RESCUED BEYOND REASON!

HEREBY PERCEIVE WE THE LOVE OF GOD, BECAUSE HE LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR US: AND WE OUGHT TO LAY DOWN OUR LIVES FOR THE BRETHREN. (1 JOHN 3:16)

ABSTRACT

This article explores the theological bedrock of the plan of redemption, identifying the self-sacrificing love of Christ as its sole motivating force. It examines key scriptural passages, including Luke 19:10 and John 10:11, to illustrate that Christ’s mission was not one of self-preservation but a deliberate rescue of a lost humanity. through detailed analysis of biblical texts and the writings of Ellen G. White, the article contrasts the selflessness of Christ with the selfishness inherent in sin.Iit further delves into the profound nature of God’s love, our resulting responsibilities, and the prophetic antitype of this divine love as it stands in opposition to the spirit of Babylon in the final judgment. The central argument maintains that Christ’s willing sacrifice is the ultimate demonstration of a love that seeks not its own, but the restoration of the fallen. Scripture reveals this in Ephesians 1:7 “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” and Hebrews 9:12 “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Sr. White further explains, “The plan of redemption will not be fully understood, even when the ransomed see as they are seen and know as they are known; but through the eternal ages new truth will continually unfold to the wondering and delighted mind. Though the afflictions of earth may pass away, and the days of trouble may be over, the redeemed will ever have a song to sing, ‘Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.’ Revelation 15:3.” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 71, 1890) And, “The Saviour’s life of obedience maintained the claims of the law; it proved that the law could be kept in humanity, and showed the excellence of character that obedience would develop. All who obey as He did are likewise declaring that the law is “holy, and just, and good.” Romans 7:12. On the other hand, all who break God’s commandments are sustaining Satan’s claim that the law is unjust, and cannot be obeyed. Thus they second the deceptions of the great adversary, and cast dishonor upon God. They are the children of the wicked one, who was the first rebel against God’s law. To admit them into heaven would again bring in the elements of discord and rebellion, and imperil the well-being of the universe. No man who has willfully disregarded one principle of the law shall enter the kingdom of heaven.” (The Desire of Ages, p. 308, 1898)

SAVIOR’S SACRIFICE! A UNIVERSE UNDONE!

The entire framework of salvation hinges not on a complex theological equation, but on the simple, staggering truth of a love that was willing to sacrifice everything. the mission of Jesus Christ was not an afterthought or a divine reaction to an unforeseen catastrophe; it was the eternal purpose of a God whose very nature is self-giving love. this divine love is the engine that drives the plan of redemption, a plan that demanded not the preservation of self, but the complete and utter sacrifice of self to rescue a rebellious and undeserving humanity. the scripture makes this purpose astonishingly clear, for “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). This was a mission born of a love that could not endure eternal separation from its creation. the apostle Paul further illuminates this, stating, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). this sacrifice was not merely a demonstration but the very mechanism of our rescue. as the scripture says, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). Ellen G. White confirms that this plan was no mere impulse, but was rooted in the eternal counsels of the Godhead. “The plan for our redemption was not an afterthought, a plan formulated after the fall of Adam. It was a revelation of ‘the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal.’ Romans 16:25, R. V. It was an unfolding of the principles that from eternal ages have been the foundation of God’s throne” (The Desire of Ages, p. 22, 1898). This was a love that foresaw the cost and willingly embraced it. “The Saviour was betrayed by a kiss into the hands of his enemies, and hurried to the judgment hall. He was despised and rejected of men. He was insulted, mocked, and abused, yet amid it all, he manifested a patient endurance that filled his enemies with awe” (The Desire of Ages, p. 703-704, 1898). Scripture reveals this in 1 Timothy 1:15 “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” and Titus 2:14 “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Sr. White elaborates, “O what love! What wondrous love! The most exalted language cannot describe the glory of heaven, nor the matchless depths of a Saviour’s love” (Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, p. 96, 1864). And, “The righteousness by which we are justified is imputed; the righteousness by which we are sanctified is imparted. The first is our title to heaven, the second is our fitness for heaven.” (Messages to Young People, p. 35, 1930). The entire narrative of the gospel is the story of this self-sacrificing love in action, a love that chose the cross over the crown to bring many sons to glory. but how did this divine love manifest itself in the stated purpose of Christ’s earthly mission?

THE MISSION OF THE MESSIAH!

The very essence of Christ’s mission, the declaration that defined his every action, was one of active, purposeful rescue. he stated his purpose with unequivocal clarity: “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). This was not the mission of a philosopher coming to impart wisdom, nor a king coming to establish an earthly dominion; it was the mission of a rescuer plunging into the heart of a disaster zone to pull survivors from the wreckage. the word “lost” describes our condition perfectly—a state of hopeless alienation, a people who had wandered so far from the fold that they could never find their way back on their own. The prophet Isaiah captured this state of lostness perfectly: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). Our own way had led us to a precipice of eternal ruin. The apostle Peter reinforces this, stating, “For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls” (1 Peter 2:25). It was precisely because we were lost that he came to seek us. Sr. White describes the depth of our need and the intentionality of his mission: “The sheep that has strayed from the fold is the most helpless of all creatures. It must be sought for by the shepherd, for it cannot find its way back. So with the soul that has wandered away from God; he is as helpless as the lost sheep, and unless divine love had come to his rescue he could never find his way to God” (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 187, 1900). This seeking and saving was not a passive hope, but an active, relentless pursuit. “While you were in rebellion against him, he went forth to seek you. With the tender heart of the shepherd he left the ninety and nine and went out into the wilderness to find that which was lost. The soul, bruised and wounded and ready to perish, he encircles in his arms of love and joyfully bears it to the fold of safety” (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 189, 1900). Scripture reveals this in Matthew 18:12 “How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?” and Ezekiel 34:11 “For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.” Sr. White elaborates, “The Shepherd’s life of diligence and care-taking, and his tender compassion for the helpless creatures entrusted to his charge, have been employed by the inspired writers to illustrate some of the most precious truths of the Gospel. Christ, in His relation to His people, is compared to a shepherd. After the Fall He saw His sheep doomed to perish in the dark ways of sin. To save these wandering ones He left the honors and glories of His Father’s house” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 190, 1890). And, “His care for the flock is unwearied. He strengthens the weak, relieves the suffering, gathers the lambs in His arms, and carries them in His bosom. His sheep love Him” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 191, 1890). This mission to seek and save the lost was the driving force of his entire life, a testament to a love that would not rest while a single soul remained in peril. what, then, does this reveal about the personal cost of such a rescue?

THE SHEPHERD’S SACRIFICE!

The metaphor of the shepherd is one of the most tender and powerful images in all of scripture, and Christ claimed it for himself in the most profound way imaginable. he declared, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). This is the ultimate definition of self-sacrificing love. a mere hireling, as Jesus explained, would flee at the first sign of danger, for he has no personal investment in the flock. But the good shepherd, whose very identity is intertwined with his sheep, willingly places himself between the flock and the wolf, even at the cost of his own life. this was not a hypothetical scenario; it was a prophecy of the cross. the prophet Zechariah had foretold this divine necessity: “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered” (Zechariah 13:7). the sword of divine justice, which should have fallen upon the straying sheep, was instead directed at the shepherd. the apostle Paul explains the theological reality of this substitution: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). He willingly took the blow that we deserved. Sr. White eloquently describes this sacrificial love: “The shepherd’s life of diligence and care-taking, and his tender compassion for the helpless creatures entrusted to his charge, have been employed by the inspired writers to illustrate some of the most precious truths of the gospel. Christ, in his relation to his people, is compared to a shepherd. After the fall he saw his sheep doomed to perish in the dark ways of sin. To save these wandering ones he left the honors and glories of his Father’s house” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 190, 1890). This was a love that did not count the cost. “His care for the flock is unwearied. He strengthens the weak, relieves the suffering, gathers the lambs in his arms, and carries them in his bosom. His sheep love him” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 191, 1890). Scripture reveals this in Psalm 23:1 “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” and John 10:28 “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” Sr. White elaborates, “The Shepherd’s life of diligence and care-taking, and his tender compassion for the helpless creatures entrusted to his charge, have been employed by the inspired writers to illustrate some of the most precious truths of the Gospel. Christ, in His relation to His people, is compared to a shepherd. After the Fall He saw His sheep doomed to perish in the dark ways of sin. To save these wandering ones He left the honors and glories of His Father’s house” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 190, 1890). And, “His care for the flock is unwearied. He strengthens the weak, relieves the suffering, gathers the lambs in His arms, and carries them in His bosom. His sheep love Him” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 191, 1890). The giving of his life was the ultimate proof of his love, the unmistakable evidence that his mission was not self-preservation, but the salvation of his beloved flock. but was this sacrifice solely the act of the Son?

THE HEART OF THE FATHER!

The sacrifice of Calvary was not a plan enacted by the Son in spite of an angry, retributive Father; it was the unified expression of the heart of the entire Godhead. the most famous verse in all of scripture places the initiative squarely with the Father: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). the word “gave” is one of the most profound in all of theology. It was not a casual detachment, but the willing surrender of the most precious treasure in the universe. the apostle Paul speaks of this with awe, asking, “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). The Father’s heart was inextricably bound up in the sacrifice of the Son. the scripture also reveals the purpose of this gift: “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). It was a love that acted first, a love that provided the remedy before we even knew we were sick. Sr. White emphasizes this point, correcting the misconception that the Father’s love was purchased by the Son’s sacrifice: “But this great sacrifice was not made in order to create in the Father’s heart a love for man, not to make him willing to save. No, no! ‘God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son.’ The Father loves us, not because of the great propitiation, but he provided the propitiation because he loves us. Christ was the medium through which he could pour out his infinite love upon a fallen world” (Steps to Christ, p. 13, 1892). The agony of the Son was shared by the Father. “God suffered with his Son. In the agony of Gethsemane, the death of Calvary, the heart of Infinite Love paid the price of our redemption” (Steps to Christ, p. 14, 1892). Scripture reveals this in 1 John 4:9 “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” and Galatians 4:4-5 “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” Sr. White elaborates, “But this great sacrifice was not made in order to create in the Father’s heart a love for man, not to make Him willing to save. No, no! ‘God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son.’ The Father loves us, not because of the great propitiation, but He provided the propitiation because He loves us. Christ was the medium through which He could pour out His infinite love upon a fallen world” (Steps to Christ, p. 13, 1892). And, “God suffered with His Son. In the agony of Gethsemane, the death of Calvary, the heart of Infinite Love paid the price of our redemption” (Steps to Christ, p. 14, 1892). The cross was not the Son appeasing the Father, but the Father and the Son, in perfect unity, demonstrating the depth of their love for a lost world. how, then, can we fully grasp the magnitude of this divine love?

A LOVE THAT CONQUERS!

The love of God, as revealed in the plan of redemption, is not a passive sentiment but an active, conquering, and transformative force. It is a love that does not simply pardon sin but breaks its power, a love that rescues us from the penalty of death and restores in us the image of the Creator. the scripture declares, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ” (Ephesians 2:4-5). This is a love that brings life to the dead, a love that sees value in the worthless. The apostle John gives us the ultimate measure of this love: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). yet Christ did this for his enemies. The prophet Jeremiah speaks of the eternal nature of this love: “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee” (Jeremiah 31:3). This is a love that has no beginning and no end. the psalmist exults in the height and depth of this love: “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him” (Psalm 103:11). Sr. White describes this love as the very atmosphere of heaven: “The law of love being the foundation of the government of God, the happiness of all intelligent beings depends upon their perfect accord with its great principles of righteousness. God desires from all his creatures the service of love—service that springs from an appreciation of his character” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 34, 1890). This love is not merely a feeling but a principle of action. “True love is not merely a sentiment or an emotion. It is a living principle, a principle that is manifest in action. True love, wherever it exists, will control the life” (The Ministry of Healing, p. 349, 1905). It is this love that is the driving force of redemption. “In redemption God has revealed his love in sacrifice, a sacrifice so broad and deep and high that it is immeasurable” (Love Manifested, p. 1, 1896). Finally, this love is the very essence of God’s being. “God is love. ‘His nature, his law, is love.’ It ever has been; it ever will be” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 33, 1890). Scripture reveals this in 1 John 4:16 “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” and Romans 8:38-39 “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Sr. White elaborates, “God is the source of life and light and joy to the universe. Like rays of light from the sun, like the streams of living water bursting from a living spring, blessings flow out from Him to all His creatures. And wherever the life of God is in the hearts of men, it will flow out to others in love and blessing.” (Steps to Christ, p. 77, 1892). And, “The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character and love. The children of God are to manifest His glory. In their own life and character they are to reveal what the grace of God has done for them.” (Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 415, 416, 1900). The entire plan of salvation is the unfolding of this eternal, unchanging, and self-sacrificing love. in light of such a love, what is our sacred duty?

The overwhelming realization of Christ’s self-sacrificing love demands a response from the depths of our being. Our responsibility to God is not one of merely following a set of rules, but of a complete and joyful surrender of our hearts to the one who gave everything for us. The apostle Paul urges us, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). This is not a burden, but a privilege. Our responsibility to our neighbor is the natural outflow of this consecration. Having been the recipients of such immeasurable love, we are called to become conduits of that same love to others. the scripture commands, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another” (1 John 4:11). This love is not an abstract emotion but a practical, action-oriented commitment to the well-being of those around us. Sr. White makes this connection clear: “Our first duty toward God and our fellow beings is that of self-development. Every faculty with which the Creator has endowed us should be cultivated to the highest degree of perfection, that we may be able to do the greatest amount of good of which we are capable” (Counsels on Health, p. 107, 1923). Our self-development is not for selfish gain, but for greater service. furthermore, she states, “The giving of the gospel to the world is the work that God has committed to those who bear his name. For earth’s sin and misery the gospel is the only antidote. To make known to all mankind the message of the grace of God is the first work of those who know its healing power” (The Ministry of Healing, p. 141, 1905). Scripture reveals this in Galatians 5:13 “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” and Matthew 22:39 “And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Sr. White elaborates, “The grace of Christ in the soul is developing traits of character that are the opposite of selfishness—traits that will refine, ennoble, and enrich the life.” (God’s Amazing Grace, p. 251, 1973). And, “True love is a high and holy principle, altogether different in character from that love which is awakened by impulse and which suddenly dies when severely tested.” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 145, 1890). Our responsibility, therefore, is to live lives that are a constant testimony to the transforming power of his love, both in our devotion to him and in our service to humanity. how does this theme of self-sacrificing love find its climax in bible prophecy?

THE FINAL CONFLICT OF CHARACTER!

In light of these concepts, the prophetic anti-type is the final, great controversy between the spirit of Christ and the spirit of Babylon, as depicted in the book of Revelation. This is not a battle of armies, but a conflict of principles. the spirit of Christ is the spirit of self-sacrificing love, the willingness to give everything for the sake of others. the spirit of Babylon, the great antitypical power of the end times, is the very embodiment of selfishness, greed, and self-preservation at any cost. she is described as the one who says in her heart, “I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow” (Revelation 18:7). Her entire system is built on the accumulation of wealth and power for her own glory. The final test for the world will be which of these two principles we have embraced. the scripture warns, “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4). This is a call to separate from the spirit of selfishness that pervades the world. in stark contrast stand the 144,000, who are sealed with the Father’s name—his character of love—in their foreheads. they have learned the song of selfless sacrifice and are found “without fault before the throne of God” (Revelation 14:5). Sr. White warns that we are now living in the great antitypical day of atonement, a time of investigative judgment where every case is being decided. she writes, “We are now living in the great day of atonement. In the typical service, while the high priest was making the atonement for Israel, all were required to afflict their souls by repentance of sin and humiliation before the Lord, lest they be cut off from among the people. In like manner, all who would have their names retained in the book of life should now, in the few remaining days of their probation, afflict their souls before God by sorrow for sin and true repentance” (The Great Controversy, p. 489, 1911). This affliction of soul is the putting away of selfishness and the embracing of Christ’s spirit of love. Sr. White further states, “The subject of the sanctuary and the investigative judgment should be clearly understood by the people of God. All need a knowledge for themselves of the position and work of their great High Priest. Otherwise, it will be impossible for them to exercise the faith which is essential at this time or to occupy the position which God designs them to fill” (The Great Controversy, p. 488, 1911). Scripture reveals this in Revelation 18:2 “And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” and Revelation 14:8 “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Sr. White elaborates, “The subject of the sanctuary and the investigative judgment should be clearly understood by the people of God. All need a knowledge for themselves of the position and work of their great High Priest. Otherwise, it will be impossible for them to exercise the faith which is essential at this time or to occupy the position which God designs them to fill” (The Great Controversy, p. 488, 1911). And, “We are now living in the great day of atonement. In the typical service, while the high priest was making the atonement for Israel, all were required to afflict their souls by repentance of sin and humiliation before the Lord, lest they be cut off from among the people. In like manner, all who would have their names retained in the book of life should now, in the few remaining days of their probation, afflict their souls before God by sorrow for sin and true repentance” (The Great Controversy, p. 489, 1911). The prophetic anti-type, therefore, is this final judgment-hour test, which will reveal who has been truly transformed by the self-sacrificing love of Christ. what, then, is the final takeaway from this profound truth?

THE EVERLASTING VICTORY OF LOVE!

We have journeyed to the very heart of the gospel and found there not a doctrine, but a person—a Savior whose love was so immense that it compelled him to embark on a mission of self-sacrifice. his purpose was clear: to seek and to save the lost, to give his life as a good shepherd for his sheep. this was not the act of a solitary hero, but the unified expression of the Father’s love, who gave his only begotten Son. this love is the eternal, unchanging principle upon which the government of God is founded, and it stands in stark opposition to the selfishness that is the essence of sin. our response to this love is a life of joyful surrender and compassionate service. and the final, prophetic climax of this great controversy will be the triumph of this self-sacrificing love over the self-serving spirit of Babylon. Scripture reveals this in 1 Corinthians 15:57 “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” and Romans 8:37 “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Sr. White elaborates, “The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The entire universe is clean. One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation. From Him who created all, flow life and light and gladness, throughout the realms of illimitable space. From the minutest atom to the greatest world, all things, animate and inanimate, in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy, declare that God is love.” (The Great Controversy, p. 678, 1911). And, “Satan’s rebellion was to be a lesson to the universe through all coming ages, a perpetual testimony to the nature and terrible results of sin. The working out of Satan’s rule, its effects upon both men and angels, would show what must be the fruit of setting aside the divine authority. It would testify that with the existence of God’s government and His law is bound up the well-being of all the creatures He has made. Thus the history of this terrible experiment of rebellion was to be a perpetual safeguard to all holy intelligences, to prevent them from being deceived as to the nature of transgression, to save them from committing sin and suffering its punishments.” (The Great Controversy, p. 591, 1911). The cross is the ultimate guarantee that love, not selfishness, will have the final victory. it is the eternal testament that the one who gives his life will ultimately gain all, and in doing so, will reclaim a universe for the glory of God.

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RESCUED BEYOND REASON!

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