10 - Chapter 10

CHAPTER X.

Jesus Christ, in his, divine nature, is God. As we have before stated, so we say again: if Jesus Christ possessed but one nature, that must have been derived or underived, created or uncreated. If he possessed but one nature, and that was created, it would be blasphemy to call him God, in the sense that we call Jehovah God. We have already, in Chapter 3, as we humbly conceive, proved that Jesus Christ is an object of divine worship, and this is now urged as an evidence of his supreme divinity. Indeed, it seems almost unaccountable, that any one who has read the second commandment, can bow down and worship a being whom at the same time he acknowledges to be a creature! This would be idolatry. But we see that the worship of Christ is placed in direct opposition to the worship of idols. 1 Corinthians 8:4-6.

It is evident that the same things which in the Old Testament are ascribed to Jehovah, are, in the New Testament, ascribed to bur Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We add only a few. Isaiah 6:5-10. “Then said I wo is me! for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD OF HOSTS. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from off the altar, and he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo! This hath touched thy lips,and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also, I heard the voice of the Lord, saying unto me, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, here am I, send me. And he said, Go and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, and perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert and be healed.” John 12:37-41. “But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him, that the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake:-- Lord, who hath believed our report? And to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Esaias when he saw his glory and spake of him.” Psalms 78:56 “Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not His testimonies.” 1 Corinthians 10:9 “Neither let us tempt CHRIST, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.”

We see, from these passages, that the Preserver, Director, and Controller of all things, to whom the Old Testament writers ascribe the name GOD, is called Christ in the New Testament. But as further proof of the supreme divinity of our Savior, we will transcribe the testimony of John, “In the beginning-was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.’ 1 John 1:13. Verse 10. “And the world was made by him.” It is evident that before there was any creation, all was eternity. When creation was not begun, ell that then existed was certainly self existent. Self-existence implies eternal existence. John speaks in the manner in which Moses spake when he said, “In the beginning God created.” “In the beginning,” (En arche,) seems to carry our minds -back as. far a our finite capacities can extend, and at that time (if we may thus speak,) this “ Word,” (Logo,) existed. Was he an attribute of God? Was he only the reason of God? or was he truly God, as John testifies. This Logos was either .a real existence or he was not. If it is said that this “ Word” was only the wisdom of God, or an attribute of Jehovah, how can it be said that one of the attributes of God “became flesh, and dwelt among men?” And why is not some of the other attributes of God personified? Admitting the Logos to have been an attribute of God, there could certainly be no reason for saying that he was with God,” for the attributes of all beings are with them. There never, perhaps, was any one, who held that the “power” of” God was not with him. But mark John does not only say that the “ Logos” was with God, but that he was God. But, to use the words of another, in part, it is difficult for us to divine how he could say, that any attribute, (power or wisdom,) was God, understanding the word! “God?’ in any sense whatever. If it means supreme God, then it reduces itself to this; either that one attribute is the supreme God, or there as many Gods as attributes. If it mean an inferior God, then the wisdom of God, being an inferior God, implies that the other attributes are superior Gods; or else that his Wisdom holds the place of quasi God,* while his other attributes occupy a lower place. Again: if it is said that the Logos or. Wisdom does not signify an attribute of God, but his essence, how could it be called “Theos,” for the divine essence is called, Theiotes. Theos, (God,) implies an agent or person, and not the essence of a person. Now, is an express revelation necessary to teach us that the attributes of God are with God? or what can be thought of the assertion, that the wisdom or power of God is God himself. But “ the Logos was with God” all agree with God the Father. Was not, then, the Logos, who was with God, diverse from that God with whom he was, at least in some sense? It was the same being who became incarnate, and was in some respect diverse from the Father, and therefore not to be confounded with him, consequently he was not an essence, nor yet an attribute of God. “And the Logos was God.” ’ If, as Some aver, the Logos is the wisdom of God, and not in anywise distinct from the Father, it involves the depths of mystecism to say that he was God, What would be thought, should a man gravely assert that the wisdom of a man was the man himself? John plainly informs us that while the Logos was God, (Theos,) at the same time there was* a sense in which he was wit h God. In order, then, that the words. of John can have any possible meaning, a distinction in the Godhead, must, we think, unavoidably be admitted; that is, that the Father in all respects, is not the same as the Son. But what could be the object of John in asserting that the Logos was with God? We answer, =to indicate conjunction, familiarity, and society.

Thus far, we see that the evidence of the supreme divinity of our Lord is conclusive. Christ is called the Lord of Hosts. “ Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offence,” &c; Isaiah 8:13-14. This prophecy was fulfilled and applied by the spirit of inspiration to 1 Christ our Savior. 1 Peter 2:4. It is altogether unnecessary to swell the number of quotations; for, if the texts brought are relevant to the subject of discussion, they are enough to sustain the proposition, that Christ in his divine nature is the supreme God. _ We wijl only add a few more. “ To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever.” Jude 1:21 verse.,” Of whom, as concerning the flesh } Christ came, who is over ALL, God blessed forever.” Romans 9:5. “As concerning the flesh,” to kata sarkdi This has respect to his human nature, as may be readily proved by consulting corresponding passages. “Romans 1:3. “ Who is over all, God blessed forever Amen.” Ho on epi pant on Theos eulogetos eistous aionas. Amen. This is properly translated, “Who is supreme God blessed forever.” Nor is there different sense conveyed when we say, “supreme God,” and when we read more literally, “ over ALL God.” Is there any God infinitely above him who is styled, epi pant on Theos? Certainly this phrase means nothing but supreme God. It is clear from this text that Christ, in some sense, descended from the Father,.(that is, in respect to his human nature,) and that at the same time he was in some sense, (that is, in his divine nature,) over all God, or supreme God. “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever.” This the apostle affirms was said to the SON. “But unto the Son he saith.” Hebrews 1:8 “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true; and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.” 1 John 5:20. There can be no doubt that John refers to Christ when he says, “This is the true God and eternal life.” He frequently applies the appellation, LIFE, and ETERNAL LIFE, to Christ. “In him, (Christ,) was LIFE, the LIFE was the light of men giving LIFE to the world.” “ For the Life was manifested and w have seen it, and bear witness, and show “unto you that ETERNAL LIFE, which was with the Father; and was manifested unto us;” 1 John 1:2; John nowhere calls the Father the life,! ETERNAL life, and so we must conclude that he calls Jesus Christ the “ True God,” and indeed why should he not, when he had previously said “ the Word was GOD.” But, without multiplying proof on this point, we refer this proposition to the candid reader; and inquire: Is not Jesus Christ called God in the New Testament, in such a sense, that there can be no doubt that the supreme God is certainly intended? If Jesus Christ is what HE and the holy apostles say he is, he should be revered as such. It is not safe to trifle with his holy character, of try to drag him down among created beings and things. We shaft “ See the Eternal Judge descending,” and hear his awful voice, and stand before his dread tribunal. God grant that we may be prepared for that solemn scene.