Well said. Too many people work hard to prove He was unlike us in significant ways.

Excellent point! And this brings us back to my first attempt to correct the lie being perpetrated on this thread.

God has adopted human nature in the person of His Son, and has carried the same (human nature) into the highest heaven. It is the “Son of man” who shares the throne of the universe. It is the “Son of man” whose name shall be called, “Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6. The I AM is the Daysman between God and humanity, laying His hand upon both. He who is “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners,” is not ashamed to call us brethren. Hebrews 7:26; 2:11.{Hvn 72.2}

Jesus brought sinful flesh into heaven? If this is the same "human nature" that He had on earth then there is something amiss in how you interpret those texts Mt Man.

And here is another point...

Through inspiration Mrs White calls babies "innocent" over and over. They may be born fallen, without the divine nature, the "white robe of Character" but their brain is a blank slate ready to be impressed with neural input and because they have not reached the age of accountability, so they are innocent..

Jesus was born just like every other child who had ever been born before or after. The main difference is that His Father was not from earth and He had HIS character, and he had a mother who was completely convicted in righteousness who set out to raise Him with the grace of God leading her. This Character is the only advantage Jesus had in this life. He was raised among fallen human beings in the likeness of sinful flesh, but He had His Fathers Character. The divine nature blended with the Human.

"The Bible says of Jesus, “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon Him.” As He worked in childhood and youth, mind and body were developed. He did not use His physical powers recklessly, but gave them such exercise as would keep them in health, that He might do the best work in every line. He was not willing to be defective, even in the handling of tools. He was perfect as a workman, as He was perfect in character. By precept and example Christ has dignified useful labor."5{AH 507.2}

Without their earthly father being perfect other babies have the disadvantage of a sinful influence and as soon as the child establishes wrong thought processes on the blank slate of the mind they are already going down the wrong path leading to sin.

"The parents’ work must begin with the child in its infancy, that it may receive the right impress of character ere the world shall place its stamp on mind and heart." 3{CG 193.3}

This is the development of the mind and there are several books from Mrs White that deals with this issue throughout. "Mind Character and Personality" "Child Guidance" etc.

Jesus had the character of His heavenly dad not His earthly dad.

He never developed sinful habits or desires. That is where sinful flesh is developed. He never developed sinful flesh.

If APL and Mt Man could at least agree with this then we would be on the right path here.

HELLO ROSANGELA - YES! This is why Christ can take sinful human flesh, yet not be a sinner! It is in the mind. When a person is converted, they do not receive holy flesh. No. Scripture does not say, Let this flesh be upon you, which was also upon Christ; but it does say, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5. Scripture does not say, Be ye transformed by the renewing of your flesh; but it does say, "Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." Romans 12:2. We shall be translated by the renewing of our flesh; but we must be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

The Lord Jesus took the same flesh and blood, the same human nature, that we have, flesh just like our sinful flesh, and because of sin, and by the power of the Spirit of God through the divine mind that was in him, "condemned sin in the flesh." Romans 8:3. And therein is our deliverance (Romans 7:25), therein is our victory. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." "A new heart will I give you, and a new Spirit will I put within you."

As an Adventist Pioneer wrote: Do not be discouraged at sight of sinfulness in the flesh. It is only in the light of the Spirit of God, and by the discernment of the mind of Christ, that you can see so much sinfulness in your flesh; and the more sinfulness you see in your flesh, the more of the Spirit of God you certainly have. This is a sure test. Then when you see sinfulness abundant in you, thank the Lord that you have so much of the Spirit of God that you can see so much of the sinfulness; and know of a surety that when sinfulness abounds, grace much more abounds in order that "as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord."

APL, I appreciate how you contrasted mind and flesh. Excellent point. Thank you.

That's what I thought you would say. You see no difference between the wicked and the holy. Though one trusted in God, you don't see that as making any difference in his nature.

I, OTOH, believe that Christianity is not merely a modification of behavior, but a transformation of nature. Trust in God makes a world of difference.

That your view of Christianity makes no distinction between the wicked and the holy should give one pause.

Amen. They don't realize that the battle is in the mind, not the body.

Even AT Jones finally admitted this when pressed on his strong statements about Christ's sinful nature.

IF it simply lacks merit, then why did she say, right in that quote, that it needs cleansing?

Don't you think a difference in mind is significant? I do.

Excellent point.

When a baby is born with a sinful nature, does it have a mind? If so, is it the mind of Christ?