Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-08-01

-.s family of
which u- should
Ia. De- born. the way
ss4eA-- Z = in which he
should b o re-
ceiycd a. way entirely different from
what would be expected. his death
and the precise manner of it. his burial
with all the accompanying circum-
stances. his resurrection. ascension.
and final victory.
H. The New Testament asrribes 20
Christ divine titles which the Old
Testament applies to God Heb. ISL
But of the Son he saith. Thy throne,
o God. is forever and ever. In John
POPS, Thomas answered and said IN
20 him, My Lord and my God and
Jesus did not rebuke him.
Ill Ia Heb. I:3, 10, the creation Of
the world is ascribed to Christ. In
Acts POPS We have the expression,
The church OF God which he hath
purchased with his own blood Here
the Holy Spirit describes the blood OF
Christ as the blood OF God himself.
". Jesus distinctly claims to be
equal with God. and TO be entitled to
the same honor and alteration. lie also
assumes divine authority and power.
Il and the Father are one John
1880 HE that hath seen me hath
seen the Father" John l4:9. When
the high priest asked him on his trial
if he were the Christ, the Son of the
Blessed, Jesus answered II am; and
We shall see the Son of man sitting at
the right hand OF power, and coming
with the clouds of heaven" Mark
1902
V. John 1873 shows that Jesus
Christ was put to death by the Uni
tarians OF his day. The Jews an
swered him. for a good work we stone
thee not, but for blasphemy; and be-
cause that thou, being a man. makest
thyself God"
VI The position which many take
that Jesus is simply a good man, but
not divine. is untenable. Either he
was what he claimed to be, or else he
was the greatest impOstOr the world
has ever seen. That he was not an
impostor IS demonstrated by two
things. First, his resurrection from
the dead, which is the best attested
fact in history. Secondly, that he was
not an impostor is shown by the in
fluence which his life and teachings
have had upon the world, transforming
tie lives of millions, making bad men
good, and good men better. converting
drunkards and murderers and liber-
tines into saints. and leading multi
tudes out of idolatry and sin into the
light and liberty OF the gospel
VII. There are some who claim that
Jesus was thoroughly sincere In all
that he said. but that he was mistaken
and simply imagined himself to be the
Son of God. They refer to what they
call the contradictions in his testi-
mony, as for instance in his testi-
he says. Il and my Father are one"
and in another place. The Father is
greater than l." They say that he
cannot be one with God and at the
same time inferior to God. A young
man once raised this objection in the
inquiry room and the preacher said
been on earth when Jesus was here
and had heard him make these contra
dictory statements; and had asked
him, saying, Master, / do not quite
understand you. A little while ago
you said, He that hath seen me hath
seen the Father" and now you say.
My Father is greater than L. And
suppose he had said in reply, My
child. what II, for the purpose of your
redemption from sin, | voluntarily
laid aside my eternal glory and suf-
fered myself to be born of a woman,
thus limiting my being to the condi-
lions of your nature that ! might, in
that nature. offer to God such a sac
rifice for sin as would enable him to
proclaim forgiveness of sins to the
whole world? | am indeed one with
the Father; but for purposes of atone
ment | have voluntarily assumed an in
ferior position, that | might thus take
your place and die, which l could not
have done unless | had taken sub
ordinate place, yea. and your very
nature. Thus | sometimes speak Of
my eternal relation to God. and some
times OF my relation to him as the
messenger of the covenant sent forth
to redeem"
He listened attentively and then
said. Did Christ ever make such an
explanation" He was asked to read
Philippians 2:5-S. He read it and
said, Wonderful. Wonderful! Yes.
the Son of God made himself Of no
reputation for me, and took my nature,
and died on the cross for me-" Then
looking up he said. What have / got
10 do about it,"
Accept him; believe on him; and
confess him as your Savior"
May L." Opening his Bible the
preacher turned TO Romans 1919 and
read, If thou shalt confess with thy
/ mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt be
lieve in thine heart that God hath
raised him from the dead. thou shalt
Be saved"
Let me see that" He took the
book and read It aloud. and then said:
Il do believe in my heart that God
raised him from the dead; and DO
acknowledge him as my Savior"