Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/186

 i8o Tfie Pfon of tke Age*.

Thus we see that in Jesus there was no mixture 6f na first, from spiritual to human ; afterward, from human to the highest order of spiritual nature, the divine; and in each case the one was given up for the other.

In this grand example of perfect humanity, which stood unblemished before the world until sacrificed for the world's redemption, we see the perfection from whiri our race fell in Adam, and to which it is to be restored. In becoming man's ransom, our Lord Jesus gave the equivalent for that which man lost; and therefore all mankind may receive again, through faith in Christ, and obedience to his require- ments, not a spiritual; but a glorious, perfect human nature "that which was lost."

The perfect faculties and powers of the perfect human being may be exercised indefinitely, and upon new and varied objects of interest, and knowledge and skill may be vastly increased; but no such increase of knowledge or power will effect a change of nature, or make it more than perfect. It will be only the expanding and developing of the perfect human" powers. Increase of knowledge and skill will doubtless be man's blessed privilege to all eter- nity; yet he will still be man, and will be merely learning to use more fully the powers of human nature already pos- sessed. Beyond its wide limits he cannot hope, nor will he desire, to advance, his desires being limited to the scope of his powers.

While Jesus as a man was an illustration of perfect human nature, to which the mass of mankind will be restored, yet since his resurrection he is the illustration of the glorious divine nature which the overcoming Church will, at resurrection, share with him.

Because the present age is devoted mainly to the develop- ment of this class which is offered a changttf nature, and be*

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