BROOKLYN, N.Y., SEPTEMBER 20TH, 1929

BROOKLYN, N.Y., SEPTEMBER 20TH, 1929

Mr. C. A. Coates.

Beloved Brother, — I regret to find I omitted referring to your enquiry as to F.E.R.’s remarks on our Lord’s spirit. His paper helped me greatly at the time it appeared and what you write confirms me in my understanding of the truth involved.

It is a question of a Person said to be God (John 1) and so in the “form” or condition of God, taking another form or condition, becoming flesh. “The Word became flesh”. He was really Man — spirit, soul, body. As to spirit, I may speak ^[p. 272] of my spirit as something characterising me or a feature of myself, but Scripture also regards the spirit as the man himself; that is, his real self, what he is inwardly, eternally, what he is in relation to God. The spirit, in contrast to the material, returns to God who gave it. Thus the saint, while in falling asleep he commits his spirit to the Lord Jesus, or asks Him to receive it, departs to be with Him — the person goes.

All this bears on our Lord’s incarnation. Becoming Man He was really Man. His Person was unchanged. His spirit was Himself. He commits it to His Father. He had become a Man and was in man’s place and so committed Himself to His Father. He had just said to the thief, “To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23: 43).

Scripture presents facts so that our finite minds can take them in and I am sure our wisdom is to take them simply as presented and the Holy Spirit gives us understanding or apprehension in keeping with our limitations. We thus see a blessed Man committing His spirit, as about to die, to His Father and we know He refers to Himself — what He was inwardly; His body would be separate for a moment. We adore, bearing in mind Who was there, the whole truth being inscrutable.

Matthew and Luke give us the maternal side to establish the reality of His humanity — He came of a woman, but John says “The Word became flesh” — One who was God, taking human condition. It is thus Himself, whether He speaks of His spirit or His soul. F.E.R.’s opponents had in mind that there was a human being, spirit, soul and body, and besides a divine Being; that is, a dual personality (more accurately two Persons inwardly), one merely human and the other Divine. This is manifestly false.

Affectionately yours in Christ,

James Taylor.