Chapter 1—The First Advent of Christ
The Son of God was next in authority to the great Lawgiver. He
knew that his life alone could be sufficient to ransom fallen man. He
was of as much more value than man as his noble, spotless character,
and exalted office as commander of all the heavenly host, were above
the work of man. He was in the express image of his Father, not in
features alone, but in perfection of character.
The blood of beasts could not satisfy the demands of God as an
atoning sacrifice for the transgression of his law. The life of a beast
was of less value than the life of the offending sinner, therefore could
not be a ransom for sin. It could only be acceptable with God as a
figure of the offering of his Son.
Man could not atone for man. His sinful, fallen condition would
constitute him an imperfect offering, an atoning sacrifice of less value
than Adam before his fall. God made man perfect and upright, and
after his transgression there could be no sacrifice acceptable to God
for him, unless the offering made should in value be superior to man
as he was in his state of perfection and innocency.
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The divine Son of God was the only sacrifice of sufficient value to
fully satisfy the claims of God’s perfect law. The angels were sinless,
but of less value than the law of God. They were amenable to law.
They were messengers to do the will of Christ, and before him to
bow. They were created beings, and probationers. Upon Christ no
requirements were laid. He had power to lay down his life, and to take
it again. No obligation was laid upon him to undertake the work of
atonement. It was a voluntary sacrifice that he made. His life was of
sufficient value to rescue man from his fallen condition.
The Son of God was in the form of God, and he thought it not
robbery to be equal with God. He was the only one, who as a man
walked the earth, who could say to all men, Who of you convinceth
me of sin? He had united with the Father in the creation of man, and
he had power through his own divine perfection of character to atone
for man’s sin, and to elevate him, and bring him back to his first estate.
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