When in 1884 E. J. Waggoner took on, for the first rime, the question of the human nature of Jesus, Ellen White had already expressed herself very clearly on the subject. At the time no one doubted that Christ, in His incarnation, had taken upon Himself man's fallen nature.
If Waggoner felt compelled to affirm that conviction, it was because he considered this truth to be indispensable to the understanding of the plan of salvation in general, and justification by faith in particular. Waggoner's purpose was not to confirm Ellen White's point of view, but to use her Christology as the foundation for his message about the righteousness obtained through the One who came "in the likeness of sinful flesh."
First Statements Made Between 1884 and 1888
In 1884, as soon as he was appointed assistant editor of the Signs of the Times, Waggoner penned a series of articles regarding the human nature of Jesus. There, he affirmed that Christ came into this world in the same condition as sinful man, while remaining perfectly righteous and holy.
In his first article of July 3, 1884, entitled "Condemned and Justified," we read, "Christ was sinless; the law was in His heart. As the Son of God His life was worth more than those of all created beings, whether in heaven or on earth. ... He took upon Himself our nature (Heb. 2:16, 17, KJV); and on Him was laid 'the iniquity of us all' (Isa. 53:6, KJV). In order to save us, He had to come where we were, or, in other words, He had to take the position of a lost sinner. ... And because Christ was 'numbered with the transgressors,' He suffered the penalty of transgression. But the suffering of Christ was not on His own account. He 'did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth' (1 Peter 2:22, KJV)."[l]
In the second article, entitled "A New Creature in Christ," Waggoner wrote, "God made Christ (the sinless one) to be sin for us. He was made in all things 'like unto his brethren'; and that means not simply as to the outward, physical frame, but that He bore sin, just as we do. The sins that He bore were not His own, but ours. He 'knew no sin, yet the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all' (Isa.53:6, KJV). Although the sins that He bore were ours, they were counted as His own, and so caused His death (Isa. 53:5)."[2]
In a third article, bearing the title "Under the Law," Waggoner reaffirms that Jesus "had to put Himself in the exact condition of those whom He would save." This by no means implied that Jesus was a sinner. Christ was counted among sinners, although He was not one of them. "He bore the sins of the world as though they were His own."[3l]
For Waggoner, the expression "made under the law" (Gal. 4:4, KJV) meant not only that Christ was subject to the law, but that He was subject to the condemnation of the law as a sinner. Christ put Himself in the place of those who had violated the law and who were condemned to death. That is why Christ suffered the condemnation of the law.
In his tract The Gospel in the Epistle to the Galatians, published at the beginning of 1888, Waggoner gave special consideration to Galatians 4:4, John 1:14, and Romans 8:3, all dealing with the question of Christ in the flesh. From these texts he concludes that "Christ was born in the likeness of sinful flesh."[4] His comments on Philippians 2:5-7, Romans 1:3, Hebrews 2:9, 16, 17, and 2 Corinthians 5:21 also identify Christ's human nature with that of sinful humanity.
Far from considering the subject disturbing, the abasement of Jesus was for Waggoner a subject of encouragement that he had to share with his readers. "One of the most encouraging teachings of Scripture is that Christ took on Him the nature of man; and that His ancestors according to the flesh were sinners. When we study the lives of the ancestors of Christ, and see that they had all the weaknesses and passions that we have, we find that no man has any right to excuse his sinful acts on the ground of heredity. If Christ had not been made in all things like unto His brethren, then His sinless life would be no encouragement to us. We might look at it with admiration, but it would be an admiration that brings hopeless despair."[5]
"Paul declares that God did make him to be sin for us," states Waggoner. "I simply give Scripture facts; I don't attempt to explain them. 'Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness.' I cannot understand how God could be manifest in the flesh, and in the likeness of sinful flesh. I do not know how the pure and holy Saviour could endure all the infirmities of humanity, which are the result of sin, and be reckoned as a sinner, and suffer the death of a sinner. I simply accept the Scripture statement that only so could He be the Saviour of men; and I rejoice in that knowledge, because since He was made sin, I may be made the righteousness of God in Him."[6]
For Christ "went to the very lowest depths to which man had fallen, in order that He might lift man to His own exalted throne; yet He never ceased to be God, or lost a particle of His holiness."[7]
These are the main thoughts developed by Waggoner in his first writings dealing with the human nature of Jesus. As they relate to the divinity of Christ, Waggoner erects upon them the foundations upon which he structured his message of justification by faith, presented at the General Conference session of Minneapolis in 1888.
"God Manifest in Flesh"
As stated earlier, no texts of Waggoner's discourses presented at the Minneapolis session are extant. But clearly, his articles published in the Signs of the Times immediately after the session should be representative of his presentations. The session ended on November 4, 1888, and as early as January 21, 1889, the first article appeared concerning "God manifest in flesh."[8] Its content was reprinted entirely under the same tide in his book published in 1890: Christ and His Righteousness."[9]
Waggoner begins his book with a discourse on Christ's divinity, then discusses His humanity, using only the present "the marvelous history of the humanity of Christ" He opens by quoting originally only Divine, he took upon himself human nature, and passed among men as only a common mortal,"[10]
This voluntary humiliation of Christ is best expressed by Paul, according to Waggoner, in Philippians 2:5-8 "It is impossible," he writes, "for us to understand how Christ could, as God, humble himself to the death of the cross, and it is worse than useless for us to speculate about it. All we can do is to accept the facts as they are presented in the Bible. "[11]
To make clear the meaning of what happened when "the word was made flesh," Waggoner quotes Romans 8:3, 4."A little thought will be sufficient to show anybody that if Christ took upon himself the likeness of man, in order that he might redeem man, it must have been sinful man that He was made like, for it is sinful man that He came to redeem, ... moreover, the fact that Christ took upon Himself the flesh, not of a sinless being, but of sinful man, that is, the flesh which fallen human nature is subject, is shown by the statement, that he was of seed of David according to the flesh. David had all the passions of human nature. He said of himself, Behold, I was shaped in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me' (Ps. 51:5)."[12]
For Waggoner, the text of Hebrews 2:16-18 confirms this position "If He [Christ] was made in all the things like unto His brethren, then He must have suffered all the infirmities, and been subject to all the temptations, of the brethren."[13] Paul takes it even further when he writes in 2 Corinthians 5:21 that "God made him who knew no sin, was made to be sin. Sinless, yet not only counted as a sinner but actuality taking upon Himself sinful nature. He was made to be sin in order that us might be righteous."[14]
After quoting once more Galatians 4:4, 5, Hebrews 2:18, and Hebrews 4:15, 16 Waggoner remarks, "Some may have thought, while reading thus far, that we were depreciating the character of Jesus, by bringing Him down to the level of sinful man."[15] On the contrary, he said "we are simply exalting the 'divine power' of our blessed saviour, who Himself voluntarily descended to the level of sinful man, in order that He retained under the most adverse circumstances."[16]
In spite of the weakness of the flesh, "His divine nature power for a moment waver. Having suffered in the flesh all that men can possibly suffer, He retained to the throne of His father as spotless as when He left the courts of glory."[17]
The secret of Christ's victory over sin resides in this logic, "He was 'compassed with infirmity,' yet He 'did no sin,' because of the Divine power constantly dwelling within Him. Now this same power can be ours if 'Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith'; if, like Christ ye might be filled with all the fullness of God' (Eph. 3:17, 19)"[19]
"Having suffered all that human flesh is heir to, He [Christ] knows all about it, and so closely does He identify Himself with His children that whatever presses upon them makes a like impression upon Him, and knows how much Divine power is necessary to resist it; and if we but sincerely desire to deny 'ungodliness and worldly lusts,' He is able and anxious to give to us strength 'exceeding abundantly, above all that we ask and think.' All the power which Christ had dwelling in Him by nature, we may have dwelling in us by grace, for He freely bestows it upon us."[19]
"What wonderful possibilities there are for us as Christians!" exclaims Waggoner. Henceforth he could say: "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."[20]
Such is Waggoner's reasoning on the subject of "God manifest in flesh." In order to conquer the power of sin, it was necessary, according to him, that Christ should come "to dwell" in "the likeness of sinful flesh." Having conquered sin in the flesh, He could now grant His power to all those who would accept it. Thus the same divine power that empowered Christ to live a sinless life in sinful human nature made the sinner in whom Christ dwelt capable of overcoming temptation and conquering the power of sin.
As can be seen, Waggoner's Christology led him quite naturally to justification by faith. Christ's work could not be separated from His person. The message of justification by faith as presented by Waggoner in 1888 is in reality only a practical application of his Christology. Because Christ perfectly identified Himself with fallen human nature, His work in us is not limited to a mere legal transaction, the pardon for sin, but it also contains the cleansing from "all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).[21] "When Christ covers us with the robe of His own righteousness, He does not furnish a cloak for sin, but takes the sin away. ... It actually clears him from guilt; and if he is cleared from guilt, is justified, made righteous, he has certainly undergone a radical change. He is, indeed, another person. ... 'He is a new creature' (2 Cor. 5:17)."[22]
Waggoner's great achievement was not only to reintroduce the principle of justification by faith in the Adventist Church but also to apply Christology to the work of salvation. For Luther, justification by faith was purely a legal transaction. The Formula of Concord confirms this point of view: "All of our righteousness is outside of us; it dwells entirely in Jesus Christ." For Waggoner, on the other hand, justification includes the action of Christ in man to make him righteous (Rom. 5:19, KJV) through the power which God grants to him who believes in Christ and receives Him in his heart (John 1:12, KJV).
In his last book, The Everlasting Covenant, published in London in 1900, Waggoner makes this statement: "Before the end comes, and at the time of the coming of Christ, there must be a people on earth, not necessarily large in proportion to the number of inhabitants of earth, but large enough to be known in all the earth, in whom 'all the fullness of God' will be manifest even as it was in Jesus of Nazareth. God will demonstrate to the world that what He did with Jesus of Nazareth He can do with anyone who will yield to Him."[23]
Waggoner Confirms His Christology (1891-1902)
During the 1890s Waggoner enjoyed a great deal of authority in the Adventist Church. Supported by Ellen White and in collaboration with his colleague A. T. Jones, he was given the opportunity to present the message of justification by faith at camp meetings, in large pastoral conventions, and at various General Conference sessions.
At the 1891 General Conference session Waggoner was invited to present a series of 16 Bible studies, which he devoted to the Epistle of Romans."[24] He could scarcely have chosen a more favorable Epistle to develop the major ideas of his message of justification by faith. Two passages in particular were relevant to the topic of the human nature of Jesus.
Paul's declaration in Romans 1:3 about the posterity of David offered him the first opportunity. Paul says that Jesus Christ was "made of the seed of David according to the flesh." Waggoner, therefore, invites us "to read the history of David, and of the kings who descended from him, who became the ancestors of Jesus, and you will see that on the human side the Lord was handicapped by his ancestry as badly as anyone can ever be. Many of them were licentious and cruel idolaters. Although Jesus was thus compassed with infirmity, he 'did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth' (1 Peter 2:22, KJV). This is to give courage to men in the lowest condition of life. It is to show that the power of the gospel of the grace of God can triumph over heredity."[25]
With regard to the statement that God sent His Son "in the likeness of sinful flesh," Waggoner states, "There is a common idea that this means that Christ simulated sinful flesh, that he did not take upon himself actual sinful flesh, but only what appeared to be such."[26]
In rebuttal Waggoner quoted Hebrews 2:17, which affirms that Jesus had "to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." Then he quoted Galatians 4:4, 5 again, where Paul claims that Jesus was "made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law." Hence Waggoner's conclusion: "He took the same flesh that all have who are born of woman."[27]
Finally, to establish the reason for Christ coming in the likeness of sinful flesh, Waggoner places side by side Romans 8:3, 4 and 2 Corinthians 5:21. "The former says that Christ was sent in the likeness of sinful flesh, 'that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us.' The latter says that God 'made him to be sin for us,' although he knew no sin, 'that we might be made the righteousness of God in him' "[28]
In all these explanations Waggoner constantly links the incarnation of Christ, who took upon Himself humanity's fallen nature, with the purpose of redemption: to free human beings from the power of sin and death by the power of the Spirit of life which is in Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:2).
In 1892 Waggoner accepted a call to go to England to become the editor of the magazine Present Truth. He stayed there until 1902. During that time he was invited to take part in the General Conference session of 1897, where he presented 19 studies based on the first chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrews. This is no surprise, considering that these chapters contain the clearest evidence of the divine and human nature of Christ."[29] Once more Waggoner had the opportunity to propagate his Christology, which also agreed with that of the executives of the General Conference Committee and of the church. If that were not the case, they would not have chosen to invite Waggoner all the way from England for this special event.
Once again Waggoner repeated his former position, which we have already examined, on the human nature of Jesus. At one point he paraphrased the apostle Paul: "If we shall confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus, that He is come in our flesh, and shall believe in our heart that God hath raised him from the dead--that He is a living power, we shall be saved."[30]
To make sure that his public was clear on the point, Waggoner insisted, "The Word was made perfect flesh in Adam, but in Christ was the Word made fallen flesh. Christ goes down to the bottom, and there is the Word flesh, sinful flesh."[31]
In an article in Signs of the Times entitled "God Manifested in Flesh," Waggoner stipulates that our sins were not laid on Christ in a symbolic manner, but that they were really laid on Him."[32] Likewise in his commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians, published in 1900, he underlines emphatically that Christ bore our sins "in his own body" (1 Peter 2:24). "Our sins," he wrote, "were not merely figuratively laid on Him, but were 'in his own body.' He was 'made a curse' for us, 'made to be sin' for us, and consequently suffered death for us. ... The same text that tells us that He carried our sins 'in his own body,' is careful to let us know that He 'did no sin.' The fact that He could carry our sin about with Him and in Him, being actually made to be sin for us, and yet not do any sin, is to His everlasting glory and our eternal salvation from sin."[33]
Conclusion
Such is the essential of Waggoner's Christology. If his position; had not been in agreement with the belief of the church, the General Conference Committee would not have invited him to the 1901 session to refute "the strange doctrine" of the holy flesh movement, according to which Christ had taken "the nature of Adam before the fall."[34]
If there is a recurring theme in Waggoner's teaching, it is certainly His Christology. His Confession of Faith, written shortly before his death in 1916, remains the best evidence of that reality. There he expresses again the paradox of Christ who took on the nature "of sinful man" while offering a "perfect life"--a life free from sin, a life victorious over death. "So God in Christ gave His life for and to sinful men. That is, according to Waggoner, the sum of the gospel.[35]
Notes: