"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."{5BC 1128.4}

We are descended from Adam and inherit His propensities. Jesus is not descended from Adam. He is from the Father, and thus inherited HIS propensities.

Jesus could have sinned and everything was at stake when He came, but He did not sin and thus became the propitiation of those who receive faith in Him.

In what way did Jesus deny self?

In what way should we deny self?

This is how Jesus denied himself.

Matthew 26:50 Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend."

Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. 51 With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

52 “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”

He put the word of God above His own comfort. He denied taking vengeance when it was due. He denied Himself as God to become a man so we could be saved.

The fruit of the Spirit is the same righteousness and true holiness Jesus manifested while here in sinful flesh. There is nothing sinful about it. The fruit of partaking of the divine nature is acceptable to God. There is nothing sinful about it.

Everyone who by faith obeys God's commandments will reach the condition of sinlessness in which Adam lived before his transgression. {HP 146.5}

The Saviour took upon Himself the infirmities of humanity and lived a sinless life, that men might have no fear that because of the weakness of human nature they could not overcome. Christ came to make us "partakers of the divine nature," and His life declares that humanity, combined with divinity, does not commit sin. {MH 180.5}

The combined results of humanity and divinity is not filthy rags "All that man can do without Christ is polluted with selfishness and sin. It is the grace of Christ alone, through faith, that can make us holy." {SC 59.4} The grace of Christ, through faith, does not yield sin-stained holiness or filthy rags.

The lower passions have their seat in the body and work through it. The words "flesh" or "fleshly" or "carnal lusts" embrace the lower, corrupt nature; the flesh of itself cannot act contrary to the will of God. We are commanded to crucify the flesh, with the affections and lusts. How shall we do it? Shall we inflict pain on the body? No; but put to death the temptation to sin. The corrupt thought is to be expelled. Every thought is to be brought into captivity to Jesus Christ. All animal propensities are to be subjected to the higher powers of the soul. The love of God must reign supreme; Christ must occupy an undivided throne. Our bodies are to be regarded as His purchased possession. The members of the body are to become the instruments of righteousness. {AH 127.2}

To walk in the light means to "walk uprightly," to walk "in the way of the Lord," to "walk by faith," to "walk in the Spirit," to "walk in the truth," to "walk in love," to "walk in the newness of life." It is "perfecting holiness in the fear of God." {SD 200.2}

Says Paul, "Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Corinthians 7:1). He presents for our encouragement the freedom enjoyed by the truly sanctified: "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Romans 8:1). He charges the Galatians, "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16). He names some of the forms of fleshly lust --"idolatry, . . . drunkenness, . . . and such like" (verses 20, 21). And after mentioning the fruits of the Spirit, among which is temperance, he adds, "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts" (verse 24). {SL 30.2}

"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another." {RH, January 4, 1887 par. 1}

In the first of these verses there is presented the class that cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Those that do the things here specified shall not inherit that kingdom. But there is presented another class, who can and will enter the kingdom of God, who will have a right to enter there; and they are those who are working to attain such a position that they will have a moral fitness to stand around the great white throne in their white robes of character. In the day of their probation they realized the importance of the work to be done, and took hold of it understandingly and intelligently. They saw that there was a great work to be done in order to obtain a fitness of character for the kingdom of God. They knew that no one could do their work for them; that no one could believe for them; that no one could form a character for them. It was an individual work, a personal effort. {RH, January 4, 1887 par. 2}

Here is held out the very thing for which we are to labor: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love." If we have the love of Christ in our souls, it will be a natural consequence for us to have all the other graces,--joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance;" and "against such there is no law." The law of God does not condemn and hold in bondage those who have these graces; because they are obeying the requirements of the law of God.They are law-keepers, and therefore they are not under the bondage of the law. {RH, January 4, 1887 par. 3}

Some time ago, when we were passing through Oswego, N. Y., we saw two stern officers, and with them two men were coupled, carrying in their hands large leaden balls. We did not come to the conclusion that they had been keeping the law of the State of New York, but that they had been breaking it, and that they could not walk at liberty because they were transgressors of the law. We were trying to live in harmony with all the laws of the State of New York, and with the law of God; and we were walking at liberty,--we were not under the bondage of the law. If we live in harmony with the life of Christ, with the law of God, that law does not condemn us--we are not under the bondage of the law. {RH, January 4, 1887 par. 4}

There are two courses of action which we may pursue. One leads us away from God, and shuts us out of his kingdom; and in this path are envyings, strife, murder, and all evil deeds. The other course of action we are to follow, and in its pursuance will be found joy, peace, harmony, and love. Love--that is what we are to cherish; and what we need most is the love of Christ in our hearts. We are more destitute of this precious boon than of anything else. It is the love that glowed in the bosom of Jesus which we most need; and when it is in the heart, it will reveal itself. Can we have the love of Jesus Christ in the heart, and that love not go out to others? It cannot be there without testifying that it is there. It will reveal itself in the words, in the very expression of the countenance. {RH, January 4, 1887 par. 5}

No. As Paul said, against such, there is no law.


I agree.

But if that's the case, why is it that true believers' offerings are defiled and unacceptable to God without an Intercessor?

The fruit of the Spirit, the fruit of partaking of the divine nature is not defiled by sin. That much is certain. The righteousness and true holiness we experience as a result of humanity and divinity combined passes through Jesus' mediatorial intercession. "Everything's better with Blue Bonnet on it." In other words, no matter how perfect and holy it is, it is way more better when it passes through Jesus. The Father wouldn't have it any other way.