Again, the answer is in the Baker letter:

Be careful, exceedingly careful as to how you dwell upon the human nature of Christ. Do not set Him before the people as a man with the propensities of sin. He is the second Adam. The first Adam was created a pure, sinless being, without a taint of sin upon him; he was in the image of God. He could fall, and he did fall through transgressing. Because of sin, his posterity was born with inherent propensities of disobedience. But Jesus Christ was the only begotten Son of God. He took upon Himself human nature, and was tempted in all points as human nature is tempted. He could have sinned; He could have fallen, but not for one moment was there in Him an evil propensity. He was assailed with temptations in the wilderness, as Adam was assailed with temptations in Eden. {13MR 18.1}


It seems to me this is a gradual work in us:

There is no such thing as an instantaneous sanctification. It is an every-day work. Says Paul, "I die daily" (1 Cor. 15:31). He received a conversion daily to God. As the truth and Spirit of God revealed to him the defects in his character, he put away his wrong, died to self, and cleansed himself "from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Cor. 7:1). . . . {UL 231.3}

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}

What does "in Him" refer to in the following extract - "but not for one moment was there in Him an evil propensity"? Does it refer to the sinful human nature He took upon His sinless divine nature? Or, does it refer to something else?


Is sanctification a lifelong process of gradually outgrowing sinful traits of character? If so, why does Ellen say the opposite? She wrote, "sanctification is a progressive work, and an advance from one stage of perfection to another." {ML 250.4}

I think the passage is pretty clear:
"Be careful, exceedingly careful as to how you dwell upon the human nature of Christ. Do not set Him before the people as a man with the propensities of sin. He is the second Adam. The first Adam was created a pure, sinless being, without a taint of sin upon him; he was in the image of God. He could fall, and he did fall through transgressing. Because of sin, his posterity was born with inherent propensities of disobedience. But Jesus Christ was the only begotten Son of God. He took upon Himself human nature, and was tempted in all points as human nature is tempted. He could have sinned; He could have fallen, but not for one moment was there in Him an evil propensity. He was assailed with temptations in the wilderness, as Adam was assailed with temptations in Eden. {13MR 18.1}

Notice especially the sentence: "Do not set Him before the people as a man with the propensities of sin."


Are we perfect in Christ or in our own character?

The first and the last are to be sharers in the great, eternal reward, and the first should gladly welcome the last. He who grudges the reward to another forgets that he himself is saved by grace alone. The parable of the laborers rebukes all jealousy and suspicion. Love rejoices in the truth and institutes no envious comparisons. He who possesses love compares only the loveliness of Christ and his own imperfect character. {COL 402.1}

For us to imitate the example of any man--even a person who in our human judgment we might regard as nearly perfect in character--would be to put our trust in an imperfect, defective human being, who is unable to impart one jot or tittle of perfection to any other human being.--Lt 20, 1902. (HC 108.) {2MCP 708.2}

Rosangela, it isn't as obvious to me that the sinful flesh nature Jesus took upon His sinless divine nature was as sinless as A&E's nature before they sinned. Even the passage you posted above doesn't say His sinful flesh nature was sinless.

You asked, "Are we perfect in Christ or in our own character?" I believe born-again believers who are abiding in Jesus and partaking of the divine nature are perfect in Christ and in character. Ellen wrote:


Newborn believers are born again with all the fruits of the Spirit and all the righteous attributes of God's character. Not one is missing. This isn't to say they have no room to mature. Instead, it means while they are abiding in Jesus and partaking of the divine nature they will "advance from one stage of perfection to another."

The passage says Christ's human nature didn't have the propensities of sin, and Christ is contrasted with Adam's posterity (that is, us), that was born with inherent propensities of disobedience.


The passage doesn't say that. It says that every one who receives Christ is privileged to possess God's attributes - it doesn't say this will happen all at a time.
What do you make of EGW's statement: "He who possesses love compares only the loveliness of Christ and his own imperfect character"?

Again, I don't see it. Ellen didn't say Jesus' human nature was sinless. Jesus' sinful flesh nature, like ours, was chock full of sinful "lusts and affections". And, like us, Jesus partook of the divine nature to recognize and resist the unholy thoughts and feelings that tempted Him from within. But Jesus Himself hated sin. He did not crave or desire sin.

You wrote, "The passage doesn't say that. It says that every one who receives Christ is privileged to possess God's attributes - it doesn't say this will happen all at a time." Actually, both quotes clearly say newborn believers are born again with all the fruits and attributes of God's character. While they are abiding in Jesus and partaking of the divine nature they will "advance from one stage of perfection to another."

You also wrote, "What do you make of EGW's statement: 'He who possesses love compares only the loveliness of Christ and his own imperfect character?'" It is notable she didn't say their character is "imperfect" because it is a mixture of sinful and sinless traits. Having defective traits of character isn't the same thing as acting them out in sinful ways. They are able to rein them in, able to prevent them from surfacing, able to subject them to a sanctified will, mind, and heart by abiding in Jesus and partaking of the divine nature. Notwithstanding all of this, they do not trumpet their triumphs; instead, they proclaim the power and praise of Jesus.

She said it didn't possess sinful propensities. She couldn't say that about any of us.


Someone who has a perfect character doesn't sin. The very fact that you lose your hold upon heaven and fall into sin shows that your character is imperfect. You may exhibit God's attributes but you do so intermitently, and this shows you have defects of character.


The problem is you act them out. (I'm not speaking of you specifically, but of all Christians)

Rosangela, I'm glad you jumped in when I had to leave for a while. As usual, we are on the same page.

MM, I will pick up where we left off when I get more breathing room.

No, she never once said Jesus' sinful flesh nature was free of sinful propensities. She wrote, "The higher attributes of His being it is our privilege to have, if we will, through the provisions He has made, appropriate these blessings and diligently cultivate the good in the place of the evil. We have reason, conscience, memory, will, affections--all the attributes a human being can possess. Through the provision made when God and the Son of God made a covenant to rescue man from the bondage of Satan, every facility was provided that human nature should come into union with His divine nature. In such a nature was our Lord tempted."

Note how she compared believers and Jesus in the quote above. Regarding believers and propensities, she wrote, "We must realize that through belief in him it is our privilege to be partakers of the divine nature, and so escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. Then we are cleansed from all sin, all defects of character. We need not retain one sinful propensity."


Lucifer and a third of the angels sinned. A&E sinned. So, what you said isn't accurate.


Can Jesus empower born-again believers to live without sinning this side of heaven? Please explain.


But not while they're abiding in Jesus and partaking of the divine nature. "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not."

I'm not sure you two agree on at least one point, namely, whether or not born-again believers (who are abiding in Jesus and partaking of the divine nature) experience untainted "righteousness and true holiness" before it passes through corrupt human channels. For some reason I seem to recall Rosangela saying that their "righteousness and true holiness" is initially untainted, and that not until after it passes through corrupt human channels is it tainted with sin.