In a world of diverging religious world views (Plurality) and consequently Personification (which says “make sure you keep your views at home”) a diligent seeker still needs to find coherence; what makes sense, the unity in diversity. The truth that unifies all truths and this is what University stands for “Unity” in “Diversity”.
Can all religious world views be right? Are they fundamentally the same? Are they all a quest by man to fulfill His need for a God?
I believe that there is a God, man has found it impossible to escape from Him, (I have made this point in my earlier notes in “An attempt at Meaning” and “Reason on Trial”) but another good question is; which God? I ask that question because two mutually exclusive opinions cannot be correct at the same time.
Two mutually exclusive religious world views cannot be correct at the same time.
None the less, as humans any good world view must provide the answer to
Origin: where am I from?
Condition: Who am I? And why do I do the things I do
Salvation: how can I be helped
Destiny: after here?
In my earlier notes I have written on why I know Jesus is the answer, one of those ways is in “the nature of salvation”.
Does man need Salvation and salvation from what? Of recent there was a very high profile discussion among elite circles on the topic “What does it mean to be Human”. It doesn’t take much imagination to fashion the course that discourse must have taken, the reality is that even people who are not intellectually inclined have agreed that man got a problem, implicit is the sentence that “the bent of man is towards evil”.
And man has from medieval times cried out for atonement. Long before Judaism, Christianity and Islam (the three major religions) man has made countless sacrifices on altars to appease “the gods”, apparently they weren’t.
The question is why? Why do we seek to be forgiven? Or better still is there anyone who does not need forgiveness? The sensation of Guilt and total unworthiness is the major cause of suicide and depression (antidepressants sale compete with that of coca cola), and you and I are witnesses to the length humans have gone to mask that emptiness.
What does God say about the condition of man? In the Torah and the Talmud (the Old Testament and Holy book of Judaism, God calls our condition “sin” and the penalty was death!)
To understand salvation one has to understand the nature of Sin. Sin is not the violation of God’s law per say, it is the violation of God himself (Who is described as being too Holy to behold iniquity). In the words of Max Lucado “God is not holy, He is not even Holy Holy, He is Holy Holy Holy” Holiness is the essence of His Godhood.
And man is sinful. In the same Old Testament we find the source of Sin; disobedience. Adam didn’t just disobey he violated God himself (that is why the punishment is death), but then man is Spirit.
the first man died a spiritual death , it is of then necessity that the restoration of man be Spiritual; a quickening of the dead spirit. It is then pertinent that we understand therefore why the blood of rams cannot take away sin, if so why then did God give the Law?
The Law was given so that man could see his need for salvation and to serve as a code of conduct. But it couldn’t make the person righteous. Well, only an ill patient seeks a doctor. And God said the illness (sin) is a life and death issue.
In Abraham, of whom the three major religions call Father, we see God declaring him righteous because He believed Him, Not because He performed certain rites. This was way before circumcision (a mark of the relationship that was borne out of His obedience). See Gen 15:6.
What we see in our society is a great malady called “Sin in the Heart of Man”. The multiplicity of religion, the despair of man and the resort to wantonness and deadening of conscience is as result of man’s interaction with the law which is written in our hearts. You and I know that our great great grand fathers without reading the Ten Commandments observe it to a very high extent.
Is there salvation?
Answer; God did not leave man alone in this dilemma, it is important to note that only God can initiate Man’s salvation, But God’s Justice must be satisfied also; someone must die for the sin of mankind and sinful man does not qualify.
When people wonder that how could Jesus, the Son of God as we claim in the Christian Faith come and die for Sinful humanity.
My answer is:
Could God (A Holy, Just and Loving God) do less to save His idea (Man)?
The silent question I believe in the heart of many is; what is the nature of God, does He? Could He have a son? What manner of Love is such?
Fortunately you can find that out for yourself; close your eyes in reverence to God and ask Him the very question; you can read the bible for yourself.
The seeker finds out He is sought.
Thanks
