My present object, as an expounder and defender of the Unitarian faith is, to show the Inferiority and Subordination of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to the Only True God the Father; in contradistinction to the popular or orthodox belief of his Supreme Deity.
On this point, as upon all points of Christian faith, the teachings of the Scriptures must be final. Whatever view of our Lord they inculcate, no other can be maintained by any Christian believer, by any Protestant at least.
A thorough investigation of this subject supposes of course that we have first the true text of the original Scripture; or second, a true or correct Translation of that text. If it be urged that such questions are beyond the reach of the mass of readers, I must admit that they are; but from that very fact springs one of the most serious and important duties of the Christian Ministry. Why set apart and prepare by long courses of profound and laborious study and mental discipline, a class of men to be devoted to that ministry, if it be not to qualify them as religious teachers as well as pastors; to interpret on their responsibility to God the Great Charter of the Christian Faith; to give the people the results of their investigations; and while, as respects everything necessary to salvation, the simplest person may open the Bible and gain all needed light, to show that the conclusions which, by prayer and study, they have been led to adopt, are to be taken as true, and on a like responsibility received and held? Error always must be harmful and dangerous, or God would not have interposed by His revealed word. I do not say, as is often said in Christian pulpits, that unless you accept the Creed of a particular Church there is no hope of salvation for you; but I do say, that if there be error in any Creed, if it do not square throughout in every part and. parcel with Holy Scripture, no matter by what human authority imposed, we are unhesitatingly bound to reject it; under the same solemn responsibility which presses upon us for the right use of every talent, opportunity, privilege which is ours; nay, more, because the interests involved are paramount to any earthly considerations.
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Author: Frederick A. Farley
Keywords: Subordinate, subordination, subordination of Jesus, subordination of Christ, Consubstantiality, Consubstantial, Homoiousian, Homoousian, Homoousion, Socinian, Socinianism, Servetus, Arianism, Unitarianism, Unitarian, monotheism, monotheist, one God, One God the Father, One Jesus Christ, Logos, Word made flesh, Jesus is the Word, trinitarianism, Tri-unity, Jesus is God, God the Son, hypostasis, Trinity, Trinitarian, Deity of Christ, Deity of Jesus, Triunity, Arian, Three in one, Three gods, Three gods one person, False doctrine, False teaching, Arius, Arias, Nicene Creed, Nicaea, Nicea, Athanasian Creed, Athanasius, Father son holy spirit, Father son holy ghost, Triune, Three persons in one God, eternal sonship, god manifest in the flesh, God incarnate, incarnation, God made flesh, God manifestation, eternal son, eternal son of God, Christology, Christologies, Binitarian, Binitarianism, First Council of Nicaea, Nicean Creed
Bible reference(s): Gen 1:26, Gen 11:7, Deu 6:4, Isaiah 9:6, Isa 6:3, Matthew 28:19, Mark 12:32, John 1:1-14, John 1:18, Joh 5:18, John 8:58, Joh 10:30, Joh 14:28, Joh 17:3, Joh 20:28, 1Co 8:4, 1Co 8:6, Phi 2:6-9, Eph 4:6, 1 Tim 2:5, 1 Tim 3:16, Heb 1:2, Heb 1:8-9, 1 John 5:7-8, Rev 1:8, Rev 4:8
Source: Unitarianism Defined (Boston: Walker, Wise & Co., 1935).
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