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| We cannot explain the great mystery of the plan of redemption. Jesus took upon himself humanity, that He might reach humanity; but we cannot explain how divinity was clothed with humanity. An angel would not have known how to sympathize with fallen man, but Christ came to the world and suffered all our temptations, and carried all our griefs.-- The Review and Herald, Oct. 1, 1889. {7ABC 444.5} |
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| In giving Jesus to the world, God gave all heaven in one gift. Then why is it, when God has left nothing undone that could be done, that there are not more brought from darkness to light? -- It is because the human will does not cooperate with the divine intelligences. If the Lord's will and way were carried out, humanity would be reached through humanity, and every lost prodigal would be brought home, and saved through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who tasted death for every man. Sin would no longer exist. But it is humanity that bars the way. It is for lack of the co-partnership of man, because of rebellion, that the way is blocked up. The revelation of God's truth comes to us through human agents. Christ came to the world as the Son of man. This was the only way in which He could reach humanity. "Ye are labourers together with God." Man must cooperate with Jesus Christ. Those who are building up a Christlike character will not, cannot, withhold their interest from the work of aiding Christ in seeking and saving that which is lost. {BEcho, April 30, 1894 par. 4} |
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| Through successive ages of darkness, in the midnight of heathenism, God permitted men to try the experiment of finding out God by their own wisdom, not to demonstrate their inability to his satisfaction, but that men themselves might see that they could not obtain a knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ his Son, save through the revelation of his word by the Holy Spirit. When Christ came to the world, the experiment had been fully tried, and the result made it evident that the world by wisdom knew not God. Even in the church God has allowed men to test their own wisdom in this matter, but when a crisis has been brought about through human fallibility, God has risen mightily to defend his people. When the church has been brought low, when trial and oppression have come upon his people, he more abundantly exalted them by signal deliverance. When unfaithful teachers came among the people, weakness followed, and the faith of God's people seemed to wane; but God arose and purged his floor, and the tried and true were lifted up. {CE 94.2} {FE 196.3} |
| Through successive ages of darkness, God has permitted men to make the experiment of finding out God by their own wisdom,-- not to demonstrate their inability to his satisfaction, but that men themselves might see that they could not obtain a knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ save through the revelation of his Word and the Holy Spirit. When Christ came to the world, the experiment had been fully made, and the result made it evident that the world by wisdom knew not God. {NPU Gleaner, April 21, 1909 par. 3} |
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| The only hope for the fallen race was found in becoming reconciled to God. Satan had so misrepresented God that man had no true conception of the divine character. Christ came to the world, and, in carrying out the plan of salvation, revealed to man that "God is love." {Messenger, June 7, 1893 par. 2} |
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| When Christ came to the world, his own nation rejected him. He brought from heaven the message of salvation, hope, freedom, and peace; but men would not accept his good tidings. Christians have condemned the Jewish nation for rejecting the Saviour; but many who profess to be followers of Christ are doing even worse than did the Jews, for they are rejecting greater light in despising the truth for this time. {RH, November 5, 1889 par. 5} |
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| When Christ came to our world, Satan was on the ground, and disputed every inch of advance in His path from the manger to Calvary. Satan had accused God of requiring self-denial of the angels, when He knew nothing of what it meant Himself, and when He would not Himself make any self-sacrifice for others. This was the accusation that Satan made against God in heaven; and after the evil one was expelled from heaven, he continually charged the Lord with exacting service which He would not render Himself. Christ came to the world to meet these false accusations, and to reveal the Father. We cannot conceive of the humiliation He endured in taking our nature upon Himself. Not that in itself it was a disgrace to belong to the human race, but He was the Majesty of heaven, the King of glory, and He humbled Himself to become a babe and suffer the wants and woes of mortals. He humbled Himself not to the highest position, to be a man of riches and power, but though He was rich, yet for our sake He became poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich. He took step after step in humiliation. He was driven from city to city; for men would not receive the Light of the world. They were perfectly satisfied with their position. { 1SM 406.2} |
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| At his first advent, Christ came to the world as its Redeemer. He came to plant truth in the hearts of all who would give place to it, who would receive it and be converted. He came to take away the sin of the world, and to fill every heart with pure, healthful joy. He longed to breathe into prostrate humanity the breath of life. And in his attitude toward men was a foreshadowing of his work in the Judgment. From the men whom the world had favored, those who found their own enjoyment in fulsome flattery, he turned with gladness to a peculiar people, and showed which class was blessed. He assigned appropriate rewards to those who were faithful and true. Having brought into the world the accumulated treasure of heaven, he bestowed it upon them. He pronounced his blessings upon true merit, upon all who were seeking for that righteousness which it was his prerogative to give. To those who should suffer for his name's sake, he declared: "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven." He gave evidence that all the treasures of heaven were at his command, and that in dispensing them he knew no restriction. {RH, September 20, 1898 par. 3} |
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| Christ came to our world |
| In order to reach excellency of character, we must realize the value which Christ has placed upon the human race. In the beginning, man was invested with dignity; but he fell through indulgence of appetite. Notwithstanding the great gulf thus opened between God and man, Christ loved the hopeless sinner, and came to our world to bridge the gulf, and unite divine power to human weakness, that in his strength and grace man might wrestle for himself against Satan’s temptations, overcome for himself, and stand in his God-given manhood, a victor over perverted appetite and degrading passions. The last words of David to Solomon, then a young man and soon to be honored with the throne of Israel, were, “Be thou strong, ... and show thyself a man.” [1 Kings 2:2.] To the weak and tempted one I address the same, “Show thyself a man.” I point you to the cross of Calvary. I bid you in the name of Jesus, Look and live. Destroy not yourself. With God’s blessing it is possible for you to gain the ascendency over appetite and debasing passion. { CTBH 146.1 } |
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