THE HUMAN NATURE OF CHRIST

Please study this page in connection with the following pages and you will be blessed → THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST
WE ARE COMPLETE IN CHRIST →→ THE FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST →→ WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT? →→ SAVED IN OR FROM SIN?

What nature did Jesus Christ take on earth? Many people are wondering about this today, because of a widespread teaching that states Jesus took the unfallen nature of Adam before he sinned. So on this page, we are going to PROVE this to be false, and show that Jesus actually took on humanity as it was after the fall. Before we delve into what the Bible says on the subject, take a look at the following inspired quote:

"The story of Bethlehem is an exhaustless theme. In it is hidden 'the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.' Rom. 11:33. We marvel at the Saviour's sacrifice in exchanging the throne of heaven for the manger, and the companionship of adoring angels for the beasts of the stall. Human pride and self-sufficiency stand rebuked in His presence. Yet this was but the beginning of His wonderful condescension. 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 ... 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, p.48-49)

Wow! Such love, which will be the theme for all eternity for the redeemed. But notice what is being said above about Christ's human nature. It says that Jesus did NOT take Adam's nature before the fall. But rather, the very nature that you and I have. That is amazing! But is this in agreement with the Bible? Let's take a look:

Hebrews 2:14-18 ...'Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore IN ALL THINGS it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.'

Romans 1:3 ...'Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh.'

Another wow! Notice Hebrews mentions 'the children'. It does not mention Adam, but THE CHILDREN. What nature did the children have? The FALLEN nature. And as the verses above confirm, Jesus 'took part OF THE SAME'. Christ took part of the same as the children, which is you and I, not of Adam himself before the fall. This is very clear. And Hebrews even confirms this fact by saying ... "He took on Him the seed of Abraham". What kind of nature did the seed of Abraham receive? The fallen nature, just like everyone else received from Adam, which is why Paul also confirms in Romans 1 that Jesus was made of the 'seed of David according to the flesh/'

But it doesn't even stop there! Paul also confirms in Hebrews ... "IN ALL THINGS it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren.". In how many things? Some? A Few? No, ALL THINGS, which includes our nature. This verse confirms that Christ was made in every way like us. And why is that? Think about it. Could Christ really reach us where we are if He took on Adam's unfallen nature? Could Christ sympathize with our weaknesses? Could He truly understand what we go through and how we are tempted? No! Christ had to take on our very nature to be able to truly reach us and help us.

"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows." (Isaiah 53:4)

"Before man sinned he was not in any sense subject to sufferings. And for Jesus to have come in the nature of man as he was before sin entered, would have been only to come in a way and in a nature in which it would be impossible for Him to know the sufferings of man and therefore impossible to reach him to save him. But since it became Him, in bringing men unto glory, to be made perfect through sufferings, it is certain that Jesus in becoming man partook of the nature of man as he is since he became subject to suffering, even the suffering of death, which is the wages of sin." (A.T.Jones, The Consecrated Way to Christian Perfection, p.22)

"He was made to be sin. Here is the same mystery as that the Son of God should die. The spotless Lamb of God, who knew no sin, was made to be sin. Sinless, yet not only counted as a sinner, but actually taking upon Himself sinful nature. He was made to be sin in order that we might be made righteous." (E.J. Waggoner, Christ and His Righteousness. pp 27)

"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 ... 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, p.116-117)

You cannot read the verses from Hebrews above, along with these other quotes and still believe that Jesus took Adam's unfallen nature. It is spiritual blindness that would cause someone to do that, because the evidence is so clear ... "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15) It was even part of the 1888 message that Jones and Waggoner gave. But just like many other truths the Lord gave our pioneers, today our leaders have turned away unto error.

Please Note: We are not saying that Jesus was 'altogether human.' Because He is still the divine Son of God. While He did take part in our fallen, weak nature, His mind was different to ours. The mind of Christ was perfect and sinless, while our minds are wicked, due to our inheriting Adam's nature. What we are confirming is that Christ took on this fallen flesh, with all it's weaknesses, which is why Christ could be tempted into sin.

Galatians 4:4-5 ...'But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.'

Do you see what Paul is saying in Galatians? What does it mean to be 'under the law'? It means to be under the condemnation of the law and under it's curse, which is death. And as you can clearly see, Paul confirms that Christ was made under the law Himself. Which means He was made just like us. Why? So that He could truly reach and redeem us who are under the curse of the law.

"He [Jesus] was 'made' under the curse as completely as any man in the world has ever been or ever can be under the curse. For it is written: 'He that is hanged ['on a tree'] is accursed of God.' Deuteronomy 21:23." (A.T.Jones, The Consecrated Way to Christian Perfection, p.29)

Why did God wait 4000 years to send His Son? Have you ever thought about that? Was it partly because God had to settle this controversy in such a convincing and complete way, that Satan would have nothing to come back at God with? And with God's Son taking on 4000 years of degenerate human nature, and STILL obeying the Father's law perfectly, relying entirely on Him, and giving us an example to follow, then Satan would have no come back whatsoever! This is "the faith of Jesus" (Rev.14:12). The faith that we all need in these end times.

Romans 8:3 ...'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.'

Jesus completely and utterly condemned sin in the flesh, so that Satan had nothing left in his argument against God the Father, and so that Christ could supply our every need IN THIS FALLEN NATURE. This is such a rich and beautiful subject, the love of the Father, in letting His Son to be made 'like one of us', so that Satan and sin itself, could be completely condemned. And the whole universe will raise up it's voice in declaring God to be just!

Satan is a liar, and sadly his lies continue today in the majority of churches. There is nothing in the Bible or inspired writings that tell us Jesus took on the nature of Adam before the fall. And yet there is plenty of evidence that tells us Jesus took on the very nature that we have today, so that sin and death could be truly conquered, and Satan's lies could be fully quashed.

Hebrews 2:11 ...'For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.'

John 1:14 ...'And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.'

Romans 1:3 ...'Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh.'

We already established from Hebrews that Jesus took on the 'seed of Abraham'. And now Paul also confirms that Jesus was made of the 'seed of David, according to the flesh'. Did David's seed have the unfallen nature of Adam? No, ALL of Adam's descendents took on his fallen nature, including Abraham and David. And Christ took on their seed AFTER THE FLESH. In other words, in our fallen nature.

Now there is a reason why I believe people teach that Christ took on Adam's unfallen nature. And I believe it is to do with this false teaching that we cannot obey God's law perfectly in this nature. And so what do they do to support this false teaching? They teach that Christ did not come in our nature, but rather the nature of Adam before His fall. And thus they can stick to their false claim that we will be saved IN our sins, rather than FROM them! Please see our page SAVED IN SIN OR FROM SIN for the truth on this.

"Christ bore the sins and infirmities of the race as they existed when He came to the earth to help man. In behalf of the race, with the weaknesses of fallen man upon Him, He was to stand the temptations of Satan upon all points wherewith man would be assailed." (E.White Selected Messages, Book 1, p.267)

Christ didn't just come to die as a substitute for our sins, as many believe. Christ not only died in our place, he has provided a way for us to gain complete victory over our sinful nature, by partaking of the same, and overcoming through complete dependence on God. Christ now knows exactly what we are going through and can provide His divine nature (His Spirit) to bring complete victory over sin in our lives today! Praise God!

"Jesus also told them [the angels] that they should have a part to act, to be with him, and at different times strengthen him. That he should take man's fallen nature, and his strength would not be even equal with theirs. And they should be witnesses of his humiliation and great sufferings." (Spiritual Gifts, Vol.1, p.25)

This is a very serious issue friends, and the Bible also declares in plain words regarding anyone who denies that Christ has come in the flesh, in our fallen nature ...

1 John 4:2-3 ...'Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.'

2 John 1:7 ...'For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.'

Jesus said ... "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed." (John 8:31). Friends, we must abide in the Word of God, because the lies of Satan continue today and are waxing worse. There are many deceivers in the world who not only deny Christ as being the Son of God, but also deny that Christ truly came in our flesh. We must take God's Word as it reads and abide by it. Do not be fooled by the 'wisdom of man', instead, follow the plain 'thus saith the Lord'. Do not follow the world, follow Christ!

The Son of God HAS come in the flesh, in our fallen nature. He has passed through everything that we could experience, yet lived the perfect life of the righteousness of God. And for this reason, He is 'able to save us to the uttermost' (Hebrews 7:25)