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PROPER DEITY OF CHRIST
THE Church of Christ in the first ages was composed of Jews and Gentiles. Now, the Jews were at all times fond of their own superstitions, as the Gentiles were of the dogmas of philosophy: and the two, meeting together upon one common gronud, were ready to incorporate their respective peculiarities with the Gospel of Christ. To what extent this has been done in the Church of Rome, is well known. In truth, the whole system of the Catholics is little better than a mixture of heathen rites with Jewish superstitions. And those corruptions, which have prevailed to such an awful extent in the Church of Rome, began at a very early period to make their way into the house of God. Symptoms of an alarming nature had already appeared in the different Churches of Asia: and against them the Apostle put the Colossian converts on their guard; reminding them, that, whatever they might hope to add to Christ and his Gospel, their efforts would be in vain; since “in Him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily;” and, consequently, without any addition from the conceits of philosophy, or the traditions of Judaism, he was amply sufficient for the work assigned him, and was “able to save to the uttermost all that should come unto God by him.”
From this assertion of the Apostle, I shall take occasion to set before you,
I. The doctrine of the Divinity of Christ—
It will be proper to consider it,
1. As expressed in the text itself—
[There are some texts, which, to a superficial observer, bear somewhat of a similar aspect with that before us. For instance, it is said in this very epistle, “It hath pleased the Father, that in Christ should all fulness dwell [Note: Col_1:19.].” And, “Oat of his fulness we are said to receive even grace for grace [Note: Joh_1:16.].” There is yet a stronger expression in the Epistle to the Ephesians, wherein we are exhorted to contemplate the love of Christ, till we are “filled with all the fulness of God [Note: Eph_3:18-19.]:” nay, move: we are said ourselves to be “the fulness of Him who filleth all in all [Note: Eph_1:23.].” From such Scriptures as these it is argued by many, that the fulness spoken of in my text is only a fulness of gifts committed to Christ for the use of his Church; and that we may as well assume to ourselves the character of the Godhead, as give it to him; since we, no less than he, are said to be “filled with all the fulness of God.” But, on a closer inspection, there will be found a wide difference between all the foregoing passages and our text. The fulness spoken of in the text is the fulness of “the Godhead;” residing in Christ, not symbolically, and for a season, as the Shechinah did in the tabernacle, but corporeally, substantially, permanently. There is no doubt a reference here to the Shechinah, which was a shadowy representation of the Deity. But the reference is rather in a way of contrast than of comparison: for, in my text, it is not God who is spoken of, and who is frequently said to dwell in his people, but the Godhead. Nor is Christ said to “be filed” with it, but to have it essentially dwelling in him; and this, not in a type or shadow, but really, vitally, necessarily, immutably: “In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”
Suppose, now, the Lord Jesus Christ to be truly and unquestionably God: suppose, too, it is God’s purpose to make this known to us: then, I would ask, can we conceive of any words that would more clearly convey that truth than the language of my text? I must say, that if the words of my text do not clearly and decidedly declare the Godhead of Christ, no words whatever can express it. Nay, more; if Christ be not truly and properly God, the Apostle has done more, by his unguarded expressions, to lead us to idolatry, than all the most impious sophists in the universe could have done by their most ingenious arguments.]
2. As confirmed by other passages of Holy Writ—
[To enter fully into this subject, would embrace too large a field for one discourse. I shall therefore confine myself to a few passages only, which establish the Divinity of Christ in connexion with his humanity, And here let me call to your remembrance that prophecy of Isaiah, where it is said, “To us a child is born; to us a son is given: and his name shall be called, The Mighty God [Note: Isa_9:6.].” This is quite decisive upon the point. Again, in another part of the same prophecy, it is said, “A Virgin shall conceive, and bring forth a son; and they shall call his name Emmanel [Note: Isa_7:14.];” which St. Matthew informs us, is “God with us [Note: Mat_1:23.].” In the New Testament, St. John, who seems to have been peculiarly attentive to this point, and, more than all the other inspired writers, anxious to impress it on our minds, says expressly, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us [Note: Joh_1:14.].” St. Paul also, to the same effect, says, “Great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifest in the flesh [Note: 1Ti_3:16.]. What shall I say more? It is clear, that it was “God, who purchased the Church with his own blood [Note: Act_20:28.]:” and that He who wrought out for us a righteousness wherein we are to be accepted before God, is Jehovah himself [Note: Jer_23:6.]. Know ye then, assuredly, that the glorious Person spoken of in my text was no other than our incarnate God, even “God over all, blessed for evermore [Note: Rom_9:5.].”]
The peculiar caution given by the Apostle, in relation to this doctrine, leads me to shew you,
II. The importance of it to the welfare of our souls—
“Beware,” says the Apostle, “lest any man spoil or rob you, through philosophy and vain deceit.” So will I say to you: “Beware, lest any deceiver rob you of your hope founded on the divinity of your Lord and Saviour:” for,
1. On that depends the efficacy of his atonement—
[Supposing the Lord Jesus Christ to have been a creature, how could he make atonement for sin, or work out a righteousness that should be imputable to us? He could do no more than what, by the law of his creation, he was bound to do; and, after having done it, he would have been only “an unprofitable servant.” Supposing him to be capable of meriting any thing, he could have merited only for himself. If it be said, that the Divine appointment was sufficient to make his sufferings available for us also, I answer, that, according to that argument, the same value might as easily have been stamped on the sacrifices of the Mosaic law, if God had seen fit to do so. But the Apostle has said, that “it is not possible for the blood of bulls and of goats to take away sins.” And why not possible? If a Divine appointment were to stamp on one sacrifice a value which it possessed not, it might as well do so on another. But, if the impossibility arise from the inefficacy of a creature’s blood, then it must attach to one creature as well as to another. For how remote soever two creatures may be asunder, their distance is but finite: whereas, to take away sin, the value of a sacrifice must be infinite: it must satisfy the demands of infinite justice, and entail upon the sinner all the blessings of infinite love and unbounded mercy. The divinity, of our blessed Lord renders all tins practicable to him. And it is this consideration which emboldens us to deliver our message to sinful men. We believe “that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them:” and therefore, “as ambassadors from God, we beseech men, in Christ’s stead, to be reconciled to God [Note: 2Co_5:19-20.].”]
2. From that arises his ability to supply our every want—
[To Him is committed the entire government of his; Church [Note: Eph_1:22.]. But if He be not God, we shall be in a state little better than the worshippers of Baal. It may be, that he is occupied about the concerns of some other person at the opposite side of the globe; and I must wait till he can hear me, and come to me, and help me: but, whilst he is delaying, I may perish. If he be a mere creature, he cannot be omnipresent, nor omniscient, nor omnipotent. These are the perfections, the incommunicable perfections, of Deity: and if he be not God, he does not possess them: and, if he possess them not, he cannot be sufficient for my wants. But he does possess them. He knows every want and every desire of my soul, “Unto Him all things, both in heaven and earth, are naked and opened:” and there can be no possible situation wherein “his grace shall not be sufficient for me [Note: 1Jn_5:20.].” “He is the true God; and therefore he is, and shall be, to me eternal life.”]
3. It is that which will give the chief zest to all our blessedness for evermore—
[If my sins were pardoned, though by a mere act of sovereign mercy, I should be happy any where. But when in heaven I contemplate every thing as the fruit of redeeming love, as procured for me through the blood and righteousness of my incarnate God; with what wonder must I be filled! I see now, why all the glorified saints fall upon their faces before God. They have reason to do so: they would be unworthy of a place in heaven, if they did not. How can they sing, “To Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood;” and remember, that He who so loved them was “King of kings and Lord of lords;” how can they sing thus, I say, and not be lost in wonder and amazement? And what are those hosannas which I hear offered to “God and to the Lamb?” What! is a creature joined in one common song of praise with the Creator? and that in heaven, too, in the very presence of the Deity? No; the Lamb is no other than our. incarnate God, “the first and the last, who lived, and was dead, and is alive for evermore [Note: Rev_1:17-18.].”]
Conclusion—
1. Let this doctrine, then, be deeply fixed in your minds—
[Hold it not slightly and superficially; but acquaint yourselves with it, and with the irrefragable proofs whereby it is established. Those who are adverse to it, will bring forward passages which speak of him as inferior to the Father. But we must remember, that the Lord Jesus Christ is spoken of under different characters in Scripture, as God, as man, and as Mediator between God and man. As God, he is altogether, in the highest sense, “one with the Father [Note: Joh_10:30.].” In the two latter characters he was inferior to the Father; and must, of course, be spoken of in that light. But these passages no more disprove his divinity, than the passages which speak of him as God disprove his humanity. Man himself is mortal, and immortal; mortal in his body, and immortal in his soul. Who ever thought of putting these in opposition to each other, and of making an affirmation of the one to be a denial of the other? Yet this is what is done by those who deny the divinity of our Lord. But be on your guard against them: and let neither men nor devils rob you of a truth so essential to your happiness both in time and in eternity.]
2. Let it make a suitable impression on your hearts—
[So astonishing is this truth, that it is a wonder we can ever think of any thing else. O, what prostration of soul is it calculated to produce! What admiring and adoring thoughts of God! What a zeal in his service! What a contempt of every thing that can come into competition with him! What boasting of him to our fellow-creatures! What commending of him to all! Verily, if we lived under a suitable impression of this truth, we should, as far as human infirmity would admit of it, resemble the very hosts around the throne. Let us, then, aspire after this experience. Let admiration, and love, and gratitude, and thanksgiving, occupy, as it were, our whole lives. And let us be looking forward to that blissful period, when we shall see him as we are seen; and “know him, even as we are known.”]