Homeward Bound

Divinity Needed Humanity, February 4

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.—John 1:14. HB 51.1

As His representatives among us, Christ does not choose angels who have never fallen, but human beings, of like passions with those they seek to save. Christ took upon Himself humanity, that He might reach humanity. Divinity needed humanity; for it required both the divine and the human to bring salvation to the world. Divinity needed humanity, that humanity might afford a channel of communication between God and mankind. So with the servants and messengers of Christ. We need a power outside of and beyond ourselves, to restore us to the likeness of God, and enable us to do the work of God; but this does not make the human agency unessential. Humanity lays hold upon divine power, Christ dwells in the heart by faith; and through cooperation with the divine, human power becomes efficient for good. HB 51.2

He who called the fisherman of Galilee is still calling followers to His service. And He is just as willing to manifest His power through us as through the first disciples. However imperfect and sinful we may be, the Lord holds out to us the offer of partnership with Himself, of apprenticeship to Christ. He invites us to come under the divine instruction, that, uniting with Christ, we may work the works of God. HB 51.3

“We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.” (2 Corinthians 4:7, R.V.) This is why the preaching of the gospel was committed to erring mortals rather than to the angels. It is manifest that the power which works through the weakness of humanity is the power of God; and thus we are encouraged to believe that the power which can help others as weak as ourselves can help us. And those who are themselves “compassed with infirmity” should be able to “have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way.” (Hebrews 5:2.) Having been in peril themselves, they are acquainted with the dangers and difficulties of the way, and for this reason are called to reach out for others in like peril. There are souls perplexed with doubt, burdened with infirmities, weak in faith, and unable to grasp the Unseen; but a friend whom they can see, coming to them in Christ’s stead, can be a connecting link to fasten their trembling faith upon Christ. HB 51.4

We are to be laborers together with the heavenly angels in presenting Jesus to the world.—The Desire of Ages, 296, 297. HB 51.5