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Containing an examination of the divine testimony concerning Jesus Christ, as the object of faith.
It is undoubtedly our duty and privilege to believe every part of the divine record respecting the Son of God. We must believe that he is God, in the sense this term is appropriated to him in the scriptures. But we are particularly to observe in what character he is presented to a lost world as the object of faith, and what we are required to believe in order to be saved.
John 3:16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. 18. He that believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already; because he hath not believedin the name of the only begotten Son of God. 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life: but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 9:35. Jesus — said unto him, dost thou believe on the Son of God? Acts 8:37. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Acts 9:20. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. John 20:31. But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. 1 John 4:15. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him and he in God. "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life; and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." Is it not a truth, shining with peculiar luster in the divine word, that Jesus Christ is presented to a perishing world as the grand object of faith, in the character of the Son of God?
When the heavens are opened, that the character of the Saviour may be announced by the Majesty on high to a perishing world; what do we hear? This is the second person of the adorable Trinity? This is the supreme God? No; but, "this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." And what did the blessed Ambassador of peace require? "Dost thou believe on the Son of God?" This great truth was indeed the dividing line between his disciples and the world. The former believed, and were saved; the latter denied, and perished. As Jesus never claimed a higher character than this; he never required his disciples to believe that he possessed any higher character. It was the spiritual revelation of this great truth to the apostle Peter that rendered him blessed. And it was the confession, not that Jesus was the supreme God, or the second in a Trinity of equal persons; but " thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God," which received the benediction of his Lord. Matt. 16:16, 17.
Shall we then he dissatisfied with a confession which the Saviour himself approved? Shall we add to the divine testimony? Or shall we contradict that testimony and say, whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God doth not dwell in him and he in God, unless he doth also confess that Jesus Christ is that very God whose Son he is declared to be?
It is indeed important to observe, that true and saving faith in the character of the Son of God, implies a holy belief of his testimony respecting the perfections of God, the purity and reasonableness of his Law; the exceeding sinfulness of man as a rebel against the divine government; the way of salvation, through the perfect obedience of Jesus Christ unto death; and the necessity of the fruits of holiness, "without which no man shall see the Lord."
Awful is the delusion, and dreadful will be the doom of all those who rest in a mere profession of the truth, that Jesus is the Son of God. Their condemnation is already declared. "Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: For thy heart is not right in the sight of God." Acts 8:21.
If, then, we admit that we are required to believe in the highest character of the Saviour, in order to be saved by him; we must admit that the term Son of God, in that peculiar sense in which it is applied to Christ, is expressive of that character.
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