Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/236

 230 The Plan of the Ages.

mankind. He must have been a perfect man else he could have done no more than any member of the fallen race to pay the price. He was "holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners." He took the same form or like- ness which sinners have "the likeness of sinful flesh" the human likeness. But he took that likeness in its per- fection: he did not partake of its sin nor did he share its imperfection, except as he voluntarily shared the sorrows and pains of some during his ministry, taking their pains and infirmities as he imparted to them his vitality and health and strength. It is written that " Himself took our infirmi- ties and bare our sicknesses ' ' (Isa. 53 : 4), and " virtue [life, vitality, vigor] went out of him and healed them all." Mark 5 : 30 ; Luke 6 : 19 ; Matt. 8 : 16, 17.

Being found in fashion as a (perfect) man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death. He presented himself to God, saying, "Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God ' ' and sym- bolized this consecration by a baptism in water. When he thus presented himself, consecrated his being, his offering -was holy (pure) and acceptable to God, who showed his acceptance by filling him with his Spirit and power when, the Holy Spirit came upon him, thus anointing him.

This filling with the Spirit was the begetting to a new- nature the divine which should be fully developed or born when he had fully accomplished the offering the sac- rifice of the human nature. This begetting was a step up from human conditions, and is shown by pyramid h, on plane M 9 the plane of spirit begetting. On this plane Jesus spent three and one-half years of his life until his human exist- ence ended on the cross. Then, after being dead three days, he was raised to life to the perfection of spirit be- ing (/, plane .) born of the Spirit u the first born from the dead/' "That which is torn of the Spirit is

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