Christ came, Who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. Romans 9:5
When the human family received the deadly wound caused by Adam's transgression, it became needful for the sinless Son of God, One equal with the Father, to take our nature upon Him, and come to the world to live in our behalf a perfect life, making it possible for man, through His ministration, to become a partaker of the divine nature, and thus escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. It was as our Redeemer that He came, that those who believe in Him may receive from Him the strength and the virtue that will enable them to overcome in the struggle with evil. For this reason the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. As in Adam all die, even so, through accepting Christ as a personal Saviour, all may be alive. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36).
To the astonishment of all heaven, the proclamation was made that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to a life of humiliation and suffering. By an amazing sacrifice the Son of the infinite God displayed His love for the fallen race. He did this as the only means of manifesting the love of God for disobedient human beings. He made an offering that could not possibly be exceeded in value. The love of God was manifested in and through Christ. The Son of God suffered the penalty of sin, reconciling the world unto Himself. He who knew no sin became a sin-offering, that fallen, sinful human beings, through repentance and confession, might receive pardon. He became our propitiation, that man, repentant, humbled, receiving the merits of Christ, might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
We who have fallen through the transgression of the law of God have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. The way is open for everyone to prepare himself for the second appearing of Jesus Christ, that at His appearing we may be vindicated, having put away all evil, and having overcome through the cleansing blood of Christ. Through the intercession of Christ, the image of God is renewed in mind, and heart, and character. Through the blood of the only-begotten Son of God, we obtain redemption. We are accepted in the Beloved, made like unto Christ in character, receiving His wisdom, His righteousness, His sanctification, His redemption, if we hold the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end.
We are in this world to honor God; and from all devising that would in any way tempt us to dishonor our Redeemer, we must turn away. In Christ we have before us the Pattern of all righteousness. 11MR 365,366
