The Starting Point of Christianity
IN the Independent of Dec. 25, 1884, Dr. T. L. Cuyler utters the following fundamental truth of the gospel, which is too often forgotten or ignored by religious teachers. If it were indelibly impressed on the heart of every theological student, it would result in many more real conversions. It is in itself a summary of the gospel,—“repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”— “The starting-point of all genuine Christianity is a right view, a scriptural view of sin. Here lies the dividing line between true and false theologies. If sin is a light, venial thing, then no atonement is necessary, and the cross of Christ becomes a superfluous tragedy; it is a pathetic incident, but not a redeeming sacrifice of the God-man for human guilt. We have no doubt that the secret cause of the indifference of most impenitent persons is that they do not think sin worth punishing, or believe that God will punish it tremendously in the next world. It is indisputably true that he, or she, who does not feel sin, will never feel the need of a Saviour, any more than the person who does not feel sick will ever send for a physician. Nor can any one who does not thoroughly hate sin ever love and adore the Redeemer who died for him.”