The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-11-27


not be unwelcome to him. if so he might
still serve his brethren, he was assured
that for him to depart and be with
Christ would be to him personally far
better. He purposed that Christ
should be magnified in his body.
whether by life or death. IF, he saye, l
am offered upon the sacrifice and service
Of your faith. Joy. and rejoice with you
all; and in the same menner do ye also
Joy. and rejoice with me. This victory
of faith is the keynote of the Epistle. It
was Joy which remained undisturbed
by suffering, and frightened at the pros
pect Of what we call death.
Our lesson passage. selection
from this Epistle, has strangely enough
been made to do service as proof of the
Deity OF Christ. The revised version
however has very greatly clarified the
passage. A fair exegesis. as seems to us
will make its support of the doctrine that
Christ is God not only imaginary, but
far-fetched and self-contradictory.
4. An Invitation to Share
Paul's Joy in Christi IA.
II there is therefore any comfort in
Christ, if any consolation of love. if any
fellowship of the Spirit, il any tender
mercies and passions, fulfil ye my joy.
that ye be of the same mind, having the
same love, being of one accord, of one
mind; doingnothing through faction or
through vainglory. but in lowliness of
mind each counting other better than
himself; not looking each of you to his
own things.but each of you also to the
things of others.
The import of this passage, reduced to
simple terms is this; Fill up the measure
Of my spiritual Joy by sharing it; by
putting your Christian faith to the test,
taking to yourselves its consoling love,
it's unity of spirit, it's tenderness of
mercy and compassion; so you will have
oneness of purpose. no schisms, no egot-
ism; you will serve each other with joy
GUS alacrity.
2. Emulate Christ's Ambi-
ton; which was not to selfishly
Aspire to the Godlike, but to do
humble Service to Man.-vs. So.
Have this mind in you, which was ais o
in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form
of God, counted it not a prize to be On
an equality with God, but emptied him.
SELF taking the form of servant, being
made in the likeness of men; and being
found in fashion as a man, hurnbled
himself, becoming obedient even unto
death, yea, the death of the cross.
Note some things:
l. The Philippians were exhorted to
think of themselves as Christ thought
of himself. They we're to fashion their
life-purpose after that of Jesus.
2. AS explaining what the thought of
Christ was, we are told that he was. and
knew himself to be, IN the form of God.
Does it suggest that Christians. in imita.
tion of Jesus, should have the same
thought of themselves. and know them
selves to be God or gods? Surely not
1t is saying of Christ that he was, and
knew himself to be. in the image Of
God. He became conscious of the Di-
vine likeness in himself, which is latent
in every man. When he came to his
spiritual consciousness,-as is pictured
to us in the story of his self examination
in the wilderness after his baptism by
johnnie knew himself possessed of ex-
ceptional spiritual insight and resources,
and capable of an unparalleled career of
visible achievement and glory.
3. He counted it not a prize to be
on an equality Nth God. This fairly
indicates the sense Of the original; but
the common version. he Thought it not
robbery to be equal with God." obscures
and perverts the only possible purport.
The literal saying is: "He did not deem
equality with God thing to grasp at"
Instead of implying that Jesus knew
himself already to be God. equal to the
One Eternal. the implication is that he
did not choose to commit rapine or rob-
berry by assuming Divine attributes.
Notwithstanding his knowledge of his
exceptional spiritual endowments, he
did NOT aspire to selfishly share Gods
impossible glory.
A. He emptied himself, taking the
form of a servant Greek, bond.serv-
anti. His chosen life-purpose was to
fulfill service to man which required
on his part the foregoing of everything
which superficial vision reckons honor,
or glory, or divinity; and the fulfilling
of a humble work like that of bond
servant. He aspired. in unparalleled hui
mility. to serve man.
5. Being made Greek. bscoming) in
the likeness of men. and being found in
fashion as man, he humbled himself,
being obedieDt even unto death. yea. the
death OF the cross. The punctuation is
here changed; the punctuation of the
common version being made to signify
that it was the choice of Jesus to be
made in fashion as man. This reading
is simply the individual rendering of
translators. 1t seems to us unnatural.
1t appears to US clear statement of
Paul that Jesus, finding that he had