It was a great condescension that God should become a man. This was a stoop that must have startled the angels of glory. "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory" (1 Timothy 3:16). We read that He "made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men" (Philippians 2:7). It was, however, an even greater condescension that He would bear our sins, even be made sin for us and die the death of the cross in order to reconcile us unto God. "And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:8). How utterly astonished the heavenly hosts must have been as they beheld their Creator abase Himself to endure the cruelties of men and the horrors of the cross. Why did the Son of God humble Himself and enter into an everlasting union with humanity? Why did He join His divine nature with that of a man? Why did He subject Himself to the agonies of the cross? The answer is to be found in the Word of God. "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). He died so that God could remain just and righteous in His dealings with guilt and sin, and yet be the Justifier of sinners (Romans 3:26). "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit" (1 Peter 3:19). By His bloody death and resurrection He justified all His people. "Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him (Romans 5:9). "Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification" (Romans 4:25).