There is an ongoing angst-ladened discussion in the Adventist church about the nature of Christ. Ongoing, in terms of the last 40 or more years. Angst-ladened in the sense of a mitotic thought division within the church. The two views on the topic are simple and opposite: One claims that the Christ was born a man and with the fallen nature of man. The other claims that Christ was born with the unfallen nature of man as in the case of Adam before sin. It can't be both. Someone is right; someone is wrong. Which is which?
As foundation, I want to make it clear that Christ lived a sinless life; that He did not sin in word, thought, or deed. His sinless life constituted His credentials as Savior.
If Christ was born with a sinless nature (the nature of Adam prior to the fall) we could say that He was, in a very real sense, a second Adam. If Christ was born with the fallen nature of man (the nature of Adam after the fall) we could say that He was, in a very real sense, a second Adam. Are you confused? Not to worry. The church has been confused about this for decades and better minds than mine have addressed the issue.
The argument presented here is a matter of forensics, which deals with the authentication of substance, evidence, issues, etc. Here is what Wikipedia (an irrefutable source...smile) has to say about forensics; "The word forensic comes from the Latin adjective forensis, meaning "of or before the forum." In Roman times, a criminal charge meant presenting the case before a group of public individuals in the forum. Both the person accused of the crime and the accuser would give speeches based on their side of the story. The individual with the best argument and delivery would determine the outcome of the case. This origin is the source of the two modern usages of the word forensic – as a form of legal evidence and as a category of public presentation."
Putting that aside, here is the argument. In the controversy between Christ and Satan, Christ came to this world to prove to the watching universe that a man...The Son of Man...could do what Adam chose not to do. Eve was deceived. Adam chose to sin. Here is the heart of the point
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