same point at which you and I begin. Only then could He truly be our example and show that it is possible for humanity to gain victory over sin and live a life of total obedience.
The postlapsarian theory has a number of problems. If Jesus possessed a sinful human nature like that of Adam after the fall, wouldn't that make Him a part of the sinful human race that needs to be redeemed? If He Himself needed redemption, how could He be our redeemer?
That also brings up the question "Are people born guilty of sin and in a lost condition, or do they become guilty and lost only when they choose to sin?" In other words, is sin a condition or a choice? If we are born guilty and lost, every human being needs a Saviour. If we are born only with the possibility of sinning and do not be come guilty until we choose to sin, then every baby who dies, every individual who does not reach the age of accountability, and everyone who does not sufficiently mature mentally will be saved without a Saviour. Could God allow heaven to have people in it who did not have a Saviour?
Sinless perfectionism
The main reason for believing and promoting the sinful human nature of Jesus is the concept of sinless perfectionism. There are those who believe and teach that God has to have a final generation of people who will prove to the universe that it is possible for human beings to keep God's law. The suggestion is that we are that generation and that we must work diligently toward reaching that point of total victory over sin.
The usual response to that is two fold. First, Jesus has already provided the evidence, the only evidence the universe needs, that God's law can be kept by human beings. He as fully human kept God's law perfectly. Since then there's been no question of created beings regarding God's rightness and fairness in requiring obedience. Second, if God requires perfect obedience from all of those who as a part of this last generation would be ready to meet Him, is it not extremely discouraging that there is no one in history, except Jesus, who ever reached that perfect standard? If Jesus is the only successful one so far, that doesn't give us a great deal of encouragement.
It is true that God does demand perfect obedience to His law. Notice how Ellen G. White expresses it: "God requires of all His subjects obedience, entire obedience to all His commandments. He demands now as ever perfect righteousness as the only title to heaven."' But there is only one way we can accomplish it: by accepting Jesus as our Saviour. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8, 9). "The moment the sinner believes in Christ, he stands in the sight of God uncondemned; for the righteousness of Christ is his: Christ's perfect obedience is imputed to him."2 We then are seen by God not simply as sinners who have been forgiven, but as though we had never ever sinned. "Christ's character stands in place of your character, and you are accepted before God just as if you had not sinned." 3 We need have no fear of the judgment; for God doesn't look at us to see how well we have done in our Christian life, but He looks to see how well Jesus has done and credits that to our record. "Through faith in His blood, all may be made perfect in Christ Jesus. Thank God that we are not dealing with impossibilities. We may claim sanctification. We may enjoy the favor of God. We are not to be anxious about what Christ and God think of us, but about what God thinks of Christ, our Substitute." 4
"Be ye perfect"
Matthew 5:48 troubles many people. "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." To be as perfect as God is? What a challenge! Ellen White helps us understand that text: "As God is perfect in His high sphere of action, so man may be perfect in his human sphere." 5
Will we ever reach the ultimate goal, a state of total sinlessness? "At every stage of development our life may be perfect; yet if God's purpose for us is fulfilled, there will be continual advancement. Sanctification is the work of a lifetime." 6
If sanctification is the work of a lifetime, we will never reach the goal of perfection unless we reach it at the moment we die. So while my life goes on I must continue to grow in Christ and move upward toward sanctification perfection. Perfection is the goal to strive for, but with the realization that I will never fully reach it. Christ "is a perfect and holy example, given for us to imitate. We cannot equal the pattern; but we shall not be approved of God if we do not copy it and, according to the ability which God has given, resemble it." 7 But that does not bring discouragement, for I am assured that every step of the way, covered with Christ's righteousness, I am seen as perfect and totally acceptable to God.
The word "perfection" as used in Scripture could often be better under stood as maturity. So God is inviting me to continue to mature in my Christian experience and my relationship with Him for as long as my life lasts. "It is our lifework to be reaching forward to the perfection of Christian character, striving continually for conformity to the will of God. The efforts begun upon earth will continue through eternity." 8
Perfection as maturity
Let me illustrate the concept of perfection in "our sphere" and at our stage of development. My wife and I have a beautiful granddaughter. When our son called to tell us of her birth he said, "She's perfect." And she was, perfectly formed and normal. Perfect in her sphere. Perfect for her stage of development. But she was far from being ultimately perfect and mature. God sees us, when we are in Jesus, as perfect, even though our deeds and performance fall far short of ultimate perfection. Just as a baby grows and develops, learns and matures, as long as life lasts, so must we grow, develop, learn, and mature spiritually as long as we live.
Our granddaughter lives about 2,000 miles from us and so we don't get to see her nearly often enough. When she was about 22 months old, she and her parents came to visit us. Breann had not yet learned to use the terms Grandma and Grandpa. We didn't coach her to learn or say the words. We just developed our relationship with her while everyone called us Grandma and Grandpa. Our week together passed all too quickly, and we took them to the airport to return home. As we bade them goodbye, Breann looked straight at me, waved, and said, "Bye, bye, Gamma." Let me tell you, my heart swelled with love and gratitude, and I assure you that indication of recognition and relationship was totally acceptable to me.
That's the way God relates to us. Though at any stage of life our performance will not be 100 percent perfect, since we are in Jesus, He accepts it as though it were. And He sees it as perfect for our stage of development.
Now, it goes without saying that if Breann still calls me "Gamma" 20 years from now, I won't be quite as thrilled. We expect her to mature and progress. So God doesn't like to look at us and see us no nearer sanctification and perfection today than we were 20 years ago. But remember, our acceptance with Him is not based upon our spiritual growth; our spiritual growth is the result of knowing we have been accepted by Him.
Is perfection overcoming sin?
By the way, is perfection simply a matter of overcoming every known sin in one's life? I talked with some one a short time ago who claimed that he had not sinned for the past two years. Ellen White has some counsel for those who make such claims. "Those who live nearest to Jesus discern most clearly the frailty and sinfulness of humanity, and their only hope is in the merit of a crucified and risen Saviour.... And the claim to be without sin is, in itself, evidence that he who makes this claim is far from holy. . . . The greater the distance between himself and Christ, and the more inadequate his conceptions of the divine character and requirements, the more righteous he appears in his own eyes." 9 Again she says, "None of the apostles and prophets ever claimed to be without sin.... So it will be with all who behold Christ. The nearer we come to Jesus, and the more clearly we discern the purity of His character, the more clearly shall we see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the less shall we feel like exalting ourselves."10
Why so much confusion?
Now, why do we have two camps of Adventists taking opposite views regarding the nature of Christ? Those who hold one view as the "historic," or "true," Seventh-day Adventist message refer to the other as "heresy" or "new theology." Numerous books and several independent ministries claim to proclaim the "truth" regarding this issue. At the same time, the book Questions on Doctrine, published by the church in 1957, has been condemned as heresy and a sellout to the evangelicals.
Why the confusion? The Bible assures us that "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" (John 1:1, 14). Yes, Jesus did indeed be come a human being, a member of our race. The Bible also seems definite about Jesus being without sin: "The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me" (John 14:30). The devil could find nothing in Jesus by which He could be condemned. Peter expressed the sinlessness of Jesus "as of a lamb without blemish and with out spot" (1 Peter 1:19). The author of Hebrews identifies Him as holy and undefiled: "For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens" (Heb. 7:26).
Though the Bible seems clear regarding Jesus' sinlessness, we get into trouble with the writings of Ellen White. The following Spirit of Prophecy references seem to support the prelapsarian, or sinless nature, view of Jesus.
"We should have no misgivings in regard to the perfect sinlessness of the human nature of Christ." 11
"Be careful, exceedingly careful as to how you dwell upon the human nature of Christ. Do not set Him be fore the people as a man with the propensities of sin. He is the second Adam. The first Adam was created a pure, sinless being, without a taint of sin upon him; he was in the image of God. He could fall, and he did fall through transgressing. Because of sin his posterity was born with inherent propensities of disobedience. But Jesus Christ was the only begotten Son of God. 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. He was assailed with temptations in the wilderness, as Adam was assailed with temptations in Eden." 12
The temptation of Jesus
Jesus, the "second Adam" and perfectly sinless, was tempted; in fact, He "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15). He was tempted in all things as we are, yet He never sinned, and is thus our perfect example. He was tempted to a far greater extent than we have ever been tempted. Observe Ellen White's description: "The enticements which Christ resisted were those that we find it so difficult to withstand. They were urged upon Him in as much greater degree as His character is superior to ours." 13 Think of the temptation He faced to use His divine power to protect Himself or meet His needs. How great the temptation must have been to come down from the cross! I have never been tempted that severely. Have you?
In the chapter "The Temptation" in The Desire of Ages, Ellen White describes Jesus' greatest temptation. Attacking Jesus in the time of His greatest physical and emotional weakness, Satan tried to convince Jesus that He was not really the Son of God. In fact, he tried desperately to turn the tables, to prevail upon Jesus that he, Satan, was really the son of God and that He, Jesus, was the angel fallen from heaven. Can you imagine how great was the temptation, in the face of that doubt and uncertainty, for Jesus to turn the stones into bread? I ask you, have you ever been tempted that severely?
Jesus: prelapsarian or postlapsarian? Consider first the following quotations from Ellen White on the sinless human nature of Jesus. "Never, in any way, leave the slightest impression upon human minds that a taint of, or inclination to, corruption rested upon Christ, or that He in any way yielded to corruption. ... It is a mystery that is left unexplained to mortals that Christ could be tempted in all points like as we are, and yet be without sin. The incarnation of Christ has ever been, and will ever remain a mystery. That which is revealed is for us and our children, but let every human being be warned from the ground of making Christ altogether human, such an one as ourselves, for it cannot be. " 14
"Christ is called the second Adam. In purity and holiness connected with God and beloved by God, He began where the first Adam began. Willingly He passed over the ground where Adam fell, and redeemed Adam's failure. . . . In His human nature He maintained the purity of His divine character." 15
"In the fullness of time He was to be revealed in human form. He was to take His position at the head of humanity by taking the nature but not the sinfulness of man." 16
"Christ did not possess the same sinful, corrupt, fallen disloyalty we possess, for then He could not be a perfect offering." 17
After reading these quotations there can be no doubt regarding the perfect sinlessness of the human nature of Jesus and that He possessed the nature of Adam before the Fall.
But now consider the following references that seem to suggest the postlapsarian position that Jesus possessed a sinful human nature.
"Clad in the vestments of humanity, the Son of God came down to the level of those He wished to save. In Him was no guile or sinfulness, He was ever pure and undefiled; yet He took upon Him our sinful nature."18
"In taking upon Himself man's nature in its fallen condition, Christ did not in the least participate in its sin. He was subject to the infirmities and weaknesses by which man is encompassed." 19
"He took upon Himself fallen, suffering human nature, degraded and defiled by sin." 20
"It would have been an almost infinite humiliation for the Son of God to take man's nature, even when Adam stood in his innocence in Eden. But Jesus accepted humanity when the race had been weakened by four thousand years of sin. Like every child of Adam He accepted the results of the working of the great law of heredity." 21
"It was not a make-believe humanity that Christ took upon Himself. He took human nature and lived human nature. ... He took our infirmities. He was not only made flesh, but He was made in the likeness of sinful flesh. " 22
That passage "in the likeness of sinful flesh" sometimes presents difficulty. Some say it means He took the form and nature that were like sinful flesh, but not really sinful. Others insist the passage means He took the form and nature exactly the same as our sinful flesh. Philippians 2:5-8 says, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled him self, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."
The phrase "in the likeness" is translated from the Greek phrase en homoiomati. The term is used in Romans 8:3 and 1:23: "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh." "And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things." Does the term en homoiomati mean exactly alike in all respects? If so, according to Romans 1:23, unbelievers literally changed the "glory of the uncorruptible God" into an image of corruptible man, birds, beasts, and creeping things. Obviously such a conclusion is wrong.
But how do we understand the two sets of Ellen White statements that seem to be in opposition to each other? Does the Spirit of Prophecy contradict itself? Was Ellen White ignorant of the facts? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, we are in desperate trouble.
A possible solution to the dilemma
Let me suggest a possible solution to the apparent dilemma. Though Ellen White used the term human nature when referring to both aspects of Jesus' humanity, perhaps some different terms and definitions would be helpful in bringing clarity. Perhaps in Ellen White's day this issue was not a matter of significant concern, or possibly the term human nature was understood differently.
Is it possible that when Ellen White referred to Jesus' sinless human nature she was talking about His spiritual nature, that is, His relationship with God the Father? He was not born with guilt or evil propensities as an inheritance from Adam. He was born in a pure, undefiled, sinless state such as Adam was when he came forth from the hand of the Creator. Again is it possible that when Ellen White refers to Jesus' sinful human nature she was referring to His physical condition, that is, His physical weaknesses that are a result of sin's ravages upon the human race? He suffered tiredness, pain, hunger, and thirst. He needed food and rest. He craved human sympathy and needed divine assistance. He was subject to death. His circumstances, as far as His physical condition, were the same as Adam's after the Fall; in fact, much worse, for He joined the human race after it had been weakened by 4,000 years of struggle in a sinful world.
Notice how both concepts are presented in these statements:
"He took upon His sinless nature our sinful nature, that He might know how to succor those that are tempted." 23
"He was unsullied with corruption, a stranger to sin; yet He prayed, and that often with strong crying and tears. He prayed for His disciples and for Himself, thus identifying Himself with our needs, our weaknesses, and our failings, which are so common with humanity.... He was a mighty petitioner, notpossessing the passions of our human, fallen natures, but compassed with like infirmities, tempted in all points even as we are." 24
"The human nature of Christ was like unto ours, and suffering was more keenly felt by Him; for His spiritual nature was free from every taint of sin. Therefore His desire for the removal of suffering was stronger than human beings can experience." 25
"For four thousand years the race had been decreasing in physical strength, in mental power, and in moral worth; and Christ took upon Him the infirmities of degenerate humanity." 26
Innocent infirmities versus sinful propensities?
Tim Poirier of the White Estate, in his paper "A Comparison of the Christology of Ellen G. White and Henry Melvill," deals with this subject. He demonstrates how Ellen White may have used some of Melvill's terminology in expressing her God-given views of the nature of Christ. Henry Melvill was a popular British preacher in the nineteenth century, a contemporary of Ellen White. Melvill identifies two primary consequences of the Fall of the human race. They are "innocent infirmities" and "sinful propensities." By innocent infirmities he means such things as pain, weariness, hunger, thirst, sorrow, and death. These, he says, are all consequences of guilt, but are free from guilt. Sin brought pain, but pain is not sin. When referring to sinful propensities, he refers to human tendency and inclination to sin. Melvill then makes it clear that before the Fall Adam possessed neither innocent infirmities nor sinful propensities, but after the Fall he possessed both. Christ, however, he says, took the first, innocent infirmities, but not the latter, sinful propensities.
Melvill sums it up well in one of his sermons (Melvill's Sermons [1844] is available at the White Estate, with Ellen White's markings): "But whilst He [Christ] took humanity with the innocent infirmities, He did not take it with the sinful propensities. Here Deity interposed. Christ's humanity was not the Adamic humanity, that is, the humanity of Adam before the Fall; nor fallen humanity, that is, in every respect the humanity of Adam after the Fall. It was not the Adamic, because it had the innocent infirmities of the fallen. It was not the fallen, because it never descended into moral impurity. It was, therefore, most literally our humanity, but without sin."
So can we conclude that Christ's human nature was neither prelapsarian nor postlapsarian, but both? He was perfectly sinless, as was Adam before the Fall. This we may refer to as His spiritual nature. But He suffered the innocent infirmities as do all of us after the Fall. This we may refer to as His human condition.
Praise God, He did become human and lived a perfect life to set for us the perfect example. And praise God, He was perfectly sinless in order to be our perfect sacrifice.
1. The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Ellen G. White Comments (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1953), vol. 6, p. 1072.
2. Ellen G. White, Fundamentals of Christian Education (Nashville, Tenn: Southern Pub. Assn., 1923), p. 429.
3. ______, Steps to Christ (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1956), p. 62.
4. ______, Selected Messages (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1958), book 2, pp. 32, 33.
5. ______, Counsels to Parents and Teachers (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1913), p. 365.
6. ______, Christ's Object Lessons (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1900), p. 65.
7. ______, Testimoniesfor the Church (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1948), vol. 2, p. 549.
8. ______, Ibid., vol. 4, p. 520.
9. ______, The Great Controversy (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1911), pp. 471, 473.
10. ______, The Acts of the Apostles (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1911), p. 561
11. ______, Selected Messages, book 1, p. 256. (Italics supplied.)
12. ______, The SDA Bible Commentary, Ellen G. White Comments, vol. 5, p. 1128. (Italics supplied.)
13. ______, The Desire of Ages (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1898), p. 116.
14. ______, The SDA Bible Commentary, Ellen G. White Comments, vol. 5, pp, 1128, 1129. (Italics supplied.)
15. ______, My Life Today (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1952), p. 323. (Italics supplied.)
16. ______, The SDA Bible Commentary, Ellen G. White Comments, vol. 7, p. 912. (Italics supplied.)
17. ______, Selected Messages, book 3, p. 131.(Italics supplied.)
18. ______, Review and Herald, Dec. 15,1896. (Italics supplied.)
19. ______, Selected Messages, book 1, p. 256. (Italics supplied.)
20. ______, The SDA Bible Commentary',Ellen G. White Comments, vol. 4, p. 1147. Italics supplied.)
21. ______, The Desire of Ages, p. 49. (Italics supplied.)
22. ______, The SDA Bible Commentary, Ellen G. White Comments, vol. 5, p. 1124. (Italics supplied.)
23. ______, Medical Ministry (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1932), p. 181. (Italics supplied.)
24. ______, Testimonies, vol. 2, pp. 508, 509. (Italics supplied.)
25. ______, The SDA Bible Commentary, Ellen G. White Comments, vol. 7, p. 912. (Italics supplied.)
26. ______, The Desire of Ages, p. 117.
