the divinity of that fulness...

This blog has often excerpted Boston Unitarian views of Jesus. This morning we hear from Samuel Barrett in his sermon, "CHRIST, HIS NATURE, MISSION, AND CHARACTER."

1 Cor. xi. 3: I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ and the head of Christ is God"

"The subject to which I am to ask your attention this morning is the character of Jesus Christ, — not his moral character, but his official character; a subject involving the long-agitated questions as to his divinity, and the rank he sustains relatively to the great Father of all...

I begin with requesting such as are not much accustomed to reading our books on this subject, to fix it in their minds, in the outset, that we make a distinction between Christ's divinity and Christ's deity. We do not believe in his deity; i.e., we cannot admit that he was Cod. But we do believe in his divinity. Let me explain.

The expression," the deity of Christ" relates to his person, and means that he is God by nature. The phrase, " the divinity of Christ," may indeed have the same signification; but it may also have a very different one. It may have no relation to his abstract nature and person, but simply to something which he has received from God. Consequently, divinity may be ascribed to him, though, in his nature and person, he is a being distinct from, and inferior to, and dependent upon, the eternal and almighty Father.

In a sense like this, we do ascribe divinity to our Saviour. We would by no means represent him as merely a common man, destitute of everything superhuman and divine. On the contrary, we believe in, and on all proper occasions would assert, his divinity, according to the just import of the text, and of the Scriptures generally. We have no sympathy with those, if any there he, who delight to degrade the Author and Finisher of our faith below his true rank. No: it is rather our wish and aim to exalt, in our conception, the Son of God, so far us is consistent with the peerless majesty, the absolute supremacy, and the incommunicable glory of the infinite and everlasting Creator, as revealed in the Bible.

1. First, We believe in the divinity of our Saviour's mission. He uniformly declared that he was sent of God; and he proved the truth of his declaration by doing what no one could have done, had not God been with him...

2. Secondly, We believe in the divinity of his office. His office as the Messiah is peculiar. Ho had no predecessor, and will have no successor, in it. It was constituted by God alone...

3. Thirdly, We believe in the divinity of his powers. " God," saith Scripture, " anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power."...

4. Fourthly, We believe in the divinity of his doctrine. What he taught originated with and came from God. He said, " My doctrine is not mine, but His that sent me." — "I have not spoken of myself; but the Father, who sent me...

5. Fifthly, We believe in the divinity of his works. Jesus performed miracles, which no unaided man could perform. They were proofs, because effects of supernatural power. He said, " The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works."...

6. Sixthly, We believe in the divinity of that fulness which the Scriptures ascribe to him,— fulness of spiritual gifts and blessings, flowing from God through him to the race. He himself was not the source of them; but, as we are told in sacred writ, " it pleased the Father, that in him should all fulness dwell." The inestimable benefits of the gospel which come to us by Jesus Christ could have had their ultimate source in no created being. They are to be traced through the Son of God to God himself, and are the riches of his infinite grace. The fulness of the Saviour was divine, not as self-produced, but as supplied by the great and good Being who is above all...

Blessings