The Ideal Man

A. B. Simpson was an author, hymn writer, conference speaker, evangelist to the urban masses of New York City, and a missionary statesman.  He founded The Christian and Missionary Alliance and Nyack College.

The following is from his book The Christ Life:

"Not only is this blessed Christ the embodiment of God's riches, but He is the pattern and sample of what men ought to be. One Man and only One has lived a perfect human life.

"With tender pathos God says in one of the prophets: 'I looked for a man among all their tribes, and I found none.' He looked for some one that could meet the requirements of human character, and found none.

"But at last there came One, and He looked again, and said with delight, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' 'Behold my servant whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth.'

"He met God's expectation, and became a pattern for all men. So there has lived One on earth who has idealized manhood and womanhood and childhood; the sample of a perfect character, of a woman's heart, of a man’s manhood, a pattern for the workman at the bench, for the preacher, for the teacher, for the friend, for the sufferer, for the tempted one--wherever a man may be placed, Jesus has been.

"And now this blessed Man is given to you. He says, 'Accept Me; not as an example to follow afar off, but as a life to come into you, and impart to you My very nature, and make it second nature to your heart, spontaneous in your choice, victorious in your will, and interwoven with all your emotional life.'

"This is the Christ life. This is the Christ that comes to you today, and offers His personal fullness and all-sufficiency."