Our guilt may be imputed to him, but the punishment, the eternal annihilation, due our sinful nature because of its condemned sinfulness - we need redemption from both - could not be imputed: it must be borne in righteousness to the cross by our Saviour, for him to be Saviour.

M: However, having such defects, weaknesses, and imperfections is not the same thing as acting them out.

R: No, it's not the same thing. However, someone who possesses them cannot be considered sinless, nor can his character be considered perfect. So, if Christ possessed them, He neither was sinless nor had a perfect character.

The Holy Spirit implants a new nature, and molds through the grace of Christ the human character, until the image of Christ is perfected; this is true holiness. {PC 392.1}

Aside from Christ, man cannot in spirit and in truth keep one of the commandments of God, but in Christ Jesus the claims of the law are met, because He transforms the nature of man by His grace, creates in the heart a new spiritual life, implants a holy nature, and men become Christlike in character. {14MR 86.1}

The power which Christ imparts, enables man to resist the tyrant and usurper. Whoever is seen to abhor sin instead of loving it, whoever resists and conquers those passions that have held sway within, displays the operation of a principle wholly from above. {AG 108.3}

The new birth consists in having new motives, new tastes, new tendencies. Those who are begotten unto a new life by the Holy Spirit, have become partakers of the divine nature, and in all their habits and practices they will give evidence of their relationship to Christ. {6BC 1101.1}

All righteous attributes of character dwell in God as a perfect, harmonious whole, and every one who receives Christ as a personal Saviour is privileged to possess these attributes. {COL 330.2}

Jesus "took part of the same" flesh as we have (Heb 2:14). Better, far better, to say he "took" sinful flesh than that he "had" our flesh, as he is the incarnated Son of God, not the son of Joseph...

MountainMan,
After all these years, I think I feel confident enough to say that I agree with your definition of sinless perfection. I am understanding that sinful flesh and sinful character to be 2 different things, as you stated. Paul had written that the spirit is in direct conflict with the flesh as the flesh is always sinful. However our character should be like Christ. Meaning the things we use to love we now hate e.g. worldliness, and materialism etc etc, and now we seek God's face in His word, and in nature, and try to lead others to Christ. Is my interpretation accurate?

M: However, having such defects, weaknesses, and imperfections is not the same thing as acting them out.

R: No, it's not the same thing. However, someone who possesses them cannot be considered sinless, nor can his character be considered perfect. So, if Christ possessed them, He neither was sinless nor had a perfect character.

The Holy Spirit implants a new nature, and molds through the grace of Christ the human character, until the image of Christ is perfected; this is true holiness. {PC 392.1}

Aside from Christ, man cannot in spirit and in truth keep one of the commandments of God, but in Christ Jesus the claims of the law are met, because He transforms the nature of man by His grace, creates in the heart a new spiritual life, implants a holy nature, and men become Christlike in character. {14MR 86.1}

The power which Christ imparts, enables man to resist the tyrant and usurper. Whoever is seen to abhor sin instead of loving it, whoever resists and conquers those passions that have held sway within, displays the operation of a principle wholly from above. {AG 108.3}

The new birth consists in having new motives, new tastes, new tendencies. Those who are begotten unto a new life by the Holy Spirit, have become partakers of the divine nature, and in all their habits and practices they will give evidence of their relationship to Christ. {6BC 1101.1}

All righteous attributes of character dwell in God as a perfect, harmonious whole, and every one who receives Christ as a personal Saviour is privileged to possess these attributes. {COL 330.2}

He was tempted from within and from without in the same way born again believers are.

M: However, having such defects, weaknesses, and imperfections Jesus was tempted from within and from without in the same way born again believers are.

A: If you don't mind, I would like to go over this ground again. You talk of temptations from within and from without. I want to get a better handle of how you see this.

• Which one is stronger in unbelievers?
• Which one is stronger in believers?
• Which one was stronger in Jesus?