The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1917-02-09

In the case of Jesus Christ. it was
not a question as to the truth or
falsity Of his teaching, but as to his
personality-Who was he?
Law of christ's Life.
As we study Jesus Christ in the brief
three years Of his active public life, we
find the law of division prevailing. Now
and then. there would be an outburst
of almost universal favor, but imme-
diately there would be an outburst of
almost universal opposition. Quite lit
orally, he seemed to have come to d.
vide men, even members of the same
family, father against son and mother
against daughter.
At this point, we may inquire as to
the purpose Of his coming. The pop
ular view Of the angels message that
a Savior had come to bring peace to
the earth, is to be modified by the Sa-
vior's own words that he came to bring
q sword, and while the ultimate result
Of the Savior's coming will be univer-
sal peace, the road to that peace is one
of conflict and human division. Jesus
did not come to originate division or
to instigate it, but to make clear the
actual division that already existed be-
tween men, but which was obscured.
Jesus Christ simply caused the ele-
ments in humanity, that were really
antagonistic, and which were so
mingled that the lines Of division were
not clear, to become more distinct. AS
a bringer of judgment then, we must
not look on Jesus Christ as he has been
caricatured as coming, with overmas-
tering rage, bent on revenge"
Division of Doctrine.
The text is very clear that the dis
cussion was as to whether Jesus
Christ was the prophet predicted in
Deuteronomy 1915, Is, or not. To put
the matter broadly, was he the full
fillment of prophecy? That might be
questioned by the Jews today, but
with the Gentle world the question is
rather, Is that historic Jesus who he
claimed to be after he came to this
earth? There is practically universal
consent to the character of Jesus of
ANdLdA O1u-CSIoOA1SASo oAo
orthodox churches, and indeed, many
of the modern religious faddists pro-
claim the perfect character Of Jesus
Christ, but the bone Of contention is
not reached by these. The bone lies
at the point where man asks, Is this
Jesus of Nazareth, the Son Of God,
not mystically, not potentially, not
morally, but essentially and really the
Son Of God possessing divine at
tributes and manifesting true deity?
Ultimately, that is the question that
must be decided, and it is the d.
viding line.
A mans inward conviction at this
point settles his relationship to God.
No man can say that Jesus is Lord,
but by the Holy Ghost. This is the
point at which there should be set up
a marker indicating that all who stand
for the latter view ought to be sepa-
rated from those who deny the true
deity.
Division Will Continue.
The New Testament contains many
figures of speech that indicate two
classes Of men regarding Jesus Christ.
There are the wheat and the tares,
the sheep and the goats, the good and
bad fishes, the company on the right
hand and the company on the left,
the just and the unjust, the clean and
the filthy, the man who cOnfesses and
the man who denies, Dives and LaZa-
rus, Abraham's bosom and hell. This
Astounding of contrasts is not without
meaning and men should heed it.
Many of these, of course, belong to
the hereafter and indicate that the
division will continue. Whether it
is properly named or not, essential
universalism is q popular doctrine of
today One or two little denomina-
tons profess the doctrine, but multi
tudes in the denominations whose
creeds directly contradict it, really &C
cept it, and should be styled unfver-
salists. But we must take out a very
considerable portion Of the Bible, GER
tainly all such passages as Matthew
% :31-46, if we admit universalism,
for If we would not do that, what
guaranty have we that we have a BIZ
BILE that teaches US anything about
anything. What would we do for the
historical Jesus? For the teachings Of
the Bible about these figures and divi-
sions are just as well authenticated
as the teachings about Jesus himself.
These things must be accepted as
credenda, or the entire Bible must be
thrown away, and With it goes all
that we know of Jesus whom practi-
cally everybody admires.
Division Need Not Continue.
Fortunately, if the man is not a be-
lever in the deity and Saviorhood of
Jesus Christ, he can accept that be-
lief and go over to the other side.
1t is no difference what may be
ones prejudice touching Jesus Christ.
He must take sides, he must act as
the people of Jerusalem acted in an
swer to Pilates question, "This man
or Barabbas?" 1t is, theoretically, Il
choice between two opinions, practi-
calIy a choice between taking Jesus
as brother or Satan as master-in
short, it is a choice ultimately between
life and death.