OUR SINLESS YET SYMPATHETIC SAVIOUR AND EXAMPLE

GHANA NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ADVENTIST STUDENTS-KNUST

MONDAY BIBLE STUDIES
BY ONE MAN’S DISOBEDIENCE

‘‘For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall
many be made righteous’’- Romans 5:19.

There is a growing school of thought in the camp of those whose primary concern is that Christ
be recognized as our Example. There’s a growing school of thought that strongly advocates the
idea that He could be, in His human nature, just what we are, and yet not be under condemnation.
It is insisted by those who hold this position that we are not sinners at birth by nature; we only
become sinners when we willfully sin. Therefore, it is deduced, Christ could take just the same
nature we have and, as long as He never willfully sinned, He was not under condemnation as a
sinner. This is all done, of course, in an effort to make Him our sympathetic Elder Brother, and
still preserve His personal sinlessness, so that He can be our sinless Substitute.
It is felt by those who hold this position that Christ must receive by natural birth all that we do,
including our bent toward evil, all our inherited tendencies to wrong, in order to know what it is
like to be tempted in all points like as we are. And indeed, Hebrews 4:15: ‘‘tempted in all things
like as we are,’’ is a precious, precious truth that must be proclaimed. But we must be very
careful not to proclaim it in a way that is not consistent with other truths. Here is our challenge.
Though this position that I have just outlined is presented in a way that appeals to human reason,
we cannot trust human reason to determine its validity. We must test it by the Word of God. What
saith the Lord in this matter? Indeed, He says much. Let us consider carefully together, how is it
that we have become sinners?

Let’s turn to Romans 5:19: ‘‘For as by one man’s disobedience the many were made
sinners.’’ Does Scripture say that we are made sinners by our own disobedience? It says: ‘‘By
one man’s disobedience’’ we are made sinners. Now it’s very important to understand the
significance of this particular verb “made” sinners. By one man’s disobedience, the many were
made sinners. That word in the Greek is “kathistemi” {G2525 καθίστημι} and it is not to make in
the same very general and broad sense that we use that verb. It is a very specific and highly
precise verb. It is used two times by Paul in the book of Romans in this very text. There’s a
second half to the text. Praise God for that second half. ‘‘By One Man’s obedience many will be
made righteous.’’ That again is ‘‘kathistemi.’’ That verb is used 21 times in the New Testament
all together. And its specific, literal translation is ‘‘to ordain,’’ or ‘‘to legally set apart to a certain
office for function.’’
Let’s note the following examples about how the verb has been used. Matthew 24:45: ‘‘Whom
his master made ruler over his household.’’ ‘‘Kathistemi’’- to legally set apart to a certain office
or function. Matthew 24:47: ‘‘He will make him ruler over all his goods.’’ Luke 12:14: ‘‘Who
made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?’’ ‘‘Kathistemi’’- made. Acts 6:3: ‘‘Seek out from
among you seven men whom we may appoint over this business.’’ Appoint –‘‘kathistemi,’’ this
time translated ‘‘appoint’’ rather than ‘‘made.’’ Same Greek verb. Acts 7:10: ‘‘And he made him
governor over Egypt.’’ Do you get the idea of this verb? Titus 1:5: ‘‘Appoint elders in every

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city.’’ ‘‘Kathistemi.’’ Hebrews 5:1: ‘‘Every high priest from among men is appointed…’’ The
King James in that case says ‘‘ordained.’’ ‘‘…for men in things pertaining to God.’’
‘‘Kathistemi’’ again is the verb. Hebrews 7:28: ‘‘For the law appoints as high priest men who
have weaknesses.’’ Very consistently this verb is used to mean to ordain, appoint, and conduct or
to legally set apart to a certain office or function.

Now, in its usage as well in the context, the one who does the making or the appointing or the
ordaining is one who has the authority to do so. He is in a position of authority that enables him
to do this appointing or this ordaining. Now, who is it that ordained or legally set us aside or
constituted us sinners? Sinners ‘‘by one man’s disobedience.’’ Who’s that one man? That one
man is Adam. What was Adam’s position of authority that made it possible for him to ordain, to
legally set apart the entire race as sinners? Two factors gave him that position of authority
whereby he could legally constitute, ordain, the whole race to be sinners.
1) He was the federal head or legal representative for the entire race (PP 48.1; CT 33.1).
Thus, his legal standing before God, by the law of representation, was to determine the legal
standing of the entire race, for in him the entire race was legally constituted.
2) He was the father of the entire race. Thus, his natural state, that is, the condition of his
physical, mental and spiritual nature by the law of heredity was to determine the genetic
inheritance of all his posterity.
So then, what Adam was, both legally and genetically, ordained and constituted what the whole
race was legally and genetically. For in him the whole race was both legally and genetically
constituted. We were all in him, and everything that happened to him in that sense happened to
whom? To us, in a very real sense. We must recognize that Adam was not a mere man like us; he
was a man of authority, the legal representative of the human race.

Let’s consider first of all: legally. Adam’s legal standing before God was to determine by the law
of representation the legal standing of the entire race. From Manuscript 126, 1901: ‘‘Adam was
required to render perfect obedience to God, not only in his own behalf, but in behalf of his
posterity. God promised him that if he would stand the test of temptation, preserving his
allegiance to the Creator during the great trial to which he would be subjected, his obedience
would ensure his acceptance and favor with God.’’ But was that all? Listen. ‘‘He would then be
forever established in holiness and happiness, and these blessings would extend to all his
posterity. But Adam failed to bear the test. And because he revolted against God’s law, all his
descendants have been sinners’’- (9MR 229.1). Because who revolted against God’s law?
Because he, Adam, revolted against God’s law, all his descendants-who’s that? That’s us. Have
been sinners. Indeed: ‘‘By one man’s disobedience, the many were, made sinners.’’
Again, in Letter 143, 1900. This is found in Manuscript Release 347. Listen closely to the word
used here, it’s a very significant word. ‘‘Adam disobeyed and entailed sin upon his posterity’’-
(6MR 3.1). He disobeyed and entailed. What does the verb ‘‘entailed’’ mean? Dictionary
definition: To entail. It’s a legal term. 1: It means to settle, as lands, inalienably upon a person
and his descendants; to limit the inheritance of anything to a specific line of heirs in such a way
that it can never be legally transferred. Number 2: To appoint hereditary possessor. What did
Adam do? Adam disobeyed and entailed sin upon his posterity. That has two senses; first of all,
the legal sense, because he was our legal representative; and also genetically, because he was our

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noble father. ‘‘Adam sinned and the children of Adam share his guilt and its consequences’’-
(ST May 19, 1890, par. 8).
‘‘…children received from Adam an inheritance of disobedience, of guilt and death’’-(13MR
14.1). "As related to the first Adam, men receive from him nothing but guilt and the sentence
of death”- CG 475. “I am lost in Adam, but restored in Christ.”-YI, Nov 8,1894. “The sin of
our first parents brought guilt and sorrow upon the world”-PP 61. What do they receive? An
inheritance of disobedience, of guilt and death. Ellen White was very clear that ‘‘selfishness is
inwrought in our very being’’ and that ‘‘it has come to us as an inheritance’’-(HS 138,139).
We inherit guilt from Adam [Adam's guilt was imputed to his posterity] and we strengthen it by
our sinful choices. In another setting she made this down-to-earth, commonsense observation: ‘‘It
is inevitable that children should suffer from the consequences of parental wrongdoing, but they
are not punished for the parent’s guilt, except as they participate in their sins’’-(PP 306). The
inevitability was then expressed with the realistic observation that ‘‘it is usually the case,
however, that children walk in the steps of their parents. By inheritance and example the sons
become partakers of the father’s sin. Wrong tendencies, perverted appetites, and debased morals,
as well as physical disease and degeneracy, are transmitted as a legacy from father to son, to the
third and fourth generation’’-(PP 306.3). We should understand that the presence of inherent
selfishness is the cause of human guilt, and this selfishness is inwrought in our very being, and it
has come to us as an inheritance. Ellen White writes, ‘‘Selfishness is the want [lack] of Christlike
humility, and its existence is the bane of human happiness, the cause of human guilt, and it
leads those who cherish it to make shipwreck of faith’’-(Letter 27, 1888; 1MCP 271.3). But when
we by faith accept Christ, we become guiltless as Christ bore our guilt but when we continue in
sin after accepting Him, we incur guilt upon ourselves. In Adamic fallen state we share his guilt
but in Christ we are free from guilt and condemnation. If we argue that in our natural state of
being we are guiltless or born guiltless, then, where is our garment of innocence? Are we born
holy, justified, sanctified at our first birth?

Again, Bible Echoes, July 16, 1894: ‘‘The fall of Adam was a terrible thing, and the
consequences of his sin so fraught with evil that language cannot portray it. By his disobedience
of the divine law, the world was thrown into disorder and rebellion. Because of his disobedience,
man was under the penalty of breaking the law, doomed to death"- (ST Jan 8, 1894, par. 5).
Because of whose disobedience? Adam’s disobedience, man was under the penalty of breaking
the law, doomed to death.
Manuscript 122, 1901: ‘‘As a result of Adam’s disobedience, every human being is a
transgressor of the law and is sold under sin’’-(8MR 98.1). Is that clear? Why are we
transgressors of the law? Because of our own disobedience? No. Our own disobedience is the
consequence of our being transgressors of the law by Adam’s disobedience. Our loving obedience
of God’s law is the consequence or fruit of being justified by the imputed righteousness of Christ;
our obedience does not justify us. We do not become sinners because we commit sin first! We
commit sin because we are sinners on account of Adam’s sin. ‘‘By the disobedience of one, the
many were made sinners’’-(Rom 5:19). Now, they all sinned. ‘‘All have sinned and come short of
the glory of God’’-(Rom 3:23). But why do they all sin and become short of the glory of God, His
character of love? Because they are all sinners by nature and have willfully sinned.
‘‘As a result of Adam’s disobedience, every human being is a transgressor of the law and is
sold under sin’’-(8MR 98.1) What does Paul say there in Romans 7:14? ‘‘For we know that the
law is spiritual but I am carnal, sold under sin.’’ You know, in the Greek that is ‘‘sold under the
sin.’’ And what sin is that in reference to? The sin of Adam. That’s just what Paul has been
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discussing. As a result of Adam’s disobedience, every human being is a transgressor of the law
and is sold under sin. We disobey because we are transgressors of the law by nature and we go on
making sinful, selfish choices independent of God.

Now let’s consider the genetic aspect. Adam, being the father of the race, his natural state, the
condition of his physical, mental and spiritual nature was to determine by the law of heredity the
genetic inheritance of the entire race. So, whatever happened to his nature happened in a very real
sense to ours as well, for we were genetically constituted in him; we were ‘‘in his loins’’-(Heb
7:9-10). When he became subject to mortality, how many of us became subject to mortality? All
of us. Why? Because we were all genetically constituted in him. When he became selfish and
depraved in nature, how many of us became selfish and depraved in nature? All of us, because we
were genetically constituted in him.
You see, he was given by the law of heredity the marvelous capacity to procreate in his own his
own likeness (Gen 5:3). Now, God gave him that gift intending it to be a marvelous blessing to
his posterity, for God wanted his posterity to reap the benefits of his ever-developing and
improving mental, spiritual and physical faculties. And this law was given to the race that from
one generation to another they might continually reap benefits of previous generations, obedience
to God. But the ugly and tragic thing about sin is that it takes God’s precious gifts that He
intended to be a blessing to the race and it twists and warps them and turns them into a curse. So
that when Adam sinned, how much of the race did Satan get? He got the whole race, and he knew
very well that, if he could get Adam, he would get the whole race. Because he knew that Adam
had the God-given ability to procreate in his own image, and the stakes were high indeed. And
oh, how thrilled he was when he brought about the fall of the father of the human race, because
he knew that he had in them the entire race. Oh, what a victory he gained when he got our legal
representative and father on his side.
Manuscript 20, 1898: ‘‘He [Adam] was furnished with a holy nature, sinless, pure, undefiled; but
he fell because he listened to the suggestions of the enemy; and his posterity became depraved.
‘‘By one man’s disobedience many were made sinners.’'’- (8MR 39.2). Did you hear the
context, in which she uses this verse? He fell because he listened to the suggestions of the enemy
and his posterity became depraved. ‘‘By one man’s disobedience, many were made sinners.’’
What choices are you making? Would it benefit your posterity or it will harm, weaken and
destroy them? Don’t forget the law of heredity in all your choices.

His posterity became depraved. What is this depravity? In the book, In Heavenly Places, the
morning watch book, page 196, Ellen White defines depravity as moral derangement (HP
196.2). In Counsels on Stewardship, page 24, we have this added insight into what depravity is.
‘‘Selfishness is the essence of depravity, and because human beings have yielded to its power,
the opposite of allegiance to God is seen in the world today’’-(CS 24.2). What is depravity? It’s
moral derangement, the essence of which is selfishness.
You see, when man had the law of love imprinted upon his heart (DA 24.2; 329.3), it kept in
perfect order and harmony all of his God-ordained faculties, not only within themselves, but in
relationship to God. But when selfishness took the place of love in his heart (SC 17.1), there was
terrible chaos and disorder and derangement of all of his faculties. And man became depraved in
nature (2T 61.2).

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Now, when and where did the human family yield to the power of selfishness and thereby
become depraved? In the person of their parents in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3 records the
event. Manuscript 55, 1902: ‘‘His [Satan’s] effort to deceive our first parents was successful.
Made in the image of God, the human family lost their innocence, became transgressors, and as
disloyal subjects began their downward career… Instead of remaining under God’s influence in
order that he might reflect the moral image of his Creator, man placed himself under the control
of Satan’s influence, and was made selfish. Thus sin became a universal evil. And what a
dreadful evil is sin! Yielding to Satan’s suggestions, our first parents opened the floodgates of
evil upon the world’’-(9MR 237.4-6). How did they do that? By bringing selfishness, or rather, by
allowing Satan to bring selfishness into human nature.
“Selfishness [is] the root of all evil’’-(Ed 225.4; 19MR 93.1). And when man had selfishness
implanted in his nature, he opened the floodgates of evil upon the whole race. Because he, by the
law of heredity, was bound to have a posterity that was thereafter selfish, by what? By nature.
When Adam placed himself under Satan’s control and became selfish by nature, at that moment
sin was destined to become a universal evil, for ‘‘all sin is selfishness’’-(3MR 331.2). And when
Adam became selfish by nature, he became sinful by nature, and all his posterity was destined to
be sinful and selfish by nature.
‘‘Men and women are finite, erring, naturally selfish’’- (UL 183.2). They are what? They are
naturally selfish. Why are we naturally selfish? Because we are conceived by those who are
selfish, our parents. And why are they selfish? Because they were conceived by our selfish
grandparents. And why are they selfish? Until you get back to whom? Adam. When Adam
allowed the seeds of selfishness to be planted in his nature, it destined the whole race to be born
with those seeds in their nature. ‘‘Satan prevailed on Adam to sin. Thus at its very source,
human nature was corrupted’’-(RH April 16, 1901, par. 5).
Is this sinful nature that is the result of the transgression of God’s law by Adam and Eve under
condemnation? Most definitely it is. ‘‘Human nature is depraved.’’ We’ve established that
clearly, haven’t we? Why? Because, when Adam let selfishness come into his nature, it depraved
him and thereby all of his posterity was bound to be depraved by nature. Again, back to the
statement: ‘‘Human nature is depraved and is justly condemned by a holy God’’-(RH Sept 17,
1895, par. 7). What is justly condemned by a holy God? Depraved human nature. Brothers and
sisters, we have to conclude then, if language means what it appears to be saying, that fallen man
is a sinner by nature at birth, even before he commits sin. ‘‘By one man’s disobedience,’’ indeed:
‘‘the many were,’’ what? ‘‘made sinners.’’ Both legally and genetically. ‘‘Human nature is
depraved and is justly condemned by a holy God.”

Listen to these inspired statements, one right after another, and see if it all comes together for
you:
“All selfishness is sin’’- (3MR 331.2). ‘‘All selfishness is condemned by the law of God.’’- (YI
Dec 9, 1897, par. 3)
“In the human heart there is natural selfishness’’- (4T 496.1). What kind of selfishness? Natural
selfishness.
“Selfishness, which dwells in the natural heart strengthens by self-serving’’- (5BC 1138.9).
Now, do you see what that is saying? We can make ourselves more selfish by our own sin, selfish
acts, right? But we start out naturally, what? Selfish.

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“Selfishness is the essence of depravity’’- (CS 24.2). "Selfishness is the spirit of Satan"-AA
339.3
"Under the general heading of selfishness came every other sin”- 4T 384.3. Is selfishness just
one of many sins? No, it is the principle that comprehends all sin.
“We must remember that our hearts are naturally depraved’’-(AG 258.4). Why? Selfishness is
the essence of depravity, and in the human heart there is natural, inherent, inborn selfishness. Are
you following the reasoning here?
“Selfishness is the want [lack] of Christlike humility, and its existence is the bane of human
happiness, the cause of human guilt, and it leads those who cherish it to make shipwreck of
faith’’- (Letter 27, 1888; 1MCP 271.3).
"No man receives holiness as a birthright, or as a gift from any other human being"- OHC
214.2. Did we receive holiness from our Christian parents or unbelieving parents? Are we born
sanctified, holy or sinless? No, not one of the descendants of fallen Adam is born holy. We are
told that ‘‘foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child’’-Prov 22:15. What does foolishness is
this text mean? ‘‘Foolishness, says the wise man, ‘‘is bound in the heart of a child.’’ The love
of folly, the desires to do evil, the hatred of holy things, are some of the difficulties that parents
must meet in the home mission field’’-ST April 8, 1886. But there are also lovely traits in
children which have to be strengthen and the evil weeded out.
“Human nature is depraved and is justly condemned by a holy God’’-(RH September 17, 1895,
par. 7). Why? Because selfishness is sin and because the natural heart has selfishness in it. That’s
why it’s depraved. Therefore, human nature is under condemnation. Is it clear? God will be better
glorified if we discern the connatural, inherent, inbred corruption of our natural heart and confess
to Jesus, our sinless One. "God will be better glorified if we confess the secret, inbred corruption
of the heart to Jesus alone."-5T 645

But can we claim the reasoning above for Christ and still say He is sinless? Absolutely not.
Reason through these inspired statements.
"Jesus was free from all sin and error; there was not a trace of imperfection in His life or
character. He maintained spotless purity under circumstances the most trying"-7BC 929.4. Do
you think Christ being free from all sin and error will include freedom from sin of nature, inbred
or ingenit corruption; sin of thought, feeling, desire, action and words? Absolutely yes!
"As the sin-bearer and priest and representative of man before God, He entered into the life of
humanity, bearing our flesh and blood.... Christ made a full atonement, giving His life as a
ransom for us. He was born without a taint of sin, but came into the world in like manner as
the human family. He did not have a mere semblance of a body, but He took human nature,
participating in the life of humanity"- 10MR 173.1; Letter 97, 1898, p.5. Can any son or daughter
of fallen Adam claim that he/she is born without the taint of sin, or he/she is born with a
transformed nature? Absolutely not. We are born with corrupt, depraved, selfish nature; we
inherited sin, disobedience, guilt and death from Adam. But Christ was born without the taint of
sin. Christ has holiness as His birthright (Luke 1:35).
"The life of Jesus was a life in harmony with God. While He was a child, He thought and spoke as
a child; but no trace of sin marred the image of God within Him. Yet He was not exempt from

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temptation" -DA 71.1. Is our natural state in harmony with God or are our infants free from any
taint or trace of sin? Do they receive holiness from their parents? No.
Is it correct to say the child Christ is like our infants or children? Is Christ's inclination like the
sinful propensities of our children? "It is not correct to say, as many writers have said, that
Christ was like all children. He was not like all children. Many children are misguided and
mismanaged. But Joseph, and especially Mary, kept before them the remembrance of their child's
divine Fatherhood. Jesus was instructed in accordance with the sacred character of His mission.
His inclination to right was a constant gratification to His parents...."- Youth's Instructor, Sept
8, 1898, par 7
‘‘He [Christ] is a brother in our infirmities, but not in possessing like passion. As the sinless
One, His nature recoiled from evil’’-2T 201.2. Christ’s disposition to right was perpetually
constant and His nature recoils from evil. What does recoil mean? Recoil means a backward jerk,
to make a sudden motion. Christ’s nature hates sin, it recoils from sin. But we [sons and
daughters of Adam by birth] have a natural bent to evil; we have inherent sinful propensities.

"No one, looking upon the childlike countenance, shining with animation, could say that Christ
was just like other children. He was God in human flesh. When urged by his companions to do
wrong, divinity flashed through humanity, and he refused decidedly. In a moment he
distinguished between right and wrong, and placed sin in the light of God’s commands,
holding up the law as a mirror which reflected light upon wrong. It was this keen
discrimination between right and wrong that often provoked Christ’s brothers to anger. Yet his
appeals and entreaties, and the sorrow expressed in his countenance, revealed such a tender,
earnest love for them that they were ashamed of having tempted him to deviate from his strict
sense of justice and loyalty"- Youth's Instructor, Sept 8, 1898, par 10. Are we born with this
innate quality of keen discernment of Christ at His childhood? We are not, brothers and sisters,
we are not in the highest sense. Can we say foolishness is bound up in the heart of the child Christ
as it is in the heart of all fallen children (Prov 22:15)? Absolutely not. He was that holy child
(Luke 1:35).

The reason that I work so diligently with this, brothers and sisters, is because of these well-
meaning but misguided attempts to make Christ our sympathetic Elder Brother and still try to
preserve His sinlessness. I believe that Christ is our sympathetic Elder Brother and I believe that
there is a way that we can appreciate Him fully as such without taking steps that make Him sinful
in nature. If He is everything that we are by natural birth, He was what in His nature? He was
selfish. What was His nature? It was depraved. What would it have been then? Under the
condemnation of the law. Are we ready, are we willing to come to that conclusion regarding our
Lord? If He was under condemnation, brothers and sisters, on account of anything that He was in
Himself, could He have gone to the cross and be condemned for your sins and mine? No. He
would have been condemned for His own sin, sin of nature if nothing else, even if He never
committed a sin; He still would have been sinful by nature and under condemnation thereby. Do
you see, brothers and sisters that we cannot, we cannot claim that He could be sinless if we give
Him everything that we have by natural birth and just say that His sinlessness was maintained
because He never committed sin? We are sinners under condemnation before we even commit
sin. Willfully sinning strengthens natural selfishness, the root of sin.

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What else was the result of Adam’s transgression upon our nature? Listen. ‘‘The result of the
eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil is manifest in every man’s experience. There is in
his nature a bent to evil, a force which unaided he cannot resist’’- (Ed 29.1). What is there in his
nature? A bent to evil, a force which unaided he cannot resist. And what is it the result of? The
result of the eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil is manifest in every man’s
experience. “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 his sin,
his posterity was born with inherent propensities of disobedience’’-(5BC 1128.4).
Now, there are those who suggest that propensities of disobedience are ours only when we sin.
We then develop a propensity, and this is done because it has been clearly stated that Christ did
not have our sinful propensities (13MR 18.1-19.1). And that is explained by simply saying that
Christ never sinned, therefore, He never developed a sinful propensity. The only way we have
sinful propensities is when we actually commit sin. But in light of that reasoning, what does this
say? Because of sin, his [Adam’s] posterity was born with inherent propensities of disobedience.
Is this something we have developed by willful transgression? Why, of course not. We are born
with it even before we commit any sin. And they are developed, does it say? No, they are
inherent. We are born with inherent propensities of disobedience. These evil propensities have
depraved all the powers of our nature.
“Every human power is naturally to a greater or less degree opposed to God’’- (RH July 4,
1893, par. 4). Every human power is, what? Naturally. What does naturally mean? Inherently,
innately. Every human power is naturally to a greater or less degree opposed to God. How many
powers? Every human power. But perhaps the most devastating consequence of Adam’s sin upon
our natural state and the powers of our nature was that suffered by the human will, which is the
governing power in the nature of man, the power of decision or the power of choice (SC 47.1).
Oh, how tragically Adam’s sin affected us in that realm.
“The fall of our first parents broke the golden chain of implicit obedience of the human will to
the divine. Obedience has no longer been deemed an absolute necessity. The human agents
follow their own imaginations, which the Lord said of the inhabitants of the old world was evil
and that continually’’- (Gen 6:5; 1BC 1083.9). When was that perfect harmony of the human will
with God’s will broken? It was broken at the fall of our first parents. The fall of our first parents
broke the golden chain of implicit obedience of the human will to the divine.
Not only did they break that perfect harmony, but they created another harmony of the human
will with Satan. Testimonies, vol. 5, page 513-515: ‘‘…you must remember that your will is the
spring of all your actions. This will, that forms so important a factor in the character of man,
was at the Fall given into the control of Satan; and he has ever since been working in man to
will and to do of his own pleasure, but to the utter ruin and misery of man’’- (5T 515.1). When
was it given to Satan? At the fall,
“Naturally man is not willing to be what God desires him to be’’ (RH November 3, 1904, par.
1). Is that clear? Are we ready to say that of Christ? Such a rebellious will, even though natural, is
under condemnation of the law (NL 25.1; Jn 1:29; PP 64.1; 1SM 316.2-317.2, 330.1, 394.3;
AUGleaner August 19, 1903, par. 3).
“Until the requirements of the holy law were applied as the rule of life, fallen man could not
understand his own guilt, nor realize his condemned, lost condition. Jesus made application of
the law directly to the soul, and laid under its jurisdiction the will and desires and works of man.
Wrongdoing and all thoughts and feelings condemned by the law are to be overcome’’- (9MR

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235.4). What is under the jurisdiction of the law? The will. A will that is in rebellion by nature
against the law of God is under what then? Condemnation.

How is it though, that we can be held responsible and condemned for a will that has been sold,
given by Adam, into the control of Satan? How is it? Listen. That which was sold by Adam was
bought back by whom? By Jesus Christ. Now we are responsible for our will because of the
potential freedom that is ours the moment we accept the price that Christ paid to buy it back. “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’’-
(MYP 154.1). Praise God for that good news. But brothers and sisters, is that naturally possible?
No, it is not. That will had to be bought back.
I ask you, if Christ had a will that was sold into bondage as ours is naturally, who was there to
buy His will back? No one. Do you see how He has to be very significantly and basically
different in this area of the governing power of the nature of man? Do you see how He must be?
Indeed He must be. And there is a very specific inspired statement regarding that difference. And
we will consider that as we continue in our study.
Indeed, ‘‘the inheritance of children is that of sin” (CG 475.3). Or, as David puts it in Psalm
51:5: ‘‘Behold I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me’’- (Psa
51:5). Why are we brought forth in iniquity? Why are we born in a state of sin? Because we are
conceived in sin. And because this is our natural inheritance, what do we do? Indeed, what is the
only thing we can do until rebirth? Sin. ‘‘The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go
astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies’’- (Psa 58:3). ‘‘Among whom also we all had our
conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the
mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others’’-( Eph 2:3). So clear, God’s
Word on this matter.
Thus we read-and friends, take note-Testimonies, vol. 3, page 565: ‘‘Our youth want mothers
who will teach them from their very cradles to control passion, to deny appetite and to
overcome selfishness’’- (3T 564.3). We need to help them to overcome selfishness from where?
From the cradle. Why? Because they have received it as a natural inheritance, that’s why. They
don’t have to develop it, do they, dear parents? How long does it take for them to manifest that
little selfish nature? About two days. Not long at all. And any parent who has raised children
knows of the natural inheritance of sin, I believe, unless they have really deceived themselves.
From the cradle, parents, we are to help our children overcome selfishness, and we are to lead
them from the cradle to the cross (MH 386.2; 2SM 433.2) -their conversion experience. But
during that time, from the cradle to the cross, is the most vulnerable, crucial time for our children.
And who’s responsible for them? We are during that time. After the cross, they will fight the
battle themselves, but we must fight it with them before the cross.

How do we fight the battle after the cross? ‘‘If you will battle against selfish human nature, you
will go forward steadily in the work of overcoming hereditary and cultivated tendencies to
wrong’’- (ML 52.4). How do we fight selfish human nature? By overcoming hereditary and
cultivated tendencies to wrong. Because that is what selfish human nature is. It’s hereditary and
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cultivated tendencies to wrong. No wonder Ellen White says ‘‘God hates hereditary and
cultivated tendencies to wrong.” (4BC 1154.9). Why does God hate it? God hates only what?
Only sin. "Always bear in mind the fact that there is one thing which God hates with a perfect
hatred, and that is sin"- (14MR 73.2); "Christ hates the sin, but loves the sinner"- DA 462.4.
Was there something in Christ that God hated? Hereditary tendencies to wrong, something in
Christ that God hated? (Matt 3:17). He did not have that selfish human nature that we have. If
there was any selfishness in Him, even selfishness of nature, He would have been a sinner by
nature, in need of a Saviour. And who is going to be His Saviour?
And how long will we have to do battle with this selfish nature, this hereditary and cultivated
tendencies; how long? “From the cross to the crown there is earnest work to be done. There is
wrestling with inbred sin; there is warfare against outward wrong”- (RH November 29, 1887,
par. 12). From when to when? From the cross to the crown, that’s from conversion to
glorification. Let’s get our kids from the cradle to the cross [from birth to conversion] and then
they’ve got to fight from the cross to the crown. From the cross to the crown there is earnest work
to be done, there is wrestling with inbred sin.
By the way, when do we receive the crown? What is that crown? That’s the crown of immortality,
incorruption, that we will receive in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Cor 15:52-53); that’s
glorification. Up until the point of glorification, we have what that we must wrestle with? Inbred
sin. And that comes after the close of what? Probation. Now, brothers and sisters, please
recognize that even after the close of probation, by nature we are still sinners. ‘‘When human
beings receive holy flesh [sinless nature], they will not remain on earth, but will be taken to
heaven. While sin is forgiven in this life, its results are not now wholly removed. It is at His
coming that Christ is to ‘change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious
body (Phil 3:21)’’’- (2SM 33). ‘‘We cannot say, ‘I am sinless,’ till this vile body is changed and
fashioned like unto His glorious body’’-ST Mar 23,188. But are we sinning after the close of
probation? We cannot be. We must come to the place where by God’s grace we are such
skilled wrestlers with inbred sin that we have that old man (Rom 6:6; Col 3:9) in a death
lock, pinned to the floor, and we would rather die than knowingly transgress God’s law (YI
June 5, 1902; 5T 53.2). And we can come to that place by God’s marvelous grace when Christ
shall perfectly made Himself known in us in character.

Even at the second coming of Christ, when impenitent sinners are afraid and they are calling the
rocks and mountains to fall upon them, the saved, those whose lives are hid with Christ in God
have the righteousness of Christ alone but in themselves they are still sinners, penitent sinners.
At the appearance of Christ in the sky, the saved say, “Look not upon me, a sinner, but look upon
my Advocate. There is nothing in me worthy of the love he manifested for me: but he gave his life
for me. Behold me in Jesus. He became sin for me, that I might be made the righteousness of
God in him’’- (YI May31, 1900).
But coming to that place, does that make us sinless? No. There have been many who have come
to that condition in the past, men of God who would rather die than knowingly transgress God’s
law. Yet what did they confess? Yet they ‘‘confessed the sinfulness of their nature’’- (AA
561.1). They would rather die than knowingly transgress God’s law, and yet they are what? They
are confessing the sinfulness of their nature. Did Jesus Christ ever have to make such a
confession? You see, there’s more to sin than just sinning, isn’t there? ‘‘We cannot say, ‘I am
sinless,’ till this vile body is changed and fashioned like unto His glorious body’’-ST Mar
23,188. If Jesus was having a vile nature without even committing sin, could He claim to be

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sinless? Absolutely not. Please recognize that. We are under condemnation not only for the wrong
things that we do, but for the selfish, sinful nature that we have (1SM 220.1-3). And we must
confess that and receive forgiveness for it. And praise God, there is provision in the atonement to
cover. RH September 17, 1895, par. 7: ‘‘Human nature is depraved, and is justly condemned by
a holy God. But provision is made for the repenting sinner, so that by faith in the atonement of
the only begotten Son of God, he may receive forgiveness of sin, find justification, receive
adoption into the heavenly family, and become an inheritor of the kingdom of God.
Transformation of character is wrought through the operation of the Holy Spirit, which works
upon the human agent, implanting in him, according to his desire and consent to have it done, a
new nature. The image of God is restored to the soul, and day by day he is strengthened and
renewed by grace, and is enabled more and more perfectly to reflect the character of Christ in
righteousness and true holiness.’’
‘‘By one man’s disobedience, the many were made sinners, but’’ praise God for that little
conjunction: ‘‘by the obedience of one, the many will be made righteous’’- (Romans 5:19).
We’re not ready for the good news until we see fully the bad. The good is only as good as the bad
is bad. You show me a man who doesn’t recognize his hopeless, helpless state by natural birth,
and I will show you a man who doesn’t rightly appreciate the privilege that is his in spiritual
rebirth. Praise God for the Second Adam (FW 88.3).
Let’s share the good news together as we adjourn our study. “Adam fell under the dominion of
Satan. He brought sin into the world and death by sin. …Man sold himself to Satan, but Jesus
bought back the race.” (MYP 69.4). Oh, praise God for that. But I ask you, if Jesus came as One
who was sold, who bought Him back? Please think on these things. This is our condition as by
nature we come into this world, we are sold.

“Adam sinned and the children of Adam share his guilt and its consequences. But Jesus bore
the guilt of Adam, and all the children of Adam that will flee to Christ, the Second Adam, may
escape the penalty of transgression”- (ST May 19, 1890, par. 8). You see, brothers and sisters
that is our solution to this problem of inherited sin. We don’t deal with it through infant baptism
or any other way. We deal with it through the provision of the atonement. And when our infants
are not intelligent enough to know and appreciate the provision of the atonement, who claims it
for them by faith? We do as parents (2SAT 198.5-199.3). And are they covered by it? Yes. Praise
God. So we don’t have anything to do with infant baptism (GC 238.3) because of the gracious
provision of the atonement.
"Children are the lawful prey of the enemy, because they are not subjects of grace, have not
experienced the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus, and the evil angels have access to these
children; and some parents are careless and suffer them to work with but little restraint. Parents
have a great work to do in this matter, by correcting and subduing their children, and then by
bringing them to God and claiming his blessing upon them. By the faithful and untiring efforts of
the parents, and the blessing and grace entreated of God upon the children, the power of the evil
angels will be broken, a sanctifying influence will be shed upon the children, and the powers of
darkness will be compelled to give back"- RH Oct 14, 1875, par 8.
"I know that some questioned whether the little children of even believing parents would be
saved, because they have had no test of character and all must be tested and their character
determined by trial. The question is asked, “How can little children have this test and trial?” I
answer that the faith of the believing parents covers the children, as when God sent His
judgments upon the first-born of the Egyptians"- 2MR 147.2
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"The word of God came to the Israelites in bondage to gather their children into their houses and
to mark the doorposts of their houses with blood from a lamb, slain. This prefigured the slaying
of the Son of God and the efficacy of His blood, which was shed for the salvation of the sinner. It
was a sign that the household accepted Christ as the promised Redeemer. It was shielded from
the destroyer's power. The parents evidenced their faith in implicitly obeying the directions
given them, and the faith of the parents covered themselves and their children. They showed
their faith in Jesus, the great Sacrifice, whose blood was prefigured in the slain lamb. The
destroying angel passed over every house that had this mark upon it. This is a symbol to show
that the faith of the parents extends to their children and covers them from the destroying
angel"-2MR 147.3
"Some parents allow Satan to control their children, and their children are not restrained but are
allowed to have wicked tempers, to be passionate, selfish, and disobedient. Should they die these
children would not be taken to heaven. The parents’ course of action is determining the future
welfare of their children. If they allow them to be disobedient and passionate, they are allowing
Satan to take them in charge and work through them as shall please his satanic majesty, and
these children, never educated to obedience and to lovely traits of character, will not be taken
to heaven, for the same temper and disposition would be revealed in them"-2RRM 148.1.
Babies could be saved, even though some would have unsaved parents (2SM 258-260). Christ
gave His life to save them (Ibid.261). The death of Christ has saving efficiency for infants, even
though they cannot choose to be saved (Heb 2:9; ibid.260) and their entrance into the kingdom is
wholly based on the merits of Jesus. Whether all infants who died will be saved or some, should
be left into the hands of God, the Omniscient One. "I [Ellen White] said to Brother Matteson,
Whether all the children of unbelieving parents will be saved, we cannot tell, because God has
not made known His purpose in regard to this matter, and we had better leave it where God has
left it and dwell upon subjects made plain in His Word"- 2MR 148.2

But I ask you again: If Jesus shared Adam’s guilt and its consequences in the same way the rest
of us do, who bore that for Him? He could bear it for us, brothers and sisters, only because He
didn’t share it with us. And if we, in an effort to make Him a sympathetic Example, insist that He
shared it with us, we at that very point destroy His substitutionary capacity to bear it for us. Do
you see that? Yes, He’s a sympathetic Example. Praise God. But let’s don’t seek to make Him
One in a way that destroys His substitutionary capacity. We cannot. We need that Saviour, don’t
we? Don’t make Him in need of One Himself. Bless your hearts, and perhaps no one here does
that. Oh, but we say things sometimes inadvertently or unwittingly that do just that. We don’t
recognize what we’re saying.

In the morning watch book, The Faith I Live By, page 113, we read :“Those who [thus] accept of
Christ are looked upon by God, not as they are in Adam but as they are in Jesus Christ, as the
sons and daughters of God.” (FLB 113.5). Praise God for the Second Adam. But I ask you again,
if Christ was in Adam just what we are in Adam at birth, who was His Intercessor, who was His
Mediator, who was His Representative that He could be looked upon as something other than
what He was in Himself? He, Jesus, is the Second Adam. He was not represented by the first, He
is the Second Adam. The new federal Head and noble Father of a new spiritual race. “That by one
Man’s obedience, the many,” those who are born of the spirit: “will be made righteous.” (Rom
5:19; Jn 3:3). Oh, praise God for the Second Adam.

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