Christ Our Redeemer

Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, lived not to please himself. Without humbling himself to the death of the cross, he could not have borne the penalty of transgression, and so he left heaven, and took his place in the ranks of fallen beings, enduring, for our sakes, suffering and abuse.

It must have been a very severe ordeal for our Saviour to lay aside his royal robe and kingly crown, and clothe his divinity with humanity, coming to this world as a little child, to live a life of obedience in behalf of the sinful race. Lest we should make a mistake in regard to what the redeemed must be, he came to give in his life a revelation of the character God requires of his children. He came that we might have an example of what human nature may become by receiving him as a perfect Saviour. He came to show us that we may be Christlike. «As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.»

Before the foundation of the world was laid, the plan of redemption was devised. In heaven a mysterious voice was heard saying, «Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou prepared me. . . . Lo, I come to do thy will, O God;» «yea, thy law is within my heart.»

Think you not that Christ suffered loneliness of spirit, as, unrecognized and unhonored, he lived in the world that he himself had made? Who is he? Ask Isaiah. He will tell you:—

«Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.»

Ask him who was sent to announce his coming:—

«In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. . . . I indeed baptize you with water . . . but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire; whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.»

Ask John, the beloved disciple.

«In the beginning was the Word,» he declares, «and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . In him was life, and the life was the light of men. . . . And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.»

We turn to Peter, and he declares of his Master,—

«Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.»

We ask Christ himself who he is, and he replies,—

«Before Abraham was, I am.» «The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son; that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father.»

We ask Paul, «Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength?»

With strength and assurance comes the answer, «Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.»

«Being in the form of God, he thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.»

In him «we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.»

Jesus is our great Exemplar, and in his life and death he taught the strictest obedience. He died, the just for the unjust, the innocent for the guilty, that the honor of God’s law might be preserved, and yet man not utterly perish. If we are true servants of God, we shall follow our Saviour’s example, and there will be no question in our minds whether or not we shall obey the divine law of ten commandments.