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Last Updated on :
Saturday, November 22, 2014

 

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CONTENTS | Aaron & Christ

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The Purifying of The Heavenly


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NEVER! Of course, it is possible to personally give such an artificial definition to "alienate" as to use it of Christ, and still mean the Truth. Some have, unfortunately, apparently for its "shock" value, done this (to their own and others' confusion), in their zeal to combat the other extreme. Such a course is highly unwise, and can only be counter-productive to the calm presentation and acceptance of the Truth.

To suggest that Christ was "alienated" from God by reason of the fact that he bore Sin's Flesh, is to go too far in the opposite direction from Stricklerism. Certainly Sin's Flesh - which it was Christ's mission to overcome and cleanse in himself, to totally cleanse himself from the ingrained defilement of the diabolos by a perfect life of obedience and a sacrificial death - certainly this affliction of Sin's Flesh was a physical barrier that stood in the way of the perfect eternal oneness of Christ with God that now exists.

But "alienation" is a most improper and inappropriate word to use of the relationship between God and Christ in the days of his flesh, either before or after his baptism (or, as some say, his circumcision).

And beside being inappropriate in itself, it has become even more so because, due to the Andrew error and controversy, it has become one of the inflamed and emotional watchwords for the Andrew error. In the Resurrectional Responsibility Debate of 1894, brother Andrew asked, and brother Roberts answered -

124. Were not they in a state of alienation from God at birth?

Ans: Alienation is only applicable to those who are capable of reconciliation.

125. Is it not applicable to any who are unable to do right or wrong?

Ans: NO. It is a MORAL relation.

 

In the "Christadelphian," Sept., 1894, p. 351, a correspondent is defending the Truth against the Andrew error, and happens to mention, in quotation marks, that error's (alleged) "alienation of Christ." At this point, brother Roberts could not forbear inserting in parenthesis the strong editorial disclaimer: "God pardon the expression appearing in the "Christadelphian" - EDITOR". And in the Law of Moses -

"Christ was never alienated from God." - Law of Moses, end of chapt. 26, p. 250.

 


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