What is evident as you examine the articles of the Seventh-day Adventist pioneers is that the doctrine of the pre-incarnate begotten sonship of Christ was the normative and it is what was taught and published through out the church’s flagship publications. Following articles are arranged by date.

*E. J. Waggoner became Editor of the British Present Truth (PTUK) in 1892. All the info says that he returned to the States in 1902 but in the Editor’s Corner of July 23rd 1903, it says he is still the editor. There is no PT listed in the archives then until September of 1903 and he is not mentioned as editor. W. T. Bartlett was Editor from 1904-1920. A. S. Maxwell is listed under Editorial Committee from 1921. No confirmation as to when his term ended.

The Sermon – THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH.
BY ELD. A. MCLBARD
Review and Herald – January 11, 1881 p.229
https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/RH/RH18811011-V58-15.pdf

(b) He is the author of our faith inasmuch as it originated with him. The doctrines, precepts, and promises of Scripture are but the radiations of the Sun of righteousness. There may have been a period when Jehovah dwelt alone in the solitude of eternity; but it is difficult to antedate the existence of Christ. We know, however, that in the nature of things, there must have been a period when his Sonship began. This is by no means inconsistent with the idea of his authorship of our faith; for he is the “brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person.” Heb. 1:3 ; John 1:14.

The Captain of our Salvation, p. 17, 1883
C.W. Stone

The Word then is Christ… He is the only begotten of the Father. Just how he came into existence the Bible does not inform us any more definitely; but we may believe that Christ came into existence in a manner different from that in which other beings first appeared; That HE SPRANG FROM THE FATHER’S BEING in a way not necessary for us to understand.

Commentary-Scripture Questions, Review & Herald, April 17, 1883, pg. 250
W. H. Littlejohn

96.—CHRIST NOT A CREATED BEING.

Will you please favor me with those scriptures which plainly say that Christ is a created being?

Ans. You are mistaken in supposing that S. D. Adventists teach that Christ was ever created. They believe, on the contrary, that he was “begotten” of the Father, and that he can properly be called God and worshiped as such. They believe, also, that the worlds, and everything which is, was created by Christ in conjunction with the Father. They believe, however, that somewhere in the eternal ages of the past there was a point at which Christ came into existence. They think that it is necessary that God should have antedated Christ in his being, in order that Christ could have been begotten of him, and sustain to him the relation of son. They hold to the distinct personality of the Father and Son, rejecting as absurd that feature of Trinitarianism which insists that God, and Christ, and the Holy Spirit are three persons, and yet but one person. S. D. Adventists hold that God and Christ are one in the sense that Christ prayed that his disciples might be one; i. e., one in spirit, purpose, and labor. See “Fundamental Principles of S. D. Adventists,” published at this Office.”

Scripture Questions
Answered by W. H. Littlejohn
321. —SON OF MAN.
Review and Herald – March 17, 1885, Pg. 172

J. D. C.: The title “Son of man” was assumed by our Lord because of the fact that he was born of the Virgin. He was also called the Son of God because he was begotten of God. In him were united a human and a divine nature. It was therefore fitting that titles should be applied to him which when taken together, should express this fact.

THE EXCELLENCY OF CHRIST
A. T. Jones
Signs of the Times, July 7, 1887, Vol 13, No. 26, pg. 406, 407

“It was to that time that he referred when, in his last night on earth, he said in his prayer, ‘Father, . . . thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.’ It was to the glory of that time that he referred, when, in the same prayer, he prayed, ‘0 Father, glorify me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.’ John 17:5, 24. And Paul speaks of him then as ‘being the brightness of his [Father’s] glory and the express image of his person.’ Heb. 1: 3. Of the brightness of that glory we may form some faint idea by reading the description of him by one who saw him in his glory more than seven hundred years before he came into the world to purchase for rebels a pardon. John, in telling of the refusal of the Jews to believe on Jesus, quotes from Isaiah a prophecy which he says was fulfilled then and by them, and says that ‘these things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.” John 12 : 39-41. By comparison it is seen that’ John 12:40 is a quotation from Isaiah 6:10. Therefore the sixth chapter of Isaiah was said when that prophet saw Christ’s glory and spake of him.

[Note: The author connects “being the brightness of his [Father’s] glory and the express image of his person.” (Heb 1:3) to “0 Father, glorify me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” (John 17: 5, 24); thus referring “express image” of Christ to His pre-incarnate personage. ]

“In that place Isaiah says: ‘In the year that King Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphim; each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.’ Verses 1-3. This, says John, was Jesus whom Isaiah saw in glory—a glory so intense that the bright seraphim standing in his holy presence covered their beautiful faces with their wings. After he had returned to that glory which he had with the Father before the world was, he was seen by John, who-describes him thus: ‘His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace and his voice as the sound of many waters; . . . and his countenance
was as the sun shineth in his strength.’ Rev. 1 : 14-16. That this was Jesus is certain, for he said to John, ‘I am he that liveth, and was dead.’

“Well, indeed, might Paul say of him that, ‘Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?’ Heb. 1 :4, 5. Unto none of the angels did the Father say that, FOR NONE OF THE ANGELS WERE BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER; THEY WERE ALL CREATED BY CHRIST, for we have read that whether they be ‘thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers,’ all were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made; WHILE THE SON HIMSELF WAS DIRECTLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER, AND SO IS CALLED HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, saying, ‘God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ Therefore it was that ‘when he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.’

“We have seen by Isaiah, the bright seraphim worshiping him upon his throne high and lifted up, before he came to the world. And when he came into the world, an infant in Bethlehem born, he was the same person whom all the angels had worshiped before he came thus to the world, and change of place and circumstances did not in the least degree disentitle him to their worship. The Word was with God, and the Word was God, and “the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.” And so when he was made flesh, and as flesh came to dwell among us, although an infant, yet he was the Lord of glory, and the word went forth, “Let all the angels of God worship him.’”

“I AND MY FATHER ARE ONE.”
(Likely from Editor GEO. C. TENNEY)
Bible Echo & Signs of the Times Jan. 1, 1889, pg. 8

These words of our Saviour were never intended by their Author to lead men to an irrational position on the personal oneness of the Father and Son. We are sufficiently guarded upon that point by other expressions from the lips of our divine Lord. He prays to the Father that his followers might be one “as we are.” While here upon earth he was always subject to “the will of him that sent me;” and,” My Father is greater than I.” The psalmist prophetically puts these words into his mouth, “Lo, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, 0 my God; yea, thy law is within my heart.’ As persons, the Father and Son are as distinct as any two individuals who partake of the same nature and substance and resemble each other in image.

But there is an infinite depth and breadth to the meaning of these brief words declaring the unity of Christ our Saviour with the infinite God of the universe. It does not come within the intended scope of this article to discuss this question in its various features and unsearchable bounds. It is a great comfort to every Christian to know that help has been laid “upon one that is mighty;” that our ‘Redeemer is strong;” that it pleased the Father that in him should dwell “all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” HE IS THE SON OF GOD, NOT SIMPLY BY CREATION, BUT BY A LIFE-GIVING PROCESS WHICH IMPARTS THE VERY SUBSTANCE, NATURE, AND THE NAME OF THE PARENT TO THE OFFSPRING, WHEREBY HE WHO IS OUR SAVIOUR BECOMES GOD, IN ALL THE MAJESTIC DIGNITY WHICH THE TITLE CAN IMPLY. HIS LIFE SPANS THE STREAM OF TIME FROM ETERNITY TO ETERNITY. By him the worlds and all that they contain were made; and when mankind, the exalted creatures, fell from their high estate and needed a friend, he espoused their cause and became the counsellor, the example, the priest, the slain lamb, and the advocate of his people. He will soon become their glorious King.

WHILE WE BELIEVE AND TEACH THESE GRAND TRUTHS IN ALL THEIR FULNESS, WE ARE utterly and emphatically OPPOSED TO THAT SENTIMENT so prevalent to-day, which IGNORES the interest and tender love of OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. We would ever keep in mind the fact that it was HE WHO SAID, “Let us make man in our image.” HIS PROMISE held out hope to fallen man, and HIS LOVE bestowed the “unspeakable gift,” Many are inclined to divorce this SACRED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FATHER AND THE SON, and even to create an antagonism in its stead. This is effectually accomplished where a certain line of teaching is carried out, though but few would avow such an object. Not a few religious teachers of the present day discountenance the Old Testament. They associate together, under the old covenant, the law, the old Scriptures, the Jews, and the Father. These are relegated to the dark and musty past. They make them savor of bondage and oppression; they are reproached and criticised. The study of the Old Testament is not encouraged. There are many ministers who do not carry it, nor know its contents. They cannot name its books, nor locate its history. But for all this neglect they seek to make amends by proclaiming their love and appreciation for Christ. His sacrifice is referred to as the one only thing. MEN ARE EXHORTED TO BELIEVE IN CHRIST, have faith in Jesus. Only believe; NO LAW, NO REPENTANCE, NO GOD THE FATHER. JUST BELIEVE IN CHRIST, and you are saved.

We do not hesitate to pronounce SUCH PREACHING AND SUCH BELIEVING distortionate and unscriptural, DISHONORING TO BOTH THE FATHER AND THE SON. The Saviour plainly renounces all such service. “Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord [or Christ, Christ], shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” It is dishonoring to Christ and to Him whose will he came to perform, thus to ignore the law of God. It is dishonoring to heaven to clothe the Son with all the lovely and compassionate graces, and the Father with qualities of law and an administration of justice, to ascribe to Him only the attributes of wrath and sternness, and characterize the whole Old Testament scheme as a failure and obsolete. ” The fact is, there is just as much Christ in the Old Testament as in the New; and there is just as much of the Father in the New Testament as in the Old. Many, and no doubt the most of the promises left for our encouragement, are to be found in the Old Testament. Here we find the most gracious and pleading invitations. Here “mercy and truth have met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” It is true that obedience is exalted as a principal virtue ; but the same is true of the New Testament.

Salvation has never been extended to mankind but upon the one condition of “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” Repentance toward God involves not only contrition for past sins, but a reformation and obedience for the future. Man may change his attitude and standing before God, but God never changes. With him there is “no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” There will not be one class in heaven saved by the law and ascribing their praises to the Father and to Moses ; and another saved through the gospel without obedience to God, praising Christ. Since the days of Abraham, God has but one people, and they are the seed of Abraham. Abraham was a man of sublime faith. He rejoiced to see the day of Christ; and “lie saw it, and was glad.” God also says of him, “Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” Gen. 26:5. Thus in the great “Father of the faithful ” are the two principles of obedience and faith combined. The apostle Paul in his d
ay exclaimed: “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law.” Rom. 3:31. And in the last view which is given us of the people of God on earth we read: “Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. 14:12.

The love and compassion of the great God has ever been extended to his children, and this love is manifested in Jesus Christ. But Christ holds us to our duty to God. He says, “Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” Matt. 12:50. There is no antagonism between the law of the Father and the gospel of the Son. The Godhead is a unity. The Bible is a unity. The plan of salvation is unchanged. Human minds may develop new schemes and invent expedients to avoid duty, but we shall all stand before the same Judgment-seat. The same law will judge us; there is but one lawgiver, and but one advocate, and they are one in all their perfect attributes.

Is Christ a Created Being?
Elder J. P. Henderson
Review and Herald – January 12, 1892, pg. 19

“We do not presume to fathom the depths of the question of the divinity of Christ, but there are a few points that should receive careful attention before we draw final conclusions.

“In Rev. 3 : 14, it is said of Christ that he is “the beginning of the creation of God.” If taken separately and alone, this text might be construed to imply that Christ’s existence originated by creation, the same as other intelligent beings. Other texts, however, convey different ideas. Col. 1:14,17 speaks of him as being ‘the firstborn of every creature,” and that “he is before all things.’ John 1:1 says that ‘in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.’ Again: we learn that he is the ‘only begotten of the Father.’ John 1:14.

“The word apxn, in the original, is defined by Bagster as ‘a beginning ; in the beginning of things; at the first,’ etc. Webster gives a second definition of the word ” beginning,” as ‘that which is first.’

“Taking the above definitions and quotations collectively, we are led to the following conclusions : (1) That Christ existed as the first of, and before, all things; (2) That he is begotten of the Father; i. e., born of his sum and substance; (3) As God, he must be equal to him in divine attributes, as well as in the nature of his existence.

“At his baptism there was a voice from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matt. 3:17. A word spoken under such circumstances can have none but a primary meaning. A son is one begotten of the father (1 John 5:11), and stands related in a much different sense from a servant, or even and adopted child.

“Christ is also said to be the Maker of all things, and that ” without him was not anything made that was made.” John 1:3. If we concede that he was a created, being, this text would involve us in the absurd difficulty of his having created himself. The statements in the Scriptures of his springing from the Father, having a prior existence, and then “being made flesh,” and dwelling among us, are equally incomprehensible; but any other position has a material bearing on the atonement.

“The Father, the Son, and the law, are by the nature of things equal, and not by any delegated attributes placed upon them. No angel or created being exists but is amenable to law, and hence could not render perfect atonement. But in the true sense of his divinity, we have the comforting thought that our Saviour possesses all the attributes of wisdom, power, and goodness, equally with the Father, and is able to save to the utmost.

Brethren
M. E. Kellogg
Review and Herald – August 21, 1894

“HE IS NOT AN ADOPTED SON. HE IS THE “ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER, full of grace and truth.” HE WAS THE HEIR, the only heir of all things; for by him the worlds were made. GLORY UNSPEAKABLE AND ENDURING WAS HIS BY INALIENABLE RIGHT.”

THE HIGHEST TOKEN OF REVERENCE BY ELDER J. F. BALLENGER
Review and Herald – April 27, 1897

“ALL THE ATTRIBUTES OF THE FATHER ARE FOUND IN HIS SON, Jesus Christ ; for, “In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Col. 2:9. “Christ is all, and in all.” Col. 3:11. God’s name is in him. Ex. 23:21 ; Isa. 9:6 ; Heb. 1:8. If the Father’s name is in his Son, his memorial must be found in the Son also; for the name and memorial are inseparable. Then it was the Father in the Son that said to Moses, “I AM THAT I AM… This is my name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.’”

THE DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD
By W. A. Alway
Signs of the Times – September 9, 1897, pg. 6

“‘As I LIVE, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.’ Rom. 14: 11.

“It is the eternal purpose of God that all things in heaven and in earth should acknowledge his divine right to rule and reign in all; and upon the free and joyful recognition of this right depends the happiness and continued existence of all created intelligences.

“It is the accomplishment of this purpose that is referred to by the apostle in Eph 1:9, to: “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his goodpleasure which he bath purposed in himself; that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.” It is evident from the above language that God designs that one life shall animate the universe, one mind guide and control the minutest details of his creation; for he “worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” In all this mighty exercise of the divine mind and power in creating all things and in imparting to all “life, and breath, and all things,” GOD ASSOCIATED WITH HIMSELF THE PERSON OF HIS SON. Of the Son it is declared: ‘The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting… When he appointed the foundations of the earth; then I was by him, as one brought up with him; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him.’ Prov. 8:22-30. And Christ declared, ‘I and my Father are one.’ John 10:30. “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself.” Chapter 5:26. And of him Paul says, ‘Who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature; for by him were all things created, …and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.’ Col. 1:15-17.

“THUS TO THE SON OF GOD WAS IMPARTED INHERENT SELF-EXISTENT POWER, THE POWER OF AN ENDLESS LIFE, WHICH EXALTED HIM ABOVE EVERY NAME AS CREATOR AND UPHOLDER OF THE UNIVERSE, AND GAVE HIM THE RIGHTFUL SUPREMACY OVER ALL.

“Life Not Inherent in the Instrument
… As Christ alone of all the heavenly family was m
ade the depository of God’s creative power, so that by him and through him and for him all things were created, so the continued existence of all things, in fulfilling their appointed destiny, the manifestation of God’s character, could alone be accomplished by the indwelling presence of Christ. In other words, Christ alone can perfectly manifest his Father’s character, for he alone can comprehend that character ‘in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge’ (Col. 2:3) …”

STUDIES IN PRINCIPLES – Equity
By S. M. I. Henry
Review and Herald – April 4, 1899

The situation is this: THERE IS ONE GOD AND FATHER OF ALL (Eph. 4:6); and all intelligent beings, in both heaven and earth, are members of one family, of which THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON is the Elder Brother. Eph. 1:10; 3:14,15.

The difference between him and his younger brothers is that HE WAS THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE HEAVENLY BEINGS, and the first begotten of those who must be born again. John 1:14,18; 1 John 4:9; Heb. 1:6; Rev. 1:5; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 John 5:18.

Our Dwelling Place
Unsigned (Editor: E. J. Waggoner)
Present Truth – October 12, 1899

Jesus Christ is “the firstborn of all creation.” Col. i. 15, R.V. This again shows the one common origin of all things animate and inanimate. JESUS WAS BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER BEFORE THERE WAS ANYTHING. See Prov. viii. 22-26. “He is before all things.” HE IS THE ONLY-BEGOTTEN SON, without whom nothing was made. John i. 3. “For in Him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things have been created through Him, and unto Him; and He is before all things, and in Him all things consist,” or “hold together.” Col. i. 16, 17, R.V

THE PRESENT TRUTH, LONDON, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1899; pg. 641, 642

ONE thought that is most vividly set forth in this passage is the fact that God is the Great Father of all ;—not simply of all men, but of all things. This thought is expressed in the words, ‘Before the mountains were brought forth.’ All know that the words ” bring forth ” are the equivalent of ‘bear’ as applied to the bringing of young into the world, and are very frequent in the Scripture. The Hebrew word in this place is the word meaning ” to bear, to bring forth,’ and several translations have the clause very literally and correctly rendered, ” Before the mountains were born.” The French of Segond, which is easy of access, for verification, has it, ‘Avant que les montagnes fussent nes.’”

“THE thought is still further carried out in the remainder of the clause, ” or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world,” although here it is necessarily obscured in the translation. The word rendered ” formed ” is a Hebrew word meaning “to twist, to turn round,” and hence “to writhe, to be in pain,” and so ” to travail, to bring forth,” or, in the passive, ” to be born.” In the following texts, the Italicised words are from the same Hebrew word as the word ” formed ” in the text just quoted : ‘Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you.’ Isa. li. 2.

“When there were no depths, I was brought forth : when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth.” Prov. viii. 24, 25. ” Art thou the first man that was born ? or wast thou made before the hills ? Job xv. 7. These last two texts indicate that the act is the same for both men and mountains. Among other instances of the occurrence of the same word, are Isa. liv. 1 ; lxvi. 7, 8 ; Ps. xxix. 9 ; li. 5.

“IN the second verse we have the terms “the earth” and ” the world,” the first referring to the planet on which we dwell, and the second to the habitable earth—the population. It is so used in Ps. ix. 9 ; xcvi. 13 ; xcviii. 9. The verse might therefore with strict propriety be rendered thus : “Before the mountains were born, or ever Thou hadst brought forth the earth and its people, even from eternity to eternity Thou art God.” This little study of words is certainly not so technical as to disturb anybody in his reading, and it is surely calculated to bring us consciously nearer to God, and to make His presence more real.

“JESUS CHRIST is ” the firstborn of all creation.” Col. i. 15, R.V. This again shows the one common origin of all things animate and inanimate. Jesus was begotten of the Father before there was anything. See Prov. viii. 22-26. ” He is before all things.” He is the Only-begotten Son, without whom nothing was made. John i. 3. ” For in Him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers ; all things have been created through Him, and unto Him ; and He is before all things, and in Him all things consist,” or ” hold together.” Col. i. 16, 17, R.V. Christ is ” the everlasting Father” (Isa. ix. 6) of all creation, visible and invisible.’” [end quote]

The Origin of Evil and the Changes of the Sabbath [Part 1 of the series]
By H. C. Giles
Signs of the Times – April 18, 1900, pg. 3

“The reason for Lucifer’s discontent will further appear as we study the plan of God for’ the preservation of His universe. “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He bath appointed 4″Heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power.” Heb. 1:1-3.

“In Col. 1:15-19 we read concerning Christ: “Who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature; for by Him were aII all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by Him, and for Him; and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist [R. V., margin, “hold together”]. And He is the Head of the body, the church; …that in all things He might have the pre-eminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell.”

[The author then shares Eph. 1:7-10, 2:7, 3:10-11 and continues]

“‘.. That is, it was God’s eternal purpose to (1) create all things through Jesus Christ; (2) in case sin should enter—and we have seen from the nature of the case that it was a possibility that it should sometime enter—to make Christ the Head of His redeemed church; (3) to make the church, redeemed from a fallen race of rebels, a trophy of His grace and a triumph of love, ‘and love alone, over all other forces; (4) thus to prove to all His creatures. That He is what He claims to be,—a God whose name and every attribute is love; (5) in these ways to sum up all things in Christ, to make Him rightful Heir of all things, that in all things He might have the pre-eminence.

“When Lucifer saw that Christ, who is the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24), was from eternity appointed Chief (Prov. 8:23, Jewish translation), the Master Workman enjoying an intimacy with the Most High that was allowed to no other, his heart was fired with jealousy, which he soon fanned into open rebellion against the government of heaven. ” Why,” questioned Lucifer, “should Christ in all things have the pre-eminence? Why should He be preferred before me? He is Morning Star; so am I. Why should God choose to `sum up all things’ in Christ when He Himself has declared that I ‘seal up the sum’? Eze. 28:12. Why should Christ alone be the wisdom of God; when God Himself has pronounced me ‘full of wisdom’? “With what justice, reasoned Lucifer, could God appoint Christ “Heir of all things,” even tho He was the “brightness of His glory,” and the “image of Himself” (Heb. 1:3, Syriac version), and slight him, when he was Lucifer, the “light bringer,” declared by his Creator to be ” perfect ” in his ways, “complete in outline” (Jewish translation), and “perfect in beauty”. Was not he covering cherub, anointed to cover God’s throne? Why should not God say of him rather than of Christ, “Let all the angels of God worship Him”? Heb. 1:6. Why should it not be said to him, “Thy throne, 0 God, is forever and ever? Heb. 1:8.

“These honors conferred upon Christ and denied to himself, Lucifer regarded as an injustice and an arbitrary slight of his dignity and an invasion of his rights. Thus was his heart “lifted up” because of his brightness, and he corrupted his wisdom by reason of his elegance. He regarded God’s dealings with himself as unfair and unjust, and the exaltation of Christ as altogether arbitrary and partial.

“It may be permitted us to stop briefly to inquire WHY LUCIFER WAS DENIED the honors conferred upon Christ, and which he so much coveted. THE TASK IS NOT DIFFICULT. The difference between Christ and Lucifer WAS AN ESSENTIAL ONE OF CHARACTER AND OF NATURE, and not of mere outward environment. CHRIST WAS GOD, THE ONLY-BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER, full of grace and truth. He was the creative Word. John 1:1-3. He only was the effulgence of the Father’s glory and the very image of His substance (Heb. 1:3), Creator and Upholder of all things (Col. 1:16). LUCIFER, altho a being of brightness, WAS ONLY AN ANGEL, the rightful minister of his Creator. Tho “anointed,” he was still a cherub. Tho “morning star,” HE WAS CREATED by Christ, and should have been content to render Him grateful homage, rather than to covet His superior glory.

“We see, therefore, that God’s dealing with Lucifer, as with all His creatures, was not arbitrary, but that “true and righteous” are all His ways. This appears still more emphatic from the following. Of Christ it is declared, “Being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” Heb. 1:4. With God, name is a true index of character. Christ, the Word, was God. John I: 3; Heb. 1:8. Christ was the Word of God (Rev. 19:13), and was therefore incorruptible (1 Peter 1:23). Lucifer, as the event proved, was not incorruptible, for God declared of him, “Thou hast corrupted thy wisdom.” Eze. 28:17. Therefore none but Christ could be safely trusted with the sacred responsibilities resting upon God’s own Son. To do it would be to jeopardize the whole universe, and render insecure the whole government of God.

“To show again that God’s dealing with Lucifer in this matter was according to character, and not in an arbitrary manner, let the following scripture be noted. Of Christ it is said, “Who, being in the form of God, counted it not a prize to be on an equality with God, but …humbled Himself.” Phil. 2:6, R.V. For what?—Not to add to His personal glory, but to save the lost.

“Contrast with this the course of Lucifer. He was not in the form of God at all, yet he counted it a prize to be thought equal with God. He therefore endeavored to exalt himself, even at the expense of casting down to everlasting destruction those who were eternally secure in the glory of heaven.” [end quote]

The Creator
Unsigned: Editor – Robert Hare
The Bible Echo(BEST) – April 23, 1900

Man CANNOT MEASURE THE LIFE OF GOD. THE DIVINE MEASUREMENT OF THAT LIFE IS “FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING,” and all that the finite mind can do is to say “Amen,” and then await further revelations from the Infinite. The period of time covering the history of our world, and that with which man has to do, is brought to view in the first words of the Holy Book—”In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” THERE IS ANOTHER BEGINNING BROUGHT TO VIEW IN THE SCRIPTURE. CHRIST, SPEAKING under the personification of wisdom, declares, “The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.” Prov. 8:22-30.

THE HISTORY REACHING FROM THIS BEGINNING HAS NOT BEEN WRITTEN FOR MAN. IT REACHES BACK TO THE “EVERLASTING,” BEFORE THE EARTH WAS, and it is reserved as a future study for those who “delight to inquire in His temple.”…

…God has given the position and work of creator to His Son. And unto the Son He saith, “Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the work of Thine hands.” Heb. i:8, I0. It surely does not become the creature to withhold the praise and honour that the Father has given to the Son. Right gladly, then, will we acknowledge our Redeemer as Creator, “for it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell.”

“MY FATHER AND YOUR FATHER.”
T. E. BOWEN
Signs of the Times – June 27, 1900, Pg. 5

CHRIST’S mission to this earth was to correct the lie given by Satan to the human race concerning the CHARACTER OF HIS FATHER. He could not endure the thought that man should entertain the idea THAT GOD— who had created the great universe for the happiness of every intelligence—was arbitrary, tyrannical, and self-seeking. Laying aside all His power, glory, and exaltation beside the throne, Christ came among men to VINDICATE THE TRUE CHARACTER of our loving heavenly Father. This was His mission.

“0 righteous Father, the world hath not known Thee; but I have known Thee;” “I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world;” “As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father.” These texts show that Christ is THE ONLY ONE ever in our world prepared to give a correct witness or testimony concerning the FATHER AND HIS CHARACTER. Again, in seeing Him, our race saw the Father; for this testimony concerning Christ is given us: “God… hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the world; who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person,” etc. (Heb. 1:1-3); also Jesus told Philip, “Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?”

To the Son was committed this responsible work of revealing the Father, because NO BEING BESIDES HIM in all the universe knew the Father as did He. NONE could fathom His infinite love, power, mercy, and goodness, but the Son. So HE ALONE could become a Redeemer. Angels might offe
r to die for the fallen race, but redemption consisted of something infinitely greater than to die. THE CHARACTER OF GOD and His eternal, holy law must be vindicated amidst sinners. God’s very every-day heavenly life must be lived among sinful men, and that, too, clothed with sinful flesh. Thus REVEALING THE LIFE OF THE FATHER, men would be drawn to Him, leaving, by choice, the service of sin. “All things,” said Christ, “are delivered unto Me of My Father; and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and He to whomsoever the Son shall reveal Him.” Matt. 11:27. Again, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:6. Not that this is arbitrarily so, but absolutely no man can come unto the Father but through the knowledge of His goodness revealed only by His Son.

Jesus loves His Father. He enjoys His presence. He is anxious that our happiness shall be made complete by our loving Him too; for He knows that in His presence, with hearts made pure, for us also is “fulness of joy.” He left a perfect testimony in the world that the Father loves us. “For God so loved the world,” “And he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father; ” “If a man love Me, he will keep My words; and My Father will love him,” are some of the expressions in words of the Father’s love.

Then, after His resurrection, Jesus still assures us that, altho He had suffered a cruel death among men, the Father’s love would not be withdrawn from us. In revealing Himself to Mary, He says, “Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God.” What a precious assurance! EVEN AS HE IS MY FATHER, so He is yours. His love for you, His sons, because you are “My brethren,” will be the same that it has been for Me. And this is the way He has loved you all the time, but you knew it not.

Reader, this is the God you are invited to love and obey. To know Him is but to love Him, and to love Him is but to obey Him. If you have not already done so, would it not be well for you to “acquaint now thyself with God [margin], and be at peace [not at war]; thereby good shall come unto thee” (Job 22:20)?

Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, December 11, 1900, pg. 792
Author unknown
Click HERE for the original article

THE FAITH OF JESUS

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus : who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery [” a thing to be seized upon and held fast “] to be equal with God: but emptied himself.”

The condescension of Christ, the position of Christ, and the nature of Christ, as He was in the flesh in the world, are given in the second chapter of Hebrews more fully than in any other one place in the, Scriptures.

But the first chapter of Hebrews comes before the second chapter, and is, therefore, an essential precedent of the second chapter. The first chapter must be, followed, and must be understood, unto the second chapter, in order to be able to follow and understand the second chapter.

Yet in the first chapter of Hebrews, the exaltation, the position, and the nature of Christ, AS HE WAS IN HEAVEN BEFORE HE CAME TO THE WORLD, are more fully given than in any other single portion of the Scriptures.

Therefore it is perfectly plain that an understanding of the position and nature of Christ, as He was in heaven, is essential to a proper understanding of His position and nature as He was on earth. What, then, is this, as it is given in Hebrews 1? First is introduced God,— God the Father,— as the speaker to men, who “in time past spake unto the fathers by the prophets,” but who ” hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son.”

Thus the Son of God is introduced. Then of Him and the Father together it is written: ‘Whom He [God] hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He [God] made the worlds.’

Then of Christ we read: “Who being the brightness of His [God’s] glory, and the express image of His [God’s] person [‘the very impress of His substance’], and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

This tells us that, in heaven, the nature of Christ was the= nature of God; that He, in His person, in His substance, is the very impress, the very character, of the substance of God. That is to say that, IN HEAVEN, AS HE WAS BEFORE HE CAME TO THE WORLD, the nature of Christ was in very substance the nature of God.

Therefore it is further written of Him that He was ‘made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.’

This more excellent name is the name “God,” which, in the eighth verse, is given by the Father to the Son. “Unto the Son He [God] saith, Thy throne, 0 God, is forever and ever.”

Thus, He is so much better than the angels as God is better than the angels. And it is because of this that He has that more excellent name; the name expressing only what He is, in His very nature. And this name ‘He hath by inheritance.’ IT IS NOT A NAME THAT WAS BESTOWED, BUT A NAME THAT IS INHERITED.

Now, it lies, in the nature of things, as an everlasting truth, that the ONLY NAME ANY PERSON CAN POSSIBLY INHERIT IS HIS FATHER’S NAME. This name, then, of Christ’s, which is more excellent than that of the angels; IS THE NAME OF HIS FATHER; AND HIS FATHER’S NAME IS GOD. THE SON’S NAME, THEREFORE, WHICH HE BY INHERITANCE , IS GOD. And this name, which is more excellent than that of the angels, is His because He is ” so much better than the angels.” That name being God, he is so much better than the angels as God is better than the angels.

Next, His position and nature, as better than that of the angels, is dwelt upon: “For unto which of the angels saith He [the Father] at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? and again, I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to me a Son?” This holds the thought of the more excellent name spoken of in the previous verse. For He, being the Son of God,— God being His Father,— thus hath “by inheritance” the name of His Father, which is God; and which is so much more excellent than the name of the angels, as God is better than they.

But this is dwelt upon yet further: “And again, when He bringeth in the first begotten into the world, He saith, And let all the angels of God worship Him.” Thus tie is so much better than the angels that He is worshiped by the angels; and this according to the will of God, because He is, in His nature, God.

This thought of the mighty contrast between Christ and the angels is dwelt upon yet further : ” Of the angels He saith, Who maketh the angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, 0 God, is forever and ever [” From eternity to eternity,” German translation].” And again: ” A scepter of righteousness is the of thy. kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefor
e God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.”

And yet again, the Father, in speaking to the Son, says : “Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: they shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.”

Note the contrasts here, and in them read the nature of Christ. The heavens shall perish, but He remains. The heavens shall wax old, but His years shall not fail. The heavens shall be changed, but He is the same. That shows that He is God: of the nature of God.

Yet more of this contrast between Christ and the angels: ” To which of the angels said He at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”

Thus, in the first chapter of Hebrews, Christ is revealed higher than the angels, as God; and as much higher than the angels as is God, because He is God.

In the first chapter of Hebrews Christ is revealed as God, of the name of God, because He is of the nature of God. And so entirely is His nature of the nature of God, that it is the very impress of the substance of God.

This is Christ the Saviour, Spirit of Spirit, substance of substance, with God. And this it is essential to know in the first chapter of Hebrews, in order to know what is His nature revealed in the second chapter of Hebrews as man.

Study the first chapter of Hebrews over and over till this time next week, when we shall go further.

The Gift of God
P. T. Magan
Review and Herald – April 9, 1901, pg. 233, 234

“To assure us of His immutable counsel of peace, God gave His only begotten Son to BECOME One of the- human family, forever to retain His human nature.”

“God’s gift of His own dear Son to fallen man was a real, not a make-believe, gift. God did really give away His only begotten Son. Christ was the ONLY ONE OF HIS KIND in the universe. To be sure, the ANGELS WERE ALL SONS OF GOD. BUT CHRIST WAS THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF THE FATHER. When God gave Him to the human family, God made a real sacrifice. The Father not only GAVE HIS SON TO MAN, but He gave Him to be a man; and through all eternity Christ will never be what He was before the fall of man,—before His own and His Father’s voluntary gift of himself. He is and ever will be divine; His divinity remains unchanged and unchangeable. But every human being who will know in his own life the blest experience of the gift of giving must first know and recognize that gift- as a divine reality in the very life and experience of God and of God’s dear Son.”

The Gift of God
By P.T. Magan,
The Present Truth – December 11, 1902 / Review and Herald – April 9, 1901

“The world’s Redeemer was not given to be the Son of God. He was given to become the Son of man…

“God’s gift of His own dear Son to fallen man was a real, not a make-believe, gift. God did really give away His only begotten Son. Christ was the only one of His kind in the universe. To be sure, the angels were all sons of God, but Christ was the only begotten Son of the Father.”

The Sanctuary Question
S. N. Haskell
Review and Herald August 20, 1901, pg. 536

“Let us ‘consider some of the leading thoughts: in the preceding chapters. The first chapter presents Christ — His character and position. He is the brightness of the Father’s glory and the “express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word Of His power.” He is better and much more exalted than the angels, “as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” He is the Son of God, and therefore has inherited every name which is applied to God, the Creator of ‘the heavens and the earth. He also is the Creator, and is called God. “Thy throne, 0 God, is forever and ever,” Again, “Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid; the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands.” Here Christ is presented on an equality with the Father, NOT CREATED AS WERE THE ANGELS BUT AS THE CREATOR OF ANGELS — the great “I AM,” He who inhabiteth eternity. It is thus the apostle introduces us to the subject of the sanctuary. It is not to such and such dimensions, to the material of which the earthly sanctuary was made, but to Christ its minister, and to the Father, to whom the sanctuary belongs. The High Priest is ours, but the sanctuary is God’s. We are the worshipers in the sanctuary.”

The Humanity of Christ
By L. A. S.
Review & Herald – October 15, 1903

“In order that fallen man might be identified with the Son of God, the Son of God identified himself with humanity. He who was the Son of God became the Son of man. He who was equal with God in the courts of heaven, who was a begotten Son and not a created being, left his station there, and identified himself with a totally different order of beings.”

The Perfect Revelation (Editorial)
W. W. Prescott
Review and Herald – March 17, 1904, Pg. 3

“CHRIST was the effulgence of his Father’s glory, the outshining of his glory, BECAUSE he stood in the relationship of a son to the Father. He could be to all things outside of the Father the outshining of the revelation of the glory of God. NO CREATED BEING COULD DO THAT, but he could do it BECAUSE HE WAS THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON. So that the Son, not by arbitrary appointment, but because he was the only begotten Son of, the Father, could be the effulgence of his glory. Therefore, he could be the express image of his person, the very image of his substance,— the exact representation of his very being. What GOD THE FATHER, THE GOD OVER ALL, actually and really is, HIS SON ACTUALLY AND REALLY IS, and that because of the relationship that exists between the Father and the Son. The very character of God is revealed through his Son, so that he sets forth the glory of God, not in a general way, as it were, but he sets forth what he actually is — the very image and character of God, and that revelation could he made through NO CREATED BEING but the eternal Son, the only begotten. NO OTHER BEING could fill that place. Now he who is the head of the church is the head of creation. He who upholds the church upholds creation. He who came to represent God to the world is not an imperfect representation of his being, the character and love of God. This revelation is a perfect revelation of God. In this revelation
we shall not be misled with any wrong ideas.”

The Lost Dominion. – No. 2.
E. Hilliard
Signs of the Times Australian – July 3, 1905 p.322

“…The angels are created beings, dependent upon God for existence. They have not inherited power, like the Son of God, to give back the forfeited life to man. Christ, the only begotten Son of God, INHERITED LIFE FROM THE FATHER…”

Our World Builder
By D. E. Wellman
Caribbean Watchman – December 1906, Pg. 4

“CHRIST IS THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD CONSEQUENTLY BY RIGHT, HIS FATHER’S NAME IS HIS BY INHERITANCE and so we read, “Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” As you bear the name of your earthly father so JESUS BEARS BY RIGHT OF INHERITANCE THE NAME OF HIS FATHER.

“Thus it is that the Father addresses his son in Heb. : 8,9. ‘But unto the Son he saith, thy throne, 0 God, is for ever and ever, a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.’

“In verse ten the- Father calls his Son Lord and ascribes to him the work of the creation. He says, ‘And thou Lord, in the beginning hath laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the work of thy hands.’

“Thus has divinity definitely set forth the title that RIGHTFULLY BELONGS TO HIS SON AS WELL AS THE HIGH PLACE HE OCCUPIES in the universe. Christ is the Creator.

“…CHRIST BEING THE SON OF GOD, THE ONLY BEGOTTEN WOULD IN THE VERY NATURE OF THE DIVINE THINGS BE THE FULNESS OF THAT NATURE. In Col. 1:15 Christ is said to be ‘the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.’ Again in Heb. 1:3. ‘Who being the brightness of his Father’s glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right-hand of the Majesty on high.’ ‘It pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell.’ Col. 1:19. ‘In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.’ Col. 2:3.

‘”For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.’ Col. 2:9. “Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.’ 1 Cor. 1:24. Again in Phil. 2: 6, Paul speaking of Christ said, ‘Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.’

“The scripture texts quoted above WILL LEAVE NO DOUBT IN THE MIND of the reader relative to the FULLNESS of Christ. Wherever we go, upon whatsoever we fix our eyes or our thoughts, there will we find that which showeth forth the handiwork of HIM WHO IS THE SON OF GOD.’“

Synopsis of Faith of Seventh Day Adventists, Sermon Delivered in the Tabernacle, May 18, 1907
By Elder M. N. Campbell
The Michigan Herald, July 17th 1907

In the first place we believe in a personal God who rules over the universe; whose beneficent will is the supreme law. We believe that God, AS A PERSONAL BEING, OCCUPIES DEFINITE SPACE; that He sits upon the throne of the universe, and that His orders are implicitly obeyed by the unfallen intelligences of other worlds. We will take for our first scripture (and by the way this sermon this morning will be very largely composed of scripture reading) 1 Cor. 8:6 “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him.” This text indicates that ALL THINGS ORIGINATE WITH THE FATHER but were carried forward and completed by the Son. The throne of God is described in many texts of Scriptures.

We believe also that the Lord Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God, the Saviour of men, and under the Father the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Heb. 1:1-3… In these texts Jesus Christ is declared to be the Son of God; the Creator of the heavens and the earth. He now sits upon the right hand of the throne of God. It is also made plain that He was MADE IN THE EXPRESS IMAGE OF HIS FATHER’S PERSON.

FATHER AND I
H. W. COTTRELL
Bible Training School – September 1907, Pg. 51

“I and my Father are one,” said Jesus, the truthfulness of which utterance was voiced in every act of that noble life as the Master traveled the plains and hills of old Judea for the three and one half years of his earthly sojourn. He did “nothing” of Himself. He could not do anything of “Himself” alone. It would have been contrary to His divine nature. HE AND HIS FATHER were one in desire, purpose and act: hence the oft repeated statement, “of mine own self I can do nothing.” THE FATHER DOES NOTHING OF HIMSELF ALONE, BUT COUNSELS THE SON IN ALL THINGS.

“Let us make man in our image,” SAID THE FATHER TO THE SON. Through cooperation man was created in their image after their likeness. The work of redemption is a cooperative work. It could not be accomplished by either without the other.

The gathering together of the saints in that day of eternal reunion is the partnership work of the FATHER AND THE SON. Christ the sin-conqueror, accompanied, at the command of the Father, by all the holy angels, (on account of which there is silence in heaven for “the space of half an hour,”) comes down the flaming sky and shouts aloud, with the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God,” “Arise ye sleeping saints.” 1 Thess. 4:16, 17. The dead come forth from their long resting places, and together with the translated ones are escorted by angels to meet their Lord and to their heavenly home, where sin and death can not enter. Luke 20:35, 36. Where joy, peace and righteousness reign forevermore.

When we learn from our Father that not one of us can do anything of “himself” but that we must cooperate with Christ, and thus with each other, we shall have learned one of the most valuable lessons assigned to humanity.

We should bestow EQUAL honor upon the FATHER AND THE SON in their cooperative work for humanity. “For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will… That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son,” by bestowing equal honor, “honoreth not the Father which hath sent Him.” John 5:21, 23.

The First Place
W. W. Prescott
The Present Truth – March 26, 1908, Pg. 206

“THE place which the Son of God occupies in the administration of the divine government is thus stated: “He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the Church: Who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence.” This is not by arbitrary appointment, but is the outgrowth of the VERY NATURE AND BEING of the Son, and of HIS RELATIONSHIP to the eternal Father. AS THE SON was one with the Father, as He was the ONLY BEGOTTEN, and as He was thus ABLE TO ENTER into the counsels of His Father AS NO CREATED BEING could possibly do, so He was necessarily the One through Whom the Father made every revelation of Himself. CHRIST WAS THE BEGINNING OF HIS WAY, the Mediator between the Father and all created things and all created beings. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him; and without Him was not anything made that hath been made.’”

TRUE PURPOSE OF AN EDUCATION By Elder M. C. Kirkendall, talk to the students and teachers in the Emmanuel Missionary College chapel Lake Union Herald – January 20, 1909

The people to whom Jesus was speaking thought that they knew God: that they were the chosen people of God. Yet while they all knew the image and superscription of Ceasar, they did not know the image of God. Had they known God, they would have recognized that right before them was One standing who was the image of God. …If you acquaint yourself with God so that you know Him, you will know His image when you see it. You will not be like those who knew the image of Caesar, but did not know Him who was in the image of His Father. In Col. 1:15 we read, “Who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature: for by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him and for Him: and He is before all things, and by. Him all things consist! ” This verse tells us that Jesus was MADE IN THE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD, the first-born of every creature.

The Epistle to the Hebrews Chap. 1. 5.
The Divine Head of the Human Family
Most likely from Editor W. T. Bartlett*
Present Truth April 1, 1909

[*Note: E. J. Waggoner became Editor of the British Present truth in 1892. All the info says that he returned to the States in 1902 but in the Editor’s Corner of July 23rd 1903 it says he is still editor. There is no PT listed in the archives then until September and he is not mentioned as editor. W. T. Bartlett was Editor from 1904-1920. A. S. Maxwell is listed under Editorial Committee from 1921. I have not checked when his term ended. I hope this helps.]

The remainder of the first chapter of the epistle is occupied with PROVING THE SUPERIORITY OF CHRIST TO THE ANGELS. There is no room in the mind of the writer for any such thought as that Christ was but a man. If He had been only a man, then He would have been inferior to the angels, for man in his creation was made a little lower than the angels. Ps. viii. 5. But while, as the Son of man, Christ was made for a little while lower than the angels, as the Son of God He was infinitely above the angels.

This passage of Scripture, then, is entirely opposed to the idea that Christ was only human. Has it any special message for those who are already persuaded of His divinity ?

It has. We cannot consider too earnestly and carefully the true nature of Christ. It seems so easy to most people to think of Him somewhat as we think of the angels, as beings of light and glory who have never fallen, whose home is in heaven, while our less fortunate lot is cast in a sinful world. Jesus is very much more than an angel; HE IS THE SON OF GOD, MADE LIKE HIS FATHER, having power to create and sustain the universe. This INFINITELY POWERFUL AND DIVINE Being has made purification of our sins; He is set down at the right hand of the throne, having become, as our Saviour and Advocate, so much better than the angels as HIS ORIGINAL INHERITANCE was more than theirs. NO ANGEL CAN COMPARE with the omnipotent One Who is our Representative and Advocate in the presence of God.

While we go on to consider the evidences of His divinity, let us remember that, highly exalted as He is, the Son of God is our ALMIGHTY Redeemer. His glory and power are employed in our behalf, that we may be delivered from the dominion of sin. When we think of our Saviour, let us remember that He is not merely a heavenly being like unto the angels, but the Creator of all the angels; that in His hands is ALL THE POWER of the universe; that the brightness of the divine glory radiates from Him; then the ASSURANCE OF HIS DIVINITY will bring to us an increase of confidence in His power to save.

“For unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art My son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a son?” Verse 5.

The angels came into existence by an act of creation; CHRIST WAS BEGOTTEN OF HIS FATHER. We can, perhaps, appreciate something of the difference when we conceive of a man as making some object by the exercise of his strength and skill, and then of the same man begetting a son. The work of his hands may be made as he pleases; it may reveal more or less of his ability and character; it may be designed for honour or for some base purpose. But when a man begets a son he can only do it by imparting himself. He gives to his son all that he has to give, withholding nothing, and he greatly desires to impart to his son the fullest degree possible of vigour and health. And, when the son is born, he takes personal satisfaction and pleasure in equipping him in the highest degree for his career in life. No true father is content unless he has given to his son all that it is in his power to bestow upon him. So Christ, AS THE SON OF GOD, received from His divine Father ALL THAT THE FATHER’S EXISTENCE COMPRISED. He was the EXPRESS IMAGE OF HIS FATHER’S PERSON, AND HEIR OF ALL THINGS THAT THE FATHER POSSESSED. All that a father could be to a son, that God was to His Son; all that a son could be to a father, that Christ was to Him.

WE CANNOT FIX A TIME when the words: “Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee,” first apply. WHEN WE GO BACK TO THE VERY BEGINNING OF CREATED THINGS WE FIND CHRIST endowed with infinite power and wisdom, able to lay the foundations of the universe and to speak worlds into existence at His will. Whether we think of the FATHER OR OF THE SON, the words are EQUALLY TRUE: “before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God.” Ps. xc. 2.

The goings forth of God’s Anointed “have been from of old, from the days of eternity.” Micah v. 2. He is the timeless One.

THERE IS, HOWEVER, A DEFINITE TIME AT WHICH THE WORDS ARE GIVEN within the limits of human history, and THAT TIME IS THE RESURRECTION. Preaching in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia, Paul declared that the promise which had been made long ago to the fathers was now fulfilled unto their children in that Jesus had been raised from the dead: “As it is also written in the second psa
lm, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee.” Acts xiii. 33. Why should the words be spoken again at that time ? Notice that, according to Paul, they signalized the fulfilment of the blessed promises made to the fathers. At the resurrection Jesus rose from the dead, but He rose as man’s Representative, Conqueror over sin and death in man’s behalf. Because He rose, we shall rise also. When God raised Him from the dead He raised up us also by Him. Eph. ii. 6. Therefore when God said again : “Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee,” the words were spoken to Christ as the Son of man and Representative of the redeemed human family. AS THE SON OF MAN GOD ACKNOWLEDGED JESUS CHRIST AS FULLY AS WHEN HE ORIGINALLY BEGOT HIM in His own likeness as Son of God before the foundation of the world. Is it not clear, then, that every proof of Christ’s glory and divinity is an occasion of increased rejoicing to those who are made one with Him by His death and resurrection?

Accordingly we find the words, “I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son,” spoken through the inspired Psalmist primarily of Christ, but secondarily of those whom He should redeem from sin by the power of His own life:

“I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men : but My mercy shalt not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.” 2 Sam. vii. 14-16.

Then in the words spoken of Christ, “I will be His Father, and He shall be My Son,” we may read also a promise for the sinner. Even if he commit iniquity, if he will but accept the chastening of the Lord, the mercy of God shall not depart from him, but shall finally establish him in a heavenly kingdom. One has been made sin for us Who knew no sin, that they who commit iniquity might be made the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Cor. vii. 21. The whole of the epistle to the Hebrews is devoted to a presentation of the work of Christ in making Himself one with sinners that He might bring them into His own sonship and righteousness.

Robert Hare stated that, “There is indeed a divine trio, but the CHRIST of that Trinity IS NOT A CREATED BEING AS THE ANGELS – HE WAS THE “ONLY BEGOTTEN” OF THE FATHER…” Article titled, “The Trinity” in “Australasian Union Conference Record – July 19, 1909”.

J. Edson White commenting on Lucifer seeking to be like the Most High says, “But Jehovah could not permit this. He Himself had established the order of heaven. NO CREATED BEING could be equal with God, THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON ALONE COULD OCCUPY THIS POSITION… THE ANGELS, therefore, ARE CREATED BEINGS, necessarily of a lower order than their Creator. CHRIST IS THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER.” From the book, “Past, Present, and Future 1909”

God the Creator
H. C. GOODRICH
The Caribbean Watchman – March 1910, pg. 4

Here was a time when there was no earth. This world did not exist, and there were no stars. The sun did not shine, for there was none, neither was there any moon. The universe was only space, it was empty; and only God existed.

It is of this time that Moses wrote; and surely no one is better qualified than he, a man who had talked with God face to face, as a man talks with his friend; one whom the Lord called by name, when He talked with him. Ex. 33:11, 12. And this is what Moses said: “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth or the world, even from everlasting to everlasting Thou art God.” Ps. 90:2.

Then Christ was born, “The only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John I: 14. He is before all things. Col. I:17. John says “In Him was life.” John. 1:4. And Jesus says of Himself, “As the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to’ the Son to have life in Himself.” John 5:26. Therefore it is as plain as words can make it, that with God the Father the beginning of life, the source of all is existence and power.

It is also just as plain that the Father associated His Son with Him in the kingdom that was to be established, and made Him equal to Himself in that kingdom, “But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne 0 God, is forever and ever; a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom . . . And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Thy hands.” Heb. I:8, 10. This brings us to the beginning; when God began to bring into existence the heavens and the earth and the worlds. And the Scriptures plainly teach that all the burden of this work, or perhaps we ought to say the responsibility of this work, was laid on the Son, as the active agent in this work of making the worlds. “God hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds.” Heb. I:1, 2. And again John gives us absolute proof that it was Jesus the Son of God who was with God in the beginning, and that all things were made by Him.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made.” John. I:1-3. This makes it absolutely certain, as certain as that God’s word is true, that God sent His Son, whom He Himself calls God, and gave Him the power of life in Himself to bring into existence all the worlds and everything that has life; and this power God uses to prove that He is the true God. Insomuch is this true that in every place where the Scriptures speak to designate the true God, He is always spoken of as the One who made the heavens and the earth. Thus Jeremiah speaks: “But the Lord is the true God, He is the living God, and an everlasting King. . . . He hath made the earth by His power, He hath established the world by His wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by His discretion.” Jer. 19:10, 13. Isaiah says: “0 Lord of hosts God of Israel, that dwellest between the Cherubims, Thou art the God, even Thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; Thou hast made heaven and earth.” Isa. 37:16. John in the Revelation also tells us who we should worship. “Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come; and worship Him that made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Rev. 14:7

Another point to be considered is the power by which all things were made. The Bible calls it creation. “For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, both visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions or principalities, or powers; all things were created by Him, and for Him.” Col. I:16. To create is to bring into existence by a word of command the thing spoken. For example, “Let them praise the name of the Lord: for He commanded, and they were created.” Ps. 148:5. Again,—”By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth; for He spake and it was done, He commanded and it stood fast.” Ps. 33:6, 9. Again Paul says: “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that things which are seen, were not made of things which do appear.” Heb. 11:3.

This is a power exercised by God alone and by His Son Jesus Christ. This is the “life in Hi
mself,” of which Jesus says: “As the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself.” John 5:26. No other being in the whole universe of creation has this power.

I may make a table, a house, or a steam engine; but I must have material of which these are made to begin with; but not so with God. He only speaks the word and the thing spoken comes into existence. This is why the Bible begins with the his tory of creation. Only that story could reveal to created beings the almighty power of our God. Only this could make it possible for the heavens and earth and all the worlds to be created in six days. Unbelief tries to reason it out, and fails. Science tries to understand it by scientific wisdom; but that is impossible. Only by faith in the creative power of God can man grasp the truth of it. As Paul says: “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Heb. 11:3, It is only when we accept God as He is,—the Creator, it is only when we have confidence in that power which He has manifested in His works, that we can believe the Bible with simple confidence in His creative power, and yielding our minds to His will as created beings should do, the way is all plain. He becomes our God, and we become sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty…

Man’s Sin and Saviour
By E. J. Hibbard
Signs of the Times – August 12, 1910

CHRIST WAS ORIGINALLY “the brightness of His [the Father’s] glory, and the express image of His person.” Heb. 1:3. So also, in the beginning, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.” Gen. 1:27. And tho JESUS CHRIST WAS THE SON OF GOD DIRECT, and from an eternity of the past, according to the Scriptures, yet He delighted to call Himself “the Son of Man.” And from the human side of His nature, He is traced, in Luke 3:23-38, back in unbroken line of descent, and by this is found to be “the Son of Adam, which was the Son of God.”

WHAT THINK YE OF CHRIST?
By J. S. James
The Oriental Watchmen 1911 Vol 14 No.1

“…The beloved disciple in writing his gospel, speaks of Christ as the word which was “in the beginning.” John 1:1 This takes our minds back to the time when the heavens and earth were brought into existence. But even there, we have not reached “the beginning” of which John speaks. Standing at that point, the beginning of the material world, we may still go back in our imaginations to any length of time which we are capable of comprehending, and still we have not reached the natal day of God’s Son, the Christ.

“From Everlasting to Everlasting
The words of the wise man will aid us to understand this theme as far as the finite mind can reach. Of Christ, under the personification of wisdom, he says: “The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the world was made, …when he prepared the heavens, I was there… when he appointed the foundations of the earth, then I was by him, as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him.” Prov. 8:22-30. To this agree the words of the Psalmist, “Lord, thou has been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth or thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting, to everlasting, thou art God.” Ps. 90:2. Observe the expression used here to describe the infinity of Christ, “from everlasting to everlasting.” In other words, from the everlasting eternity of the past to the everlasting eternity of the future. That this passage from the Psalms has express reference to Christ is clearly seen by comparing it with a similar passage in Isaiah. The prophet tells the incarnation of Christ thus: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulders and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” Isa. 9:6. Here the name God” is applied to the Son, and also the “everlasting Father.” The Apostle Paul in the first chapter of Hebrews quoting from the forty-fifth Psalm, verse six, makes use of exactly the same expression.

“Old Testament Writers
It is in this light that. Christ is understood and portrayed by all the Old Testament writers, not a Christ of a corning age; but a Christ then present; not a Christ whose beginning dated from his birth in human form amid the humble surroundings of a Judean stable, but one who was everlasting, all-powerful, and co-existent with the Father; not a son merely of Joseph the carpenter, but the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

“Christ Himself Speaks
Over and over again we are told that the Father and Son are one, one in work, in purpose, in plan. Says Christ: ‘My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” John 5: 17. “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that. I speak unto you I speak not of myself, but the Father that, dwelleth in me he doeth the works.’

“In every purpose and work of the Father in the past, the Son had a part. They worked together in the creation of this and other worlds, in laying the plan of man’s salvation and redemption. The Apostle Paul declares of Christ: “He is before all things, and by him all things consist.” “And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence; for it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.” Col. 1:17-19.”

In All Things … The Pre-eminence
By J. S. James
*The Oriental Watchman 1911 Vol. 14 No. 2
*The Oriental Watchman and Herald of Health July 1927

“THERE is nothing connected with the origin of the human race on the sphere in which they dwell which in the beginning does not find its cause and centre in Jesus Christ. When the Father in the eternity of the past proposed to bring the universe into being and people the world with creatures made in his own image, he at the same time made choice of one through whom he should act and speak, and employ as his agent in fulfilling all his will. That one was Jesus Christ. …”

“A son bears the same name as his father. Jesus Christ is “the only begotten of the Father” and would therefore very naturally bear his Father’s name. Being the “only begotten,” no other creature in all the universe save Jesus Christ can rightly be called by such a name. We get our names by inheritance. Jesus Christ came by the name of God in like manner, being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name then they. …”

“The work of Christ, the Word, is pre-eminent in the work of creation. To him alone was given the exalted privilege of executing all its details. “For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.” Col. 1:19.”

The Pre-existence of Christ
By E. Hilliard
Signs of the Times Australia – August 28, 1911

Before any creature or thing, animate or inanimate, was brought into existence, Christ was one with the Father and shared His glory. He was, and still is, the express image of His Father’s person. He was appointed heir of all things, and all the worlds we
re made by His infinite, creative power. Heb. I:1-3…

…These false doctrines and also the doctrine that Christ did not corporally exist with His Father in the beginning, are not only a denial of the plainest Bible statements, but they rob Christ of the great sacrifice He made in yielding up the glory which He had with the Father before the world was and taking upon Him the nature of man.

…To us it seems to require greater credulity to endorse these unnatural, unscriptural theories than it does to endorse the plain scriptural doctrine of the pre-existence of Christ. THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT HE WAS THE FIRST BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER, that He partook of the Father’s divine nature and stood upon an equality with Him.

The True Basis of Unity
By J. S. James
The Oriental Watchman – August 1912

”Throughout the earthly life of Christ we hear him making continual reference to his unity with the Father, both before and after his incarnation in human tlesh. He was in the beginning with the Father (Prov. 8:22-30.) before the world was made and through him the Father brought all things into existence. Heb.1:2. They worked together when man was made (Gen 1:26,27.); and when through transgression man lost his holy character and was separated from God, the Son offered to give his life at an appointed time for man’s redemption. Rev. 13:8; John 3:16. During his public ministry he said before the cabalistic Jews, “I and my Father are one.” John 10:30. When the propriety of his performing certain works contrary to the established traditions of the people was questioned, he said, “my Father worketh hitherto, and I work;” “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day.” John 5:17, 9:1.4.”

The Preexistence of Christ
H. SHULTZ
Review & Herald – November 21, 1912

“…THE WORDS OF THE FATHER ARE, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Gen.1:26. This language the THE FATHER ADDRESSED TO THE SON, “by whom also he made the worlds.” Heb. 1:2. At the creation of the world, Christ was the brightness of the Father’s glory, THE EXPRESS IMAGE OF HIS PERSON; and it is he that upholds all things by the word of his power. …”

“Surely words could not make it more plain that Jesus Christ EXISTED WITH THE FATHER LONG BEFORE OUR LITTLE WORLD WAS CREATED, and that he had a glory with the Father before this world existed, WHICH IS SO FAR BEYOND OUR HUMAN COMPREHENSION he desires his faithful followers to see it. John 17:5-24.

This same Christ, THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER, the second person in the Godhead, who made all things, and who upholds all things by the word of his power, is to be honored even as we honor the Father. John 5:23. THEY WHO HONOR NOT THE SON DO NOT HONOR THE FATHER; worship is due the Father and the Son alike. Therefore to worship the Father and’ not the Son is to disobey God, and hence IS NO WORSHIP AT ALL; for we are commanded to worship the Lord, even the Son of God. Ps. 45:6-11, “0 come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” Ps. 95:6. The Lord our Maker is Christ, the Son of God. Col. 7:14-18; Heb. 1:2. “0 worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.” Ps. 96:9. Not only are men, women, and children to worship Christ the Lord, but even all the angels are commanded to worship the Son of God. Heb. 1:6. Yes, LET US WORSHIP THE FATHER AND ALSO THE SON. Yea, let this be my shame that I no more revere his name.”

Lodi, Cal

How Old is The Law?
HENRY E. ALSTON
The Gospel Herald – June 1916

AEONS BEFORE THE EXISTENCE OF ANY CREATURE, CHRIST THE FIRSTBORN SPRUNG FROM THE FATHER. Col. 1:14, Psalms 2:7. By inspiration David tells us that it was the delight of the Son to, do the”Father’s will and that His law was within His heart. Psalms 40:7,8.

Questions & Bible Answers
Author unknown-possibly W. T. Bartlett*
Present Truth – April 26, 1915, No. 34, pg. 538

The Sons of God. 

“Please reconcile these passages: ‘God sent His only begotten Son into the world’ (1 John iv. 9); and ‘The sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord ‘ (Job i 6); also ‘The sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair.’

“THE texts quoted show that Jesus Christ IS THE SON OF GOD IN A UNIQUE SENSE. Human beings are sons of God first by creation, and then by adoption, BUT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD BY BIRTH, ‘having become by so much better than the angels, as He hath inherited a more excellent name than they.’ Heb. i. 4, R.V.

“We make a somewhat similar distinction between the works of our hands, which we sometimes call the offspring of our brain or of our skill, and our own sons and daughters. Into the former we put a certain degree of effort; INTO THE LATTER WE PUT OUR VERY SELVES. So while both men and angels each reveal something of the wonderful power of God, IN CHRIST ALL THE FULLNESS OF THE GODHEAD DWELLS BODILY.

“The angels are spoken of as sons of God. Job xxxviii. 7. Adam was made a son of God. Luke iii. 38. All Christians bear the same name. 1 John iii. 2. We can all look up to God and call Him ‘Our Father.’ YET ALTHOUGH THE ANGELS AND MEN ARE SONS OF GOD, THEY HAVE NOT INHERITED DIVINITY: they rank not with their Creator, but are on a lower level as His creatures: they are not gods by nature. JESUS, ON THE CONTRARY, SHARES ALL THE ATTRIBUTES OF DEITY WITH HIS FATHER: “When He again bringeth in the firstborn into the world He saith, and let all the angels of God worship Him.” Heb. i. 6. NO DISTINCTION IS TO BE MADE BETWEEN THE FATHER AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST IN RESPECT OF WORSHIP. ALL ARE TO HONOUR THE SON, EVEN AS THEY HONOUR THE FATHER. John v. 23. So we conclude that Christ, AS THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD, DIFFERS IN NO WISE FROM THE FATHER. ONE IS TO BE WORSHIPPED AND ADORED AS MUCH AS THE OTHER.

“Into the subject of the relation existing between God and His only-begotten Son, it is impossible for created minds to enter. It is as easy for us to comprehend God as it would be for one of the lower animals to appreciate fully the nature of a human being. But although we cannot understand the nature and the oneness existing between Christ and His Father, we may grasp what is meant by the statement that we ourselves are the sons of God. To the very fullest extent of our capacity for sonship we may realize the truth that God is our Father. It will be our highest wisdom to prove to the utmost the advantages of this relation, and reverently to accept whatever God is able to disclose to our finite understanding as to the nature of the tie between Himself and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

*Having checked through multiple Present Truth papers between 1910-15, It is seen Bartlett as the editor throughout 1916 papers. Present Truth seems to have had problems noting the editors consistently in different years.

The Deity of Christ
George Teasdale
Signs of the Times November 27, 1916, pg. 759

WHEN Christ was persecuted by the Jews because He said “that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God,” He replied, “There is another that beareth witness of Me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of Me is true. Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.” Knowing that the people would question the evidence of John, Christ continued, “But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.”

“…The Scriptures were His credentials that He was the Son of God. IF HE IS THE SON OF GOD, THEN HE IS ABSOLUTELY DIVINE, and also absolutely human; not, as some teach, half God and half man. With this agree also the words of the Father as recorded in the first chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews:—

“Unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, 0 God, is forever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom.” The divinity of the Son is here expressly stated. WHEN THE FATHER ADDRESSES HIS SON AS GOD, ALL CONTROVERSY ON THE POINT SHOULD BE ENDED. That word would make Him God, even if He were not God before. THEN IN ORDER THAT NO MISTAKE MAY BE MADE CONCERNING THEIR RELATIVE POSITIONS, the Father in the following verse, says, “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; THEREFORE GOD, EVEN THY GOD, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows.” Also in another place the same principle is plainly stated: “When all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself BE SUBJECT UNTO HIM that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.”

The Son, we are told, is “better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. HE IS THE FATHER’S BEGOTTEN SON; THEY ARE NOT. “And again, when He bringeth in the first begotten into the world, He saith, And let all the angels of God worship Him.” The position of Christ can thus be summarily stated: In the universe He occupies the place NEXT TO THE FATHER, WITH THE TITLE OF GOD. HE IS SUBJECT TO THE FATHER, but above the angels, who are commanded to worship Him.”

In a Bible Conference session in the year 1919, concerning “The Person of Christ”, led by W.W. Prescott, W.T. Knox says, “… I do believe that the Lord has given us glimpses in his Word; which he has Intentionally placed there, to draw our minds out into the contemplation of truths concerning God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost.…I believe in the trinity of God, and I believe that Jesus is God…. and yet he goes onto say:

“Now again the servant of God speaks of the Son as the first created being. I never saw that and never believe that, but it speaks of him as having sprung forth from the bosom of the Father. Now the Word also speaks of Levi paying tithes while he was in the loins of Abraham. Now it would have been equally true if the Lord’s Spirit had carried the acts of Levi back to the time when he was in the loins of Adam. From God’s viewpoint Levi had existed in the loins of his forefathers from the very beginning of time, but he did not have a separate existence until he was born. [A]nd so Christ was with the Father, and of the Father—from eternity and there came a time—in a way, we cannot comprehend nor the time that we cannot comprehend, when by God’a mysterious operation the Son SPRUNG from the-bosom of his Father and had a separate existence… I believe in the eternity of Jesus Christ. I cannot grasp the eternity of his separate and distinct existence.” W. T. Knox, 1919 Bible Conference; pg 63, 64.

Source; https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Resources/1919BC/RBC19190706.pdf

The Twofold Mission of Christ
Herbert. M. Kelley
Review and Herald – July 1, 1920

https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/RH/RH19200701-V97-27.pdf

God Misrepresented by Satan

The character of God had been misrepresented by Satan; and the offer of GOD THE FATHER TO GIVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, and the willingness of the Son to give himself for the lost, removed suspicion respecting the character of God from the minds of all the heavenly Intelligences. Christ cleared up the situation by manifesting the character of God in man on earth. It was not strange that HE, BEING GOD, could reveal the character of God in himself; but the mystery lies in his ability to impart the righteousness of his own character to others, enabling them to show forth his praises, and thus undo what sin has wrought…

…Qualifications of the Mediator

Certain qualifications were requisite on the part of the mediator, and the high character of the parties to be reconciled made the demands exalted and imperative. God was one of these parties, and he was infinite; man was the other, and he was finite. The requirements were that the mediator be the ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER, THE SON OF GOD, DEITY INCARNATE; and ALL THIS HE WAS and even more,— HE WAS ONE WITH GOD, HE WAS GOD; AND BEING GOD, HE WAS POSSESSED OF INFINITE QUALIFICATIONS; and being the Son of man, the seed of the woman, he is our elder brother, and finite — the INFINITE-finite Mediator.

Christ’s Picture of the Modern Church
Taylor G. Bunch
Signs of the Times January 4, 1927

The Author of the letter further declares Himself to be “the Beginning of the creation of God” (Revelation 3: 14), or the “Beginning and Lord of God’s creation.”—Weymouth Translation. THIS CAN NOT MEAN THAT CHRIST WAS THE FIRST CREATED BEING, FOR HE IS THE ‘ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER.” It rather signifies that all created things had their beginning with Christ, the agent of God’s creation. That all things were created by Christ as the spokesman of the Godhead is ‘abundantly proved by many Scriptures. See Hebrews I:I, 2; Ephesians 3:9; John 1:1-3 ; Colossians I:13-16.

What is the Earth’s Oldest Memorial?
By D. H. Kress, M.D.
Signs of the Times – February 5, 1923
The Canadian Watchmen – May 1928

“The Son of God as Creator
In His creative work God the Father had an associate. He said, “Let Us make man in Our image and after our likeness.” Gen. 1:26. The being thus addressed was none other than the Son of God, for He alone was the express image of His Father. (Heb. 1:3.)

“In referring to Christ as the Creator of all things Paul says, “God hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds.” Heb. 1:1,2. By inheritance, as the only begotten Son of God, He obtained the name of His Father. “Being made so much better than the angels He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” Heb. 1:4. “Of the angels He saith, who maketh His angels min
istering spirits… but unto the son He saith, Thy throne 0 God, is forever and ever.” Heb. 1:7, 8.

“This explains the familiar scripture “In the beginning was the Word.” John 1:1. That this refers to Christ is evident from the fourteenth verse “The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.” “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God …all things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made—He was in the world and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received him not.” John 1:1-11.”

The following two statemens are from Ellen White. They are from letters to D. R. Kress, referenced inTerry Hill’s paper, “A study of the Godhead – as it pertains to Seventh-day Adventism.” These two statements provide some additional context to what D. H. Kress believed regarding the Son of God?

“We are God’s commandment-keeping people. For the past fifty years every phase of heresy has been brought to bear upon us, to becloud our minds regarding the teaching of the word, –especially concerning the ministration of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, and the message of heaven for these last days, as given by the angels of the fourteenth chapter of Revelation. Messages of every order and kind have been urged upon Seventh-day Adventists, to take the place of the truth which, point by point, has been sought out by prayerful study, and testified to by the miracle-working power of the Lord” (Ellen White, Letter 95, 1905, To Dr. and Mrs. Daniel Kress, March 14, 1905, see also Special Testimonies Series B. No. 2 page 59 ‘The Foundation of Our Faith”)

“When I read in the Bible of how many refused to believe that Christ was the Son of God, sadness fills my heart. We read that even His own brethren refused to believe in Him.” (Ellen G. White, letter to Dr. and Mrs. D. H. Kress, Letter 398, Dec. 26, 1906)

Dropping the Plot
Varner J. Johns
Present Truth – January 31, 1924

The Lord Jesus Christ IS REGARDED AS THE “ONLY-BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD”, “and as the One “Who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature: for by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him.”

How can we become Immortal?
George W. Rine
Signs of the Times – March 30, 1926, Pg. 10

“That Life is in His Son”
Read the inspired and inspiring assurance given us in verse II, chapter 5, of I John: “This is the record, that God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.” Observe, please, that eternal life is not in us, but IN HIS SON. The reader is aware that most persons,—many of whom love and revere Jesus,—believe that they themselves are deathless, that they possess an immortal personality, or soul. This belief is, however, in flat contradiction to the plain, uniform teaching of Christ through His word. Recall the inspired assertion, “THAT LIFE IS IN HIS SON.” How naturally and logically the statements of verse 12 follow, “He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life”! If I, by faith, have Jesus, I have everything that He has; for in giving His Son, God has, with Him, freely given us all things. (Romans 8:32.) Concerning Jesus, John testifies: “In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.” John I:4. In receiving Christ, I RECEIVE THE LIFE THAT IS IN HIM, and, as noted above, HIS LIFE IS TIMELESS, ETERNAL. Inevitably, “he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” Jesus died for the sins of the whole world in order “that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. No words could express more clearly and pointedly the tragic fact that whosoever does not believe in Him will perish, and simply can not have everlasting life. It is evident, therefore, that Jesus is not only the believer’s righteousness and justification, but also his life—his immortality.

In chapter I, verse 17, of I Timothy, the Holy Spirit applies the epithets “eternal” and “immortal” to God; but not once in the whole sweep of the Scriptures are those descriptive terms applied to man. In truth, in 1 Timothy 6:16 we are expressly told that GOD ONLY HAS IMMORTALITY. God inhabits eternity, declares Isaiah; hence, all His attributes are timeless, eternal. He is life, He is immortality. Therefore if I ever possess immortality, I must receive it from God through Christ, WHO IS THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. Of course, Jesus is THE EXPRESS IMAGE OF THE FATHER, so that He could say, in a very real sense, “I and My Father are one.” John 10:30. Now they are one in respect to life, or immortality. Here we are not left to inference. Jesus Himself testifies as follows: As the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself.” John 5:26. Ah. we have a Saviour to whom eternal life—immortality— is ORIGINAL, NATIVE, INHERENT! How fittingly, then, does the Holy Spirit, through Peter, refer to Jesus as “the Prince of life”! That is, Jesus, in God, is the Lord of life— the Author of life, as the margin expresses it. (Acts 3:15.)

The Scientific Aspect of the Plan of Salvation
W. HOWARD JAMES, M.B., B.S 
Signs of the Times Australian- Sept. 13, 1926, pg. 10

Adam was created “a son of God” (Luke 3:38); he was made in the image and likeness of God; had he retained his sonship his children would also have been born sons of God, but in his fallen condition he could reproduce only children in his own condition. After the statement that Adam was created “in the likeness of God” we read: “And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth.” Gen. 5:3. All subsequent children of man consequently are children of flesh; they carry the fallen nature. Christ as the “Son of God,” the begotten of the Highest, bore the perfect divine nature, but as the son of Mary, the Son of man, He inherited the human and fallen nature.

Christ–A Divine or A Human Saviour?
By LYLE C. SHEPARD
The Canadian Watchman September 1927, Pg. 12

In Rev. 3:14 Christ is styled the “beginning of the creation of God.” This can not mean that He was a created being as angels and men are because we are told repeatedly in scripture that He was the only begotten of the Father and dwelt in His Father’s bosom and was thus coexistent with God, the Father. (See John 1:14, 18;3: 16,18; 1 John 4:9) Thus it must be that He was the “beginning of the creation of God” in the sense that created things came into being by His power and through His agency.

The Script
ures Testify that CHRIST FREDERICK C. GILBERT

Signs of the Times – November 8, 1927

Christ is the only One to whom has been given the title, Son of God. He is God’s Son as none other. God has in every way sought to make plain to the children of men that the relationship of Jesus to the Father is unlike the ordinary relationships between man and man, or between man and God…

…But Jesus was and is the Son of God. He emanated from the bosom of the Father. He was with God in the beginning, before the world was. He stands related to Heaven as no man, no angel, no created being, is related. He is above all, superior to all, excelling all in every respect. For Him and by Him all things were made. He inherited divinity. His nature is inherently divine. He is of the Godhead. He and the Father are one. (John 10:30.)

…In the meanwhile, we should be loyal, true, firm, faithfully honoring Jesus, our Friend, Saviour, Substitute, Redeemer, Deliverer, and Restorer, as the Son of the Highest, Co-Creator, the excellent Majesty of heaven, the Heir of all things, the divine Son of God.

The Christ of the Bible (Excerpt)
George W. Shone
Review and Herald – May 23, 1929

In the study of the Bible, and especially of the Old Testament, to which Christ referred in the above statements, there are two important facts which must not be lost sight of, otherwise we are in danger of losing the way in our search for the one who is the theme of the book. These facts are:
(1) That in all the purposes of God the Father, He counsels with His Son, and it is the Son who is the a tive agent in accomplishing the divine purpose in everything;
(2) That when Adam sinned, direct comunion between God the Father and the human race was cut off, and was not restored until the Son of God took our nature and became the Son of Man, and the voice of the Father was heard at the baptism of Jesus, speaking to His Son as the representative to humanity. In the interim, all intercourse between heaven and earth was through the Son.

Christ – The Creator
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Gen. 1:1. That more than one person is here spoken of is evident from the twenty-sixth verse, “God said, Let us make an in our image, after our likeness.” There we are introduced to the counsel between the Father and the Son in the purpose to create man; but it was the Son who “created” and “made,” for we read again: “These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that Jehovah God made earth and heaven.” “And Jehovah God formed an of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Gen. 2:4,7.

The name “Jehovah” means the “covenant God”, the “Deliverer;” also means the “self-existing” God prerogative which Christ claims for Himself, see John 5:26). The name “Jehovah” is ‘applied to the Son of God, as His distinguishing title.

…. The thought that “in Him were all
things created” indicates that when the Son was begotten of the Father, in the days of eternity, all the power of creation was in Him; and when the time came, in the divine purpose for its accomplishment, He simply spoke all things into being. So we read: “By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.” “For He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.” Ps. 33:6,9.

A careful reading of the first chapter of Hebrews reveals the fact that the Father Himself attributes to the Son the work of creation, and calls Him “God,” a name which is His by inheritance from His Father.

The following is the concluding article. But again it’s only a portion. What I have shared here talks about Christ dwelling in us.

The Christ of the Bible (Conclusion)
George W. Shone
Reciew & Herald May 30, 1929

We have already seen that Christ is our righteousness; therefore, when Christ dwells in the heart by faith, we have righteousness by faith.

Some one may ask, How can Christ dwell in me? This question evidently arose in Paul’s day, and the answer is recorded “for our learning:” “The righteousness which is of faith saith thus, Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down:) or, Who shall descend into the abyss? (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in’ thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach.” Rom. 10:6-8. (Compare verse 17.)

The word of God received into the heart, to control and mold the life, is receiving Christ to dwell in the heart, directing the life in everything; for Christ is the Word that was from the beginning. When we thus receive Christ in His word to dwell in us, we receive power, omnipotent power, to save and keep us from all the power of Satan; in other words, to keep us from sinning. “Thy word have I laid up in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” Ps. 119:11. “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for His seed [word, 1 Peter 1:23] remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” 1 John 3:9.

As we feed upon the word for our daily spiritual life, we “grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 3:18. We become “strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might.” Eph. 6:10. And in this way we become sanctified through the word. John 17:17. The same thought is expressed by Peter thus: “Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth.” (“Thy word is truth.”) 1 Peter 1:22. It is through the word that the Spirit bears witness with our spirit, that we are children of God. Rom. 8:16. (Compare Eph. 6:17.)

Selfishness and Satan
HERBERT M. KELLEY
Youth’s Instructor – June 18, 1929 p.3
https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/YI/YI19290618-V77-25.pdf

He envied Christ because of His superiority, and out of the selfishness of his heart, he determined to force himself into a position much to be desired. He thought that his happiness would be full if he could occupy A POSITION EQUAL TO THAT HELD BY THE SON OF GOD. But alas! that beautiful angel learned, as many other sad hearts have learned, that suffering and misery await him who lives for self alone. NOT SIMPLY BECAUSE CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD, BUT BECAUSE HE IS DIVINELY QUALIFIED, will He be crowned King of kings and Lord of lords. IT PLEASED THE FATHER THAT IN HIM SHOULD ALL FULLNESS DWELL, AND THESE INHERENT QUALIFICATIONS FITTED HIM TO BE IN THE HIGHEST PLACE IN ALL THE UNIVERSE OF GOD. Lucifer was equally fitted to fill the position given him, but because of the selfishness born in his heart, he became discontented with the position he held and desired for himself a higher place.

THERE WAS ONLY ONE POSITION HIGHER THAN THAT HELD BY LUCIFER AND THAT WAS HELD BY CHRIST. Suppose Lucifer should have been promoted to the position above, the one held by Christ. In the very nature of the case the angel just below should have been promoted to t
he position formerly occupied by Lucifer, and so on down until every angel would have been promoted, leaving the lowest place unoccupied. In the scheme of Lucifer, CHRIST WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPEACHED AND DETHRONED, AND THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO PLACE LEFT FOR HIM but the lowest place in the whole realm of God. Moreover, every angel was created and qualified to fill the original position occupied, and of course was unprepared to fill any higher position. Therefore, in Lucifer’s scheme, if it had carried, the whole organization of the universe would have been destroyed, and all because one angel wanted to live for self!

The Offering He Made
G. G. Stewart
Signs of The Times January 27, 1930

“No fact is more clearly revealed in Scripture than that Christ, prior to His incarnation, was on an EQUALITY WITH HIS FATHER. In the opening verses of Hebrews He is referred to as Creator of the worlds, and upholder and heir of all things. Further, in Phil. 2:6 the writer states, “He thought it not a prize which must not slip from His grasp to be equal with God.” (Lightfoot’s translation.) “From the days of eternity the Lord Jesus Christ was one with the Father.” Although on an equality He did not hesitate, nor was He reluctant to take a lower place.”

“It was man who had sinned and by man he must be redeemed. THE SON OF GOD, a member of the heavenly family BY VIRTUE OF HIS BEING BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER, must descend to the level of humanity in order to pay the penalty for the human race…”

“Or Ever the Earth Was”
By MARGARET W. LOCKE
Review and Herald – May 29, 1930, Pg.10

THERE are many who do not believe in the pre-existence of Christ. They do not believe that Christ lived before He came as a babe in Bethlehem’s manger. John 3:16 says, “He [God] gave His only begotten Son.” ONE MUST POSSESS IN ORDER TO GIVE, so if the eternal God gave Christ, His Son, HE MUST HAVE POSSESSED HIM BEFORE He was able to give Him to a guilty race.

In John 1:1 we read : “In the beginning was the Word.” John 1:14 says, “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” The first fourteen verses of the first chapter of John prove the Word to be God the Son who was in the beginning with God the Father. Not only did HE HAVE EXISTENCE IN THE BEGINNING WITH HIS FATHER, but as stated in the third verse, “All things were made by Him ; and without Him was not anything made that was made.” The tenth verse says plainly that “the world was made by Him,” although the world is ignorant of the fact that He is Creator of all things.

Ephesians 3:9 says that God “created all things by Jesus Christ.” Colossians 1:15 tells us that the Son is the image of God; and verse 16 says, “By Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible: …all things were created by Him, and for Him.”

WE CANNOT draw back the veil which obscures our vision of THE TIME BEFORE THE BEGINNING of our world’s existence, when the Father had only the Son, and the Son the Father; but this we know from the inspired word, that CHRIST WAS POSSESSED BY GOD “in the beginning of His way, before His works of old.” We have the words of Christ Himself in Proverbs 8:23: “I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.” And in the thirtieth verse: “I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him.”

“Let us go back for a moment to the time when THE FATHER AND THE SON WERE IN COUNSEL TOGETHER, planning the creation of this world. Man must be a free moral agent; of that there could be no question. God would not bring into existence beings who were mere machines, devoid of will and opportunity to develop character. Every created being must serve its Creator through love and not through force. This left a possibility for sin to enter, yet everything was done that a loving Father could do to warn man of the deceptions of the one who was bent on leading other souls astray.

GOD’S ONLY SON, the Creator, so loved the creatures of His hand, even before they were formed, that HE COVENANTED WITH HIS FATHER that, should man sin, He would give His life to pay the penalty. He would live the sinless life for sinful man, die the sinner’s death, though Himself guiltless, that those who should accept Him might have life everlasting. Through this plan in the beginning, Christ was the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Rev. 13:8. So “when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law.” Gal. 4:4, 5.”

Up in the courts of glory the angels’ harps were hushed, for their beloved Commander was about to leave them. Through the eye of faith we see Him bidding farewell to His Father and to the glorious beings of His creation; through faith we see Him standing before them all in the beauty of His holiness, and then through faith we believe that He was seen no more by them—He was gone. He had stepped “out of the ivory palaces, into a world of woe;” His place in heaven was vacant. All the angelic host and sinless beings of other worlds watched with intense interest the birth and development of the child in whom was centered the destiny of the millions of this earth.

“Or ever the earth was,” the plan was laid. Before He made us He loved us, and, 0 matchless love! He was willing to die that we, through believing in Him, might not perish, but have everlasting life!

“Thy Maker Is Thine Husband”
By WALTER ALFRED NELSON
Review and Herald – July 17, 1930, pg. 6

“Surrounded by the splendors of heaven and clothed in celestial glory, the Son of God is seen in counsel with the Eternal Father. They are looking down upon the human race bound in the servitude of Satan. Because of a love shared equally between them, the Son goes forth from the presence of the Father, leaving behind Him the glories of eternity. He takes upon Himself the form of humanity, and enters the realm of the enemy of God and man, that He may woo and win the children of this world, and unite them to Himself to share the great inheritance of the glorious kingdom of God.

“In order to win and unite with Himself a people, the One who was made “in the form of God,” being “the express image of His person,” and who thought it not robbery to consider Himself “equal with God,” this One “was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross…”

“God With Us”
W. T. Bartlett
Present Truth December 4, 1930

“…Although HE NEVER CEASED TO BE THE SON OF GOD, yet He was in every sense the Son of man.”

“Jesus is still our Kinsman, bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh, yet there is nothing in His risen humanity that limits or irks His divinity. He is today, in His human nature, as much higher than the angels as HE WAS ORIGINALLY THEIR SUPERIOR BY VIRTUE OF HIS BIRTHRIGHT AS THE ONLY-BEGOTTEN SON. (Heb. 1:4.) The resources of heaven are just as subject to His will as they ever were. Now He delights to employ them all in the enterprise of bringing a great multitude of His earthly brethren to share in His own high estate.”

MARIE’S CONVERSION
By MARGARET W. LOCKE
Signs of the Times Canadian – June 1931, Pg. 11

Christ existed before this world was made. His Father possessed Him in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. Prov. 8:22, 23. Christ said He was by His Father’s side when the foundations of the earth were laid. Prov. 8:29,30. How plain it was made to her that God the Father so loved His Son that He bestowed upon Him power to create all the planets and to fashion upon each the first pair, who should be the progenitors of their races. John 1:3. Nothing was created, but by the hand of Jesus Christ. Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:16; Hebrews 1:2.

Whence Came Satan?” Did God Create the Devil?”
Herbert M. Kelley
The Canadian Watchman – October 1, 1933, p. 6

“The real question involved in this controversy is that of the Sonship of Christ. Is He God’s only begotten Son? The answer to this question is the answer to every other spiritual and moral question that can possibly arise. The question was first raised by Lucifer, the first of all the angels. The question involves principles that are eternal and strikes at the root of a fundamental law of heaven.”

“…’I will declare the decree: the Lord has said unto Me, Thou are My Son; this day have I begotten Thee.’ Ps. 2:7. The apostle Paul, in Acts 13:33, applies this text to the resurrection of Christ when He was brought again from the dead; But before the resurrection, even before He came to earth, Christ was God’s only-begotten Son. When God gave Christ in the beginning, He gave His “only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Paul meant to convey the thought that just as surely as Christ was begotten in the first place, just in the same sense was He begotten when He was raised from the dead.

“The resurrection did not make Christ God’s only begotten Son… Back in eternity somewhere, in some way unknown, Christ was begotten…”

Who Is the DEVIL?
by GEORGE T. SMISOR
Signs of the Times – July 14, 1936 p.11

https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/ST/ST19360714-V63-27.pdf

A correct understanding of the nature of Christ is essential to a correct understanding of the problem of evil…

When Christ came to earth, John says that He possessed “the glory as of the only begotten of the Father.” John 1:14. The character of God is made known to man by “the only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father.” Verse 18. Again John repeats this thought in that very familiar text, “God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son.” John 3:16. In the Greek “only begotten” is one word, monogenes, which means “only born ,” “only child.” This expression, applied to Christ, clearly implies that Christ is the only-born Son of God, and by the very fact of being born of God, He of necessity partakes of the nature and essence of God, just as a human son partakes of the nature and essence of his human father. Then Christ is God.

…A prophecy of Christ says of His eternal existence: “Out of thee [Bethlehem] shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of eternity.” Micah 5:2, margin. Sometime in this vast, incomprehensible eternity of the past, the Father and Son set about the work of creating worlds and intelligent beings. In this work the Father became the passive agent in creation and the Son became the active agent. In association with God, Christ holds the most exalted position in the universe. “He [Christ] is a likeness of the unseen God, born before any creature, for it was through Him that everything was created in heaven and on earth, the seen and the unseen, angelic thrones, dominions, principalities, authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. He existed before all things and He sustains and embraces them all.” Colossians 1:15-17, Goodspeed’s translation.

…Contrary to the common notion, Lucifer, as he was called before his fall (Isaiah 14:12), was created beautiful; and since he “sealed up the sum,” he must have been the highest of God’s creation, the one next to the Son of God… Isaiah gives us a glimpse into the heart of Lucifer. “Thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.” Isaiah 14:13, 14.

Since Lucifer stood next to Christ in heaven, he felt that he should be permitted to share in the counsels between the Father and the Son. He was the highest angel in heaven, and the most wise and beautiful. and surely he ought to be consulted on the plans of creating worlds and suns and creatures.Why could he not be on an equality with Christ? But Lucifer had his place to fill in heaven, which was circumscribed by the law of his creation. Since he was not permitted to share in the secret councils of Father and Son, he began an insidious attack against the goodness of God and the justice of His law. He presented his case to one angel after another, insinuating that God was unjust toward him and toward all the angels. God bore long with Lucifer in his rebellion, much longer perhaps than he bears with man in his sins, and yet God’s love toward man is so great that He “is long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9.

…It was Satan’s scheme to become equal with Christ; but this could never be, for Christ was the only begotten of the Father. the same essence as God, and hence God the Son…

The Sonship and Deity of Christ
By T. M. F.
Review & Herald May 20, 1937

“Through Whom the Worlds Were Made
Having introduced the Son, the apostle immediately sets Him forth in His exalted position with the Father from the days of eternity. Paul declares the Son to be the “heir of all things, by whom also He [God] made the worlds.” Verse 2. In the tenth verse the apostle evidently refers to Psalms 102:25-27 (Septuagint) when he sets forth the Son as the Creator of the heavens and the earth. “Thou, Lord, in the beginning bast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of Thine hands.” For comment on the association of the Son with His Fa
ther in the work of creation…”

In the Express Image of God
Continuing his discourse concerning the Son, Paul says of Him: “Who being the brightness of His [God’s] glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Verse 3. It would seem that the apostle is endeavoring to show that Christ was indeed the very Son of God in every respect. He bore the likeness of His Father, even “the express image of His person.” Man was created “in the image of God,” after His “likeness” (Gen.1:26, 27); but the Son, begotten of the Father, bore the “express image of His person.”

We quote from “Patriarchs and Prophets,” page 45:
“Man was to bear God’s image, both in outward resemblance and in character. Christ alone is ‘the express image’ of the Father; but man was formed in the likeness of God.”

The Deity of the Son
The establishing of Christ’s sonship likewise proves His deity. The Son possesses all the powers of the Father. Since the Father is God, the Son also is God. The Son not only “by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they [the angels],” but He possesses the very nature of His Father. He is the second person of the heavenly trinity. (See Matt.28:19.) Commenting on this verse, the messenger of the Lord has said: “There are three living persons of the heavenly trio; in the name of these three great powers—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—those who receive Christ by living faith are baptized.”—”Special Testimonies,” Series B, No. 7, p. 62.

Concerning the sonship of Christ, the apostle Paul quotes from Psalms 2:7, 8: “I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto Me, Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee. Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession.” (Compare with Heb. 1:5.)”

Are you Intellectually Honest
By Margaret Locke
The Watchmen Magazine March 1938, Pg. 16

“Yes. I can imagine it’s very interesting and fascinating if one can understand it. But you know—this puzzles me, Jack—some say Christ lived before He was born here upon earth, and others say His first existence was in the manger of Bethlehem. I’d like to know what you think about it, and why Christ had to die for sinners.”

“Well, first of all,” began Mr. Nicholson, “there is a Supreme Ruler, or Governor, Fred. There can be no government without law. The laws of a monarchy express the character of the monarch. God being perfect, His law expressing His character must be perfect. Any violation of that perfect law calls for the death of the transgressor. Heaven and other inhabited spheres are real places, the inhabitants are real intelligences—as real as you and I. They have real pursuits and happiness, and there is peace and harmony. This harmony cannot be marred by the existence of sin and sinners.

“The Bible says, ‘God is love.’ That means, of course, that love is one of the strongest attributes of His character. God’s love for His Son was so great that He bestowed upon Him all power and wisdom. We read that GOD POSSESSED HIS SON ‘in the beginning of His way, before His works of old.’ [Proverbs 8: 22.] Speaking of Himself through His inspired servant Solomon, CHRIST CONTINUES: ‘I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was,’ and in the 30th verse: ‘I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him.’ We all know the much quoted and loved verse, John 3:16: ‘For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ He `so loved that He gave.’ ONE MUST FIRST POSSESS IN ORDER TO GIVE. Ephesians 3: 9 says: God ‘created all things by Jesus Christ.’ Colossians 1:15 says the Son is the image of His Father, and verse 16 says: `By Him [Christ] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible: …all things were created by Him, and for Him.’

“Christ, having been endowed with creative power, brought into existence the angels of heaven. ….”

“This planet was new-born. GOD HAD SAID TO HIS SON: `Let us make man in our image, after our likeness!….

God Revealed to Men
By A. R. Ogden
Signs of the Times – December 16, 1941, Pg. 12

“By leaving heaven and coming to earth to dwell with men, living in and with humanity, Jesus revealed God to men. He was in reality the word of God— God’s thought made visible and audible. He was “Immanuel… God with us.” in Matthew 1:23. BEING MADE IN THE VERY IMAGE OF HIS FATHER FROM THE DAYS OF ETERNITY, He could declare perfectly the love and character of the Father. To manifest this glory of the Father, Christ came from heaven to earth as the living Word. Thus the Word from heaven took upon Himself humanity that He might reach and succor humanity.”

Christ in All the Bible
By Roy Franklin Cottrell
Signs of the Times – August 18, 1942

“With the dawn of sacred history Father and Son are seen associated together in the creation of this world. In the Genesis record the expression, “Let Us make man in Our image,” indicates partnership and co-operation; …

“As his birthright legacy, a son inherits the family name from his earthly father, so Christ inherited from His Father “a more excellent name” than any of the angels; and the above quotation states the remarkable fact that the Father Himself conferred upon His “only-begotten Son” the name and title of God.”

Bible Lessons
Dallas Youngs
Signs of the Times – Januuary 1, 1946, Pg. 13

When was the Son brought forth?
“The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: while as yet He had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When He prepared the heavens, I was there: when He set a compass upon the face of the depth: …when He gave to the sea His decree, that the waters should not pass His commandment: when He appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before him.” Proverbs 8:22-30.

Before any other creature was given life, God brought forth His Son, His only begotten Son, made of His own divine substance and in His express image. Christ was “first-born.” The Son was given self-existent life. He was made immortal; that is, He was given perpetual life
within Himself.

Bible Answers – Dallas Youngs
The Signs of The Times Canada – January 1951

Dear Bible Answerman: I read in the Bible that some of the leading Jews found fault with Christ for claiming power to forgive sin. Does Christ have power to forgive sin the same as the Father?

When Christ was upon earth He affirmed His power to forgive sin. “The Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins.” Luke 5:24. Christ set this forth as one of the evidences of His divinity. The Pharisees and other leading Jews of the time, not recognizing His divinity, naturally denied His power to forgive sin. They maintained that only God was able to do that. The point wherein the Pharisees failed was that they did not see Jesus as the Divine Son of God. They saw Him only as another man such as they themselves.

It was very true that, as the Pharisees said, only God could forgive sin. But Christ was God. He was as divine as His Father in heaven. He was of the same substance and essence as His Father. He was a member of the divine Family, and as fully God, and as fully possessed of the divine nature, as was the Father.

This does not seem too hard to comprehend. We have children that are born of our flesh. They possess our human natures in the identical degree that we do. An infant a day old is a human being, and is as fully possessed of human nature as his father, who may be a man of thirty or forty. Human fathers have the ability to transmit their natures to their offspring. Is it unthinkable, then, that the divine Father would not have the ability to transmit His “divine” nature to His Son?

The power of God should not be so abridged. Some texts may prove helpful. “As the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself.” John 5:26. “In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins: who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.” Colossians 1:14,15. “Unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the beginning of the creation of God.” Revelation 3:14. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

God had a Son—one only-begotten Son –upon whom He conferred His own divine nature and all power— all divine power. And prominent among these divine prerogatives was the power to forgive sins.

Bible Answers (Dallas Youngs)
How is it that Christ has power to forgive sins the same as does the Father? It is true that Christ has power to Forgive sins.
Signs of the Times – June 1954, Pg. 5

He affirmed that fact when He was upon earth. “The Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins.” Luke 5:24. Christ has this power because it was given Him of His Father. It is resident in the fact that Christ is God (divine) the same as is God the Father. He belongs to the divine family because He is the only begotten Son of God. God gave His Son all the powers and prerogatives of deity. “For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself.” John 5:26.

In giving consideration to this question we do well to remember that Christ did not begin His existence at the time of His birth of the virgin. He who gave His life a ransom for sinners existed with the Father from the beginning. Paul says: “In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature.” Colossians 1:14, 15.

Christ, as Paul says, was “first born.” He was before any creature in the universe. Of course we do not believe that He was born in the sense that humans are propagated, but He was given existence in the divine way. He is of the same essence and substance as the Father. He partook of the same divine powers, among which was the power to Forgive sins. From Revelation we read: “Unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.” Revelation 3:14.

Christ can forgive sins the same as the Father because He is divine and so possessed of all the prerogatives of divinity.

Statements below that show how Seventh-Day Adventists viewed the conflict in heaven and understood the positions of the heavenly beings.

While you can come to these conclusions from the Bible, it must be noted that much of what they shared would have come from how any clear thinking person would interpret what Ellen White says on this topic. The Bible gives a few details, but the Spirit revealed so much more to Ellen White on this topic throughout her life. Thus the opinions drawn here by these men would reflect the general Adventist view held and how they viewed the Inspired statements on this matter.

COLUMBIA UNION VISITOR
October 5, 1910
The Origin of Sin and its Final Extermination – 0.J. GIBSON

“The high honors conferred upon Lucifer were not appreciated, FOR THERE WAS ONE, THE SON OF GOD, whose position was more exalted, who had been one with the Father in the work of creation and had shared the Father’s counsels. And this exaltation of the Son he looked at as an injustice, until he ventured to covet the honors of his Maker.”

COLUMBIA UNION VISITOR Jan. 27, 1909
*Published again in 1916 in Review & Herald May 18 and Northern Union Reaper Aug 29
The Shibboleth Of Apostasy – G.B. Thompson

“I refer to Lucifer, who is now the devil. He was then in heaven. He had been appointed to a high and holy office. His position was near the throne; he was its lightbearer and attendant. HE WAS THE THIRD FROM THE HEAD, THE FATHER AND SON ALONE being above him in position. But Lucifer did not like the idea of being the third from the top, he wanted to be first, to be at the top ; and because he was not first was clear evidence to his mind that there was a tyranny set up, and a despot on the throne of universal sovereignty. He pointed to the fact that GOD HAD PLACED HIS SON at the head of affairs in heaven as evidence that something was the matter. He did not believe in anybody’s being at the ” head.” Doubtless he might have viewed things differently, though, had he been placed at the head.”

Review & Herald 1913, The Great Exchange – H. A. WEAVER

“Lucifer’s was the covering cherub on God’s throne. Eze. 28: 14. ONLY TWO STOOD ABOVE HIM IN POWER, God the Father and God the Son.”

”The Great War” The Youth’s Instructor – Sept 14, 1915
Published again in signs of the Times June 18, 1918 and The Oriental Watchman 1929

“While Lucifer in heaven occupied a highly exalted station, there were Beings who were far above him. THESE WERE THE FATHER AND SON. The angels worshiped the Father as Creator of all things. The Son was coequal with the Father in creation; and the Father had said, “Let all the angels of God worship Him.” Hebrews 1: 6. Therefore the Son also received the worship of the heavenly host, and the worship of Lucifer with the rest. The Son of God was supreme over all the works of creation; for He was “the express image” of the Father’s person, “the brightness of His glory,” and He upheld “all things by the word of His power.” Hebrews 1: 3. High over all the angels of heaven He reigned, and over the unnumbered intelligences of the other worlds; and His rule was a rule of love. The angels delighted to serve and obey Him.”

The Principle underlying the Tithing System
By A. G. Daniels
The Church Officer’s Gazette – October 1917

“1. Lucifer denied God’s right to withhold anything from him. In “The Great Controversy,” page 494, we read: “Coveting the honor which the infinite Father had bestowed upon his Son, this prince of angels aspired to power which it was the prerogative of Christ alone to wield.”

Lucifer stood next to Christ in glory and, power, but he failed to appreciate the great gifts he had received. He coveted the creative power BESTOWED UPON CHRIST, and denied the right of the Father to withhold from him the one great gift.

When Lucifer sought the honor and power bestowed alone upbn the Son of God, he denied God’s right to withhold it from himself.”

Union Conference Record – May 25, 1908
The Baleful Evil of Criticism – J. E. FULTON

“He criticized the government of GOD, he criticized the SON OF GOD, and he criticized all the LOYAL ANGELS who upheld GOD AND HIS SON. This spirit of evil speaking spread to others until a very large number of the angelic host were blinded with its damning influence.”

J.E. White – Past, Present, and Future 1909

“He was, next to GOD AND CHRIST; and is still, the wisest being in the universe”
“Lucifer was, NEXT TO THE SON OF GOD, the commander of the hosts of the heavenly angels”
“Christ STOOD ABOVE HIM, EQUAL WITH THE FATHER. Lucifer decided that by his beauty and attainments he was fitted for a position of equality with God”
“But JEHOVAH COULD NOT PERMIT THIS. He Himself had established the order of heaven. NO CREATED BEING could be equal with God, THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON ALONE could occupy this position.”

W.W. Prescott – BEST February 17, 1896, p. 52.12

“Christ was BEGOTTEN, NOT CREATED; Satan was CREATED, NOT BEGOTTEN. As the only begotten Son, Christ could enter fully into the councils of God. Because he could not do this as Christ did, envy sprang up in the heart of Satan, and he began to determine, I will exalt myself. He began to stir up rebellion, to say, God is arbitrary, and he began also to get his sympathisers. “We are in slavery, and I have a better plan of government. Choose me as leader, exalt me, and then I will exalt you.” Do you not see the same principle that has been in the world ever since the fall? You exalt me and I will exalt you,-perhaps.”

“Whence Came Satan?” Did God Create the Devil?”
H.M. Kelly – The Canadian Watchman – October 1, 1933

“The real question involved in this controversy is that of the SONSHIP OF CHRIST. IS HE GOD’S ONLY BEGOTTEN SON? The answer to this question is the answer to every other spiritual and moral question that can possibly arise. The question was FIRST RAISED BY LUCIFER, the first of all the angels. The question involves principles that are eternal and strikes at the root of a fundamental law of heaven.”

E. J. Waggoner – 1894

“Lucifer was the wisest and most beautiful of all the angels. HE WAS WITH GOD MORE THAN ANY OF THE OTHER ANGELS, AND WAS LOVED AND HONOURED NEXT TO CHRIST. God says that he was perfect in his ways from the day that he was created, till iniquity (sin) was found in him.” {PTUK February 22, 1894, p. 125.2}

“Finally Satan got his followers to believe that they were stronger than GOD AND HIS SON, and could easily overcome them and have the kingdom. Thinking of self he made his heart so ungrateful and cruel that he gathered his followers together and fought against his Creator! “And there was war in heaven,” Jesus and His angels fought against Satan; and Satan fought and his angels. BUT THE ONE WHO COULD CREATE WAS STRONGER THAN THE ONES CREATED, so the angels who had made themselves so evil could not overcome Jesus. And Satan was cast out of heaven and, as lightning, fell to the earth; and his angels were cast out with him. Once more love and harmony was in heaven. Never again came Satan into the beautiful home that he had left; but it was all his own fault.” {PTUK February 22, 1894, p. 125.6}

Signs of the Times – July 14, 1936
“Who is the devil?” George T. Smisor 

“Since Lucifer stood next to Christ in heaven, he felt that he should be permitted to share in the councils between THE FATHER AND THE SON. He was the highest angel in heaven, and the most wise and beautiful. and surely he ought to be consulted on the plans of creating worlds and suns and creatures. WHY COULD HE NOT BE ON AN EQUALITY WITH CHRIST? But Lucifer had his place to fill in heaven, which was circumscribed by the LAW OF HIS CREATION. Since he was not permitted to share in the secret councils OF FATHER AND SON, he began an insidious attack against the goodness of God and the justice of His law.”

Review & Herald – Apostasy and Rebellion in the Church, G.B.T – September 28, 1916

“It was so with Lucifer. He, too, loved the preeminence. He coveted the highest place in heaven. THE SON OF GOD HAVING BEEN ASSIGNED TO THIS POSITION BY THE FATHER , Lucifer instilled in the minds of the angels the idea that a tyranny had been enthroned, and in order to be free, they must contend for their rights, and OPPOSE THE ORGANIZATION OF HEAVEN.’ Satan would have had no contention about leadership had he been placed at the head.”

Oriental Watchman & Signs of the Times, Feb 1919
Why Did God Permit Sin? – BY G. A. HAMILTON

“Ages ago, before a world swung in space, the FATHER AND THE SON had a mighty counsel about the creation of the universe.”

Uriah Smith – Looking Unto Jesus-1898, pg. 31.1 

“THE ROOT THE CONTROVERSY IS FOUND IN THE REBELLION AGAINST THE SON OF GOD. This father of lies charged upon the government of God, that it was based in selfishness and oppre
ssion; THAT GOD AND CHRIST ACTED ONLY FOR THEIR OWN EXALTATION AND AGGRANDIZEMENT, at the expense of the liberty and happiness of their creatures; and that injustice and partiality, instead of righteousness and truth, were the habitation of their throne.”

God Revealed to Men by A. R. OGDEN
Signs of the Times – December 16, 1941

Being MADE IN THE VERY IMAGE OF HIS FATHER from the days of eternity, He could declare perfectly the love and character of the Father. To manifest this glory of the Father, Christ came from heaven to earth as the living Word.

The Devil’s Biography – By R. Leo Odom
Signs of the Times Canada – January 1951

“The Archangel over the angels of heaven is Michael, who is Christ. (Jude 9; 1 Thessalonians 4:16.) The cherubim are the angels who attend the Deity on His throne. (2 Kings 19:15; 1 Chronicles 13:6.) Among them upon whom the glory of God shone, Lucifer was “the anointed cherub.” Thus he was the prince of the angels. “I have set thee so,” says the Lord. That is, God Himself had conferred upon this angel the high honour of occupying A POSITION OF THAT WHICH WAS NEXT TO THE SON OF GOD.”

“Seeing that the SON OF GOD exercised greater authority than he, and that He received the adoration of the beings created by God, Lucifer permitted envy to spring up in his heart against Christ. It is not permitted that worship should be given to the angels. (Revelation 19:10; 22:9.) But Lucifer wished to be a god. “I will be like the Most High,” he said to himself. He said later to Christ: “All these things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me.” Matthew 4:9.”