11
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
alone, for He Who is a Redeemer in the scriptural sense must be God and must also be man. No one else can fill the
position, for the Hebrew word for the Redeemer is Goel, meaning a kinsman (as in the story of Ruth). If Jesus
Christ be not God, and if He be not truly man, we have no Redeemer.
Now the Redeemer has the following titles in Isaiah: - `The Lord', `The Lord of Hosts', `The mighty One of
Jacob', `The Holy One of Israel', `The Creator of Israel', `Beside Me there is no God' (Isa. 41:14; 47:4; 49:26; 54:5;
43:15; and 44:6). Here, then, is the problem. How can God, the Creator, the Lord of Hosts, be `next of kin' to man?
Isaiah, whose emphasis upon the Godhead of the Redeemer creates the problem, supplies the solution:
` ... Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel' (Isa. 7:14).
`Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name
shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace' (Isa. 9:6).
` ... Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she
shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins. Now
all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin
shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted
is, God with us' (Matt. 1:20-23).
` ... Feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood' (Acts 20:28).
For a fuller discussion of this important subject, and a consideration of some erroneous views concerning the
teaching of Scripture, the reader is referred to the booklet, `The Deity of Christ' - same author and publisher.
CHAPTER 5
THE NATURE OF MAN
1.
THE DECLARATION.
We believe that the first man was Adam, and that he was created in the image of God. He was fashioned of the
dust of the earth and made, for a little, inferior to angels, and though destined to a spiritual experience of life, yet at
his creation was natural, that is, non-spiritual. In view of prevalent tradition we introduce into our declaration a
negative. We do NOT believe that man has or is a never-dying or immortal soul, but that immortality is the gift of
God in Christ, and entered upon only at resurrection.
2.
SCRIPTURAL GROUNDS.
`And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of
the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that
creepeth upon the earth' (Gen. 1:26).
`And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and
man became a living soul' (Gen. 2:7).
`Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God'
(Luke 3:38).
`And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The
first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven' (1 Cor. 15:45-47).
` ... Adam ... who is the figure of Him that was to come' (Rom. 5:14).
`For unto the angels hath He not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain
place testified, saying, What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? or the Son of man, that Thou visitest Him?
Thou madest Him (for) a little lower than the angels; Thou crownedst Him with glory and honour, and didst set
Him over the works of Thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under His feet. For in that He put all in
subjection under Him, He left nothing that is not put under Him. But now we see not yet all things put under
Him. But we see Jesus, Who was made (for) a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned
with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man' (Heb. 2:5-9).