The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-06-23
A misunderstood TEXT.
PUT ye on the Lord Jesus Christ."-Ro-
mans XIII. IA.

'Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ."-Ro-
mans XIII. A.
This is one of those words which has
been almost spoiled, damaged phra-
seology," to use Theodore Parker's
phrase. 1t has been spoiled by that
curious idea of substitution" being
read into it-of Christ saving men by
being their substitute. "Put ye on the
Lord Jesus Christ" has been taken to
mean-''put on the merits of Christ"
1t has been interpreted as an expression
of imputed righteousness -that, in
some way, Christ's righteousness is
imputed to the sinner, so that God does
not see him in his own sinfulness as
he really is, but in Christ's righteous
ness. Perhaps the most thorough-go-
ing illustration of this way of under
standing it was that given by Mr..
Spurgeon in one of his sermons few
years ago. There had been an incident
reported in the newspapers 'front.'
think-some Spanish instruction, in
which man was about to be shot by
the troops. He claimed to be British
subject, however, and the British Con-
sui having vainly appealed to the Of
ficer to postpone the execution, as a
last resort took the British flag and GO
ing up to the condemned man wrapped
it around him, and then dared the COM
mander to fire! So, said Mr.. Spurgeon
II can only quote from memory, but
the point was entirely unmistakable)
If the greatest sinner can wrap him
self in the robe of Christ's righteous
ness, he is safel Ingenious! And yet
all that meaning is a mere gloss of
later times. Paul in all such passages
was not speaking at all Of Christ's
merits, but simply of Christ's char
acter. You see the meaning at once
when you open it with this key. 'Put
ye on the Lord Jesus Christ" means
not ''put on the merits of Christ"
but, 'put on the character of Christ"
That is all there is to it. ALI, do 1
say? But it is infinitely the greater
thing. Paul was probably contrasting
it in his mind with the insignia of
judaism. Any Jew going to the
synagogue wore the tiphillin On his
arm. The Pharisee wore always his
phylactery, just as the Brahmin his
blue thread. ''Put ye on Jesus Christ"
says Paul-that life, that character,
which denotes bis disciple. 1t was a
plain homespun word to men to take
Christ's spirit and character for the
fashion of their common living; not as
a protecting dress to pass them into
heaven, but as good daily wear for liv-
ing and working on the earth. And
"Put on Christ"-there may be even a
significance in that; Christ, not as a
secret password, for that was what the
| prosecuted Christians would be in
danger of making him, but Christ as
their openly acknowledged head, and
the visible rule of their conduct. That
is what Paul always means in speaking
of Christ as our righteousness. Christ
simply took the place of the old law
| of ceremonies and observances. The
watchword had been 1.-THE law our
righteousness; now it was to be
"Christ our righteousness" The ana
logy was perfect, but there was no
trace Of substitution" in it. Teaching,
influence, leadership, inspiration in
righteousness, this was what they were
now to look to Christ for, as formerly
they had looked to the law.
What suggestive word it was for
those times, and for ever; that there in
the m idst of that corruptest center of a
perishing society, in their buying and
selling, in the barracks of the legionar-
les, in the poor tenement houses of
Rome's worst quarter, or in the palaces
of the patrician, that there, openly
before all men, they were to put on the
Lord Jesus Christ, fashion their living
by that life of his, and, by their earn
est faith and following, make him in-
deed their very righteousness.-Rev.
Brooke Herford IN the Unitarian.