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Two statements from the Book refute these allegations. Christ is said to be “ the express image of God’s Person” (Heb. 1 :3). That word “ express image” does not mean a similarity, as the; impression produced on the wax from the die, but it means the die which makes the impression. The embodying thought, therefore, is what God is, He is, and therefore He ' is God. Then, again, Christ is said to be “ in the form of God,” and therefore thought it not “ robbery to be equal with God” (Phil. 2 :6). The word “ equal” means to be the same, and the sentence therefore might be rendered: “ To be the same as God.” The Jews apprehended that was His claim, and repudiated it (John 5:18). Significant is the statement that He was “ in the form of God,” that is,- He is ftod in bodily form. Christ is the visibility of God, hence “ the light of the knowledge of the glory of God is seen in thé face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4 :6). Surely if words have any meaning these declare that Christ is “very God.” Another Spiritualist says: “ I do not find that Christ claimed for Himself more than He held out as pos sible to others.” And further, as dominated by a con trolling spirit he affirms “ that the divin ity of the Lord Jesus is a fiction which He would disown, and which was forced upon His Name.” As in the case of so many who claim to know what Christ claimed, they are ignorant of what Christ claimed. When the straight question was put to Him if He was “ the Son of God,” He replied, “ Thou hast said” (Matt. 26:63, 64), which practically meant, as a Hebraism, "Yes, I am.” Further, we are told that Christ did not claim “ for Himself more than He held out as possible to others.” Could the “ others” say in truth, “ Which of you convinceth me of sin?” (John 8:46). “ The prince of this world cometh and findeth nothing in Me” (John 14:30). Would it not be
| Threefold Charge 1 | Againt Spiritualism | | By F. E. MARSH | W E read in the pages of Holy Writ: “ Every spirit that con- fesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God” (1 John 4:2, 3), and those who bring this teach ing are said to be “ deceiver” and “ Anti- Christ,” and we are not to greet nor re ceive them, for if we do we partake of their evil deed (2 John 7, 11). The threefold charge is: Spiritism denies Christ’s pre-existence before His incar nation, His miraculous birth, and His vicarious death. Spiritualism denies Christ’s pre-exist-' ence before His incarnation, and there fore denies His Deity. Spiritism has an admiration for Christ, will commend Him as a medium, and will laud the perfection of His hu manity. Let the Spiritualists speak for themselves. "Christ’s words,” one says, “ when he says, ‘I and My Father are one,’ did not mean that He was God; if He and His Father were one, it merely signified that they were one in spirit, and the promise given to earth’s children, the same as to Christ, is a proof that Christ could not have been a greater embodiment of Deity than the divine and perfect hu manity He represented.” From this quotation it will be seen that the equality of Christ and the Father are denied, and “ if” (mark the “ if” ) they were one in any way they were only “ one in spirit,” and that Christ is “ no greater embodiment of Deity than the divine and perfect hu manity He represented.” This state ment not only denies Christ’s equality with the Father, but places Him at the highest point as “ perfect humanity.”
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