I AM HERE. Luke.

I desire tonight to write a short message on the question: "What Is the Use in Believing in the Sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross as Salvation from Sin?"

I know that this belief is at the foundation of the so-called Christian religion, and is the cornerstone of most of the churches as they now exist; but, as such, the belief is false and does not effectuate the object claimed for it. So, I must declare the utter uselessness of such a belief and the great harm it is doing to mankind.

A thing is just what its internal qualities make it. I mean by this what the ingredients of its composition cause it to really be. And these ingredients cannot be supplied unless they have, in themselves, an existence of those qualities which are sufficient to make that composition just what is necessary and required to produce the thing in its genuine substance.

This applies to the things of the soul. And unless the qualities of the soul are such as to eliminate the elements of sin and everything that prevents that soul from coming into harmony with the Laws of God, that soul will continue in sin and separation from the Divine Nature of the Father.

The soul is an entity in each individual which is distinct and separate from the soul of every other man. It is dependent for its qualities not on what that other man may do or not do, but upon that which will make those qualities like, or, in substance, the same as the qualities of that thing which is desired or sought for as a necessary acquirement in making the substance of that possessed and that desired similar.

According to the belief of which I speak, the sacrifice mentioned causes the salvation of man by appeasing the "wrath" of God and lifting from man the condemnation under which he was suffering. And by accomplishing such an object, man became a new creature in his soul qualities and was given the qualities that are required to make him like unto the Father. Therefore, he, man, has nothing further to be done for him in order to relieve him entirely from the possession of this sin and from the "demands" of God. The sacrifice is "sufficient" to bring about these results.

But as we have told you, and as even the followers or possessors of these beliefs assert, Love is the great necessity to effectuate the union between God and man, and this Love must dwell in the soul of man, as well as in the Bosom of the Father. It is awaiting Its bestowal on man.

IT CAN BE OBTAINED ONLY BY SINCERE SEEKING ON THE PART OF MAN, AND NO OTHER WAY IS PROVIDED BY WHICH IT CAN BE OBTAINED. THE SACRIFICE OR THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD DOES NOT CAUSE THE INFLOWING OF THIS LOVE INTO THE SOULS OF MEN. AND THE MERE FACT THAT AN "ANGRY" GOD HAD BEEN "APPEASED," OR A DEBT HAD BEEN PAID, OR A MORTAL HAD BEEN REDEEMED—EVEN IF THIS WERE ALL TRUE—WOULD NOT CAUSE THIS LOVE TO BECOME A PART OF THE SOULS OF MEN!

I know that it is asserted that these things reconcile God to man in some mysterious way, thereby causing the acceptance of man by God. Further, that when that is done, all the sins and depravity of a man's soul immediately become no longer a part of his soul's qualities, and the soul is perfected and its condition is that which enables it to become of a nature like that of the Father.

But a difficulty with this conclusion is that only Jesus and God are the ones that are participating in this great work of redemption. Man is eliminated from the necessity of doing anything, except to believe that the sacrifice is sufficient to cause his full salvation and all that it means.

How this belief that the sacrifice or the flowing of the blood can make a sinful soul pure, or become a partaker of the Divine Nature of the Father, has never been explained by the teachers of the Christian doctrines in any way that is consonant with reason. And it cannot be so explained, for the one reason that is of itself sufficient: that the sacrifice does not work such a consummation.

No one man, not even Jesus, can do the work of another, or for another that will produce the results necessary to ensure the reconciliation mentioned.

It is claimed that Jesus died to save all men from their sins, or that he that believeth on the name of Jesus shall be saved from his sins. But the question arises, "How—in what way?"

Can it be argued that his death made the impure man clean, just because the man believed it did? Can his blood shed on Calvary cleanse the soul of any man? I know it is claimed that in some mysterious way it does, but no one explains the how.

CAN ANY ONE OF THE GREAT THEOLOGICAL TEACHERS TELL YOU BY WHAT MYSTERIOUS OR OTHER PROCESS THIS BLOOD OPERATES ON THE MERCY OR LOVE OF GOD SO THAT THE SINNER IS SAVED FROM HIS SINS OR FROM THE PENALTIES WHICH THE VIOLATION OF GOD'S LAWS ENTAIL? I KNOW THAT THEY CANNOT, AND FOR THE SAME REASON AS BEFORE STATED: THAT THE BLOOD DOES NOT ACCOMPLISH THESE RESULTS.

THEN, WHAT IS THE USE IN ACCEPTING SUCH BELIEF WHEN IT CANNOT BE UNDERSTOOD OR EXPLAINED, AND IS THE BLINDEST OF BLIND BELIEFS OF MORTALS?

NO, NO SACRIFICE OF JESUS, NO SHEDDING OF HIS BLOOD, AND NO VICARIOUS ATONEMENT, AS IT IS CALLED, CAN SAVE A HUMAN SOUL FROM SIN, OR BRING IT INTO THE LOVE OF THE FATHER, OR CAUSE IT TO BECOME A PARTAKER OF THE DIVINE NATURE.

WE HAVE ALREADY DECLARED AND EXPLAINED TO YOU IN PREVIOUS MESSAGES WHAT, AND WHAT ONLY, BRINGS SALVATION TO MEN, AND I WILL NOT REPEAT IT HERE. BUT I WILL SAY THIS: EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN AGAIN, HE CANNOT ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. NOTHING LESS IS SUFFICIENT, AND NOTHING ADDED TO THIS CAN IN ANY WAY BRING ABOUT A MAN'S SALVATION.

I will not write more tonight, as what I have said should cause men to think and understand upon what false and baseless foundation they stand when they rely upon the belief in Jesus' sacrifice to save them from their sins.

With all my love and blessings, I will say good night.

Your brother in Christ,

LUKE.