IN WHAT SENSE CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD.

PSALM 2:7. Thou art my Son. Jesus Christ is the Author of our holy religion. The communications, which were made to man after the apostasy, were made by him. By his authority holy men of God were inspired by the Holy Spirit; and communicated the divine will. By him the covenant of grace was given to degenerate man; and through his mediation, every favor is bestowed upon this fallen world. When fulness of time was come he appeared on earth in the form of human nature. He made more clear and copious displays of the divine will, than had been made before. He taught the way which led to heaven. He was embraced in the first promise of mercy to fallen humanity. He was the principal object of ancient prophecy. He was the substance, which was represented by the types in the Hebrew ritual. He was the antitype of the sacrifices, which were offered upon the Jewish altar. He is the main scope of the gospel. He is the foundation of salvation. He is the chief corner stone of the church.

As Jesus Christ holds so important a place in the scheme of redemption, it is necessary to form correct ideas of his nature, character and office. As he is the foundation of Christianity, the sentiments we form of him, will affect our whole creed respecting the method of salvation. It cannot be expected that the superstructure will be better than the basis. If we

begin with error, the whole fabric will be erroneous. View the Christian world, and it will be found that the sentiments they form of Christ give a complexion to their whole creed respecting Christianity. The greatest care ought, therefore, to be used in forming an opinion on this fundamental article of the Christian faith. It concerns us to decide whether Jesus Christ is simply human; whether he is a composition of human and super-angelic nature, or whether he is composed of humanity and Divinity. It is important to decide whether Christ exhibited characteristic marks of divine nature; and whether he sustains the office of Mediator, Redeemer and Savior. The importance of the subject demands a faithful investiga

tion.

When Christ appeared in the world, it was a prominent inquiry among the Jews whether he was the Son of God. The inquiries whether he was the Christ, or whether he was the Son of God were of the same import. They expected that when the promised Messiah appeared, he would appear in the character of God's Son. In the Old Testament God acknowledges him to be his Son. By his prophet he said, "Thou art my Son." Jewish authors admit that the term Son in the 2d Psalm is applied to Christ. To put the question beyond dispute the apostle Paul quotes this short passage, and applies it to Christ. When Jesus claimed the title, Son of God, and the title, Christ, the Jews considered him claiming the same prerogatives. At one time they accused him of calling himself Christ. At another time they accused him of calling himself the Son of God; and they viewed the accusations of the same import.

Christ once inquired of his disciples what was the opinion of people respecting himself. After they had named several opinions, which were entertained of him, he inquired of them saying, "Whom say ye that I am?" Peter, who was always ready to give an answer, said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the

living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed art thou Simon Barjona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee; but my Father, which is in heaven." This reply proved that Peter had formed right ideas of him; and gave him an appropriate name. Jesus Christ was predicted by the name, Son. When he came into the world he maintained that he was the Son of God. When he was on trial before the council, the high Priest adjured him by the living God, that he should declare whether he was the Christ, the Son of God. When the Centurion saw the miracles at his crucifixion, he exclaimed, "Surely this was the Son of God." The apostles preached the same doctrine. After Saul was converted to the Christian faith, he "straightway preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God." Evil spirits acknowledged the same sentiment; and gave him the same title. The relationship of Christ to the Father expressed by the term Son was acknowledged by himself; by his apostles; and by primitive Christians.

Soon after Christ left the world, various opinions arose respecting him. Some believed that he was wholly divine; that he assumed only the appearance of humanity. Some held that a super-angelic nature was united with his human nature. Others maintained that he was a mere man, furnished with extraordinary communications. This variety of sentiment respecting Jesus Christ early disturbed and divided the Christian Church. The same distinctions, with their various modifications, have perpetuated divisions in the Christian world.

The phrase, Son of God, is often applied in the scriptures to Jesus Christ. He frequently claims this dignity. The Father often calls him his Son; his own Son; his dearly beloved Son. Scripture names are remarkable for their pertinence; and there is no doubt that a peculiar and appropriate sense is to be attached to this title. It is important to inquire in what sense Christ is the Son of God.

human race.

This appellation was given to individuals of the Adam was called the son of God. When God sent Moses to Pharaoh, requiring him to let Israel go, he commanded him to say unto Pharaoh, "Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son. When God forbade David to build an house for his name, he declared that Solomon should build him an house; and "I will be his Father and he shall be my Son; and I will establish his kingdom." Those, who are born of the Spirit and have become members of Christ's kingdom, are frequently called sons of God. "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God." People are children of God in different senses, and in different respects. All are his children in this general sense, that he is the Author of their existence; and in this sense all may call him Father. But those, who are renewed in the temper of their minds, and are adopted into his family, are, in a more peculiar sense, his children, or his sons; and in a more peculiar sense God is their Father.

Christ is not only Son of God, but by way of distinction and eminence, he is the Son of God. If those, who are born of the Holy Spirit; who bear the divine moral likeness, and have become members of God's family by adoption, are emphatically sons of God; for greater reasons, and in a higher sense is Jesus Christ the Son of God.

Some are of opinion that the sonship of Christ originated from his miraculous conception. To Mary the angel said, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee; and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing, which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God." It is not doubted that this is one reason, for which he was called by this name. But it is not the only, nor the principal reason for giving him this appellation. Christ was called a Son long before his incarnation. The Psalmist

speaking the language of the Father to Christ, saith, "Thou art my Son." The love of God is represented in the highest degree because he sent his Son into the world. The love of God is grounded on his not sparing his own, his dearly beloved Son; but giving him up freely for the sins of the world. If God had not had a Son before the advent of the Messiah, he could not have sent his Son. Therefore the peculiar manner of his introduction into the world did not constitute his near relationship to the Father.

Christ is not a literal Son of the Father. Because Christ is repeatedly called Son of God, it does not follow that this phrase is to be understood according to its literal, or natural meaning. If it should be admitted as an established rule for the interpretation of the scriptures that words are always to be understood according to their natural meaning, and according to their general acceptation, there would be found something more than mystery in the Bible. If the terms Son of God prove that Jesus Christ is literally and properly the Son of the most High, then the terms Lamb of God would prove that Christ was literally and properly a lamb; and as he was of God, it would prove that God possessed the same nature. The scriptures say, "it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth; The Lord repented of the evil, which he thought to do unto his people; God repented of the evil that he had said that he would do unto them and he did it not." If these passages are to be understood according to the rule of literal interpretation, or according to the common acceptation of words, then God is changeable like man; and feels the painful emotions of humanity. God is represented in the scriptures as hearing, seeing, smelling. If these terms are to be explained by the rule just mentioned, then the divine Spirit is invested with a body; and possesses corporeal organs. Such interpretations prove that the rule is not correct; and it proves also that Christ is not literally the Son of God, merely because he is called by this name.