But it was not merely to accomplish the redemption of man that Christ came to the earth to suffer and to die. He came to “magnify the law” and to “make it honorable.” Not alone that the inhabitants of this world might regard the law as it should be regarded; but it was to demonstrate to all the worlds of the universe that God's law is unchangeable. Could its claims have been set aside, then the Son of God need not have yielded up his life to atone for its transgression. The death of Christ proves it immutable. And the sacrifice to which infinite love impelled the Father and the Son, that sinners might be redeemed, demonstrates to all the universe—what nothing less than this plan of atonement could have sufficed to do—that justice and mercy are the foundation of the law and government of God. GC88 503.1
We should consider that it was not merely to accomplish the redemption of man that Christ came to earth; it was not merely that the inhabitants of this little world might have a just regard for the law of God; but it was to demonstrate to all the worlds that the divine law is unchangeable, and that the wages of sin is death. The very fact that it was necessary for him to give his life for the fallen race, shows that the law of God will not release man from one tittle of its claims upon him. The fact that he bore the penalty of transgression is a mighty argument to all created intelligences, in heaven and in other worlds, that that law is changeless; that God is righteous, merciful, and self-denying; and that his administration is one of justice and mercy. SW July 14, 1908, par. 8 (also see RH March 9, 1886, par. 23)
Through the obedience of the Son of God, through his submission to bear the death penalty for human transgression, the law is magnified and made honorable before the universe. Angels, cherubim, seraphim, and worlds unfallen behold the honor of the law vindicated and exalted. Through the unfolding of the perfection of the divine nature they see the image of God restored to man and the honor of the divine government maintained. The wisdom of God has abounded towards all the sons and daughters of Adam. Christ laid down his life, shed his blood, suffered the death penalty for the sinner, and became the Sin Bearer for every repenting, believing soul. We see sin fully punished in the Substitute and the sinner fully saved through his merit. We see the law of God highly exalted, with no jot or tittle of its authority laid aside, while the transgressor, relying upon the merit of the Substitute, is justified by the law. Through the plan of salvation we see mercy and truth met together, righteousness and peace embracing each other. There is no vacillation in the principles of God's commandments, but they are pronounced by the angels of heaven, by the inhabitants of unfallen worlds, and by souls justified, as “holy, and just, and good.” SSW December 1, 1895, par. 1
But it is not by abolishing one jot or tittle of the law of God that salvation is brought to the fallen race. If God were a changeable being, no confidence could be placed in His government. If He retracted what He said, we could not then take His Word as the foundation of our faith. Had He changed His law to meet fallen men, Satan's claim that man could not keep the law would have been proved true. But God did not alter His law. The death of Christ testifies to the heavenly universe, to the worlds unfallen, and to all the sons and daughters of Adam, that the law of God is immutable, and that in the judgment it will condemn every one who has persisted in transgression. The God who rules the world in love and wisdom testifies in the death of His Son to His changeless character. He could not change His character as expressed in His law, but He could give His Son, one with Himself, possessing His attributes, to a fallen world. By so doing, He magnified His name and glory as a God above all gods. ST April 7, 1898, par. 10
That the transgressor might have another trial, that man might be brought into favor with the Father, the eternal Son of God interposed Himself to bear the Father’s punishment of transgression. But in the place of the great Sacrifice abating one jot or one tittle of the Father’s law, this very fact exalts the law, elevates it, and proclaims to the worlds unfallen and to the fallen race that God’s law, the transcript of His character, is changeless, and that He will maintain His authority and sustain His law. It is Satan, the first great rebel, who has accomplished this work of deception. 12LtMs, Ms 58, 1897, par. 5
Christ came to the world to convince men, by evidence that could not be controverted, that “God is love.” This fact, so long disputed by Satan, is forever put at rest with unfallen worlds and with heavenly intelligences. It is put at rest with those who look upon an uplifted Saviour, who are convinced by the manifestation of the love of God displayed at Calvary. The wondrous condescension of God in giving Christ to the world to work out the principles of divine character, leaves every human intelligence without a shadow of excuse in withholding his allegiance from the God of heaven. Jesus was one with the Father, and revealed the perfection of God, and yet he came to the world in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, and condemned sin in the flesh by his own life of perfect obedience to the law of God, showing that men may become partakers of the divine nature, and may through faith in Christ lay hold on moral power that has been brought within their reach through the love so abundantly expressed in their behalf. Human agents may form characters after the divine similitude, because of the great love wherewith Christ has loved us. The Saviour said: “I am the Good Shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.” “The bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” “This commandment have I received of my Father.” ST March 7, 1895, par. 1
In His infinite mercy God took into His hands the salvation of all who would believe in Him. Because of the rebellion in the heavenly courts, the love of God was to be vindicated, not only before all heaven, but before all the worlds that He had made. Everything would be done to keep the first human beings loyal, but if they should be overcome by temptation, Christ engaged to become man's Sacrifice, his Substitute and Surety. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”ST July 21, 1898, par. 5
The mind may speculate upon this, and fail to comprehend it; for the great matter to be decided in the conflict was not merely between God and man; every creature that God had created was involved in the conflict. The unfallen worlds saw that the character of God could be vindicated only through this trial and conflict of the two forces. The attributes of God must be made to appear. Of the stability of his government there must be no question. And the Son of God himself proposed to carry forward the work to the end, to gain the victory over the prince of darkness and over all his allies. YI April 15, 1897, par. 13
Pardoning, redeeming love is brought to view in Christ Jesus. Satan had misrepresented the character of God, and it was necessary that a correct representation should be made to worlds unfallen, to angels, and to men. Satan had declared that God knew nothing of self-denial, of mercy and love, but that he was stern, exacting, and unforgiving. Satan never tested the forgiving love of God; for he never exercised genuine repentance. His representations of God were incorrect; he was a false witness, an accuser of Christ, and an accuser of all those who throw off the Satanic yoke, and come back to render willing allegiance to the God of heaven. RH March 9, 1897, par. 3
The creation of the worlds, the mystery of the gospel, are for one purpose, to make manifest to all created intelligences, through nature and through Christ, the glories of the divine character. By the marvelous display of his love in giving “his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” the glory of God is revealed to lost humanity and to the intelligences of other worlds. ST April 25, 1892, par. 2
But the plan of redemption had a yet broader and deeper purpose than the salvation of man. It was not for this alone that Christ came to the earth; it was not merely that the inhabitants of this little world might regard the law of God as it should be regarded; but it was to vindicate the character of God before the universe. To this result of His great sacrifice—its influence upon the intelligences of other worlds, as well as upon man—the Saviour looked forward when just before His crucifixion He said: “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all unto Me.” John 12:31, 32. The act of Christ in dying for the salvation of man would not only make heaven accessible to men, but before all the universe it would justify God and His Son in their dealing with the rebellion of Satan. It would establish the perpetuity of the law of God and would reveal the nature and the results of sin. PP 68.2
The traditions of men, to which [God's chosen people] gave so much heed, were as chaff to the wheat. Christ cleared away the rubbish of men's opinions, the multiplied exactions with which men had surrounded the commandments of God, so that the true character of the law was revealed. Jesus had given the law, and he was the one who could expound its true principles. It was essential that this should be done in order that the character of God might be vindicated before the inhabitants of a fallen world, and before the inhabitants of worlds unfallen. Jesus showed the contrast that there was between error and truth, between the words of finite men and the word of God. The word of God was plain, but men's words had made it mysterious and unintelligible. But the instruction which Christ gave was unmistakable. His disciples were to obey the precepts of the law, and to represent the character of God to the world. He said, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” ST March 26, 1896, par. 5
In the gift of his Son as a substitute and surety for fallen man, is an everlasting testimony to the world, to the heavenly universe, and to worlds unfallen, of the sacred regard which God has for the honor of his law and the eternal stability of his own moral government. It was also an expression of his love and mercy for the fallen human race. In the plan of redemption, this Saviour was to bring glory to God by making manifest his love for the world. YI August 5, 1897, Art. A, par. 2
The inhabitants of all worlds will be convinced of the justice of the law in the overthrow of rebellion and the eradication of sin. When man, beguiled by Satan's power, disobeyed the divine law, God could not, even to save the lost race, change that law. God is love, and to change the law would be to deny Himself, to overthrow those principles with which are bound up the good of the universe. The working out of the plan of salvation reveals not only to men, but to angels, the character of God, and through the ages of eternity the malignant character of sin will be understood by the cost to the Father and the Son of the redemption of a rebel race. BEcho July 15, 1893
Christ alone could restore honor to God’s government before the worlds unfallen and the heavenly universe. 12LtMs, Ms 128, 1897, par. 19
Could God have abolished the law in order to meet man in his fallen condition, and yet have maintained his honor as Governor of the universe, Christ need not have died. But the death of Christ is the convincing, everlasting argument that the law of God is as unchanging as his throne. In the place of the great sacrifice's abating one jot or one tittle of the Father's law, that sacrifice exalts the law; it proclaims to worlds unfallen and to the fallen race that God's law is changeless, and that he will maintain his authority and sustain his law. RH February 8, 1898, par. 4
Through the death of Jesus man may live, but what a costly sacrifice! The whole plan of redemption is devised on the part of God to save man. In carrying out God's plan, the law would be magnified and made honorable before human intelligences, before the worlds God has created, and before the angelic host. The law that was questioned and that Satan claimed was changed and amended, was beyond change, was faultless, perfect, holy, just, and good. Although Satan threw his whole might against it and obtained on his side a large number of the holy angels, yet not one jot or tittle of that law was moved from its foundation. 4LtMs, Ms 89, 1886, par. 4
Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Of Christ it was written, “He will magnify the law, and make it honorable.” How did he do this?—He lived out the law in the sight of the heavenly universe, in the sight of unfallen worlds, and in the sight of sinful men. In this earth he performed his mission, and fulfilled his office, and, by obedience to the law of God, he testified to all its immutable character, while at the same time proving that its precepts could be perfectly obeyed through his grace by every son and daughter of Adam. ST March 14, 1895, par. 1
Notwithstanding that the law condemns the sinner as still unworthy of the gift of eternal life, unworthy of the confidence of God, through our substitute, Jesus Christ, man may be saved. Jesus will demonstrate to the worlds that have not fallen, who are subjects of God's law and have been watching the controversy between Lucifer—one of the angels exalted but fallen—and the Prince of heaven, that He became more than a martyr: He became an atoning sacrifice. 4LtMs, Ms 89, 1886, par. 8
The work of redemption involved consequences of which it is difficult for man to have any conception. There was to be imparted to the human beings striving for conformity to the divine image, and outlay of heaven’s treasures, an excellence of power, which would place him higher than the angels who had not fallen. The battle has been fought, the victory won. The controversy between sin and righteousness exalted the Lord of heaven, and established before the saved human family, before the unfallen worlds, before all the host of evil workers, from the greatest to the least, God’s holiness, mercy, goodness, and wisdom. Christ’s sacrifice exalted the law, proving that it was from the beginning, and would be through all eternity, from everlasting to everlasting.14LtMs, Ms 94, 1899, par. 51
Every one that follows in the footsteps of Jesus keeps the commandments of God. Those who flatter themselves that God has told them that they need not keep his commandments because it interferes with their circumstances, make a sad mistake. It is another leader that such are following, and not Jesus. We are to inquire what saith the Scriptures. We must have the law of God before us. Jesus suffered the severest temptation, and finally died upon Calvary's cross, thus demonstrating to the human family that the law of God is immutable, not one jot or one tittle can be changed; but Satan has deceived the Christian world with the story that Christ died to abolish the law. It was the cross of Calvary that exalted the law of God and made it honorable, and showed its immutable character, and thus it is demonstrated before all the worlds God has created, and before the heavenly angels, that the law is changeless. If God could have changed one iota of his law, Jesus need not have come to our world and died. But our Saviour, who was equal with God himself, came into our world and suffered the death upon the cross, to give man another probation. RH June 10, 1890, par. 10
It was in order that the heavenly universe might see the conditions of the covenant of redemption that Christ bore the penalty in behalf of the human race. The throne of Justice must be eternally and forever made secure, even tho the race be wiped out, and another creation populate the earth. By the sacrifice Christ was about to make, all doubts would be forever settled, and the human race would be saved if they would return to their allegiance. Christ alone could restore honor to God's government. The cross of Calvary would be looked upon by the unfallen worlds, by the heavenly universe, by Satanic agencies, by the fallen race, and every mouth would be stopped. In making His infinite sacrifice Christ would exalt and honor the law. He would make known the exalted character of God's government, which could not in any way be changed to meet man in his sinful condition. ST July 12, 1899, par. 2
The transgression of God’s law in a single instance, in the smallest particular, is sin. And the non-execution of the penalty of that sin would be a crime in the divine administration. God is a Judge, the avenger of justice, which is the habitation and foundation of His throne. He cannot dispense with His law, He cannot do away with its smallest item in order to meet and pardon sin. The rectitude and justice and moral excellence of the law must be maintained and vindicated before the heavenly universe and the worlds unfallen. What is the justice of God? It is the holiness of God in relation to sin. Christ bore the sins of the world in man’s behalf, that the sinner might have another trial, with all the divine opportunities and advantages which God has provided in man’s behalf. “Whosoever committeth sin,” says John, “transgresseth also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law. And we know that he was manifest to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.” [1 John 3:4-6.]12LtMs, Ms 145, 1897, par. 9
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