I don't think there's a quote that says that. There is one for John the Baptist.

I was with a pastor at his house discussing the nature of Christ and he pulled out SOP to make a point and read it. I went and asked him later which book and page and neither of us could remember so I am checking.

But let us keep in mind that this is not exactly germane to the original question.


We started with man who became transgressors "through Adam and Eve." Then the question is how Jesus became flesh yet avoided having sin at birth.

Then it went to:

There was a switch from "sin at birth" to "being born again." They may seem similar, but they are two very different events.

At birth, we are children of the First Adam. At rebirth, we are children of the Second Adam. The paternity is very different, and is what determines the difference between the living and the dead.

Furthermore, being filled with the Spirit does not preclude being born with sin. See John the Baptist.

I don’t see anything implying a new birth in the womb.

You said: << “Because of sin, his posterity was born with inherent propensities of disobedience” [we are born that way - it is genetic!].>>
Ok, we are born that way. But was Christ born that way or not? If, as you said, Jesus didn't have the propensity to sin, He wasn't born with the propensity to sin, like us. Is this your view?

What binds it together is the Holy Spirit, the sanctification and transformation is through it.

Did I say "in the womb"? Where did that come from?

Adam's posterity - yes. Who was Jesus's father? Who was Him mother?

What is the nature of sin?

Sin is selfishness. It is more a characteristic than an act.

Certainly the Holy Spirit is involved in all this. But to be born without sin is a different matter from being reborn to be separated from sin.

No, because when we are born again, we have the same power to be transformed to be dead to sin in the path to sanctification, at what point the Holy Spirit is involved is moot as the end result is the same. We see from Desire of Ages that Christ did not use anything that was not available to us...


'..Since Jesus came to dwell with us, we know that God is acquainted with our trials, and sympathizes with our griefs. Every son and daughter of Adam may understand that our Creator is the friend of sinners. For in every doctrine of grace, every promise of joy, every deed of love, every divine attraction presented in the Saviour's life on earth, we see "God with us."

Satan represents God's law of love as a law of selfishness. He declares that it is impossible for us to obey its precepts. The fall of our first parents, with all the woe that has resulted, he charges upon the Creator, leading men to look upon God as the author of sin, and suffering, and death. Jesus was to unveil this deception. 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 man, He met temptation, and overcame in the strength given Him from God. He says, "I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart." Ps. 40:8. As He went about doing good, and healing all who were afflicted by Satan, He made plain to men the character of God's law and the nature of His service. His life testifies that it is possible for us also to obey the law of God...24

and from our level...
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...49'

Speaking of Christ's incarnation, this is the only time I can think of for a new birth. If not at this time, when? (Bearing in mind human beings are born in sin.)