It is an idle question that has been raised
by theologians, whether Christ was “peccable” or “impeccable,” in view of the
fact that he was driven into the wilderness expressly for the purpose of being
tempted of the devil. If he was not capable of sinning, he was not capable of
being tempted. A popular writer has well said; “Some, in a zeal at once
intemperate and ignorant, have claimed for him (Christ), not only an actual singleness,
but a nature to which sin was divinely and miraculously impossible. What then? If
his great conflict were a mere deceptive phantasmagoria, how can the narrative
of it profit us? If we have to fight the battle, clad in that armour of human
free will which has been hacked and riven about the bosom of our forefathers by
so many a cruel blow, what comfort is it to us if our great captain fought not
only victoriously, but without real danger? Not only uninjured, but without
even the possibility of wounds?” It is facts and not the metaphysical theories
of facts, that wise men concern themselves with. Metaphysics land a man in the
inconceivable. We have no actuality for dealing with the abstract. We cannot
follow God, as it were, in the process by which He has concreated His eternal
spirit into the forms and functions of created life. It is the practical relations
of the latter that concern us. On this principle, it is sufficient to note that
Christ was tempted, without enquiring whether or not it was possible he could
yield to temptation. The speculation only becomes material and that in a bad
sense, when it is made to interfere with that free volition of Christ, which
was essential to the righteousness he came to fulfil, the very nature of which
consists in the willing and writing subordination of the human will to the
divine: (“not my will but thine be one”). (Robert Roberts, Nazareth Revisited or The Life and Work of Jesus Christ Exhibited Anew
in Harmony with the Scriptures Moses and the Prophets to which Jesus Appealed
as The Word of God [3d ed.; Birmingham: The Christadelphian, 1926], 86)
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Blog Archive
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- Robert F. Smith on Moroni's Appearances and Jewish...
- Celebrating One Million "Hits"
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- The "Pessimistic Literature" in Ancient Egypt
- Refuting an Appeal to Ezekiel 36:25-26 to Relegate...
- Joseph Smith's First Vision in 2 Nephi 27:24-26
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- J.N.D. Kelly on the Salvific Efficacy of Water Bap...
- The Historical Jewish Exegesis of the Old Testamen...
- The Book of Mormon Is Not One-to-One Equivalent to...
- Refuting Christina Darlington on the Nature of "Ju...
- Responding to Christina Darlington on Evidence for...
- Refuting Christina Darlington's Claim the Bible ha...
- Is it true the Book of Mormon Contains No Doctrine...
- Matt Slick on the meaning of τετελεσται ("it is fi...
- Stephen J. Patterson on the Salvific Efficacy of W...
- Alexander Fraser (1802) on Revelation 12 and the C...
- Alexander Fraser (1802) Affirming Constantine was ...
- Henry Edward Cardinal Manning and the Catholic Doc...
- New Church Video: "Who was Joseph Smith? | Now you...
- Refuting Christina Darlington on Colossians 4:16 a...
- Alexander Fraser (1802) on Ezekiel 37
- Alexander Fraser (1802) on Joel 2:28-32 having a t...
- Joseph Tixeront on Origen's Subordinationst Christ...
- Robert Sungenis (Traditionalist Roman Catholic) on...
- Joseph Tixeront on Early Christian Belief in Premi...
- Richard of Saint-Laurent (d. 1250) on the Name of ...
- John Muddiman on Baptism and Ephesians 5:26
- John Muddiman on Ephesians 2:9
- Robert Bellarmine vs. the SSPX "Recognize and Resi...
- Robert Bellarmine's Comments On "And Lead Us Not I...
- Elizabeth Johnson on Luke 1:35
- Peter J. Leithart on the Salvific Efficacy of Wate...
- Peter J. Leithart on the Salvific Efficacy of Wate...
- Peter J. Leithart on Judas
- Karlo Broussard on Acts 10:45-48, Cornelius, and t...
- Jesus as an “Elias” in JST John 1:28
- Refuting the Myth that all but 11 verses of the Ne...
- An Example of a Letter ("Epistle") from the Sixth ...
- Text of the Only Possible Illustration of Circumci...
- Pearl of Great Price Central on "Shinehah"
- Christina Darlington, D&C 82:7, and the Parable of...
- Müller, Pakkala, and ter Haar Romeny on the Chroni...
- Müller, Pakkala, and ter Haar Romeny on the Differ...
- Richard J. Cassidy on Thomas' Confession in John 2...
- Samuel's Prophecy of a Night Without Darkness and ...
- Christina Darlington on JST Exodus 33:20 and Divin...
- Answering Christina Darlington on JST Genesis 17:1...
- Deuteronomy 32:9 in the LXX and the Masoretic Text
- Steven C. Harper on Evidence of Early Retellings o...
- Brigham Young and Joseph Smith’s First Vision
- The Changing World of Sandra Tanner
- Isaac Brockbank's Indictment Against the Lack of S...
- Did Stephen Keenan Completely Reject Papal Infalli...
- John C. Pontrello on Athanasius and the Arian Cont...
- A. Keith Thompson's new book, Trinity and Monotheism
- Christina Darlington Shoots Herself in the Foot on...
- Refuting the Claim Bruce McConkie Rejected Complet...
- Ephrem the Syrian and "Clothing Imagery" Supportin...
- Christina Darlington Admits the Bible Does Not Tea...
- Refuting Christina Darlington on Sola Scriptura, J...
- An Example of Deer Pulling a Chariot in Callimachus
- Joseph Smith teaching Robust Deification in Januar...
- Jean Danielou on the Role of Angels in Baptism in ...
- Egyptian and Sumerian Parallels to Israelite Prove...
- Cornelius Burges (1589-1665) on Baptismal Regenera...
- The Presence of Greek Merchants on the Eastern Med...
- The Masorah on Genesis 19:2 and "my lords" and "LORD"
- Lee C. LaFayette's Recollection of Joseph Smith as...
- Brant Pitre, Michael P. Barber, and John A. Kincai...
- John Garbett (1827) on the Eucharist, The Council ...
- John Garbett (1827) using "Angel" to Denote the Pr...
- John Garbett's comments on the Apocrypha from 1827...
- Mark Petersen on the Growth of Interest in Genealo...
- Mark Petersen using "Angel" in the sense of "Messe...
- Mark Petersen's Appeal to Modern Translations of J...
- Robert Roberts (1839-1898) on the Importance of Je...
- Joel Rembaum on Jewish Ethnocentricism in the Seco...
- Shalom M. Paul on Deuteronomy 18:20-22
- Off to Poland for Vacation! Also: How to Support T...
- Matthew Bowen on the Etymology of "Liahona"
- Richard "Papa" Ostler: Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
- The Tanners on the Surprise Most LDS Experienced w...
- Ross Warner on Book of Mormon Prophecies
- Former Anti-Mormon Calvinist Converts to Catholicism
- Robert F. Smith on the Etymology of "Irreantum"
- Terryl Givens on the Early Development of the Doct...
- Allred/White Dialogue on "What is Truth" and Sola ...
- Charles W. Penrose on the Marital Status of Jesus
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- Michael L. Brown and Craig S. Keener on John Nelso...
- Live Tweeting General Conference this Weekend!
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