III. THE PURPOSE OF THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST
A. Christ came to reveal the love of God to sinful man (John 1:14; John 3:16; John 1:18; John 14:9).
"The only plan that could be devised, to save the human race was that which called for the incarnation, humiliation, and crucifixion of the Son of God, the Majesty of heaven. After the plan of salvation was devised, Satan could have no ground upon which to found his suggestion that God, because so great, could care nothing for so insignificant a creature as man."—Questions on Doctrine, p. 647.
"Since Jesus came to dwell with us, we know that God is acquainted with our trials, and sympathizes with our griefs. Every son and daughter of Adam may understand that our Creator is the friend of sinners. For in every doctrine of grace, every promise of joy, every deed of love, every divine attraction presented in the Saviour's life on earth, we see 'God with us.'"—The Desire of Ages, p. 24.
B. By His life and in His death Christ be came man's Surety and Substitute (Heb. 2:9; 1 Peter 2:24; Gal. 4:4, 5).
"The law requires righteousness—a righteous life, a perfect character; and this man has not to give. He cannot meet the claims of God's holy law. But Christ, coming to the earth as man, lived a holy life, and developed a perfect character. These He offers as a free gift to all who will receive them. His life stands for the life of men. Thus they have remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. More than this, Christ imbues men with the attributes of God. He builds up the human character after the similitude of the divine character, a goodly fabric of spiritual strength and beauty. Thus the very righteousness of the law is fulfilled in the believer in Christ. God can 'be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.' "—Ibid., p. 762.
"But the death of Christ was an argument in man's behalf that could not be over thrown. The penalty of the law fell upon Him who was equal with God, and man was free to accept the righteousness of Christ, and by a life of penitence and humiliation to triumph, as the Son of God had triumphed, over the power of Satan. Thus God is just, and yet the justifier of all who believe in Jesus."— The Great Controversy, pp. 502, 503.
C. Christ's death proves God's law immutable (Rom. 3:31).
"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 honor able." 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 folks transgression. The death of Christ proves it immutable."—Ibid., p. 503.
"Had it been possible for the law to be changed or abrogated, then Christ need not have died. ... It was because the law was changeless, because man could be saved only through obedience to its precepts, that Jesus was lifted up on the cross."—The Desire of Ages, pp. 762, 763.
D. Christ came to demonstrate that it was not necessary for man to sin (Rom. 8:3, 4).
"Christ came to the earth, taking humanity and standing as man's representative, to show in the controversy with Satan that man, as God created him, connected with the Father and the Son, could obey every divine requirement."—Questions on Doctrine, p. 650.
"Christ left His position in the heavenly courts, and came to this earth to live the life of human beings. This sacrifice He made in order to show that Satan's charge against God is false—that it is possible for man to obey the laws of God's kingdom."— The SDA Bible Commentary, Ellen G. White Comments, on John 1:1-3, 14, p. 1129.
E. Christ became man that he might succor those who are tempted, and make it possible for men to obey (Heb. 2:17, 18).
"But it was part of the covenant made in heaven, that Christ, having taken humanity, was not to work miracles in his own behalf, but was to stand as a man among men."—Southern Watchman, March 1, 1904, p. 142.
"If Christ had been deceived by Satan's temptations, and had exercised his miraculous power to relieve himself from difficulty, he would have broken the contract made with his Father, to be a probationer in behalf of the race."—Review and Herald, April 1, 1875.
"Christ was put to the closest test, requiring the strength of all his faculties to resist the inclination when in danger, to use his power to deliver himself from peril, and triumph over the power of the prince of darkness."—Ibid.
"As one of us He was to give an example of obedience. For this He took upon Him self our nature, and passed through our experiences. 'In all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren.' If we had to bear anything which Jesus did not endure, then upon this point Satan would represent the power of God as insufficient for us. Therefore Jesus was 'in all points tempted like as we are.' He endured every trial to which we are subject. And He exercised in His own behalf no power that is not freely offered to us. As man, He met temptation, and overcame in the strength given Him from God. . .. His life testifies that it is possible for us also to obey the law of God." —The Desire of Ages, p. 24.
"Think of what Christ's obedience means to us! It means that in His strength we too may obey. . . . Christ came to this world to show us what God can do and what we can do in cooperation with God. In human flesh He went into the wilderness to be tempted by the enemy. He knows what it is to hunger and thirst. He knows the weakness and the infirmities of the flesh. He was tempted in all points like as we are tempted."—The SDA Bible Commentary, Ellen G. White Comments, on Rom. 5:12- 19, p. 1074.
"In our own strength it is impossible for us to deny the clamors of our fallen nature. Through this channel Satan will bring temptation upon us. Christ knew that the enemy would come to every human being, to take advantage of hereditary weakness, and by his false insinuations to ensnare all whose trust is not in God. And by passing over the ground which man must travel, our Lord has prepared the way for us to overcome. It is not His will that we should be placed at a disadvantage in the conflict with Satan. He would not have us intimidated and discouraged by the assaults of the serpent. 'Be of good cheer,' He says; 'I have overcome the world.' "— The Desire of Ages, pp. 122, 123.
F. By obedience Christ won back the do minion the first Adam had lost through sin (Micah 4:8).
" 'O Tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, unto Thee shall it come, even the first dominion.' The time has come to which holy men have looked with longing since the flaming sword barred the first pair from Eden, the time for 'the redemption of the purchased possession.' The earth originally given to man as his kingdom, betrayed by him into the hands of Satan, and so long held by the mighty foe, has been brought back by the great plan of redemption. All that was lost by sin has been restored. 'Thus saith the Lord . . . that formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited.' God's original purpose in the creation of the earth is fulfilled as it is made the eternal abode of the redeemed. 'The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever.' "— The Great Controversy, p. 674.
G. The cross of Calvary proclaims that the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23).
"The cross of Calvary . . . proclaims to the universe that the wages of sin is death." —Ibid., p. 503.
"Man has not been made a sin-bearer, and he will never know the horror of the curse of sin which the Saviour bore. No sorrow can bear any comparison with the sorrow of Him upon whom the wrath of God fell with overwhelming force. . . . The agony which Christ endured, broadens, deepens, and gives a more extended conception of the character of sin, and the character of the retribution which God will bring upon those who continue in sin. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ to the repenting, believing sinner."—The SDA Bible Commentary, Ellen G. White Comments, on Matt. 26:36-46, p. 1103.
H. The crucifixion of Christ revealed Satan as a murderer and rang his death knell thus making the universe eternally secure against sin (Heb. 2:14).
"To the angels and the unfallen worlds the cry, 'It is finished,' had a deep significance. It was for them as well as for us that the great work of redemption had been accomplished. . . .
"Not until the death of Christ was the character of Satan clearly revealed to the angels or to the unfallen worlds. The archapostate had so clothed himself with deception that even holy beings had not under stood his principles. They had not clearly seen the nature of his rebellion. . . .
"It was God's purpose to place things on an eternal basis of security, and in the councils of heaven it was decided that time must be given for Satan to develop the principles which were the foundation of his system of government. He had claimed that these were superior to God's principles. Time was given for the working of Satan's principles, that they might be seen by the heavenly universe.
"Satan led men into sin, and the plan of redemption was put in operation. For four thousand years, Christ was working for man's uplifting, and Satan for his ruin and degradation. And the heavenly universe be held it all. . . .
"Could one sin have been found in Christ, had He in one particular yielded to Satan to escape the terrible torture, the enemy of God and man would have triumphed. Christ bowed His head and died, but He held fast His faith and His submission to God. . . .
"Satan saw that his disguise was torn away. His administration was laid open before the unfallen angels and before the heavenly universe. He had revealed himself as a murderer. . . . The last link of sympathy between Satan and the heavenly world was broken."—The Desire of Ages, pp. 758-761.
"In the Saviour's expiring cry, 'It is finished,' the death knell of Satan was rung. The great controversy which had been so long in progress was then decided, and the final eradication of evil was made certain. The Son of God passed through the portals of the tomb, that 'through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.' . . .
"The whole universe will have become witnesses to the nature and results of sin. And its utter extermination, which in the beginning would have brought fear to angels and dishonor to God, will now vindicate His love and establish His honor be fore the universe of beings who delight to do His will, and in whose heart is His law." — The Great Controversy, pp. 503, 504.
