You Can Attach a Different Meaning to One and the Same Expression

You Can Attach a Different Meaning to One and the Same Expression

When others think that by having sin they are sinful, and we are asked by them whether we teach that Jesus had sin in the flesh, it would be wrong to answer “Yes.” The only correct and true answer would then have to be, “No, we neither believe nor teach that; on the contrary!” If someone, who by sugar meant salt, asked me if a bag of salt contained sugar, I would have to answer just as decisively and firmly “No”—if I knew what he meant by it—so as not to leave him with a wrong impression of the bag’s content.

If I had answered “Yes,” which would have been factually correct, I would have been guilty of the person believing and passing on to others that the bag of salt contained sugar.

It should be abundantly plain and clear to everyone that we believe and teach that Jesus Christ was holy and pure, since we believe in salvation and the atonement. Moreover, through faith in Him we live an overcoming life.

It is no wonder that expressions we have used with regard to Christ manifested in the flesh have been misunderstood, or that people thought the expressions used were incorrect and consequently could not use them themselves, when the wise apostle Paul called Christ manifested in the flesh a great mystery.