Abraham Lincoln as a Type of Christ

I just finished reading A Team of Rivals by Doris Goodwin. It chronicles Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, with a special focus on his Presidential Cabinet, which was intentionally composed by Lincoln of his former political rivals.

Before reading this book, I felt like most Americans probably do: Endeared to Lincoln for his service to our country during the Civil War, his abolition of slavery and his kindness and goodness that has become legendary. But after reading this book, I began to actually love the man for his character and what he did for our country, and was almost brought to tears several times by his stirring words and magnanimous actions.

Even if this were all, I would say that it was an excellent read and well worth picking up. But actually, there was another image of Lincoln that this book gave me, and by the end of the book I was convinced that it was a correct impression. Now Ms. Goodwin never once explicitly portrayed Lincoln in this way; in fact, I don't know that she even realized she was doing it when she wrote about the different events in Lincoln’s life that gave me this impression. Nevertheless, I saw so many aspects of Lincoln’s life that gave me the feeling he was a type of Christ, just as we see over and over in the Old Testament, where prophets or laws were shadows of the real Christ to come.

Here are some events from Lincoln’s life that seem shadows of Jesus’. I’ll only detail the events from Lincoln’s life because I think everyone is already very familiar with the corresponding events in Jesus’ life.

1. Lincoln was born under humble circumstances.

2. The people closest to Lincoln, even if they came to him with preconceived notions about his personality and capabilities, always left their encounter thinking he was one of the greatest men they had ever known.

3. Many of his closest associates were convinced that God had a direct hand in all Lincoln did.

4. One member of Lincoln’s cabinet was not loyal to him (Salmon Chase).

5. Lincoln proclaimed liberty to a captive people.

6. Lincoln often spoke in parables to convey his ideas to a wide audience.

7. Lincoln relished pardoning people. When considering the fate of army deserters, it made him extremely happy if he could think of even the smallest reason why a soldier should be pardoned.

8. Lincoln headed a war that divided families (Matthew 10:35-36).

9. Lincoln’s overarching desire was to prevent a divided house from falling.

10. When Lincoln learned that the Civil War was essentially won, one man described a “transfiguration” of Lincoln. “His whole appearance, pose, and bearing had marvelously changed. He was, in fact, transfigured. That indescribable sadness which had previously seemed to be an adamantine element of his very being had been suddenly changed for an equally indescribable expression of serene joy, as if conscious that the great purpose of his life had been attained.”

11. Three days before Palm Sunday, Lincoln made a triumphant entry into Richmond, the fallen capitol of the Confederacy.
a. Having planned to enter Richmond on a large ship, surrounded by other ships decorated with flags, “in a manner befitting the rank of the President of the United States,” the crowded waterway forced the President to move to a smaller barge, towed by a row boat. Lincoln was not bothered by this more humble means of transportation.
b. No sooner had the boat landed than Lincoln was surrounded by a group of black laborers who shouted, “Bless the Lord! There is the great Messiah! Glory, Hallelujah!” Several fell to their knees, and Lincoln said, “Don’t kneel to me, that is not right. You must kneel to God only, and thank him for the liberty you will hereafter enjoy.”

12. When someone suggested the Confederate traitors like Jefferson Davis be hanged, Lincoln said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”

13. On Palm Sunday, Lincoln returned to his home in Washington.

14. One week later, on Good Friday, Lincoln was shot and killed.

If you know of other similarities, I would like to hear them.

The Zoramites, Corianton, and Total Depravity

In Alma, chapter 42, in the Book of Mormon, the prophet Alma teaches his wayward son Corianton about mercy, justice and the Atonement. Evidently Corianton, who had sex with the harlot Isabel while on a mission, felt that punishment for (his) sins was unjust. Corianton’s misunderstanding about the justice of God has always left me a bit puzzled. How can you believe in a God, but deny that there would be any negative repercussions for disobeying Him?

It’s possible that Corianton’s unique perspective was influenced by the doctrine of the apostate group he went to reclaim: the Zoramites. They were an apostate group of Nephites who believed that (1) the laws, statutes, and ordinances of the Law of Moses were childish (2) worship had to be a public affair, and wasn’t done in private (3) God existed as a Spirit (4) God had selected their group to be saved, while everyone else would be sent to hell (5) there would be no Christ.

Assuming that Corianton adopted some of the Zoramite’s tenets, it’s easier to see how he could believe God exists but that laws and sin don’t apply to him. Let’s look more closely at the Zoramite’s doctrine. They assembled once a week to worship, and each person who desired to worship climbed onto a platform and gave the same prayer (Alma 31: 15-18). There are a few interesting things about this prayer. For one, the prayer repeats the word “holy” many times; “Holy, holy God”; “we believe that thou are holy”; “thou hast elected us to be thy holy children.” Why the emphasis on being holy? Is there anything wrong with that? It’s a little overdone, admittedly, but doesn’t seem like a doctrine that would excuse you from punishment for sin. Just the opposite.

Well, later in the prayer we hear, “Thou hast elected us that we shall be saved, whilst all around us are elected to be cast by thy wrath down to hell.” OK, so here the Zoramite’s angle becomes clear. God is super holy, and we have been chosen for salvation. But why do they think they’re chosen, and how do these two ideas lead one to deny the existence of laws, sin and punishment? In order for them to fit, we have to add a third, implicit idea, borrowed from Calvinism: the concept of total depravity. The Calvinists (and Augustinians) believed that the fall of Adam sunk man to such a degraded, sinful level that he both would not want and was utterly unable to turn back to God. Therefore, God had to predestine or elect certain individuals to salvation or no one would ever be saved.

The Zoramite’s emphasis on God being holy makes me think they held a belief similar to total depravity; use the blade of God’s holiness to cut off everyone and then hand pick the ones lucky enough to be restored and saved. And how did you know if you had been picked? Why, you climbed onto the platform and said the magic prayer. Pretty convenient way to be saved, huh? Only trick was to get access to the stairs; my guess is they were heavily guarded to keep off any undesirables (see Alma 32: 2-3).

If Corianton did indeed adopt the Zoramite’s creed, then he would have believed that once you are elected to salvation, you are finished. You have no need to worry about sin, commandments, or punishment. Why should you feel misery for disobedience if there is no law? Why does there need to be a law if God has already decided who will be saved? Next, I want to examine how Alma refutes these beliefs.