The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-05-26
WHAT THINK YE OF CHRIST?
BY REV. r. L. CONGER.
Pasadena, Cali

has been great speculation concerning
his nature and character. 1t is ques-
tion of great Importance. If Christ is
God we ought to know it and treat
him as such. If he is q man tempted
in all points as we are yet without sin, "
and therefore an example for us to
follow in all things, we ought to study
his example and walk in his footsteps.
But if we enthrone him as God and
make him an infinite sacrifice to pay
our penalty and save us from eternal
doom, it is of the first Importance that
we know it and accept him and his
atoning blood instead of trying to fol-
low an example which is no example.
"What think ye of Christ 2" Let us
call number of witnesses. a. What
answer does God himself make? When
Jesus was baptized of John and came
up out of the water, the heavens
seemed to open and the spirit of God
descended upon him, and voice from
heaven said ''This is my beloved son in
whom 1 am well pleased" This ought
to be final, and might leave the sub
ject here if mems speculations and
creeds had not perverted the Gospel,
and taught that Christ was Cod
third partner in the Trinity. The Faith
er never called him God; it was always
his Son whom he sent into the world
to do his will. Can the one sent and
the one sending be the same?
~ Jesus ought to be good witness
in this case. He always called God
his Father, and recognized himself as
subject to him. He says: 81 came not
to do mine own will but the will of
him that sent me. Of myself can do
nothing. Why callest thou me good,
there is none good but God" When
ever he prays he says: My Father y
"Our Father" If he was God he
prayed to himself. If he was equal to
the Father then the Father might as
well pray to him. The infinite Father
never prays. Jesus was often in pray
er. Why should an equal pray to an
equal But Jesus in all the records
never claimed to be equal to the Father,
His testimony always and everywhere
is that he is subordinate. | am come
to do the will of my Father which is
in heaven" Il go to my Father" 81
came from God, neither came I of my.
self but he sent me-" 1.-The son can
do nothing of himself but what he
seeth the father do.' my doctrine is
not mine, but his that sent me-" As
my Father taught me l speak these
things" When Jesus says, My God,
my God, why hast thou forsaken me, y
is he talking to himself or his equal ?
If he was Cod or equal to God, then
his words are grossly deceiving.
True he says, 81 and my Father are
one," but he tells Us it is the same
union that he seeks with the disciples
THAT they the disciples may be one
as Thou art in Me and in Thee, that
there also may be one with u.s." When
Jesus asks God to give him the glory
he "had with the Father before the
world was he does not say what that
glory was nor imply that it was equal
with the Father. He asks for it as a
subordina3 would ask of superior, as
child would ask of father.
g.. The disciples give the same
testimony. Not one of them believed
he was God or treated him as such,
They call him Lord and Master which
to them meant the ame thing. They
call him 1.-The son of man. and ''sOn OF
Cod but never God. Jesus puts the
question 20 them as if to see if they
Understood him, "Whom do ye say that
l amp Feter answered and none
questioned his answer, "Thou art the
Christ the son of the living God
Jesus frankly admits this as it is the
very language he used of himself.
~ The Eyangelists are on the
same side. They speak of him as 'son
of God, "son of man. as .'sent, . "an-
nointed psi inspired, -" directed, - "sup-
ported" exalted" by God. They
say he was born and begosten, but God
was never born. One calls him the
only begotten of the Father but the
begotten and tae one begetting can not
be the same. Paul says, There is one
God and one mediator between God
and man, the man Christ Jesus. Paul
agrees with the rest. He calls him
"the image of the invisible Cod But
the Bible says we are all made in the
image of God" But the image or
likeness is not the original or its equal.
lie further says, 'by him were all
things created, but in this he was
subordinate, for lit pleased the Father
that 10 him should all fulIness dwell. Sc
John also said that 1.-The word was
VITA God and was God and was made
flesh and dwelt among mea.' This is
a persOnihcatiOn of the divine energy
OF wisdom, as man S mind OF thought
is spoken of as man himself. In this
sense God was made tlesh and dwelt in
Jesus, just as we say GOD was with
Abraham Lincoln and was in him free
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