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That God Sent His Son to Die that we Might Live,
January 5
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent
his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 4:10
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In redemption God has revealed His love in sacrifice, a sacrifice so
broad and deep and high that it is immeasurable. “God so loved the world
that he gave his only begotten son....”
When Adam’s sin plunged the race into hopeless misery, God might
have cut Himself loose from fallen beings. He might have treated them
as sinners deserved to be treated. He might have commanded the angels
of heaven to pour out upon our world the vials of His wrath. He might
have removed this dark blot from His universe. But He did not do this.
Instead of banishing them from His presence, He came still nearer to the
fallen race. He gave His Son to become bone of our bone and flesh of our
flesh. “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, ... full of grace and
truth.” Christ by His human relationship to men drew them close to God.
He clothed His divine nature with the garb of humanity, and demonstrated
before the heavenly universe, before the unfallen worlds, how much God
loves the children of men.
The gift of God to man is beyond all computation. Nothing was
withheld. God would not permit it to be said that He could have done more
or revealed to humanity a greater measure of love. In the gift of Christ He
gave all heaven.
The Highest, who was with the Father before the world was, submitted
to humiliation, that He might uplift humanity. Prophecy withdraws the
veil, that we may behold the throne of heaven, that we may see upon that
throne, high and lifted up, One who in human form, came to our world to
suffer, to be lacerated with stripes, and bruised for our iniquities
Thus God showed His love for man. With Christ He gave all heaven,
that the moral image of God might be restored in man.... His grace in all
its vastness is provided for all
[12]
17
Ellen G. White
Manuscript 21, 1900
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18
The General Conference Bulletin, October 1, 1899
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