Golden Links of Truth - Christ's Humanity

By Vernon Sparks

Those who have studied deeply into the human nature of Christ know that there are a number of seemingly contradictory, inspired statements as to whether Christ took the nature of Adam before he fell or after he fell. This issue has great importance as to whether Christ is merely our Substitute or whether He is both our Substitute and our Example. The discussion and conclusions will prove helpful to both scholars and laymen alike.
“The precious, golden links of truth are not separate, detached, disconnected doctrines; but link after link, form one string of golden truth, and constitute a complete whole, with Christ as its living center.” Ellen G. White Pamphlets, vol. 1, 23.
Testimonial: “I have just finished reading your book, Golden Links of Truth. It is the clearest, most beautiful and inspiring presentation of the subject that I have yet read. . . . All God’s remnant ought to read such a book.” Retired Missionary.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jan 24, 2013
• ISBN: 9781300669500

Book preview

GOLDEN LINKS OF TRUTH

Special Studies in

the Human Nature and Character

of Christ and Its Reproduction in

His Followers

by

Vernon Sparks

Copyright © 1999, 2002, 2012

Vernon Sparks

ISBN 978-1-300-66950-0

Published by

Digital Inspiration

1481 Reagan Valley Road

Tellico Plains,TN 37385

USA

www.vsdigitalinspiration.com

About the Cover

The precious, golden links of truth are not separate, detached, disconnected doctrines; but link after link, form one string of golden truth, and constitute a complete whole, with Christ as its living center.

Ellen G. White Pamphlets, vol. 1, 23.

INTRODUCTION

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Behold the Man

THE PURPOSE of this paper is to arrive at a correct understanding of the human nature and character of Christ through a harmonizing of the many inspired statements on this subject. This objective is deemed of importance for several reasons. A harmonizing of what some consider to be irreconcilable inspired statements on the human nature of Christ will raise more clearly the banner of truth around which the sincere in heart can rally.

There are those who believe that it does not matter whether Christ came to this earth with the human nature of Adam before the Fall or with the human nature after the Fall. Inspiration, however, clearly states that we make many mistakes because of our erroneous views of the human nature of our Lord. Our High Calling, 48. Also we are told that Error is never harmless. It never sanctifies, but always brings confusion and dissension. It is always dangerous. Testimonies, vol. 5, 292.

Probably the most important reason for having a correct understanding of Christ’s humanity is that He is the Christian’s Example in all things, the Model, the Pattern.

Christ’s perfect humanity is the same that man may have through a connection with Christ. Manuscript Releases, vol. 16, 181.

Christ’s life represents a perfect manhood. Just that which you may be, He was in human nature. Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1124.

His perfect humanity is that which all His followers may possess. Desire of Ages, 664.

It is the privilege of every believer in Christ to possess Christ’s nature. The Upward Look, 18.

The correct understanding of Christ’s human nature is inextricably tied to a correct understanding of the nature of sin, and how and when Christ saves us from it—in other words, with a correct understanding of the gospel. Thus there are eternal consequences tied to the correct understanding of this doctrine.

There are different versions of the gospel in Adventism today, and they are integrally associated with different teachings regarding the humanity of Christ. Paul considered the preaching of another gospel among the believers of Galatia as a serious problem with serious consequences to the perpetrators:

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:6–8.

Clearly, all of the gospels being preached among us cannot be the truth. Only Satan’s theology allows for a continuation of a plurality of belief. Paul, writing to the Ephesians, clarified that truth allows for only One Lord, one faith, one baptism. Ephesians 4:5.

Our prophetess confirms the seriousness of pluralism in beliefs:

The position that it is of no consequence what men believe is one of Satan’s most successful deceptions. He knows that the truth, received in the love of it, sanctifies the soul of the receiver; therefore he is constantly seeking to substitute false theories, fables, another gospel. From the beginning the servants of God have contended against false teachers, not merely as vicious men, but as inculcators of falsehoods that were fatal to the soul. Elijah, Jeremiah, Paul, firmly and fearlessly opposed those who were turning men from the Word of God. That liberality which regards a correct religious faith as unimportant found no favor with these holy defenders of the truth. The Great Controversy, 520.

It will be seen that the harmonizing of Inspiration regarding Christ’s human nature and character is greatly facilitated by study of the many phases of the nature of man as it relates to the sin problem of the great controversy.

As we delve into these subjects, let each one of us heed the following counsels:

Faith in a lie will not have a sanctifying influence upon the life or character. No error is truth, or can be made truth by repetition, or by faith in it. Sincerity will never save a soul from the consequences of believing an error. Without sincerity there is no true religion, but sincerity in a false religion will never save a man. I may be perfectly sincere in following a wrong road, but that will not make it the right road, or bring me to the place I wished to reach. The Lord does not want us to have a blind credulity, and call that the faith that sanctifies. The truth is the principle that sanctifies, and therefore it becomes us to know what is truth. We must compare spiritual things with spiritual. We must prove all things, but hold fast only that which is good, that which bears the divine credentials, which lays before us the true motives and principles which should prompt us to action. Selected Messages, book 2, 56.

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 1 Thessalonians 5:21. o

Vernon Sparks

August 1999

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The Nature and Character of Man as

GOD CREATED HIM

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AND GOD said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." Genesis 1:26–27.

Mankind is the masterpiece of God’s creatorship.

Man is God’s workmanship, his masterpiece, created for a high and holy purpose. Review and Herald, November 6, 1900.

In all creation, only humanity was created in the image of God and capable of partaking of God’s nature.

God created man a superior being; he alone is formed in the image of God and is capable of partaking of the divine nature, of cooperating with his Creator and executing His plans. Testimonies vol. 5, 311.

Man consists of two groups of powers or faculties—the lower powers and the higher powers. The lower powers are made up of the physical aspects of man with their various appetites, tendencies, passions, tastes, propensities and so on. It is the Creator’s plan that these lower powers be subject to the rule of the higher powers.

The higher powers are the functions of the frontal lobes of the brain. These are the faculties that distinguish intelligent man from the dumb beasts. They consist of the will, the conscience, and reason. The will is the deciding or governing power of choice: The will is the governing power in the nature of man, the power of decision, or choice. Education, 289. See also Ministry of Healing, 176.

The will is to be under the control of the conscience and is to be governed by reason. Teach the little ones that they should eat to live, not live to eat; that appetite must be held in abeyance to the will; and that the will must be governed by calm, intelligent reason. Counsels on Health, 113;

If a boy of such mental abilities as J would surrender his heart to Christ, it would be his salvation. By means of pure religion his intellect would be brought into a healthy channel; his mental and moral powers would become vigorous and harmonious; the conscience, illuminated by divine grace, would be quick and pure, controlling the will and desires, and leading to frankness and uprightness in every act of life. Testimonies, vol. 2, 407–408. See also Ibid., vol. 3, 84.

God created man with a  nature which was in harmony with the divine will and thus bearing His character as well as His physical appearance.

Man was to bear God’s image, both in outward resemblance and in character. . . His nature was in harmony with the will of God. His mind was capable of comprehending divine things. His affections were pure; his appetites and passions were under the control of reason. He was holy and happy in bearing the image of God and in perfect obedience to His will. Patriarchs and Prophets, 45.

Thus Adam began life with the stamp of God’s own character upon him. His thoughts and feelings, his moral worth, his spiritual nature, his higher powers were inclined to obedience, to living in harmony with God and the rest of creation. He possessed no attraction or bias to evil and disobedience.

God made man upright; He gave him noble traits of character, with no bias toward evil. Patriarchs and Prophets, 49.

The principles of right thinking and right doing—righteousness—were inscribed upon Adam’s heart

In the beginning, man was created in the image of God. He was in perfect harmony with the nature and the law of God; the principles of righteousness were written upon his heart. The Great Controversy, 467.

With his divine Father’s character traits in his very nature, Adam was given the power of choice. He was to be a free moral agent and thus capable of modifying and developing further the character received as the son of the creator.

God might have created man without the power to transgress His law; He might have withheld the hand of Adam from touching the forbidden fruit; but in that case man would have been, not a free moral agent, but a mere automaton. Without freedom of choice, his obedience would not have been voluntary, but forced. There could have been no development of character. Patriarchs and Prophets, 49.

Our first parents, though created innocent and holy, were not placed beyond the possibility of wrongdoing. God made them free moral agents, capable of appreciating the wisdom and benevolence of His character and the justice of His requirements, and with full liberty to yield or to withhold obedience. Ibid., 48.

Adam, along with the rest of creation, was placed under natural laws. His physical well being depended upon how he related to the laws of nature within and around him. Adam was also made amenable to moral law. With the faculties of a will and with reason and conscience, Adam was equipped to commune and relate with the Godhead. That relationship was to be guided by and under the jurisdiction of moral law.

The law of God is as sacred as God Himself. It is a revelation of His will, a transcript of His character, the expression of divine love and wisdom. The harmony of creation depends upon the perfect conformity of all beings, of everything, animate and inanimate, to the law of the Creator. God has ordained laws for the government, not only of living beings, but of all the operations of nature. Everything is under fixed laws, which cannot be disregarded. But while everything in nature is governed by natural laws, man alone, of all that inhabits the earth, is amenable to moral law. To man, the crowning work of creation, God has given power to understand His requirements, to comprehend the justice and beneficence of His law, and its sacred claims upon him; and of man unswerving obedience is required Ibid. 52.

In his perfect state, with his faculties inclined to obedience, Adam was still dependent upon continually receiving enabling power from divinity in order to have the  moral power to live a life of obedience.

Human beings were a new and distinct order. They were made ‘in the image of God,’ and it was the Creator’s design that they should populate the earth. They were to live in close communion with heaven, receiving power from the Source of all power. Upheld by God, they were to live sinless lives. Review and Herald, February 11, 1902.

It is clear that Adam’s inheritance from his Father was only of desires, appetites, passions and propensities to obedience in his lower powers. His higher powers—reason, conscience, and the will—were in control of the lower powers. His sanctified will was inclined toward obedience to the divine will. Adam was created with propensities of obedience. In other words, he was born with tendencies to obey as though he had developed habits of obedience from already living a life of obedience. His nerve pathways were facilitated or inclined to reflexively tend to obedience as though he had previously been obedient. He began life with inbred habits of obedience. His continual connection with Divinity was to provide Adam with strong moral powers which enabled him, if he so chose, to fully and constantly obey God’s law and God’s will. With divine character traits thus impressed