The Nature of Christ-the Adventist view

reddogs said:

Now my brother Amo,
Well I finally got back home, was a family issue which took some time, and am looking through SOP and scripture to see what I come up with. But here is something from AT Jones which goes along with the line of thought which I was putting down.

"A. T. JONES

Now as to Christ’s not having “like passions” with us: In the Scriptures all the way through he is like us, and with us according to the flesh. He is the seed of David according to the flesh. He was made in the likeness of sinful flesh. Don’t go too far. He was made in the likeness of sinful flesh; not in the likeness of sinful mind. Do not drag his mind into it. His flesh was our flesh; but the mind was “the mind of Christ Jesus.” Therefore it is written: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” If he had taken our mind, how, then, could we ever have been exhorted to “let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus?” It would have been so already. But what kind of mind is ours? O, it is corrupted with sin also. Look at ourselves in the second chapter of Ephesians, beginning with the first verse, and reading to the third, but the third verse is the one that has this particular point in it:— GCB February 25, 1895, page 327.1

...Adam had the mind of Jesus Christ in the garden; he had the divine mind, — the divine and the human were united, sinlessly. Satan came in, and offered his inducements through the appetite, through the flesh. Adam and Eve forsook the mind of Jesus Christ, the mind of God, that was in them, and accepted the suggestions and the leadings of this other mind. Thus they were enslaved to that, and so are we all. Now Jesus Christ comes into the world, taking our flesh, and in his sufferings and temptations in the wilderness he fights the battle upon the point of appetite. GCB February 25, 1895, page 327.2

Where Adam and Eve failed, and where sin entered, he fought the battle over, and victory was won, and righteousness entered. He having fasted forty days and forty nights, — perfectly helpless, human as ourselves, hungry as we, — there came to him the temptation, “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.” He answered, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” GCB February 25, 1895, page 327.3

Then Satan took another turn. He argued: You are trusting in the word of God, are you? All right; here the word of God says: “He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.” Now you are trusting in the word of God: you jump off here, for it is written, “He shall give his angels charge concerning thee.” Jesus answered again: “It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” GCB February 25, 1895, page 327.4

Then Satan took Jesus upon an exceeding high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them too, — the glory, the honor, the dignity, — he showed him all that. And there at that moment there was stirred up all the ambition that ever appeared in Napoleon, or Caesar, or Alexander, or all of them put together. But from Jesus still the answer is: “It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” GCB February 25, 1895, page 327.5

Then the devil departed from him for a season, and angels came and ministered unto him. There was the power of Satan conquered in man, on the point of appetite, — just where that power was gained over man. This man at the first had the mind of God; he forsook it, and took the mind of Satan. In Jesus Christ the mind of God is brought back once more to the sons of men; and Satan is conquered. Therefore, it is gloriously true, as the word reads in Dr. Young’s translation and in the German, as it does in the Greek: “We know that the Son of God is come, and has given us a mind.” GCB February 25, 1895, page 327.6

Read the last words of 1 Corinthians 2:16: “We have the mind of Christ.” Put the two transactions together. The German, and the Danish, and also the Greek are alike. Put the two together: “We know that the Son of God is come, and has given us a mind;” and “We have the mind of Christ.” Thank the Lord!" General Conference Bulletin, vol. 1

Click to expand...

reddogs said:

Then we see this from SOP:

"As the man is converted by the truth, the work of transformation of character goes on. He has an increased measure of understanding, in becoming a man of obedience to God. The mind and will of God become his will, and by constantly looking to God for counsel, he becomes a man of increased understanding. There is a general development of the mind that is unreservedly placed under the guidance of the Spirit of God.

This is not a one-sided education, which develops a one-sided character; but there is revealed a harmoniously developed character. Weaknesses that have been seen in the powerless, vacillating character are overcome, and continual devotion and piety bring the man in such close relation to Jesus Christ that he has the mind of Christ. He is one with Christ, having soundness and strength of principle, and clearness of perception, which is that wisdom that comes from God, who is the source of all light and understanding.

The grace of God has fallen upon the humble, obedient, conscientious soul like the Sun of righteousness, strengthening the mental faculties, and in the most astonishing manner making those who long to use their capacity in the Master's service, small though it may be, strong continually by obedience and practice, and grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and be bearers of much fruit to the glory of God, in good works. So that the men of learning and of high accomplishments have learned most precious lessons from the precepts and examples of the unlearned, as the world would call them. But could they have a deeper sight, it would be seen that they had obtained knowledge in the highest graded school, even the school of Jesus Christ.... The opening of God's Word is followed by remarkable opening in strengthening a man's faculties; for the entrance of God's Word is the application of divine truth to the heart, purifying and refining the soul through the agency of the Holy Spirit.—The Review and Herald, July 19, 1887.

By beholding we are to become changed; and as we meditate upon the perfections of the divine Model, we shall desire to become wholly transformed, and renewed in the image of His purity. It is by faith in the Son of God that transformation takes place in the character, and the child of wrath becomes the child of God. He passes from death unto life; he becomes spiritual and discerns spiritual things. The wisdom of God enlightens his mind, and he beholds wondrous things out of His law.... In becoming a man of obedience to God, he has the mind of Christ, and the will of God becomes his will.

He who places himself unreservedly under the guidance of the Spirit of God will find that his mind expands and develops. He obtains an education in the service of God which is not one-sided and deficient, developing a one-sided character, but one which results in symmetry and completeness. Weaknesses that have been manifested in a vacillating will and powerless character are overcome, for continual devotion and piety bring the man in such close relation to Christ that he has the mind of Christ. He is one with Christ, having soundness and strength of principle.—Selected Messages 1:337-338.

But the infinite sacrifice of God in giving Jesus, His beloved Son, to become a sacrifice for sin, enables Him to say, without violating one principle of His government: “Yield yourself up to Me; give Me that will; take it from the control of Satan, and I will take possession of it; then I can work in you to will and to do of My good pleasure.” When He gives you the mind of Christ, your will becomes as His will, and your character is transformed to be like Christ's character.—Testimonies for the Church 5:515 (1889).

Click to expand...