Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. Philippians 2:6.

Jesus Christ “counted it not a thing to be grasped to be equal with God.” Because divinity alone could be efficacious in the restoration of man from the poisonous bruise of the serpent, God Himself, in His only begotten Son, assumed human nature, and in the weakness of human nature sustained the character of God, vindicated His holy law in every particular, and accepted the sentence of wrath and death for the sons of men. What a thought is this! He who was one with the Father before the world was made had such compassion for a world lost and ruined by transgression that He gave His life a ransom for it. He who was the brightness of the Father’s glory, the express image of His person, bore our sins in His own body on the tree, suffering the penalty of man’s transgression until justice was satisfied and required no more. How great is the redemption that has been worked out for us! So great that the Son of God died the cruel death of the cross to bring to us life and immortality through faith in Him.

This wonderful problem—how God could be just and yet the justifier of sinners—is beyond human ken. As we attempt to fathom it, it broadens and deepens beyond our comprehension. When we look with the eye of faith upon the cross of Calvary, and see our sins laid upon the victim hanging in weakness and ignominy there—when we grasp the fact that this is God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace—we are led to exclaim, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us” (1 John 3:1)! …

When man can measure the exalted character of the Lord of hosts, and distinguish between the eternal God and finite humanity, he will know how great has been the sacrifice of Heaven to bring man from where he has fallen through disobedience to become part of the family of God…. The divinity of Christ is our assurance of eternal life…. He, the Sin Bearer of the world, is our only medium of reconciliation with a holy God.^{58The Youth’s Instructor, February 11, 1897.}

From That I May Know Him

For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Hebrews 2:16.

We need not place the obedience of Christ by itself, as something for which He was particularly adapted, by His particular divine nature, for He stood before God as man’s representative and was tempted as man’s substitute and surety. If Christ had a special power which it is not the privilege of man to have, Satan would have made capital of this matter. The work of Christ was to take from the claims of Satan his control of man, and He could do this only in the way that He came—a man, tempted as a man, rendering the obedience of a man.^{56S.D.A. Bible Commentary 7:930.}

Would that we could comprehend the significance of the words, Christ “suffered being tempted” (Hebrews 2:18). While He was free from the taint of sin, the refined sensibilities of His holy nature rendered contact with evil unspeakably painful to Him. Yet with human nature upon Him, He met the arch apostate face to face, and singlehanded withstood the foe of His throne. Not even by a thought could Christ be brought to yield to the power of temptation.

Satan finds in human hearts some point where he can gain a foothold; some sinful desire is cherished, by means of which his temptations assert their power. But Christ declared of Himself, “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me” (John 14:30). The storms of temptation burst upon Him, but they could not cause Him to swerve from His allegiance to God.

All the followers of Christ have to meet the same malignant foe that assailed their Master. With marvelous skill he adapts his temptations to their circumstances, their temperament, their mental and moral bias, their strong passions. He is ever whispering in the ears of the children of men, as he points to worldly pleasures, gains, or honors, “All this will I give you, if you will do my bidding.” We must look to Christ; we must resist as He resisted; we must pray as He prayed; we must agonize as He agonized, if we would conquer as He conquered.^{57The Review and Herald, November 8, 1887.}

From That I May Know Him

We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15.

Let us consider how much it cost our Saviour in the wilderness of temptation to carry on in our behalf the conflict with the wily, malignant foe. Satan knew that everything depended upon his success or failure in his attempt to overcome Christ with his manifold temptations. Satan knew that the plan of salvation would be carried out to its fulfillment, that his power would be taken away, that his destruction would be certain, if Christ bore the test that Adam failed to endure. The temptations of Satan were most effective in degrading human nature, for man could not stand against their powerful influence; but Christ in man’s behalf, as man’s representative, resting wholly upon the power of God, endured the severe conflict, in order that He might be a perfect example to us. There is hope for man…. The work before us is to overcome as Christ overcame. He fasted forty days, and suffered the keenest pangs of hunger. Christ suffered on our account beyond our comprehension, and we should welcome trial and suffering on our own account for Christ’s sake, that we may overcome as Christ also overcame, and be exalted to the throne of our Redeemer….

We have everything to gain in the conflict with our mighty foe, and we dare not for a moment yield to his temptations. We know that in our own strength it is not possible for us to succeed; but as Christ humbled Himself, and took upon Himself our nature, He is acquainted with our necessities, and has Himself borne the heaviest temptations that man will have to bear, has conquered the enemy in resisting his suggestions, in order that man may learn how to be conqueror. He was clothed with a body like ours, and in every respect suffered what man will suffer, and very much more. We shall never be called upon to suffer as Christ suffered, for the sins not of one, but the sins of the whole world were laid upon Christ. He endured humiliation, reproach, suffering, and death, that we by following His example might inherit all things.^{55The Review and Herald, February 5, 1895.}

From That I May Know Him

Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Matthew 4:1.

Why was it that at the beginning of His public ministry Christ was led into the wilderness to be tempted? … He went, not in His own behalf, but in our behalf; to overcome for us…. He was to be tried and tested as a representative of the race. He was to meet the foe in personal encounter, to overthrow him who claimed to be the head of the kingdoms of the world.^{52Letter 159, 1903.}

Satan met Him and tempted Him on the very points where man will be tempted. Our Substitute and Surety passed over the ground where Adam stumbled and fell. And the question was, Will He stumble and fall as Adam did over God’s commandments? He met Satan’s attacks again and again with “It is written,” and Satan left the field of conflict a conquered foe. Christ has redeemed Adam’s disgraceful fall, and has perfected a character of perfect obedience, and left an example for the human family…. Had He failed on one point in reference to the law of God, He would not have been a perfect offering, for it was on one point only that Adam failed….

Our Saviour withstood on every point the test of temptation, and in this way He has made it possible for man to overcome. Now, there is enough in this idea, in this thought, to fill our hearts with gratitude every day of our lives. As Jesus was accepted as our substitute and surety, every one of us will be accepted if we stand the test and trial for ourselves. He took our nature that He might become acquainted with the trials wherewith man should be beset, and He is our mediator and intercessor before the Father.^{53The Review and Herald, June 10, 1890.}

Those who would overcome must put to the tax every power of their being. They must agonize on their knees before God for divine power…. Men may have a power to resist evil—a power that neither earth, nor death, nor hell can master; a power that will place them where they may overcome as Christ overcame. Divinity and humanity may be combined in them.^{54S.D.A. Bible Commentary 5:1082.}

From That I May Know Him

Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. Matthew 3:13.

Many had come to him [John] to receive the baptism of repentance, confessing their sins…. Christ came not confessing His own sins, but guilt was imputed to Him as the sinner’s substitute. He came not to repent on His own account, but in behalf of the sinner…. Christ honored the ordinance of baptism by submitting to this rite. In this act He identified Himself with His people as their representative and head. As their substitute He takes upon Him their sins, numbering Himself with the transgressors, taking the steps the sinner is required to take, and doing the work the sinner must do….

After Christ rose up from the water…. He walked out to the bank of Jordan and bowed in the attitude of prayer…. As the believer’s example, His sinless humanity supplicated support and strength from His heavenly Father, as He was about to commence His public labor as the Messiah….

Never before had angels listened to such a prayer as Christ offered at His baptism, and they were solicitous to be the bearers of the message from the Father to His Son. But, no! Direct from the Father issues the light of His glory. The heavens were opened and beams of glory rested upon the Son of God and assumed the form of a dove, in appearance like burnished gold. The dovelike form was emblematical of the meekness and gentleness of Christ…. From the opening heavens came these words: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” … Notwithstanding the Son of God was clothed with humanity, yet Jehovah, with His own voice, assures Him of His sonship with the Eternal. In this manifestation to His Son, God accepts humanity as exalted through the excellence of His beloved Son.^{50The Review and Herald, January 21, 1873.}

Christ’s prayer on the banks of the Jordan includes everyone who will believe in Him. The promise that you are accepted in the Beloved comes to you. God said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” … Christ has cleaved the way for you to the throne of the infinite God.^{51S.D.A. Bible Commentary 5:1079.}

From That I May Know Him