Tom, bending over backwards to accommodate the disposition of the opposition is one thing, but implying that Jesus was not 100% human, exactly like mankind after 4,000 years of degeneration and degradation, is quite another.

I am completely uncomfortable with the implication that Jesus was anything but human. His divinity did not prevent Him from being human in every way you and I are human. Being human does not prevent us from partaking of the divine nature and developing sinless traits of character in exactly the same way Jesus did.

3SM 129
His human nature was created; it did not even possess the angelic powers. It was human, identical with our own. {3SM 129.3}

Hebrews
2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
2:16 For verily he took not on [him the nature of] angels; but he took on [him] the seed of Abraham.
2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto [his] brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things [pertaining] to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

quote:

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What is is that defiles? It is sin. To say the one's human nature is defiled is to imply that one has sinned.

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I disagree. We inherit defiled human nature because Adam and Eve sinned. We sin before we are born again because we possess sinful flesh nature. It is not a sin, though, to inherit and possess sinful nature.

Jesus inherited and possessed sinful flesh and He did not sin, therefore, His character was sinless and undefiled. We begin at rebirth where Jesus began at birth, with a clean slate. Our new man character is sinless in the same way Jesus' character was sinless.

By the way, Jesus is still human to this day. In heaven, we will be like Him.

1 John
3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

I wanted to chime in here, as I have been reading some posts and am confused. I am understanding that Tom thinks Christ was not made like His brethren meaning He was not human? Do I have that right?
MM believes He was? Do I understand this to be correct so far?
God Bless,
Will

Yes, Will, you understand me correctly. However, Tom also believes Jesus is human, but in a way different than we are human. Like you, I'm still not sure how Tom thinks Jesus humanity was different than our humanity. I am convinced Jesus inherited and possessed the same humnan nature we inherited and possess. His divinity and sinless track record is the only way He differed from us.

3SM 135
We want to comprehend so far as possible the truly human nature of our Lord. The divine and human were linked in Christ, and both were complete. Our Saviour took up the true relationship of a human being as the Son of God.

DA 117
In our humanity, Christ was to redeem Adam's failure. But when Adam was assailed by the tempter, none of the effects of sin were upon him. He stood in the strength of perfect manhood, possessing the full vigor of mind and body. He was surrounded with the glories of Eden, and was in daily communion with heavenly beings. It was not thus with Jesus when He entered the wilderness to cope with Satan. For four thousand years the race had been decreasing in physical strength, in mental power, and in moral worth; and Christ took upon Him the infirmities of degenerate humanity. Only thus could He rescue man from the lowest depths of his degradation. {DA 117.1}

Many claim that it was impossible for Christ to be overcome by temptation. Then He could not have been placed in Adam's position; He could not have gained the victory that Adam failed to gain. If we have in any sense a more trying conflict than had Christ, then He would not be able to succor us. But our Saviour took humanity, with all its liabilities. He took the nature of man, with the possibility of yielding to temptation. We have nothing to bear which He has not endured. {DA 117.2}

DA 675
The humanity of Christ has touched our humanity, and our humanity has touched divinity. Thus through the agency of the Holy Spirit man becomes a partaker of the divine nature. He is accepted in the Beloved. {DA 675.3}

5BC 1142
The believer may bear the testimony in his life and character that God loves the human agent who obeys His commands as He loves His Son. How amazing is this statement-- almost beyond the comprehension of the finite mind (Letter 11a, 1894)! {5BC 1142.6}

Again, Jesus was just like us. And, in Christ, we are just like Him. Our prayers and praise are acceptable and pleasing to our heavenaly Father.

What impact does this information have on our lives? Why should we care what kind of nature Jesus had?

Will, both MM and I are post-lapsarian (meaning we believe Christ took the nature of Adam after the fall). Where we differ is that MM thinks it's OK to say that Christ's human nature was faulty, sinful, defiled etc. I note that the Spirit of Prophecy never uses these expressions, and think it would be better to stick to the expressions which are found in inspiration, such as Christ came in the likeness of sinful flesh, Christ assumed our fallen nature, Christ took our sinful nature upon His sinless nature etc.

While maintaining that Christ, according to the flesh, was like us (meaning that His flesh had the same tendencies ours does), we should be careful to maintain that Christ was sinless and divine. That is, Christ did not cease being God, nor did He ever commit sin.

An area where MM and I differ is that he thinks that our nature defiles us, but I maintain this cannot be the case because then it would have defiled Christ, since He took the same nature we have. Also the Spirit of Prophecy statement I provided says as much (Christ received no pollution in taking our human nature).

After so many posts in a row, I feel I should stop, but Darius' excellent question deserves a response. If Christ did not take human nature such as it is, then He could not reach us where we are. As Gregory Nanzianzus said, "What He has not assumed, He has not healed."