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Christ Before Coming to Earth
15
own glory,” said Christ, but the glory of Him that sent Me.
John
8:50
;
7:18
. Christ received from God, but He took to give. Through
the Son, the Father’s life flows out to all; through the Son it returns
in joyous service, a tide of love, to the great Source of all. Thus
through Christ the circuit of beneficence is complete.
In Heaven This Law Was Broken!
Sin originated in self-seeking. Lucifer, the covering cherub,
desired to be first in heaven. He sought to draw heavenly beings
away from their Creator and win homage to himself. Investing the
Creator with his own evil characteristics, he led angels to doubt the
word of God and distrust His goodness. Satan caused them to look
upon Him as severe and unforgiving. Thus he deceived angels. Thus
he deceived men, and the night of woe settled down upon the world.
The earth was dark through misapprehension of God. That the
world might be brought back to God, Satan’s deceptive power was
to be broken. This could not be done by force. God desires only
the service of love, and love cannot be won by force or authority.
Only by love is love awakened. To know God is to love Him; His
character must be manifested in contrast to that of Satan. This work
only one Being could do. Only He who knew the height and depth
of the love of God could make it known.
The plan for our redemption was not a plan formulated after the
fall of Adam. It was a revelation of “the mystery which hath been
kept in silence through times eternal.”
Romans 16:25
, RV. It was
[13]
an unfolding of the principles that from eternal ages have been the
foundation of God’s throne. God foresaw sin’s existence and made
provision to meet the terrible emergency. He covenanted to give
His only-begotten Son, “that whosoever believeth in Him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.”
John 3:16
.
Lucifer had said, “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
... I will be like the Most High.” But Christ, “being in the form of
God, ... emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made
in the likeness of men.”
Isaiah 14:13, 14
;
Philippians 2:6, 7
, RV.