Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-08-23
BECAME LIRE MAN

In the tncolOslcdl ulo'"''''''
has occupied so much time OF the Ffe'.
byterian gathering In this city one Vi
the Rev. exegetes Of the Scriptures al
yanced what was characterized by some
os n new and unanswerable argument
against the Gospel conception OF 'he
Clodhead. He said In substance that
the Scriptures state that the secohu
Person in the Trinity became IKE man
and consequently, was not like man
before "He was like God, who Is not
like man IN His physical limitations
The passage upon which this arsu'
men, is founded Is Phil. II: b-t we
think anyone who win read II care
fully especially If he is able to grasp
the meaning OF the expressive terms oil
the original, will marvel at the logic
by which such n conclusion was ar
rived nj. The Apostle Is not discuss
ing the question Of the physical llml-
tatIons" of the Son Of God before lie
bocame man. lie is urging the Philip
mans TO be unselhsh and humble aa
rhr,s, was, who voluntarily descended
from the glory and majesty OF Tue
Godhead to the status OF a servant III
human body That is clearly the pur-
pose and the scope Of his ilius'ra'oh'
The meaning Of the passage, az given
by eminent commentators Is this Let
this disposition be in you when was
also in Christ Jesus, who, being In the
form Of God, thought 1t not great
prIze TO be equal with God, but d.
vested Himself Goi His divine gloryI
nv taking the form OF a servant, after
having become like unto man, that 49,
by assuming a human body me
apostle wildly describes the humility
of Christ who voluntarily exchanged HIS
divine glory and majesty for the lowly
posltlon OF servant among men, Ine
Presbyterian exegete interprets TINS 70
mean that He changed His existence
from one without any conceivable FORM
ar shane whatever, to one of human
form. Is anybody In reason bound 10
accept such Juggling with holy WRIT
The apostle IN this very passage tens
us incidentally that God has form
and that Christ before his birth In
the flesh. existed In "the form Of God
The word employed by the Inspired
writer is "morphe," about the meaning
of which there can be no honest dis
pute. II signifies primarily a persons
external shape, or appearance, and not
his nature or essence II IL familiar to
English.speaking people by It's occur
renee In the word metamorphoss
which means a passing from one form
or shape into another.
Here, then, we are told as plainly as
human language can express It, that
there Is form Of God" What this
form Is, we can gather from many
Scripture passages. Christ, as He APP
peared, is said TO be 'the express i'm
age Of His person." CHeb. /; 80 The
word translated Image here is char
acter," which properly signifies the die,
or stamping-tool, used In coming, by
which the figure expressed ia stamped;
and also the impression made by seal,
Such an impression Is an exact repro |
duction OF the seal, Christ formed an |
exact representation Of Gods person
and attributes The word used by the |
apostle is the strongest possible TO de-
note similitude, II Is stronger than the
word "eldos' (Joh. 8; 80 which Is en-
ployed by our Savior when speaking
about the shape" Of the Father, as
follows: "Ye have neither heard Ills
voice at any time nor seen His shape"
The summary Of the teachings Of the
Scriptures upon this important point is
this. That God is the Eternal Father
Of His children; that the latter were
made IN His image. In His likeness:
that Jesus Is the frst-born among His
brethren and that lie. being the ef-
fulgence Of the glory OF God aud the
exact Image OF His person." revealed
the Father 10 the children OF men.
That is the theology Of the Scriptures
II is the theology Of the Gospel. as un.
derstood by the Latter-day Saints