Outlines of Ecclesiastical HistoryRoberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Religion
Outlines of Ecclesiastical History
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Church history; Latter Day Saint churches -- History
33. In the work of creation, God proposed to make man in his own
image and likeness, and the proposition was executed.[95] Moreover,
Jesus is said to be the brightness of God's glory, "and the express
image of his person." [96] Again it is said, that Jesus "being in the
form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God." [97] All
this teaches that God has a form similar to that of man's; that he
has organs, dimensions, proportions; that he occupies space and has
relation to other objects in space; that he moves from place to place;
and that so far as his actual person is concerned he cannot be in two
places at one and the same instant. The question here arises as to
those passages of scripture which declare the omnipresence of God, a
thing which is impossible--speaking of his person--if what is {174}
here contended for be true. But God may be and is omnipresent by his
influence, by his power, if not in his person. While his person is
confined to one place at a time, as other substances are, his influence
extends throughout the universe, as does also his power, and through
this means he is omnipotent and omnipresent.
34. To assert the immateriality of God is not only to deny his
personality, but his very existence; for an immaterial substance cannot
exist. It can have no relation to time or space, no form, no extension,
no parts. An immaterial substance is simply no substance at all; it
is a contradiction of terms to say a substance is immaterial--it is
the description of an infinite vacuum; and the difference between the
atheist and the orthodox Christian is one of terms, not of fact; the
former says, "There is no God;" the latter in his creed says, "God is
nothing." [98] (See note 10, end of section.)
35. Such were the absurdities into which the vain philosophies
of the pagan led the Christian even in the early centuries of the
Christian era; so that through these errors they even denied the Lord
who bought them.[99]
{175}
NOTES.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account