God's Gifts to Man by R. A. UNDERWOOD

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Feb 9, 1905

God's Gifts to Man

By R. A. UNDERWOOD

R. A. UNDERWOOD

Man was given a beautiful home, a kingdom containing everything pleasant to the sight and good for food. Gen. 2:9. He was crowned with glory and honor, and given dominion over the earth and all therein. Heb. 2:6-8; Ps. 115:16. God put all things in “subjection” to man, and left nothing that was not put under him, except the restrictions God made concerning the use of the Sabbath day and the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which he reserved to himself. With these exceptions Adam was given absolute dominion. Gen. 1:26-28.

Among the gifts the Creator had bestowed upon man was the power of choice. From eternity the purpose of God has been that man should be happy. “I alone know the thoughts that I entertain respecting you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a happy future and hope.” Jer. 29:11, Jewish Version. Every bounty bestowed upon man, and every requirement made of him, has ever been with this purpose in view in all the dealings of God with men.

The endowment of power to choose life or death, righteousness or sin, was essential to man's liberty and happiness. To refuse created intelligences the power of choice, meant bondage, discontent, and unhappiness; therefore heaven prized liberty of sufficient value to bestow this unspeakable gift upon man, although it involved the possibility of the fall. It was when the counsels of eternity had decided that man and created intelligences should be free (Deut. 30:19; Lev. 25:10; John 8:34, 36) that Christ became man's surety, that the purpose of God concerning man should not fail. 2 Tim. 1:9; Heb. 7:22; 1 Peter 1:20.

“Sold Under Sin”

“Ye have sold yourselves for naught.” Isa. 52:3; Rom. 7:14. In this transaction Adam lost his dominion, and became a slave to Satan; “for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.” Thus the dominion of this world, with its treasures of wealth, power, and glory, passed into the hands of man's conqueror.

Christ, having become man's surety, stands ready to purchase man and his lost estate at an infinite price. A pledge was given to Adam, on the very day of man's failure, that the price would be paid for man's redemption. Gen. 3:15. When Christ is about to make good his promise and set man free once more (Isa. 61:1), Satan presents to Christ the crowning act of his temptations: “The devil, taking him [Christ] up into an high mountain, showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me, and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.” Luke 4:5-7. Christ spurns the tempting offer with these words, “Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” By the power of the Holy Ghost Christ could say, “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.”

Of all the gifts of God to man, most to be cherished is the gift of the Holy Ghost,—“One given in Christ's place to act in his stead. . . . The Holy Spirit furnishes the pure motive, the living, active principle that sustains striving, wrestling, believing souls in every emergency and under every temptation.” Christ bids us, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” By His power, Adam could have met his foe with victory. Christ, the second Adam, could do nothing of himself. John 5:30. But in the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ met the devil and conquered, even as every believing saint of God may conquer in Christ. Luke 4:1-7; Rev. 3:21.