In this lecture, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III addresses one of the doctrinal errors of the Seventh-day Adventists, who claim that Christ took our fallen human nature, including the inclination to sin, but did not sin because of His personal struggle and righteousness. His Holiness affirms that this teaching is completely contrary to the true Christian faith as received by the Church.

🔹 The Inclination to Sin and Christ’s Nature:
Pope Shenouda emphasizes that Christ “was like us in everything except sin,” meaning He had no inclination toward sin or corruption, for such an inclination is a sign of a fallen nature—which Christ never inherited.

🔹 The Holy Birth:
He quotes the verse: “The Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35), showing that Christ was holy from the moment of His incarnation—not made holy through effort, but born holy by nature.

🔹 The Role of the Holy Spirit in the Incarnation:
The Pope explains that the work of the Holy Spirit in the Virgin’s womb was not merely the formation of a body but the sanctification of that body so that it would not inherit sin, making Christ completely pure and without any inclination toward evil.

🔹 Theological Implication:
If Christ had any inclination to sin, He could not be the Savior, because the Savior must be entirely holy and sinless. This is why He is called Jesus, meaning Savior, for He alone can save others without needing salvation Himself.

Pope Shenouda concludes that believing in Christ’s sinlessness and lack of inclination to sin is a cornerstone of Orthodox doctrine, as it is inseparable from His divine holiness and redemptive power.

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