God sent forth His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh that He might condemn sin in the flesh and reveal the fact to heaven to worlds unfallen, and also to the fallen world that through the power of divine grace, through partaking of the divine nature, man need no longer stand under the curse of the law or remain in transgression. 9LtMs, Lt 11a, 1894, par. 18
Christ came to our world in human form to show the inhabitants of the unfallen worlds and the inhabitants of the fallen world that ample provision had been made to enable human beings to live in loyalty to their Creator. He endured the temptations that Satan was permitted to bring against Him and resisted all his assaults. He was sorely afflicted, and hard beset, but God did not leave Him without recognition. When He was baptized of John in Jordan, as He came up out of the water, the Spirit of God, like a dove of burnished gold, descended upon Him, and a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” [Matthew 3:16, 17.]20LtMs, Ms 22, 1905, par. 6
Christ overcame the temptations of Satan as a man. Every man may overcome as Christ overcame. He humbled Himself for us. He was tempted in all points like as we are. He redeemed Adam’s disgraceful failure and fall and was conqueror, thus testifying to all the unfallen worlds and to fallen humanity that man could keep the commandments of God through the divine power granted to him of heaven. Jesus the Son of God humbled Himself for us, endured temptation for us, overcame in our behalf, to show us how we may overcome; He has thus bound up His interests with humanity by the closest ties, and has given the positive assurance that we shall not be tempted above that we are able, for with the temptation He will make a way of escape. 7LtMs, Ms 1, 1892, par. 3 (compare with 5MR 112.3)
Christ came to bring moral power to man, to elevate, ennoble and strengthen him, enabling him to be a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. He proved to the inhabitants of the unfallen worlds and to human beings that the law can be kept. While possessing the nature of man, He obeyed the law of God, vindicating God’s justice in demanding that it be obeyed. In the judgment His life will be an unanswerable argument in favor of God’s law.8LtMs, Ms 48, 1893, par. 15-16
Christ came to give moral power to man; to elevate, ennoble, and strengthen him. He came to prove the falsity of Satan's charge that God had made a law which man could not keep. While possessing man's nature, Christ kept the Ten Commandments. Thus He proved to the inhabitants of the unfallen worlds and to human beings that it is possible for man perfectly to obey the law. He vindicated God's justice in demanding obedience to His law. Those who accept Christ as their Saviour, becoming partakers of the divine nature, are enabled to follow His example of obedience to every divine precept.ST May 14, 1902, par. 7
Jesus has come to reveal to the whole universe of heaven, to the worlds unfallen which God has created, and to the world fallen, that humanity can keep the commandments of God. And how? Through the merits of the blood of Jesus Christ; through the power that is imparted to man. Jesus came to our earth and died [as] our sacrifice; in that gift that God made to our world, He gave all heaven.10LtMs, Ms 12, 1895, par. 11
Christ redeemed Adam's disgraceful failure and fall, and was conqueror, thus testifying to all the unfallen worlds and to fallen humanity that through the divine power granted to him of heaven man can keep the commandments of God. Jesus, the Son of God, humbled himself for us, endured temptation for us, overcame in our behalf, to show us how we may overcome; by the closest ties he bound up his interest with humanity, and gave positive assurance that we shall not be tempted above that we are able; for with the temptation he will make a way of escape.ST April 17, 1893, par. 4
What if Satan had gained the victory? What hope would we have had? Christ came to reveal to worlds unfallen, to angels, and to men that in God’s law there is no restriction that man cannot obey. He came to represent God in humanity. He met every requirement that man is asked to meet. It was just after submitting to the rite of baptism that He received His final preparation for the great work before Him.17LtMs, Ms 155, 1902, par. 33
One honored of all heaven came to this world to stand in human nature at the head of humanity, testifying to the fallen angels and to the inhabitants of the unfallen worlds that through the divine help which has been provided, everyone may walk in the path of obedience to God's commands. The Son of God died for those who had no claim on His love. For us He suffered all that Satan could bring against Him.18LtMs, Ms 196, 1903, par. 4
Satan has asserted that men could not keep the commandments of God. To prove that they could, Christ became a man, and lived a life of perfect obedience, an evidence to sinful human beings, to the worlds unfallen, and to the heavenly angels, that man could keep God's law through the divine power that is abundantly provided for all that believe. In order to reveal God to the world, to demonstrate as true that which Satan has denied, Christ volunteered to take humanity, and in His power, humanity can obey God. “As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God.” All heaven is Christ's to give to the world.ST May 10, 1899, par. 7
Christ came to give an example of the perfect conformity to the law of God required of all, from Adam, the first man, down to the last man who shall live on the earth. He declared that his mission was not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it in perfect and entire obedience. In this way he magnified the law, and made it honorable. In his life he revealed its spiritual nature. In the sight of heavenly beings, of worlds unfallen, and of a disobedient, unthankful, unholy world, he fulfilled the far-reaching principles of the law. He came to demonstrate the fact that humanity, allied by living faith to divinity, can keep all the commandments of God. He came to make plain the immutable character of the law, to declare that disobedience and transgression can never be rewarded with eternal life. He came as a man to humanity, that humanity might touch humanity, while divinity laid hold upon the throne of God. But in no case did he come to lessen the obligation of men to be perfectly obedient. He did not destroy the validity of the Old Testament Scriptures. He fulfilled that which was predicted by God himself. He came, not to set men free from that law, but to open a way whereby they might obey that law, and teach others to do the same. RH November 15, 1898, par. 13 (compare with 12LtMs, Ms 145, 1897, par. 18)
With His human arm Christ encircled the race, while with His divine arm He grasped the throne of the Infinite, uniting finite man with the infinite God. By transgression the world has been divorced from heaven. Christ bridged the gulf, and connected earth with heaven. In human nature He maintained the purity of His divine character. He lived the law of God, and honored it in a world of transgression, revealing to the worlds unfallen, to the heavenly universe, to Satan, and to all the fallen sons and daughters of Adam that through His grace humanity can keep the law of God! He came to impart His own divine nature, His own image, to the repentant, believing soul.13LtMs, Ms 20, 1898, par. 7
Christ lived in accordance with the principles of God's moral government, and fulfilled the specifications of the law of God. He represented the beneficence of the law in his human life. The fact that the law is holy, just, and good is to be testified before all nations, tongues, and peoples, to worlds unfallen, to angels, seraphim, and cherubim. The principles of the law of God were wrought out in the character of Jesus Christ, and he who co-operates with Christ, becoming a partaker of the divine nature, will develop the divine character, and become an illustration of the divine law. Christ in the heart will bring the whole man, soul, body, and spirit into captivity to the obedience of righteousness. Christ's true followers will be in conformity to the mind and will and character of God, and the far-reaching principles of the law will be demonstrated in humanity.RH March 9, 1897, par. 2
The law of God had been broken. Justice demanded the humiliation of the Lawgiver Himself. God humbled Himself in the humiliation of His only begotten Son and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. Therefore He could say, I restored that which I took not away. He restored holiness to the law of God’s kingdom, dignity to the divine government; and by bearing in His own body the curse of sin, He placed happiness and immortality within the reach of all. One honored of all heaven must come to our world to stand in human nature, at the head of humanity, testifying to all heaven and to the unfallen worlds that through the divine help that has been provided, every human being may walk in the path of obedience to God’s commandments. The experience of the Son of God in our world must exemplify the love that every pardoned sinner must feel in his heart and reveal in his life—the love which Christ said that His disciples must show for one another.18LtMs, Lt 6, 1903, par. 6
“Ye are laborers together with God” [1 Corinthians 3:9],—that word “together” means everything—to help Christ in doing the very same work He did upon the earth, as He stood at the head of humanity to represent to all the fallen universe and to unfallen worlds, that fallen man can, through perfect obedience to His law, receive that grace from Christ and become partakers of His divine attributes, that through His example ever followed, he will be a laborer together with his Lord. He is ever aiming to obtain the excellence of Christ, and by beholding His preciousness and His courtesy his own Christian example is representing Christ. He makes others to apprehend Him by his pleasant, gracious words of love, because these traits of character are the representation of our Lord, our King, our Creator, our Redeemer, and the Lamb of God who taketh away our sins. In the conscious joy of being an overcomer through Him who hath loved us and given Himself for us, he will not stop at a glimpse of Christ but, by beholding Christ he is getting larger and more distinct views of His glory, and he becomes changed into His divine image from glory to glory.17LtMs, Ms 240, 1902, par. 7
It was necessary that Christ should take upon him our nature, in order to prove the falsity of Satan's statements. The apostate cast contempt upon the law of God, and declared that it was impossible for men to keep God's commandment, which had been preordained in the counsels of heaven. Therefore Christ became man's representative and surety, thus demonstrating to heavenly intelligences, to unfallen worlds, and to the human race, that, through cooperation with divine agencies, humanity could be pure and holy. By partaking of the divine nature they could meet the demand of a perfect and holy law. Of Christ it is written: “He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.”ST June 18, 1894, par. 5
The humanity of Christ is called “that holy thing.” The inspired record says of Christ, “He did no sin,” he “knew no sin,” and “in him was no sin.” He was “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners.” He tabernacled among men. This testimony concerning Christ plainly shows that he condemned sin in the flesh. No man can say that he is hopelessly subject to the bondage of sin and Satan. Christ has assumed the responsibilities of the human race, and the sins of all that believe are charged to him. He has engaged to be liable for them. He obeyed every jot and tittle of the law, to testify before unfallen worlds, before holy angels, before the fallen world, that those who believe in him, who accept of him as their sin-offering, who rely upon him as their personal Saviour, will be advantaged by his righteousness, and become partakers of his divine nature. He testifies that through his imputed righteousness the believing soul shall obey the commandments of God. ST January 16, 1896, par. 7
Christ assumed human nature, to demonstrate to the fallen world, to Satan and his synagogue, to the universe of heaven, and to the worlds unfallen, that human nature, united to his divine nature, could become entirely obedient to the law of God, that his followers by their love and unity would give evidence that the power of redemption is sufficient to enable man to overcome. And he rejoices to think that his prayer that his followers might be sanctified through the truth, will be answered; they will be molded by the transforming influence of his grace into a character after the divine similitude. All who would possess a perfect Christian character must wear the yoke of Christ. If they would sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, they must learn of him while on this earth. Christ says to all such: “Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” “Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat; because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” ST November 5, 1896, par. 16 (also see 11LtMs, Lt 22, 1896, par. 15)
God is calling upon all to behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world. Christ lifts the guilt of sin from the sinner, standing Himself under the condemnation of the Lawgiver. He came to this world to live the law in humanity, that Satan's charge that man can not keep the law might be demonstrated as false. He kept the law in humanity, and when He was accused falsely by the Pharisees, He turned to them, asking with a voice of authority and power, “Which of you convinceth Me of sin?” He came to reveal to the heavenly universe, to the worlds unfallen, and to sinful men, that every provision has been made by God in behalf of humanity, and that through the imputed righteousness of Christ, all who receive Him by faith can show their loyalty by keeping the law. As the repenting sinner lays hold of Christ as His personal Saviour, he is made a partaker of the divine nature.ST April 7, 1898, par. 8
Those who are faithful in that which is least will be faithful also in much. God will use those who show that they are self-sacrificing. He has not only entrusted much to man in order to test his loyalty, but He has taken him into co-partnership with Himself. By taking human nature, by making it possible for man to partake of the divine nature, and to overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil, through the power God has provided for him, Christ showed the heavenly universe and the unfallen worlds the estimate He places upon the human race. If man does not co-operate with Christ in the work of his own restoration, if he does not employ every faculty of mind, soul, and body in God’s service, that he may be a living channel of light, and reveal the restored image of God, he fails to fulfil God’s purpose. But if he does this, he demonstrates to a fallen world what the grace of God can do through Christ.11LtMs, Lt 49a, 1896, par. 22
But that which God required of Adam in paradise before the fall, He requires in this age of the world from those who would follow Him—perfect obedience to His law. But righteousness without a blemish can only be obtained through the imputed righteousness of Christ. Through the provision that God has made for the forgiveness and restoration of sinners, His requirements are now the same as He required in Eden. It was the transgression of the law that resulted in sin, sorrow, and death. Satan declared that he would prove to the worlds which God has created, and to the heavenly intelligences, that it was an impossibility to keep the law of God. When Adam yielded to the temptation of the enemy, and fell from his high and holy estate, Satan and his angels exulted in triumph. But from the throne of God a voice was heard speaking words of mysterious import. “Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; my ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” [Psalm 40:6-8.] 9LtMs, Ms 40, 1894, par. 12
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