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God and Christ knew from the beginning, of the apostasy of Satan and of the fall of Adam through the deceptive power of the apostate. The plan of salvation was designed to redeem the fallen race, to give them another trial. Christ was appointed to the office of Mediator from the creation of God, set up from everlasting to be our substitute and surety. Before the world was made, it was arranged that the divinity of Christ should be enshrouded in humanity. "A body," said Christ, "hast thou prepared me." But he did not come in human form until the fulness of time had expired. Then he came to our world, a babe in Bethlehem. {RH, April 5, 1906 par. 13} |
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Christ saw that the time had come when Satan's power over mankind must be broken. Before the fall of man, the Son of God had united with his Father in laying the plan of salvation. God was to be manifested in Christ, "reconciling the world unto himself." And now, thousands of years later, the fulness of time came for the infinite sacrifice to be made. Divinity was to be communicated to humanity through a divine-human Saviour. The great Life-giver was to purchase the whole world by giving his own life as a ransom. {RH, September 13, 1906 par. 4} |
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God has manifested his displeasure in a signal manner in San Francisco. He is seeking to teach men that they can not always disregard his authority with impunity. He has given to us a law, which, sooner or later, we must acknowledge as holy, and just, and good. The Ruler of the universe bears long with those who trample on his law and disregard his holy Sabbath; but in the fulness of time he arises to vindicate his supreme authority. {RH, September 27, 1906 par. 15} |
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The deep necessity of man for a divine teacher was known in heaven. The pity and sympathy of God were exercised in behalf of man, fallen and bound to Satan's chariot car; and when the fulness of time was come, he sent forth his Son. The One appointed in the counsels of heaven came to the earth as an instructor. He was no less a being than the Creator of the world, the Son of the Infinite God. The rich benevolence of God gave him to our world; and to meet the necessities of humanity, he took on him human nature. To the astonishment of the heavenly host, he walked this earth as the Eternal Word. Fully prepared, he left the royal courts to come to a world marred and polluted with sin. Mysteriously he allied himself to human nature. "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." God's excess of goodness, benevolence, and love was a surprise to the world, of grace which could be realized, but not told. {SpTEd 173.3} |
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When in the fulness of time the Son of the infinite God came forth from the bosom of the Father to this world, He came in the garb of humanity, clothing His divinity with humanity. The Father and the Son in consultation decided that Christ must come to the world as a babe, and live the life that human beings must live from childhood to manhood, bearing the trials that they must bear, and at the same time living a sinless life, that men might see in Him an example of what they can become, and that He might know by experience how to help them in their struggles with sin. He was tried as man is tried, tempted as man is tempted. The life that He lived in this world, men can live, through His power and under His instruction. {ST, May 17, 1905 par. 5} |
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The scheme of redemption is not a common study. Had it been, so many souls would not have been disloyal to God. Commencing with the apostasy and the gospel presented to Adam and Eve in Eden, and tracing down prophetic history, the Word of God unfolds the plan of redemption, gathering fresh and increased evidence, until the fulness of time came, and then Christ made His advent into the world. In Christ the Deity was represented. He was the great instructor in divine philosophy. He came without display, having no outward glory to stimulate mere admiration, and possessing no earthly riches. {SpM 58.3} |
