March 1926
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
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retáins what he had at the first; therefore the “ image” and “ likeness” do not refer to character, but to nature. This leads to the question: "What is God?” The answer is “ God is a Spirit.” Therefore, man in his nature must be an imperishable spirit. Has God Form? Has God form? Undoubtedly. That the Lord has form is plainly taught in the Sacred Page. For instance: The Psalmist says, "I shall be satisfied when I awake with Thy form” (Psa. 17:16 R. V.). The word rendered “ form” is used in Numbers 12:8 where Jehovah says of Moses, “ With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, not in dark speeches; and the form of the Lord shall he behold” (R. V.). Because the form of the Lord had never been seen by Israel, the nation is forbidden to speculate in guessing about what that form was like; hence, the prohibitive utterance to them in forbidding them to make anything like what they might think His form was like (See the word "form” in Ex. 20:4; Deut. 4:12, 16, 16, 23, R. V.). The only other instance where the Hebrew word for “ form” occurs is in Job 4:16 where Eliphaz says of the spirit he saw, "A form was before mine eyes.” From this we may gather, therefore, that man before he was united to the body had a spirit form like to God’s and the body to which he was united was formed after the fashion of the spirit. The image and likeness of God, after which man jvas created, therefore, refers to the spirit-nature and spirit-form of God.. To sum up,— wherein does man resemble God? , First, — in identity of nature, for both God and man are indestruc tible spirits. Second,— in resemblance of form. When Ezekiel saw God on His throne, He had “ the appearance of a man” (Ezek. 1:26). Tertullian says: “ God in forming the first man, took for a pattern, the future Man Chriqt.”. And another has said: “ God, in creating man in His own likeness, foreshadowed the coming of the Redeemer in the likeness of man, and to re-unite him to his God.” (The fourth article on “ The Doctrine o f Man” w ill apiiear In the April laaue.)
It will be seen at once that there is no doubt as to the meaning of the word as used in the New Testament. As one haB said, "It denotes not merely the image, but also the pattern— the original— which sets forth that likeness or resemblance which is meant to be in the image. The word "likeness” occurs in James 3:9 where man is said to be "made after the likeness of God” (R. V .). The word for “ likeness” means "resemblance." It is derived from a word which signifies "similarity.” This second word is derived from a word which indicates "likeness in appear ance" or "character;” and this third word comes from the base of a word which means “ to be at tjhe same place or time” and is rendered “ together” in John 4:36; 20:4. The first three words, and another cognate one, in their general meaning, signify what we understand by "likeness , namely, "one thing being the facsimile of another." Dr. Dale says, in referring to man being made in the image and likeness of God: “ There lies the possibility of God’s supreme revelation of Himself to the human race. God could not have become man unless man had been made in the image of God!” Christ Made “ Like” to Us We may, therefore, argue that, He being made like to us, proves that we were made like to Him. The Spirit of God frequently reminds us that "He is made like to us;” hence the reference to the above words. As to His humanity, He was "made like unto His brethren” (Heb. 2 :17 ); and as to His being sent to die for us as our Substitute, He was “ made in the likeness of sinful flesh” (Rom. 8 :3 ); and, as to His humiliation, He was “ made in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2 :7 ); and as to His perfect testing. He was in "all points tempted like as (or ‘according to likeness’ ) we are” (Heb. 4:16). We see, therefore, that man is allied, to God in nature, as to his spirit, and that Christ became like us in human form and conditions. Reading the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, which speak of man being in the image of God, we must come to one conclusion, namely: Man still
M T H E I N D O C T R I N A T E D L I F E Dr. Mark A Matthews
are not anchored to a belief ; they are not controlled by a doctrine; they are not dominated by a dogma. No man has ever risen to power and position who hated dogma, who spurned doc trine, or who disbelieved. There is no permanency nor power in unbelief; there is no greatness, prestige, nor in fluence in disbelief. The only road to respect is the rugged road of convic tion, of consciousness, of belief, of doctrine. America needs men who believe in something, who will never yield to ex pediency, who will never surrender to compromise, and who will never fall a victim to the blandishing smiles of Mr. Adjustment. Things are right or wrong, r They cannot be both. Young men, you will never amount to the snap of one’s finger until your life is controlled by a great belief. The greatest of all is belief in God, belief in Christ, belief in the Holy Ghost, belief in the in fallible Bible. Let these four great beliefs constitute your creed. You will become invincible. America needs men who believe.
its provisions, and the establishment of representative government in this country than he believes in anything else? Where is the man who will fight and die to establish the rights of the constitution and the principle of representative government? The average man of today is willing to ad mit that these great dictrines exist, but that we ought to compromise, re concile and, by adjustments and rules of expediency, reach the ends desired rather than fight for the principle in volved. We need men who believe something, and believe it with all their soul and mind and being. The same is true with the average church. The heretic says we ought to live together in peace. The orthodox Christian ought to say to the heretic, “ You cannot live with me unless you believe in Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God.” Men ought to be willing to fight for their creed, fight for their belief, teach and practice their doc trines of orthodoxy and of personal righteousness. The same defect is manifested in the individual. Why are so many young men drifting? Because they
¡-w j -aQU are constantly confronted with the question, What is the matter w i t h political parties, churches and indi viduals? It matters little how many answers you give to the question, you will be compelled to recognize this fundamen tal answer, namely: The serious de fect today is the lack of a deep abid ing, controlling, dynamic belief, “ as a man thinks, as he believes, so is he.” You haven’t any political parties to- day, because the parties aré not com posed of men who believe great politi cal doctrines for which they would give their lives. The only politics we have in America is the politics of the ins and the outs. Both are willing to conspire to prevent a third and un named party from having any share in the emoluments of political parties. The great controlling belief today is the right of political strategy to se cure the political spoils of office and of government. The long-suffering public is never considered except for the purpose of exploitation. Where is the man who believes more in the constitution, the enforcement of
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