Focus on Jesus JESUS, THE SECOND ADAM
And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. John 8:29.
Although Jesus took human nature when He was born into this world, He was never a sinner. He never sinned. Sometimes we debate whether Jesus was like Adam before the Fall or after the Fall. That question will keep you going till midnight! But in a sense, it is the wrong question, because in some ways Jesus was like Adam before the Fall, and in some ways He was like Adam after the Fall. And that's why the question becomes so complicated. Jesus was like Adam after the Fall in terms of physical, mental, and moral strength (The Desire of Ages, p. 117). But Jesus was like Adam before the Fall in that He was sinless.
Jesus had all the liabilities of Adam. This means that He was able to be tempted. It means He was able to give in to temptation. It means He could have fallen and failed and sinned. Jesus had all these liabilities. But there was no sin in Him. "No trace of sin marred the image of God within Him [Jesus]. Yet He was not exempt from temptation."--Ibid., p. 71.
This means that He had a spiritual nature, or a spiritual side to His nature, that carried with it no propensities to sin. The spiritual nature of Jesus had no tendencies toward sin. The spiritual aspect of Jesus' nature had no desire for sin. Can you say that about yourself? Can you say that about anyone else who was ever born into this world? No, our spiritual natures are fallen.
Then did Jesus have an advantage over us? Yes, He had an advantage over us! Luke 1:35 says He was born "that holy thing." We weren't. Jesus was never tempted to continue in sin. That's one of our biggest temptations. There are people who have struggled for years with the momentum of sin that has built up--it's a heavy temptation. Jesus never had that. Jesus hated sin. From a child, He hated sin. You cannot say that about us. These were advantages.
But in the Desire of Ages, page 119, you will find it stated that Jesus had no advantage over us! How can you explain that? Because Jesus never used the advantage of being born God. He lived life as we must live it, by dependence upon His Father and relationship with Him.
And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. John 8:29.
Although Jesus took human nature when He was born into this world, He was never a sinner. He never sinned. Sometimes we debate whether Jesus was like Adam before the Fall or after the Fall. That question will keep you going till midnight! But in a sense, it is the wrong question, because in some ways Jesus was like Adam before the Fall, and in some ways He was like Adam after the Fall. And that's why the question becomes so complicated. Jesus was like Adam after the Fall in terms of physical, mental, and moral strength (The Desire of Ages, p. 117). But Jesus was like Adam before the Fall in that He was sinless.
Jesus had all the liabilities of Adam. This means that He was able to be tempted. It means He was able to give in to temptation. It means He could have fallen and failed and sinned. Jesus had all these liabilities. But there was no sin in Him. "No trace of sin marred the image of God within Him [Jesus]. Yet He was not exempt from temptation."--Ibid., p. 71.
This means that He had a spiritual nature, or a spiritual side to His nature, that carried with it no propensities to sin. The spiritual nature of Jesus had no tendencies toward sin. The spiritual aspect of Jesus' nature had no desire for sin. Can you say that about yourself? Can you say that about anyone else who was ever born into this world? No, our spiritual natures are fallen.
Then did Jesus have an advantage over us? Yes, He had an advantage over us! Luke 1:35 says He was born "that holy thing." We weren't. Jesus was never tempted to continue in sin. That's one of our biggest temptations. There are people who have struggled for years with the momentum of sin that has built up--it's a heavy temptation. Jesus never had that. Jesus hated sin. From a child, He hated sin. You cannot say that about us. These were advantages.
But in the Desire of Ages, page 119, you will find it stated that Jesus had no advantage over us! How can you explain that? Because Jesus never used the advantage of being born God. He lived life as we must live it, by dependence upon His Father and relationship with Him.
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