2 The Grace of the One Man, Jesus Christ

WE ARE TOLD ENOUGH in the Scriptures of what happened before the creation to know that in the foreknowledge of God the whole plan of the ages was laid before the Godhead. The vast possibilities were seen, but also the great dangers inherent in any scheme which had to take account of the free-will of angels and men. A creation in which wise and loving creatures would enjoy eternal happiness could easily turn into a nightmare of selfishness and cruelty in which all the aims of the Creator would be frustrated. One fool can destroy much good, and the possibility of reckless sin had to be taken into account. Magnificent though the scheme was it could not be put into operation unless its success could be assured.

       It is at this point that the record of the life of Christ begins for us, and we catch our first glimpse of His nature. For it was made plain to Him that only at His expense could the plan proceed; only if He was willing to bear the consequences of any sin which might arise to wreck the universe would His Father be justified in creating.

       When Abraham had split the wood, he looked into Isaac's eyes in deep emotion and disclosed God's will that he, Abraham, should sacrifice him upon that wood. So must the Eternal Father have looked at His Only Begotten Son as He disclosed to Him that this glorious plan all depended upon

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His willingness to die upon a cross when sin should enter. Only if He would promise to die could the Father promise that the Creation would end in Eternal Life. On any other terms it might well end in a catastrophe of destruction and misery. God, as well as man, must count the cost of anything He might undertake lest He be unable or unwilling to pay the price of success.

       The first sight we are given, then, of the Son of God is as of a Lamb slain before the foundation of the world; by the gracious sacrifice of Himself enabling His Father to bring into being an Eternal Universe wherein the inhabitants should for ever enjoy perfect felicity. The Cross was lifted upon His shoulder from the beginning and daily carried till at length He sank beneath its weight upon Calvary. He gave to His Father's plan that complete and enthusiastic devotion which was expressed in the words 'I delight to do Thy Will, O My God'. Together with the Holy Spirit they went forward to an undertaking which through long-suffering, sorrow and sacrifice was to culminate in the bliss of the New Heaven and New Earth. The pain of One would be the grief of all. The Spirit would know what it was to pray with unutterable groanings, while the Father's heart was torn in sympathy. Each member of the Godhead would love to explain to men and angels the nobility of the other Two; for love seeketh the glory not of itself, but of another.

       We may pause here for a moment to contemplate the courage of the Lord. As Isaac faced the shock of his father's disclosure and steeled himself to lie down upon the altar, so the Son of God heard words from His Father's lips which demanded from Him the supreme sacrifice and utmost devotion. His earthly life was to contain experiences of such a nature as would bring the bloody sweat to His brow at the contemplation of them. He was to have the painful lot of living in the likeness of sinful flesh, and the still more awful tasting of the pains of disembodiment and death in Hades.

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Pain, suffering, hatred, contempt, misunderstanding, loneliness, fear and shock were all to be His portion—which could so easily be avoided, but only at our expense. The setting of His face as a flint began far back: the disciples only saw on earth what had long ago been plain in Heaven, that in the hour of danger and difficulty the Son of God stood as a rock and faced it with unflinching courage.

       It was here too, before the Ages began, that the Sanctification of Our Lord began. An undertaking so vast, so difficult, so dangerous, demanded from Him His whole endeavour, and ungrudgingly received it. From that moment He pleased not Himself, but gave Himself unreservedly to that work which He was called to share with His Father and the Holy Spirit. Deep called to deep, and was answered from a whole heart and soul. The One to Whom the responsibility for so great a work was to be entrusted could allow no other interests to enter His Heart and Life. From henceforth the creation was to be His sole preoccupation. Created by His Father with His co-operation, it was in the fullest sense to be for Him. From Archangels to sparrows His mercies and His attentions were to be ever-present. He must neither slumber nor sleep, but in complete devotion bear it upon His shoulders and upon His heart.

       Stress is laid in Scripture upon one other motive which entered into the Lord's heart and enabled Him to go forward in so difficult a path. There was at last to arise out of this vast undertaking a company which should be peculiarly His own. Described variously as His Brethren, His Bride and His Church, they were to be the first fruits of the New Creation; those who, lifted into a position above that of man or even angels, should sit upon His Throne and share with Him throughout Eternity the Government of this vast universe. This was His treasure hid in the field; not a responsibility to be carried on His shoulders, but rather those who would share the load and lighten the burden,

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playing their part with Him in whatever the Ages of Eternity should bring forth. Here He would find His full satisfaction for the travail of His soul: here would be those to whom He could forever communicate all that His Father should say to Him, from whom He would have no secrets, upon whose loyalty He could count throughout Eternity.

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