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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 2
the Father that in him all fullness should dwell. He “thought it not
robbery to be equal with God.” Yet he “made himself of no reation,
and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness
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of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself,
and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
In Christ were united the human and the divine. His mission was to
reconcile God to man, and man to God. His work was to unite the finite
with the Infinite. This was the only way in which fallen men could be
exalted, through the merits of the blood of Christ, to be partakers of
the divine nature. Taking human nature fitted Christ to understand the
nature of man’s trials, and all the temptations wherewith he is beset.
Angels, who were unacquainted with sin, could not sympathize with
man in his peculiar trials.
Before Christ left Heaven and came into the world to die, he was
taller than any of the angels. He was majestic and lovely. But when
his ministry commenced, he was but little taller than the common size
of men then living upon the earth. Had he come among men with his
noble, heavenly form, his outward appearance would have attracted
the minds of the people to himself, and he would have been received
without the exercise of faith.
It was in the order of God that Christ should take upon himself
the form and nature of fallen man, that he might be made perfect
through suffering, and himself endure the strength of Satan’s fierce
temptations, that he might understand how to succor those who should
be tempted. The faith of men in Christ as the Messiah was not to
rest on the evidences of sight, and they believe on him because of his
personal attractions, but because of the excellence of character found
in him, which never had been found, neither could be, in another. All
who loved virtue, purity, and holiness, would be drawn to Christ, and
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would see sufficient evidence of his being the Messiah foretold by
prophecy that should come. Those who thus trusted in the word of
God, would receive the benefits of the teachings of Christ, and finally
of his atonement.
Christ came to call the attention of all men to his Father, teaching
them repentance toward God. His work was to reconcile man to God.
Although Christ did not come as he was expected, yet he came just as
prophecy had marked out that he would come. Those who wished to
believe, had sufficient grounds for their faith by referring to prophecy