The Essential Faith of the Universal Church; Deduced from the Sacred RecordsMartineau, Harriet
Religion
The Essential Faith of the Universal Church; Deduced from the Sacred Records
Martineau, Harriet
Unitarian churches -- Doctrinal and controversial works; Unitarianism
A large proportion of the differences which have arisen in the Christian
world respecting the doctrine of redemption, proceed from the variety of
meanings which is attached to the term _salvation_. While one party
understands by it an admission to the privileges of the Gospel, and a
consequent emancipation from the penalties of the old dispensation;
another, the state of virtue and peace which will prevail when
Christianity has compassed the globe; and a third, a future state of
perfect bliss in contrast to one of eternal torment; there is little
hope of a mutual understanding respecting the doctrine of Justification.
Our part now is to state our own views, and not to enter on any
discussion of those of others.
We believe that by _salvation_ the Scripture writers commonly signified
the state of privilege into which Christian believers were brought by
their adoption of the principles of holiness and peace which the Gospel
affords. Thus, according to its original meaning, the term was
appropriated to a state of comparative blessedness in this world; but as
the principles of the Gospel exert the most powerful influence over our
spiritual state, over our capacity for happiness in a future world, the
term Salvation has naturally and not improperly been accommodated to
signify a state of future safety and bliss. That it did not always mean
this, however, is evident to all attentive readers of the Scriptures; as
there is not one of Paul's epistles or discourses which would be
intelligible, if he were supposed to declare his converts saved from the
pains of hell, instead of from the dominion of the evils of heathenism,
or the condemnation of the Jewish law. By _redemption_, we understand a
release from the same evils and penalties effected by a sacrifice on the
part of a benevolent mediator. By _remission of sins_, we understand the
forgiveness and consequent remission of punishment which are promised in
the Gospel on condition of repentance and newness of life. By
_justification_, we believe the sacred writers sometimes to signify the
process by which believers are released from all obligations incurred
towards the old law, and brought into a state of spiritual freedom; and
sometimes that free state itself. We conceive that this interpretation
of terms--not new and arbitrary, but only divested of the false
associations which have been long gathering round them--will clear up
most of the mysteries which obscure a very important Christian doctrine,
and enable us, in comparing scripture with scripture, to discern a
consistency of views and a depth of truth which afford an irresistible
evidence of their divine authority.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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