M: Jesus did not have an evil heart; instead, He was incarnated with the same sinful flesh you and I inherited at birth. Yes, His sinless, divine nature recoiled from evil; nevertheless, His sinful nature clamored for sinful expression. Such clamoring do not constitute a sin, nor does it contaminate or corrupt character.

A: We have two sources of sin: Satan and the evil of our own hearts. That's according to the MB quote. If Jesus did not have an evil heart, that only leaves Him with Satan as a source of temptation. Right?

M: Arnold, the Bible says Jesus was tempted in "all points like as we are".

A: The MB quote says temptation comes from Satan and from the evil of our own hearts. Do you believe there are other sources of temptation besides these two?

Do you believe that Jesus had a corrupt nature?

Yes. I believe hereditary traits and tendencies are a third source of temptation.

1. External sources of temptation include evil angels, unholy people, and all manner of places and things like taverns, music, movies, etc. All these originate outside of us and are channeled through our faculties of mind and body and flesh.

2. Internal sources of temptation include (a) hereditary traits and tendencies and (b) cultivated sinful traits of character (aka "the old man", "the evil of our own heart"). Both of these originate inside of us.

After our "old man" is crucified, that is, after we experience genuine rebirth, and while we are abiding in Jesus, while we are walking in the Spirit and mind of the new man, while we are partaking of the divine nature 2(b) cannot tempt us from within.

Jesus was tempted by 1 and 2(a).

Old habits, hereditary tendencies to wrong, will strive for the mastery, and against these he is to be ever on guard, striving in Christ's strength for victory. {AA 476.3}

There is earnest warfare before all who would subdue the evil tendencies that strive for the mastery. {GC 489.3}

The first experience of the new convert is happy and joyous; but trials come; the perplexities of life are to be met; sinful traits of character that have not been controlled, strive for the mastery, and too frequently obtain it. {SD 89.3}

Self will strive for the mastery and will be opposed to the work of bringing the life and thoughts, the will and affections, into subjection to the will of Christ. {2T 687.3}

He who determines to enter the spiritual kingdom will find that all the powers and passions of an unregenerate nature, backed by the forces of the kingdom of darkness, are arrayed against him. Selfishness and pride will make a stand against anything that would show them to be sinful. We cannot, of ourselves, conquer the evil desires and habits that strive for the mastery. {MB 141.3}

Every day hereditary tendencies to wrong will strive for the mastery. Every day you are to war against your objectionable traits of character, until there are left in you none of those things which need to be separated from you. {VSS 304.4}

If before the birth of her child she is self-indulgent, if she is selfish, impatient, and exacting, these traits will be reflected in the disposition of the child. Thus many children have received as a birthright almost unconquerable tendencies to evil. {AH 256.1}

Each soul inherits certain un-Christlike traits of character. It is the grand and noble work of a lifetime to keep under control these tendencies to wrong. {HP 231.2}

Children inherit inclinations to wrong, but they also have many lovely traits of character. These should be strengthened and developed, while the tendencies to evil should be carefully guarded against and repressed. {1MCP 144.4}

Men may possess capabilities given them in trust of God, but if they are not humble men, daily converted men, as vessels of honor, they will do the greater harm because of their capabilities. If they are not learners of Christ Jesus, if they do not pray and keep their natural hereditary and cultivated tendencies under control, traits of character that God abhors will pervert the judgment of those who associate with them. {4BC 1138.5}

It will be well to remember that tendencies of character are transmitted from parents to children. Meditate seriously upon these things, and then in the fear of God gird on the armor for a life conflict with hereditary tendencies, imitating none but the divine Pattern. {4T 438.2}

Fear lest your will shall not be held in subjection to Christ's will, lest your hereditary and cultivated traits of character shall control your life. {COL 161.1}

Those who put their trust in Christ are not to be enslaved by any hereditary or cultivated habit or tendency. Instead of being held in bondage to the lower nature, they are to rule every appetite and passion. God has not left us to battle with evil in our own finite strength. Whatever may be our inherited or cultivated tendencies to wrong, we can overcome through the power that He is ready to impart. {CH 440.1}

There is earnest warfare before all who would subdue the evil tendencies that strive for the mastery.