Lehre und Wehre St. Louis, Missouri — Februar 1906, Seite 83

German transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

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Kirchlich⸗Zeitgeschichtliches. 83

Holy Spirit, 4. e., minus the image or glory of God. These expressions
are strictly equivalent in re.“ Again, the fall has deprived human nature
of all supernatural endowment, of the glory or image of God.“ As a con-
sequence man is in a state of guilt and privation.“ This state of priva-
tion is morally a state of perfect innocence, but spiritually it is really
and truly a state of sin and total depravity. Although at this stage purely
negative, this depravity is 'the source and fountain-head of all possible
corruption of human nature.“ The new-born babe is, in itself, a ereature
of God. Morally it is as pure and innocent as the first ray of light that
has just fallen on its wondering eyes. And yet the law of God, which is
supremely holy, just and mereiful, pronounces it all unelean. In the sight
of God it is an unelean thing and an abomination until covered by the
covenant of grace. What then is its sin? Its very humanity is its sin,
its being flesh born of flesh, its connection with and derivation from the
race of man, who did not abide in the image and glory of his Maker.“ To
be sin is to be what God in His righteousness has condemned; to sin means
to assert and do what God has prohibited; to presume to live after He has
said, Thou shalt surely die.“ 3. The Quality of Christ's Humanity. The
Son of God assumed fallen humanity in the same state and of the same
quality as the rest of the race. It must be candidly acknowledged that
there is an emphatie denial of any moral taint or pollution in Jesus. He
was sin; not sinful. That is their constant distinetion. The assertion
that Christ assumed unfallen humanity is termed à fatal error. In order
that Christ might make an atonement for sin, He must become sin. That
it is not meant in these words to affirm that Christ is the sinbearer simply,
is made plain by their own qualification. The conception by the Holy Spirit
did not change the human nature, assumed in the incarnation: as to sub-
stance and qualities.“ The infirmities aseribed to the human nature of Christ
are moral as well as physical. Christ as being under the law was just what
the law describes the sinner to be, and was condemned by the law; indeed,
the law was framed for the very purpose of being hurled at Jesus. The
good need no law and indeed can have none, for the law recognizes no one
as good, not even the Son of Man.“ Being thus under the law He constantly
experienced the wrath of God. Jesus repented, and this faet furnished the
necessity for His baptism. Being thus identified with man in sin and re-
pentance, His salvation was à triumph of grace. Christ does everything by
the Spirit; He is only what the Spirit made Him. Clearly it was the
Spirit, the fullness of the God-head, that was the source of all His right-
eousness.“ Finally, the limitations which Christ's human nature imposed
upon Him are carried to the extreme. Not only are there two intellects
and two wills in Jesus, but two self-consciousnesses as well; and in His
human intelleet and will He was under the same restrictions as every other
man. 4. Regeneration. Vour committee are not able to formulate fully
the teaching concerning regeneration, maintained by the new theology. It
is clearly taught that it is not a change on the man, in him or with him;“
nor is it the implanting of à new germ of life' in the old man, but a totally
new man;“ the old is wholly removed, and aà new one is put there.“ This
regeneration is secured by faith. Faith in Jesus acknowledges the Mes-
siah and even in Him the new man.“ Regeneration is deseribed as a state
or condition. It is not what man is, but where he is. Hence regeneration

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