Answer to “Inquirer.” by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 1, 1877

Answer to “Inquirer.”

By Dudley Marvin Canright

In last week’s Mirror an “inquirer” says, “Will Mr. Canright explain the mysterious theological sublety of this doctrine, and give his idea of Christ, whether he be divine or equal to God?”

It would be a hard matter to explain the mystery of the trinity as held by Trinitarians, because the doctrine is contrary to common sense and the Bible. It teaches that God has no body, parts, or passions, that he is in no place in particular, but is universally diffused throughout the universe, a mere essence, without form or shape. See the Methodist Discipline, the Episcopal Articles of Faith, and others. Who could worship such a God? Who would pray to such a Being? How is this to be reconciled with the Bible, which distinctly says that God has a form, Phil. 2: 6; that he has a person, Heb. 1: 3; that he has a face, feet, and hands, Ex. 33: 20–23; that he sits upon a throne in Heaven, Rev. 4; and so on? When Christ ascended up into Heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father, did he go nowhere in particular? Was he simply dispersed throughout the universe?

Again, the creeds claim that there are three Gods in one, and only one God; that the Son is as old as the Father, and that the Father is no older than the Son. I quote from the Methodist Discipline: “There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or parts,” etc. “In the unity of this Godhead there are three persons of one substance, power, and eternity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.” These are equal in eternity they say. How, then, can one be the father of the other? Then they go on to assert, that “Christ did truly rise again from death, and took again his body, with flesh, bones, and all things appertaining to the perfection of man’s nature, wherewith he ascended into Heaven,” and sits at the right hand of God.—Art. 4, Episcopal Confession. Then Christ’s material body of flesh and bones, with the Father dwelling in it, is now in an immaterial Heaven, sitting at the right hand of what? An immaterial essence which is as much in one place as another. We give up the question. We cannot explain such creeds.

But the creed goes on to say that Christ was the very and eternal God, “who truly suffered, was crucified, dead, and buried.” Is it so? Was the very eternal God born of the Virgin? Did he die on the cross? Was he dead? Was he buried? Was the eternal God dead for three days? Believe it if you can. No; it was the Son of God who died, not the Father. Jesus Christ was God’s own, yea, only divine Son, begotten of the Father’s own substance. He was not a created being like men or angels. He lived in Heaven before he was born in Bethlehem. This is distinctly stated many times in the Bible. John 17: 5. Indeed, it was Christ the Son, who created this earth; yes, and all the worlds on high. Heb. 1. Not only so, but Christ created the angels themselves. Col. 1: 15. He is a divine Being, infinitely higher than the highest angel; yet the Father is higher than he. Hear Christ’s own language: “My Father is greater than I.” John 14: 28. Again, “The Son can do nothing of himself.” John 5: 19. Again, “I live by the Father.” John 6: 57. All that Christ is the Father hath made him. Thus Jesus said, “All power is given unto me in Heaven and in earth.” Matt. 28: 18. Who gave it to him? The Father. Then the Father is a distinct person, greater than the Son, but Christ is truly his Son, hence a divine Being.—D. M. Canright, in the Danvers, Mass., Mirror.