Fundamentals of the Christian Faith in the Light of the Gospels
by Maulana Sadr-ud-Din
Jesus did not Teach the Doctrine of Atonement: Man’s Moral and Spiritual Reform
The recipe which can bring about and restore man’s spiritual and moral equilibrium is repentance. It means the giving up of the wrong way, and returning to the right path. Man quits the wrong path only when he comes to believe that trudging upon it will prove injurious. He, therefore, returns to the right way, remorse-stricken. The fire of regret and repentance burns up and consumes his sins; and his mind consequently regains spiritual harmony. The human body has inherently been made healthful by the Most High God. Of course, man sometimes falls ill, but he regains health after proper treatment. Very much in the same way, God has created man sound and strong spiritually also, but whenever he falls a prey to some immoral tendency, repentance comes to his rescue and he recovers moral health. The same Supreme Being, Who has laid down a law for the physical recovery of the ailing man, has also ordained a law for his spiritual healing. And it was in view of this eternal truth that Jesus emphasised that one should have recourse to repentance for spiritual reconstruction. See what Jesus observes in this connection:
“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew, 4:17).
“And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with the publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke, 5:29–32).