Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-08-11
THE FULNEss or THE GoDHEAD.

A reader Of the News" asks for a
word OF comment on the term "fungss"
IN Colosslans 9. Q: For I'm Him DWELL
eth all the fulness Of the Godhead bod
ily."
The word "fulness IS the English
equivalent Of the Greek "pleroma."
which occurs frequently In the New
Testament and which had IN the early
ages a distinct theological meaning. II
this can be ascertained the import Of
the passage quoted becomes clear.
Or. Lightfoot. in his treatise on the
Colossan hcresy proves that the germs
OF the modern misconception of the
Deity were sown IN the earliest ages.
wherever the Gospel was preached In
the Essenc and Gnostic theology. God
was represented as an absolute. incom-
prehenslble Being, creating worlds OF
nothing.
From this basic principle the ques-
lions We're asked: How can the work
Of creation Dee explained? How Is the
existence OF evil 10 be accounted for?
II God created worlds Of nothing. or II
He evolved them out Of His own ex-
istence, how could sin and evll be called
into being. God being perfectly good
and not being restricted by opposing
influences? The only answer 10 these
questions appeared 10 the minds OF
those early philosophers 10 be 20 post
ulate the existence Independent Of God.
Of evi matter by which the divine
plans and purposes were continually
thwarted and limited.
Having arrived at this conclusion. the
Gnostic further argued that there was
an impossible chasm between God and
matter God Is, he said, Infinite. per-
feet absolute and Incomprehcnsible.
matter Is finite, imperfect. limited and
comprehensive. How then. could God
create at an? How could the Infinite
act upon the finite? How could the alb.
solute COD come IN contact with that
which is eyll? How could the chasm
be bridged?
IN reply 10 these questions it was ar
gued that the infinite God evolved
from Himself being less perfect than
He. And from this second being an.
other is evolved, one step lower in the
divine scale From this another Is
evolved still lower And In this vav
series OF successive emanations is 1b.
taIned. In each successive evolution
the divine element is feebler than
In the previous. and at length
contact with matter is possible
ana creation becomes fact
These carnations uons spirits mp
angels OF gnosticism, are the supposa5
fulness' IN the void between God and
the visible world Only through these
II was thought. can imperfect man an.
preach the infinite God. They formed
the bridge over the chasm. Hence the
origin Of the worship OF angels with
a show Of humility"
Against this false philosophy the au.
thor Of the letter 90 the Colossians CON
tends. He represents Christ Jesus as
the one Mediator between God and man
In whom dwels not a fraction Of Di-
vine covers and attributes. but the
entire 'fulness" He is the visible
image Of God, and not only one cmana.
ton among many The "fulness" abldes
1be,Iutsfv ovE ,t.b.fr,. Del. lh.s.. ~.
supremacy IN heaven and 90 earth is
absolute. The Apostle does not argue
against the existence Of thrones
domInions prIncedoms and pow.
ers, but he asserts that Christ IS Lord
OF ALL Of whatever rank or name. for
through Him they became. and 90 Him
they tend. Christ alone bridges the
chasm between earth and heaven. He
declares God TO man, aud through Him
man can attain eXaltaton.
This is the doctrine OF Paul in This
o.istIe. II teaches u.s. that. as tba li-
Vine powers and attributes abide boo
Christ bodily, God is made known
through Him God IS no larr. "m
comprehensive" IN the sens. of ana
Client nostlcIsm and modern orho-
doX. The attributes Of the Father
have been revealed IN the Son. 60 Gods
children
The practical application of th.s doe
trino s striking The Apostle draws
The conclusion that whatever $500 DO. in
word or deed should be d10a 800 che
name Of the Lord COL 3. Il, Wives
are lxhortea GO submit 20 their own
husbands "Iu the Lord children Go
obey their parents because that Is
pleasing unto tHe Lord and sar-
wants fo GOD. their masters. as If they
were Hurar- f1r the Lord This .n
far.u.. .rerr natural 4 correct .
KNOWLEDGE of Oh. powers and attribute
OF C1 as revealed n Jesus has
practical bearing ur0n every day life .
As BE- .a eternal Uf. to know Goa ana T.
Ills Sen. 500 This knowledge s the most I.
potent mnrsr fore. n human EXIST F..
ence on clr.r