[Christ] did not yield to the solicitude of the enemy [in the wilderness], thus evidencing that the human nature of man, united with the divine nature by faith, may be strong and withstand Satan's temptations. Christ's perfect humanity is the same that man may have through connection with Christ.... The humanity of Christ received the fallen foe and engaged in battle with Him. He was sustained in the conflict by divine power just as man will be sustained by his being a partaker of the divine nature. 16MR 181 (1890)

Just prior to the coming of the Son of man, there is and has been for years a determination on the part of the enemy to cast his hellish shadow right between man and his Saviour. And why? So that he shall not distinguish that it is a whole Saviour, a complete sacrifice that has been made for him. Then he tells them that they are not to keep the law, for in keeping that law man would be united with the divine power, and Satan would be defeated. But in keeping that law man would be united with the divine power. Notwithstanding man was encompassed with the infirmities of humanity he might become a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Now here is the redemption.... What did Christ come to our world for? To attract the mind and bring it to repentance. Here we have the love of the Father in giving His Son to die for fallen man, that he might keep the law of Jehovah. Now Jesus stands in our world, His divinity clothed with humanity, and man must be clothed with Christ's righteousness.... O, I am glad I have a Saviour! We must have the Holy Spirit to combine with Man's human effort. We can do nothing without Christ. `Without Me, ye can do nothing.' [Rev. 3:20 quoted.] I am so glad that we can be partakers of the divine nature, and that through Jesus Christ we can be conquerors. 1888 342FF

We should all feel our individual responsibility as members of the visible church and workers in the vineyard of the Lord. We should not wait for our brethren, who are as frail as ourselves, to help us along; for our precious Saviour has invited us to join ourselves to Him and unite our weakness with His strength, our ignorance with His wisdom, our unworthiness with His merit. None of us can occupy a neutral position; our influence will tell for or against. We are active agents for Christ or for the enemy. We either gather with Jesus or scatter abroad. True conversion is a radical change. The very drift of the mind and bent of the heart should be turned and life become new again in Christ. 4T 16

God has called His people to glory and virtue, and these will be manifest in the lives of all who are truly connected with Him. Having become partakers of the heavenly gift, they are to go on unto perfection, being `kept by the power of God through faith' [1 Pet. 1:5]. AA 530

God takes men as they are, and educates them for His service, if they will yield themselves to Him. The Spirit of God, received into the soul, will quicken all its faculties. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the mind that is devoted unreservedly to God, develops harmoniously, and is strengthened to comprehend and fulfil the requirements of God. The weak, vacillating character becomes changed to one of strength and steadfastness. Continual devotion establishes so close a relation between Jesus and His disciple that the Christian becomes like Him in mind and character. Through a connection with Christ he will have clearer and broader views. His discernment will be more penetrative, his judgment better balanced. He who longs to be of service to Christ is so quickened by the life-giving power of the Sun of Righteousness, that he is enabled to bear much fruit to the glory of God. DA 251

The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness. Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin.

DA 324

In our association with one another, we should take heed least we forget Jesus, and pass along unmindful that He is not with us. When we become absorbed in worldly things so that we have no thought for Him in whom our hope of eternal life is centered, we separate ourselves from Jesus and from the heavenly angels. These holy beings cannot remain where the Saviour's presence is not desired, and His absence is not marked. This is why discouragement so often exists among the professed followers of Christ. DA 83

Communion with God is the life of the soul. It is not a something which we can interpret, a something which we can clothe with beautiful words, but which does not give us the genuine experience that makes our words of real value. Communion with God gives us a daily experience that does indeed make our joy full.

Those who have this union with Christ will declare it in spirit and word and work. Profession is nothing unless, in word and work, good fruit is manifest. Unity, fellowship with one another and with Christ--this is the fruit borne on every branch of the living vine. The cleansed soul, born again, has a clear, distinct testimony to bear... HP 72

By prayer, by the study of His word, by faith in His abiding presence, the weakest of human beings may live in contact with the living Christ, and He will hold them by a hand that will never let go. MH 182

He who gave Eve to Adam as a helpmeet performed His first miracle at a marriage festival. In the festal hall where friends and kindred rejoiced together, Christ began His public ministry. Thus He sanctioned marriage, recognizing it as an institution that He Himself had established. . . .

Christ honored the marriage relation by making it also a symbol of the union between Him and His redeemed ones. He Himself is the Bridegroom; the bride is the church, of which, as His chosen one, He says, "Thou art all fair, My love; there is no spot in thee." MH 356

Divinity and humanity were united in Christ, that he might reveal to us God's purpose, and bring man into close communion with himself. This union will enable us to overcome the enemy; for through faith in Christ we shall have divine power. RH DEC.6,1892

When Christ came to our world, in him were combined divinity and humanity. In his humanity he could lay hold of humanity; by virtue of his divinity he could bring power and health and grace to mankind. Thus he would make men and women partakers of the divine nature and able to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust.

To us is given the work of overcoming. This is no haphazard work. Only as we become partakers of the divine nature can we overcome our hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil. We must be trained to understand and follow Bible principles; we must learn of Christ the science of eating and drinking to the glory of God....

You remember the story of the woman who was healed by touching Christ's garment.... In this experience there was a lesson Christ desired to impress on the throng about him. Humanity had connected with divinity, and the blessing had been received.

Christ came to the earth to bring divinity to humanity. We need that divinity; young and old need it. If you do not know anything about this power, I beseech you for Christ's sake to seek for it. Endeavor to live a consistent life. Take hold of Christ by living, active faith. Come to him just as you are, helpless and dependent, and say, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief" [Mk. 9:24]. Help me to study thy life, thy self denial and self sacrifice; help me to become a Christian in every sense of the word. RH FEB.17,1910

Connected with Christ, human nature becomes pure and true. Christ supplies the efficiency, and man becomes a power for good. Truthfulness and integrity are attributes of God, and he who possesses these attributes possesses a power that is invincible. RH MAR.1,1903

Man is privileged to connect with Christ, and then the divine and the human combine; and in this union the hope of man must rest alone; for it is as the Spirit of God touches the soul that the powers of the soul are quickened, and man becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus.... He who looks to Christ in simple, childlike faith, is made a partaker of the divine nature through the agency of the Holy Spirit. When led by the Spirit of God, the Christian may know that he is made complete in him who is the head of all things.... When we become partakers of the divine nature, we shall look with abhorrence upon all our exaltation of self, and that which we have cherished as wisdom, will seem as dross and rubbish. RH NOV.22F,1892

Without Christ we cannot subdue a single sin nor resist the slightest temptation. It is connection with a power that is almighty which will make us overcomers. Then let everyone who comes to Jesus walk humbly, and feel daily that he needs a power out of and above himself, to soften his stony heart; that he needs to be melted over, that the dross of self may be consumed. The same power that turned the water to wine at the marriage feast of Cana is able to eradicate all evil from our nature, and to make us partakers of the divine nature. ST AUG.10,1891

If we are co-workers with Christ denying self, we may have connection with God, and obtain grace to help in every time of need, so that we shall not be found wanting when the Saviour comes to redeem his people. We may be found ready to be translated at the glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour....

[293a.2] When he [God] gave Christ to the world, he gave all Heaven in that one priceless gift. He opened up to us all the treasures of his power and grace. By living faith we may grasp the hand of Infinite Power. We may be so connected with the God of Heaven that his grace may be found sufficient in every emergency of life. Says the prophet, `And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight'. [Lev.26:8] ST JUN.10,1889