Orthodoxy: Its Truths And ErrorsClarke, James Freeman
Religion
Orthodoxy: Its Truths And Errors
Clarke, James Freeman
Unitarianism
2. Phil. 2:9, 10. “Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a
name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the
earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to
the glory of God the Father.” Here we have “_things under the earth_”
(καταχθονίων) added to “things in heaven and on earth.” This word only
occurs here in the New Testament, but is by Bretschneider (Lex. Man.)
translated “subterranean” or “infernal,” and applied to the inhabitants of
Hades, with a reference to Origen, who uses the word in relation to the
demons. De Wette applies the language to angels, living men, and the dead.
At all events, it appears to include all moral beings, and to declare that
the whole human race shall bow to Christ, and accept him as Master. But
this cannot mean a merely outward submission, for such a forced and
reluctant homage would bring little honor to God, nor be worth such
admiration on the part of the apostle. It must therefore mean that all
men, not only all who now live, but all who have lived, shall finally
become Christians and enter into the glory of God.
3. Col. 1:20. “And, having made peace by the blood of the cross, by him to
reconcile all things to himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in
earth or things in heaven.” Here a new feature is added to the statement
by the word “reconcile,” which evidently expresses the entire conversion
of the heart, and therefore of human beings, to the law of Christ.
4. 1 Cor. 15:22. “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made
alive.” The “all” must be as extensive on one side as the other. Now,
whether the death in Adam be physical or moral, whether it mean the
dissolution of the earthly body, or the loss of innocence by sin, it
certainly includes _all_ human beings, in the fullest sense. All men die,
and all men sin. It would therefore seem that the other “all” must be
quite as comprehensive. It must include all human beings. All men shall
“be made alive in Christ.” But this cannot mean a mere physical
immortality, or an immortality in misery; for one cannot be said to be
“alive in Christ” who is suffering endless torment. To be “alive in
Christ” means to be spiritually alive, for “he that hath the Son hath
life.”
5. 1 Cor. 24:28. In this passage Paul declares that _all_ enemies shall be
subject to Christ. But this, again, cannot mean a forced submission, for
that is in no sense being subject to Christ. _Christ’s_ subjects are
willing subjects. It therefore must mean that, finally, all human beings
shall become Christian in conviction and in heart.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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