God's Messenger, Ellen White, on the Nature of Christ

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. What these results were is shown in the history of His earthly ancestors. He came with such a heredity to share our sorrows and temptations, and to give us the example of a sinless life.

Satan in heaven had hated Christ for His position in the courts of God. He hated Him the more when he himself was dethroned. He hated Him who pledged Himself to redeem a race of sinners. Yet into the world where Satan claimed dominion God permitted His Son to come, a helpless babe, subject to the weakness of humanity. He permitted Him to meet life’s peril in common with every human soul, to fight the battle as every child of humanity must fight it, at the risk of failure and eternal loss.  Desire of Ages, page 49

Satan had pointed to Adam’s sin as proof that God’s law was unjust, and could not be obeyed. In our humanity, Christ was to redeem Adam’s failure. But when Adam was assailed by the tempter, none of the effects of sin were upon him. He stood in the strength of perfect manhood, possessing the full vigor of mind and body. He was surrounded with the glories of Eden, and was in daily communion with heavenly beings. It was not thus with Jesus when He entered the wilderness to cope with Satan. 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. Only thus could He rescue man from the lowest depths of his degradation.

Many claim that it was impossible for Christ to be overcome by temptation. Then He could not have been placed in Adam’s position; He could not have gained the victory that Adam failed to gain. If we have in any sense a more trying conflict than had Christ, then He would not be able to succor us. But our Saviour took humanity, with all its liabilities. He took the nature of man, with the possibility of yielding to temptation. We have nothing to bear which He has not endured.  Desire of Ages, page 117
The angels prostrated themselves before Him. They offered their lives. Jesus said to them that He would by His death save many, that the life of an angel could not pay the debt. His life alone could be accepted of His Father as a ransom for man. Jesus also told them that they would have a part to act, to be with Him and at different times strengthen Him; that He would take man’s fallen nature, and His strength would not be even equal with theirs.
  Early Writings, page 150

Satan again rejoiced with his angels that he could, by causing man’s fall, pull down the Son of God from His exalted position. He told his angels that when Jesus should take fallen man’s nature, he could overpower Him and hinder the accomplishment of the plan of salvation.  Early Writings, page 152

Christ was not in as favorable a position in the desolate wilderness to endure the temptations of Satan as was Adam when he was tempted in Eden.  The Son of God humbled Himself and took man's nature after the race had wandered four thousand years from Eden, and from their original state of purity and uprightness.  RH 7/28/1874

He was made like unto His brethren, with the same susceptibilities, mental and physical.  RH 2/10/1885

He took our nature upon Him that He might become aquainted with our trials and sorrows, and knowing all our experiences, He stands as Mediator and Intercessor before the Father.  ST 11/24/1887

His human nature was created; it did not even possess angelic powers.  It was human, identical to our own.  Ms. 94, 1893

Let the children bear in mind that the child Jesus had upon Himself human nature, and was in the likeness of sinful flesh, and was tempted of Satan as all children are tempted.  YI 8/23/1894

He...suffered every phase of trial and temptation with which humanity is beset.  Ms. 35, 1895

Christ, the spotless Son of God, honored humanity by taking upon Himself fallen human nature.  RH 9/29/1896

He took upon Him our sinful nature.  RH 12/15/1896

He took human nature. He became flesh even as we are....Every temptation that could be brought against fallen humanity, He met and overcame....Had He not been fully human, He could not have been our substitute.  BE 4/5/1897

He took our nature, and in it lived a life of perfect obedience.  ST 1/25/1899

He clothed His divinity with humanity, that He might bear all the infirmities and endure all the temptations of humanity.  ST 6/27/1900

Christ did in reality unite the offending nature of man with His own sinless nature.  RH 7/17/1900

He took upon Himself fallen, suffering human nature, degraded and defiled by sin.  YI 12/20/1900

He assumed human nature, and its infirmities, its liabilities, its temptations.  Ms. 41, 1901

The nature of God, whose law had been transgressed, and the nature of Adam, the transgressor, meet in Jesus, the Son of God, and the Son of man.  Ms. 141, 1901

To keep His glory veiled as the child of a fallen race, this was the most severe discipline, to which the prince of life could subject Himself.  Letter 19, 1901

In Him was no guile or sinfulness, He was ever pure and undefiled, yet He took upon Him our sinful nature.  Clothing His divinity with humanity, that He might associate with fallen humanity, He sought to regain for man that which by disobedience Adam had lost.  ST 7/30/1902  [In several other places also, Sister White differentiates in this way between sinfulness and sinful nature, as two different things.]

Jesus was in all things made like unto His brethren.  He became flesh, even as we are....Christ reaches us where we are.  He took our nature and overcame, that we through taking His nature might overcome.  AST 12/14/1903

He humbled Himself, taking the nature of the fallen race.  ST 1/13/1904

The Saviour took upon Himself the infirmities of humanity and lived a sinless life, that men might have no fear that because of the weakness of human nature they could not overcome.  Ministry of Healing, page 180 (1905)

He did in reality posses human nature...He was the Son of Mary, He was the seed of David, according to human descent.  RH 4/5/1906

For an extensive and very helpful study on the subject, including a careful look at the use of the word "propensity" in the inspired writings, and the Baker letter, which has been used to confuse so many on this issue, we highly recommend the book "The Word Was Made Flesh" by Ralph Larson, which was of great use in the production of this article.  -ed.