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Chapter 8


Christ Accepts the
Conditions of the Challenge



      We have seen in the last statement of the previous group of quotations the introduction of a new concept, the necessity of meeting the conditions of Satan’s challenge.

      It was necessary that Christ should take upon Him our nature, in order to prove the falsity of Satan’s charges. 3ST 125

      What does Ellen White mean by our nature? We have reported her views on this subject in detail in our volume, The Word Was Made Flesh. In that book the reader will find approximately four hundred statements from her pen to the effect that Christ came to this earth in the human nature of fallen man because that was the only way in which He could work out man’s salvation. Here is a sample:

      The great work of redemption could be carried out only by the Redeemer taking the place of fallen Adam . . . The King of Glory proposed to humble Himself to fallen humanity . . . He would take man’s fallen nature. RH 2/24/74

      He could not prove the falsity of Satan’s charges if He came to this earth in a nature that gave Him an advantage over the rest of us - an advantage due to His birth. And the second condition was that He must have no advantage over us due to power made available to Him but not made equally available to us. This was the line of logic from which Ellen White never deviated.

      Through His humiliation and poverty Christ would identify Himself with the weaknesses of the fallen race. . . The great work of redemption could be carried out only by the Redeemer taking the place of fallen Adam. . . . The King of glory proposed to humble Himself to fallen humanity. . . . He would take man’s fallen nature. 1RH 139.

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      He must not call His divinity to His aid, but, as a man, He must bear the consequences of man’s sin, and the Creator’s displeasure toward a disobedient subject. 2RH 251

      We need not place the obedience of Christ by itself as something for which He was particularly adapted, because of His divine nature; for He stood before God as man’s representative, and was tempted as man’s substitute and surety. If Christ had a special power which it is not the privilege of a man to have, Satan would have made capital of this matter. 3ST 30

      The only-begotten Son of God came to our world as a man to reveal to the world the fact that men through divine power could keep the law of God. . . Jesus resisted the temptations of Satan in the same manner in which every tempted soul may resist the evil one. He referred the tempter to the inspired record and said, “It is written.” Christ overcame the temptations as a man, by relying solely upon the Word of God; and every man may overcome as Christ overcame. . . . He came as a man, to be tempted as a man, rendering the obedience of a man. Christ rendered obedience to God, and overcame as humanity must overcome. . . To attribute to His nature a power that it is not possible for man to have in His conflicts with Satan, is to destroy the completeness of His humanity. The obedience of Christ to His Father was the same obedience that is required of man. Man cannot overcome Satan’s temptations except as divine power works through humanity. The Lord Jesus came to our world, not to reveal what God in His own divine person could do, but what He could do through humanity. 3ST 30

      Jesus, the world’s Redeemer, as our example could only keep the commandments of God in the same way that humanity can keep them. 3ST 32, 33

      (Christ) withstood the temptation, through the power that man may command. He laid hold on the throne of God, and there is not a man or woman who may not have access to the same help through faith in God. Man may become a partaker of the divine nature; not a soul lives who may not summon the aid of Heaven in temptation and trial. Christ came to reveal the source of His power, that man might never rely on his unaided human capabilities. 1SM 409

      “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.” But by such an act as this, Christ would have broken His promise that He would never exercise His divine power in order to escape any difficulty or suffering that man in his humanity must meet. 5RH 412

      (Christ) had only the advantages in the battle which are the privilege of fallen man. YI 223

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      It was from the Father that Christ constantly drew the power that enabled Him to keep His life free from spot or stain of sin. It was this power that enabled Him to resist temptation. 6RH 262

      (Christ) never yielded to temptation; and yet, in withstanding the assaults of the enemy, He exercised no power that is not granted us. 4RH 551

      (Christ) had to walk by faith, as we walk by faith; and when temptations came to Him with overwhelming power, He used the language that every child on earth must use. YI 438

      As one of us He was to give an example of obedience. For this He took upon Himself our nature, and passed through our experiences. “In all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren.” Heb. 2:17. If we had to bear anything which Jesus did not endure, then upon this point Satan would represent the power of God as insufficient for us. Therefore Jesus was “in all points tempted like as we are.” Heb. 4:15. He endured every trial to which we are subject. And He exercised in His own behalf no power that is not freely offered to us. As a man, He met temptation, and overcame in the strength given Him from God. He says, “I delight to do Thy will, 0 My God yea, Thy law is within my heart.” Psalms 40:8. DA 24

      The power that rested upon (Christ) came directly from the Father, and He must not exercise it in His own behalf. . . Christ was suffering as the members of the human family suffer under temptation, but it was not the will of God that He should exercise His divine power in His own behalf. YI 437

      Christ could have worked a miracle on his own account; but this would not have been in accordance with the plan of salvation. . . . In becoming man’s substitute, Christ did not manifest His power as the Son of God . . . He was ever, by His example and precept, teaching man that God was his dependence, and that in God should be his faith and firm trust. 1RH 145

      (Christ) was not to exercise miraculous power in His own behalf, for if He did, Satan would say that His test had not been a fair one, because He had made use of supernatural power; and that God should not require man to obey all His requirements if the effort to obey them would destroy life. 4ST 108

      . . . Christ was not to exercise divine power for His own benefit He had come to bear trial as we must do, leaving us an example of faith and submission. Neither here nor at any subsequent time in His earthly life did He work a miracle in His own behalf. DA 119

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      When Jesus was awakened to meet the storm, He was in perfect peace. There was no trace of fear in word or look, for no fear was in His heart. But He rested not in the possession of almighty power. It was not as the “Master of earth and sea and sky” that He reposed in quiet. That power He had laid down, and He says, “I can of Mine own self do nothing.” John 5:30. He trusted in the Father’s might. It was in faith - faith in God’s love and care - that Jesus rested, and the power of that word which stilled the storm was the power of God. DA 336

      In His humanity Christ was dependent upon the Father, even as humanity is now dependent upon God for divine power in attaining unto perfection of character. 3ST 258

      Christ felt that by sin He was being separated from His Father. The gulf was so broad, so black, so deep, that His Spirit shuddered before it. This agony He must not exert His divine power to escape. 4ST 217

      Christ was unmoved (when the devil took Him up into the high mountain and offered Him all the kingdoms). He felt the strength of this temptation; but He met it in our behalf, and conquered. And He used only the weapons justifiable for human beings to use - the word of Him who is mighty in counsel - “It is written” (Matthew 4:4, 10). 1SM 225

      (Christ) withstood the temptation, through the power that man may command. He laid hold on the throne of God, and there is not a man or woman who may not have access to the same help through faith in God. Man may become a partaker of the divine nature; not a soul lives who may not summon the aid of Heaven in temptation and trial. Christ came to reveal the source of His power, that man might never rely on his unaided human capabilities. . . .

      Men may have a power to resist evil - a power that neither earth, nor death, nor hell can master; a power that will place them where they may overcome as Christ overcame. Divinity and humanity may be combined in them. 1SM 409

      Christ had the privilege of depending on the Father for strength, and so have we. Because He laid hold of the hand of infinite power, and held it fast, He overcame; and we are taught to do the same. YI 438

      Christ was one with us in suffering the temptations common to human nature, He was tempted in all points like as we are, and yet He sinned not, neither was guile found in His mouth. When tempted, He sought strength from His heavenly Father, just as every individual may do who is tempted. 3RH 359-60

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      By faith (Jesus) laid hold upon divinity, even as humanity may hold upon infinite power through Him. 3ST 264

      The Saviour gained victories over temptation through power imparted from above in answer to prayer. 5RH 273

      (Christ) traveled over the path in which He calls us to walk. Every step Christ took was taken in dependence upon God, and upon not a single point did the enemy overcome Him. YI 495

      The great Teacher came to our world to stand at the head of humanity, to thus elevate and sanctify humanity by His holy obedience to all the requirements of God, showing it is possible to obey all the commandments of God. He has demonstrated that a lifelong obedience is possible . . . Christ redeemed Adam’s disgraceful failure and fall, and was conqueror, thus testifying to all the unfallen worlds and to fallen humanity that through the divine power granted to Him of heaven man can keep the commandments of God. Jesus, the Son of God, humbled Himself for us, endured temptation for us, overcame in our behalf, to show us how we may overcome; by the closest ties He bound up His interest with humanity, and gave positive assurance that we shall not be tempted above that we are able; for with the temptation He will make a way of escape. 3ST 32

      . . . as (Christ) relied upon God, the Source of all strength, so are we to be invigorated and refreshed, to be strengthened for duty and braced for trial, through communion with God. 3ST 255

      Laying aside His kingly crown and royal robe, He gave Himself to the human family, to pass through test and trial and thus demonstrate to every son and daughter of Adam that it is possible through faith in Him to resist the devices of Satan. Tempted in all points as man is tempted, Christ overcame through the power of divinity. He seeks to teach men and women that they may overcome through the same power. 4ST 477

      Here He lived as a Man among men, meeting the temptations that we must meet, and overcoming thru strength from above. By His sinless life He demonstrated that thru the power of God it is possible for man to withstand Satan’s temptations. 4ST 449

      In Christ the cry of humanity reached the Father of infinite pity. As a man He supplicated the throne of God till His humanity was charged with a heavenly current that should connect humanity with divinity. Through continual communion He received life from God, that He might impart life to the world. His experience is to be ours. DA 363

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      . . . in every act of mercy and healing (Christ) drew upon the divine power, even the power that made the worlds. The Lord Jesus is all ready to impart the very same aid to all who will consecrate their powers to His service, who feel the need of the impartation of His grace. 4RH 459

      (Christ) says to them, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” And He says this because He knows that it is possible for them to reach perfection. The life that He lived in this world, they can live. He met the /be single-handed, as they must meet him. He asked for and received power to enable Him to overcome in conflict. And those who walk in God’s way have the same power. The same angels that ministered to Christ minister to those also who shall be heirs of salvaton. 4ST 461

      The life of Christ has shown what humanity can do by being partaker of the divine nature. All that Christ received from God we too may have. COL 149

      The Saviour was deeply anxious for His disciples to understand for what purpose His divinity was united to humanity. He came to the world to display the glory of God, that man might be uplifted by its restoring power. God was manifested in Him that He might be manifested in them. Jesus revealed no qualities, and exercised no powers, that men may not have through faith in Him. His perfect humanity is that which all His followers may possess, if they will be in subjection to God as He was. DA 664

      In His life on this earth, Christ lived the law of God, thus making it possible for men of every nation and every clime to live, under the sorest temptation, a life of true obedience. 6RH 67



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