p. 1 | THE SON by H. C. Blanchard

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 10, 1867

THE SON.

By H. C. Blanchard

BY ELD. H. C. BLANCHARD.

TEXT. “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” Heb. v, 8, 9.

The above words were spoken by the apostle Paul, and addressed to the Hebrews. But it is not written exclusively for their benefit; it is for ours also, that we might understand the plan of salvation, be led to embrace the gospel and be eternally saved. We propose to present some thoughts for consideration from the above words; and while we do so, we pray to be guided by the “oracles of God.”

I. The first point that claims our attention in the text is the term Son. Who is the Son mentioned here? Is he the son of Alexander the Great? Is he the son of one of the Cæsars, or of Herod the Great, as some of the Spiritualists now teach? Oh, no! He is the Son of God. We are well aware that there has been much disputation on the subject of the sonship of Christ in the religious world, some claiming that he is nothing but a man as to origin, being only about eighteen hundred years old; others that he is the very and eternal God, the second person in the trinity. This last view is by far the most widely entertained among religious denominations. We are disposed to think that the truth lies between these views.

That Christ is more than a mere man, is evident from many passages of Scripture. Peter testifies, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matt. xvi, 16. And Matthew says, he was begotten of the Holy Ghost. Matt. i, 20, margin. Jesus testifies himself that he was before Abraham. Jno. viii, 58. St. John says he was in the beginning with God. Chap. i, 1–5. Heb. i, 1, 2.

This leads us to an examination of the more popular view, that he is the “very and eternal God.” We will notice one or two reasons for this view: 1. Christ is called God, therefore he is God, Jehovah. But the judges in Israel were called gods. Ex. xxii, 28. Ps. lxxxii, 1, 6. Jno. x, 34. This title is applied to the angels also. See Gen. xxxii, 30. Compare with Hos. xii, 4. Again, “and the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, [Moses] in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush, and he looked and behold the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.” In verse 4, this angel calls himself Lord, and in verse 6 he styles himself the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Ex. iii, 1–6. See also 1 Chron. xxi, 16, 17, where David calls the angel, God. Hence, if because Christ is called God, that proves that he is the God, the same argument would prove that men and angels are the very and eternal God; for they are so called as is seen from the foregoing scriptures. If this mode of reasoning be correct, we might add a fourth and fifth person to the trinity. Now an argument which proves too much, proves nothing. Therefore we dismiss this one as unsound and illogical.

Again says the trinitarian, I and my Father are one. John x, 30. True; but does this prove that Christ and the Father are one and the same being? If it does it proves also that believers in Christ are one and the same being; for we read, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; and the glory which thou gavest me I have given them, that they may be one as we are one.” John xvii, 20–22. This oneness does not mean that Christ and the Father are the same in being, or that believers are identical in person, by any means. The Father and Son are one in the plan of salvation, one in concert of action and government. Rev. iii, 21. But alas! Are the professed followers of our Lord and Saviour one, even in faith and practice? Ah! no. How the professed church of Christ is divided and subdivided! “But” says one, “this is all right: God never meant that we should all believe alike. We are differently constituted; and it is impossible for us all to see alike. Each one can go to the church that suits him best.” This must be a device of the enemy. He has succeeded in dividing the church to such an extent that professed Christians have concluded that it makes no difference what they believe, if they are honest. This virtually destroys the plan of salvation. God has not proposed six hundred plans in the gospel.

That the apostles taught a different doctrine in regard to the unity of the faith, from what ministers of the present day teach, we will now prove. “Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. Be ye of the same mind one toward another. Finally be ye all of one mind.” 1 Cor. i, 10; Rom. xii, 16; 1 Pet. iii, 8. “It is true,” says one, “that the Scriptures teach a unity of faith among believers; and this is very desirable, but how shall it be accomplished?” Not by drawing up creeds and confessions of faith; for surely this has been sufficiently tried and has proved a miserable failure.

Now I conclude that the only way for us to come into this much-desired state, is 1st, To believe that the Scriptures of the old and new Testaments contain a full and complete revelation of God’s will. This primary step toward unity must be taken, or nothing can be accomplished in this direction. 2d, To let our own wills be swallowed up in the will of God. Self, prejudice, and preconceived opinions, must lie dormant, and we must say from the bottom of the heart, “Speak, Lord, thy servant heareth.” We must search the Scriptures, “the oracles of God,” and be willing, yea, glad, to do whatsoever they command. 3d, If they say that the gifts of the Spirit are to bring us into the unity of the faith (see Eph. iv, 11, 14), let us believe it with all our hearts, and pray to God to restore all the gifts to the church, that we may finally be brought completely into the unity of the faith. Then indeed will the church be “fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.” God speed the day.

But we are digressing. We do not intend to enter into a lengthy discussion of the sonship, but simply to speak upon it sufficiently to prepare the way for our views on the sacrifice of Christ. We will here introduce two or three scriptures to prove that the Father and Son are two distinct beings. In Dan. vii, we read, “And behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him; and there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him.” We should not confound the Ancient of Days with the Son of man that was brought near before him, and to whom there was given dominion, a kingdom, &c. All can see a clear distinction between the two beings here brought to view. Again, “And he [the Lamb] came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.” Rev. v, 1, 7. Surely there are two distinct beings mentioned in this testimony.

II. The Son learned obedience by the things which he suffered. Let us examine the word of God and see what the Son has suffered. His whole life while here upon the earth was one continual scene of suffering, and privation, and finally, he was betrayed into the hands of wicked men, was mocked, spit upon, cruelly treated, and last of all, nailed to the cross. Paul says, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Phil. ii, 8.

A word at this point on the sacrifice of Christ, or the atonement. In order for Christ to make atonement for the sins of the world through the sacrifice of himself, he must be more than man. Let us remember that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; Rom.

iii, 23; and that sin is the transgression of the law; 1 John iii, 4; that the wages or penalty is death; Rom. vi, 23; also that the law is holy, just, and good. Rom. vii, 12. All this being so, the whole world were justly under condemnation or sentence of death. Now a world of fallen creatures must be redeemed or cut off. We are inclined to think that the mind of the infinite Jehovah was, so to speak, almost at a loss to find a ransom for fallen man. Behold him surveying his works. He might select a man, if one could be found, entirely free from sin; but would this redeem a race? No. It would at most redeem but one sinner. Besides no man is free from sin. Here then are two reasons why some man could not be selected for this great sacrifice. God might select one of the angels; but this would fall infinitely below the price that must be paid for a whole race. Again he surveys his works. He beholds man polluted with sin under the sentence of death. He pities and loves him. His mercy is extended. He beholds his own immutable law, then looks at his Son. The worlds were made by him. Heb. i, 1, 2. Here is my only Son. He is an equivalent for the race to be redeemed. But how can I give him to die for a world of sinners and rebels against my government? He has always been faithful to my laws. [What a fitting time this would have been for the Father to abolish his law, if it could have been done, and thus save the death of his Son.] The Son replies, Father, I will willingly give my life for them. Hence we read, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John iii, 16.

Let us now look at the nature of Christ as he was manifest in the flesh. We have already shown that if he was nothing but a man he could not redeem a race. On the other hand, it is claimed by those entertaining the trinitarian view, that Christ is “very God and very man.” This I suppose means that in Christ were “two whole and perfect natures;” that is, take one man and one God, join them together, and you have one Christ. This is the sacrifice they propose to offer for a lost world. Well, let us see what died on the cross, according to this view. Surely not the God part of Christ; for then the universe must have been three days without a God. What then? Why the divinity forsook the humanity (the perfect man), and left it to expire on the cross. So this view gives us nothing but a perfect human sacrifice, which could at most redeem but one soul from death. But let us examine this view still further: Did the perfect man die on the cross? No. The immortal soul of the man could not die, and this leaves nothing but the human body, “the house of clay” to expire upon the cross. Then what is the great atonement so much preached about? Was Christ offered? No. Was a perfect man? No. What then? Why a human body. Truly if this be all, the Jews did well to reject Christ and cling to their offerings under the old covenant; for there was a real offering of the victim, the innocent lamb. That which was sacrificed under the old covenant really died. But if it be admitted that man is mortal and can die, it does not help them out of the dilemma. No trinitarian or unitarian who holds that man is immortal, has any sacrifice at all, except the body of Christ which was of the seed of Abraham. They tell us that Jesus died for us, but you ask them if Christ really died, and they will answer, that the God part did not. Then ask if the man part died. No, the soul is immortal and is not subject to death. What then did die? The body of Christ. But we are told that the body is nothing but the house man dwells in. What then was the offering which was made for us? Paul says “Christ our passover is sacrificed for us (or is slain,” margin). 1 Cor. v, 7. Now if the Christ forsook his body, left it upon the cross, and did not die, as believers in the immortality of the soul tell us, this testimony is not true; for the apostle positively asserts that Christ was slain for us.

To illustrate: Suppose two persons are in one house, which begins to yield to the force of a terrible storm. They both forsake it and escape to some other place of safety. After they are gone the house is utterly demolished. Then an individual reports that two men were slain in the fall of that house. Would it be true? Just so in regard to Christ. If it takes two whole and perfect natures (very God and very man, as per creed) to make one Christ; then it follows that very God and very man was slain or sacrificed for us; for, says the apostle, Christ was slain. 1 Cor. v, 7. But no one believes that the very God died. John says, “The Word was made flesh.” Chap. i, 14. For what purpose? Paul tells us: “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death.” Heb. ii, 9. “For verily he took not on him the nature of angels: but the seed of Abraham.” Verse 16.

Here it would appear that he took man’s nature in order that he “might taste death for every one.” But if man has an undying nature, that nature could not have been given to Christ “for the suffering of death.” But man also is made a little lower than the angels. Verse 7. That the angels have an undying nature is clearly seen from the words of St. Luke: “But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; neither can they die any more; for they are equal unto the angels and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.” This testimony clearly proves that man is not in possession of an undying nature.

Well, says an objector, Christ’s soul did not die. Let us see. “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, he hath put him to grief, when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, because he hath poured out his soul unto death.” Isa. liii, 10–12. Says another, Christ’s life was not all taken; he certainly did not entirely die; surely there must have been a little spark of life which was not extinct. In reply it is written, “In his humiliation his judgment was taken away, and who shall declare his generation; for his life is taken from the earth.” The Son of man gave his life a ransom for many. “The good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” Acts viii, 33. Matt. xx, 28. John x, 11.

Oh, what a price has been paid for our redemption! What amazing love is manifested by our Heavenly Father in the giving of his only Son to die for us! Behold the Son ascending Calvary, weak from the cruel treatment received from the Jews. See him meekly submitting to be nailed to the cross. Imagine the long iron spikes being driven through his tender feet and hands, causing the most excruciating pain. Then extended between the heavens and the earth, see his whole weight hanging by the nails driven through his hands and feet. Hear him cry, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” This was done that I might live, and that you my hearers might have everlasting life. Oh! how I long to see my blessed Saviour and dwell in his kingdom. Thank God for the gift of his dear Son. Precious Jesus! “Thou art worthy to receive blessings, and glory, for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us unto God by thy blood, out of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.”

III. This redemption is on condition that we obey him. What is it to obey him? I reply that to obey Christ is to obey God; for they are one in government. He says, “For I have not spoken of myself, but my Father which sent me he gave me a commandment what I should say and what I should speak.” John xii, 49. Let us notice some of the prominent doctrines which he taught.

1. The doctrine of repentance. When he commenced his mission he told the people to repent. This was also the first thing his apostles taught. See Matt. iv, 17. Mark i, 15. Acts ii, 38; iii, 19; xx, 21. What is repentance? It is ceasing to transgress God’s law. See Eze. xiv, 6. Again, “And Jesus answering, said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all other Galileans because they suffered such things? I tell you nay, but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke xiii, 2, 3. In this testimony, to repent is the opposite of to sin, which is transgression of the law. 1 John iii, 4. So we see clearly that Jesus and the apostles taught the observance of the law.

2. The doctrine of holiness. “Be ye holy as I am holy.” 1 Pet. i, 16. But what will make us holy? Answer. To keep a holy law. “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, just and good.” Rom. vii, 12. But says one, “We cannot keep this holy law.” I reply, then God will supply our lack with his Spirit.

But there is a negative idea in the text. What will be the consequence of not obeying him? “But unto them that are contentious, and will not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil, to the Jew first and also to the Gentile.” “And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power.”

But Jesus is the author of eternal salvation to them that obey him. Oh! glorious hope! Forever saved in the kingdom, where no sickness, pain, nor sorrow can ever reach the dwellers in that happy clime.

God grant that we all may hear those precious words of Jesus, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you.” Amen.