The world had lost the original pattern of goodness and had sunk into universal apostasy and moral corruption; and the life of Jesus was one of laborious, self-denying effort to bring man back to his first estate by imbuing him with the spirit of divine benevolence and unselfish love. While in the world, He was not of the world. It was a continual pain to Him to be brought in contact with the enmity, depravity, and impurity which Satan had brought in; but He had a work to do to bring man into harmony with the divine plan, and earth in connection with heaven, and He counted no sacrifice too great for the accomplishment of the object. He “was in all points tempted like as we are.” Satan stood ready to assail Him at every step, hurling at Him his fiercest temptations; yet He “did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth.” “He ... suffered being tempted,” suffered in proportion to the perfection of His holiness. But the prince of darkness found nothing in Him; not a single thought or feeling responded to temptation. {5T 421.2}

Verden havde mistet det originale mønster for godhed af syne og var sunket ned i universel frafald og moralsk fordærv; og Jesu liv var en arbejdsom, selvfornægtende anstrengelser for at bringe mennesket tilbage til dets første stand og bibringe det guddommelig godgørenheds ånd og uselvisk kærlighed. Da han var i (422) verden, var han ikke af verden. Det var en stadig smerte for ham at komme i kontakt med den fjendskab, fordærvelse og urenhed, som Satan havde bragt ind; men han havde et arbejde at gøre med at bringe mennesket i harmoni med den guddommelige plan og jorden i forbindelse med himlen og han regnede intet offer for stort, til at fuldbyrde målet. Han, »har været fristet i alle ting ligesom vi.« Satan stod parat til at angribe på ethvert skridt han tog, kaste ham omkuld med sine voldsomste fristelser; alligevel var »han, som ikke gjorde synd og i hvis mund der ikke blev fundet svig,« »og har lidt, ... som fristes,« led i forhold til hans helligheds fuldkommenhed. Men mørkets fyrste fandt intet i ham, ikke en eneste tanke eller følelse svarede på en fristelse.