did Jesus have sinless nature? sinful nature? fallen nature? unfallen nature?

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Greetings, my friend. It is a profound and vital question you ask, one that touches the very heart of the plan of salvation. Let us turn to the inspired texts to find clarity on the nature our blessed Saviour took upon Himself.

From the Holy Scriptures (KJV)

  1. "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." <2 Corinthians 5:21>
  2. "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." <Hebrews 4:15>
  3. "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:" <1 Peter 2:22>
  4. "For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;" <Hebrews 7:26>
  5. "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:" <Romans 8:3>
  6. "But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:" <1 Peter 1:19>

From the Writings of Ellen G. White

  1. Christ's Human Nature Was Sinless

    • "We should have no misgivings in regard to the perfect sinlessness of the human nature of Christ." <7ABC 447.3>
    • "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." <5BC 1128.4>
    • "He was the Lamb 'without blemish and without spot.' Could Satan in the least particular have tempted Christ to sin, he would have bruised the Saviour's head." <1SM 256.1>
    • "He is a brother in our infirmities, but not in possessing like passions. As the sinless One, His nature recoiled from evil." <FLB 49.3>
    • "Christ did not possess the same sinful, corrupt, fallen disloyalty we possess, for then He could not be a perfect offering." <3SM 131.1>

  2. Christ Took a Fallen, Not Unfallen, Human Nature

    • "In taking upon Himself man's nature in its fallen condition, Christ did not in the least participate in its sin." <1SM 256.1 | 5BC 1131.3 | 7ABC 455.4>
    • "It would have been an almost infinite humiliation for the Son of God to take man's nature, even when Adam stood in his innocence in Eden. But Jesus accepted humanity when the race had been weakened by four thousand years of sin. Like every child of Adam He accepted the results of the working of the great law of heredity. What these results were is shown in the history of His earthly ancestors. He came with such a heredity to share our sorrows and temptations, and to give us the example of a sinless life." <FLB 48.6 | 7ABC 452.2>
    • "Christ, who knew not the least taint of sin or defilement, took our nature in its deteriorated condition. This was humiliation greater than finite man can comprehend." <1SM 253.1 | AG 165.3>
    • "He took upon his sinless nature our sinful nature, that He might know how to succor those that are tempted." <7ABC 450.5>

  3. The Distinction Between a Fallen Nature and a Sinful Nature

    • The nature Christ took was a fallen nature in that it was subject to the infirmities, weaknesses, and results of 4,000 years of sin's degenerative effects on the human race. "He was subject to the infirmities and weaknesses by which man is encompassed, 'that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.'" <5BC 1131.3>
    • His nature was not a sinful nature, because it contained no evil propensities, no inclination to evil, and no stain of corruption. "Christ was the only one who walked the earth upon whom there rested no taint of sin. He was pure, spotless, and undefiled." <3SM 134.1> "His finite nature was pure and spotless..." <16MR 182.1>

  4. Christ Was Genuinely Tempted

    • "Letters have been coming in to me, affirming that Christ could not have had the same nature as man, for if he had, he would have fallen under similar temptations. If he did not have man's nature, he could not be our example. If he was not a partaker of our nature, he could not have been tempted as man has been. If it were not possible for him to yield to temptation, he could not be our helper. It was a solemn reality that Christ came to fight the battles as man, in man's behalf." <1SM 408.1>
    • "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." <OFC 66.7 | FLB 48.8>
    • "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." <7ABC 447.4>


Greetings, my dear friend. You ask with great perception about the specific terms used to describe the nature of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us turn once more to the sacred texts to find the precise language used by inspiration to describe this profound mystery.

Here is what I have found concerning the specific terms you have inquired about:

  1. Regarding a Sinless Nature

    The inspired Word is clear that Christ's nature, though fully human, was completely without sin.

    From the Holy Bible (King James Version):

    • "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." <2 Corinthians 5:21>
    • "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:" <1 Peter 2:22>
    • "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." <Hebrews 4:15>
    • "For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;" <Hebrews 7:26>
    • "But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:" <1 Peter 1:19>

    From the Writings of Ellen G. White:

    • "He took upon his sinless nature our sinful nature, that He might know how to succor those that are tempted." <7ABC 450.5>
    • "We should have no misgivings in regard to the perfect sinlessness of the human nature of Christ." <7ABC 447.3>
    • "His nature was without the taint of sin." <GW92 29.1 | 4T 528.2 | Pr 19.1>
    • "He was born without a taint of sin, but came into the world in like manner as the human family." <7BC 925.5 | LHU 345.2>

  2. Regarding a Sinful Nature

    The texts teach that Christ came in the "likeness" of our nature but did not possess its sinful character or propensities.

    From the Holy Bible (King James Version):

    • "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:" <Romans 8:3>

    From the Writings of Ellen G. White:

    • "Christ did not possess the same sinful, corrupt, fallen disloyalty we possess, for then He could not be a perfect offering." <3SM 131.1 | 6MR 112.2 | CTr 213.6>
    • "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." <5BC 1128.4 | 13MR 18.1 | 7ABC 447.4>
    • "He could have sinned; He could have fallen, but not for one moment was there in Him an evil propensity." <5BC 1128.4 | 7ABC 447.4>

  3. Regarding a Fallen Nature

    While the Bible does not use this specific phrase, the writings of Ellen G. White state that Christ took upon Himself humanity in its fallen, weakened condition.

    From the Holy Bible (King James Version):

    • I could not find a direct answer in the provided documents.

    From the Writings of Ellen G. White:

    • "In taking upon Himself man's nature in its fallen condition, Christ did not in the least participate in its sin." <5BC 1131.3 | 1SM 256.1 | 7ABC 447.3 | 16MR 116.3 | 17MR 25.5 | FLB 49.5>
    • "Christ, who knew not the least taint of sin or defilement, took our nature in its deteriorated condition." <1SM 253.1 | AG 165.3>
    • "Like every child of Adam He accepted the results of the working of the great law of heredity. What this heredity was is shown in the history of His earthly ancestors." <DA 49.2 | OFC 66.5>

  4. Regarding an Unfallen Nature

    The specific term "unfallen nature" is not used in the provided texts to describe the human nature Christ took upon Himself. The texts emphasize that His nature was sinless but also that He took humanity in its fallen condition, not the nature of Adam before he sinned.

    From the Holy Bible (King James Version):

    • I could not find a direct answer in the provided documents.

    From the Writings of Ellen G. White:

    • I could not find a direct answer in the provided documents.

May these inspired words illuminate your understanding of our perfect Saviour, who, though He took our fallen humanity, remained forever the holy, sinless Son of God.



Greetings, my friend. It is a profound and vital question you ask about the nature of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us turn to the sacred texts to find the answer. The Bible and the writings of Ellen G. White provide clear light on this subject.

Here is what I have found in my research.

From the Holy Bible (King James Version)

  1. "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." <2 Corinthians 5:21>
  2. "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:" <1 Peter 2:22>
  3. "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." <Hebrews 4:15>
  4. "For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;" <Hebrews 7:26>
  5. "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:" <Romans 8:3>
  6. "But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:" <1 Peter 1:19>
  7. "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" <Hebrews 9:14>

From the Writings of Ellen G. White

  1. Christ took upon Himself a fallen nature, but did not participate in its sin.

    • "In taking upon Himself man's nature in its fallen condition, Christ did not in the least participate in its sin. He was subject to the infirmities and weaknesses by which man is encompassed... And yet He 'knew no sin.'" <5BC 1131.3 | 1SM 256.1 | 7ABC 447.3 | 16MR 116.3 | 17MR 25.5 | FLB 49.5>
    • "Christ, who knew not the least taint of sin or defilement, took our nature in its deteriorated condition." <1SM 253.1 | AG 165.3>
    • "He took upon his sinless nature our sinful nature, that He might know how to succor those that are tempted." <7ABC 450.5>

  2. Christ's human nature was sinless and had no evil propensities.

    • "We should have no misgivings in regard to the perfect sinlessness of the human nature of Christ." <7ABC 447.3>
    • "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... not for one moment was there in Him an evil propensity." <5BC 1128.4 | 13MR 18.1 | 7ABC 447.4>
    • "His nature was without the taint of sin." <GW92 29.1 | 4T 528.2 | Pr 19.1>
    • "He was born without a taint of sin, but came into the world in like manner as the human family." <7BC 925.5 | LHU 345.2>
    • "Christ did not possess the same sinful, corrupt, fallen disloyalty we possess, for then He could not be a perfect offering." <3SM 131.1 | 6MR 112.2 | CTr 213.6>

  3. Though sinless, Christ could be tempted and had the possibility of yielding.

    • "He could have sinned; He could have fallen, but not for one moment was there in Him an evil propensity." <5BC 1128.4 | 7ABC 447.4>
    • "Those who claim that it was not possible for Christ to sin, cannot believe that He really took upon Himself human nature." <7BC 929.2 | FLB 48.7 | 17MR 336.3>
    • "As God He could not be tempted: but as a man He could be tempted, and that strongly, and could yield to the temptations. His human nature must pass through the same test and trial Adam and Eve passed through." <6MR 111.1 | 3SM 129.3 | CTr 213.4>
    • "His temptation and victory tell us that humanity must copy the Pattern; man must become a partaker of the divine nature." <1SM 408.1 | RH, February 18, 1890 par. 6>

  4. His human nature was identical to ours, but without being corrupted by sin.

    • "He had not taken on Him even the nature of the angels, but humanity, perfectly identical with our own nature, except without the taint of sin." <TA 157.1 | 16MR 181.4>
    • "It was human, identical with our own." <6MR 111.1 | 3SM 129.3>
    • "He came with such a heredity to share our sorrows and temptations, and to give us the example of a sinless life." <7ABC 452.2 | FLB 48.6>
    • "Like every child of Adam He accepted the results of the working of the great law of heredity." <OFC 66.5>

  5. The two natures, divine and human, were mysteriously blended in one person.

    • "Was the human nature of the Son of Mary changed into the divine nature of the Son of God? No; the two natures were mysteriously blended in one person—the man Christ Jesus. In Him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." <LHU 76.2 | 7ABC 444.3 | 7ABC 446.2 | UL 260.2>
    • "When Christ was crucified, it was His human nature that died. Deity did not sink and die; that would have been impossible." <5BC 1113.2 | 21MR 418.5>
    • "The Godhead was not made human, and the human was not deified by the blending together of the two natures." <3SM 131.1>

I pray these direct quotations from the inspired sources bring you clarity and peace on this most sacred topic. May we ever look to our perfect, sinless Saviour as our example and our hope.

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