Basic HTML Version
Chapter 4
17
existed when He came to the earth to help man. In behalf of the
race, with the weaknesses of fallen man upon Him, He was to stand
the temptations of Satan upon all points wherewith man would be
assailed....
In what contrast is the second Adam as He entered the gloomy
wilderness to cope with Satan single-handed. Since the fall the race
had been decreasing in size and physical strength, and sinking lower
in the scale of moral worth, up to the period of Christ’s advent to
the earth. And in order to elevate fallen man, Christ must reach
him where he was. He took human nature, and bore the infirmities
and degeneracy of the race. He, who knew no sin, became sin for
us. He humiliated Himself to the lowest depths of human woe, that
He might be qualified to reach man, and bring him up from the
degradation in which sin had plunged him (
The Review and Herald,
July 28, 1874
).
The Severest Discipline
—To keep His glory veiled as the child
of a fallen race, this was the most severe discipline to which the
Prince of life could subject Himself. Thus He measured His strength
with Satan. He who had been expelled from heaven fought desper-
[1082]
ately for the mastery over the One of whom in the courts above he
had been jealous. What a battle was this! No language is adequate
to describe it. But in the near future it will be understood by those
who have overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their
testimony (
Letter 19, 1901
).
(
Hebrews 2:14-18
;
4:15
;
2 Peter 1:4
.) The Power That Man
May Command
—The Son of God was assaulted at every step by
the powers of darkness. After His baptism He was driven of the
Spirit into the wilderness, and suffered temptation for forty days.
Letters have been coming in to me, affirming that Christ could not
have had the same nature as man, for if He had, He would have
fallen under similar temptations. If He did not have man’s nature,
He could not be our example. If He was not a partaker of our nature,
He could not have been tempted as man has been. If it were not
possible for Him to yield to temptation, He could not be our helper.
It was a solemn reality that Christ came to fight the battles as man,
in man’s behalf. His temptation and victory tell us that humanity
must copy the Pattern; man must become a partaker of the divine
nature.