Denial of the eternal existence of our blessed Lord and Savior is today one of the many forms of unbelief; but numerous passages of God's holy Word refute this false doctrine. A single scripture served the writer's purpose, when guided by the Spirit of Truth, to stop the mouth of a blatant caviler.
As I entered a little wayside station in Ontario, Canada, a venerable Lutheran minister, a true child of God, was heard indignantly demanding of the station master: "Do you mean to say my blessed Lord had no existence before He came into this world?”
A sneering reply in the affirmative was given, and an argument followed, characterized by coldly stated sophistry on the part of the station master. The dear aged Christian warmly resented every impious statement made as to his divine Master, but failed to silence the cunning assertions of his opponent.
Silently praying for guidance, I listened to the wordy warfare, and soon interrupted the speakers by asking the station master a pointed question. "Mr. Richey, do you believe the Bible?”
To this he answered emphatically, "Yes.”
Then slowly repeating the dear words of 2 Cor. 8:99For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9): "Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich." I asked a further question: "Now, Mr. Richey, when was He rich?”
The station master quickly retired into the ticket office, followed by the delighted, aged Christian who was exclaiming repeatedly, "When was He rich?”
The approach of the train brought station master, minister, and me, all, to the platform, the dear old servant of the Lord shouting exultantly: "When was He rich?" Then from the slowly moving train, above the din of escaping steam and noise of the wheels, he flung back the unanswerable challenge: "When was He rich?”
To the believer in Jesus, the Spirit of God presents the riches, then poverty, of our glorious Lord. This stirs the inmost soul by the powerful appeal of divine love, unstintingly lavished upon utterly unworthy objects: "was rich"—"became poor"—wonderful words to sink deeply into the hearts of His own, touched with a sense of the mighty grace that expends itself on our behalf!
"For your sakes.”
The riches of Christ exchanged for: outcast in the manger; nowhere to lay His head; without a penny; denial of followers; rejected by men; the bitterness of Gethsemane; the woes of Calvary; guilt's heavy load; the borrowed grave.
See the sacrifice He made!
See the purchase price He paid!
As return, for grace divine,
Savior, I am wholly Thine.