Many, if not all, religions believe in some method of self-atonement. Generally
speaking,
this includes all methodologies used to pay for past, present or
future mistakes one has made in the process of being human. Some
of these self-atonement schemes take on bizarre if not horrific
forms, such as offering young virgins to monsters, or worse,
accepting all forms of bizarre and horrific behavior in the name
of "love". All of these attempts at ridding oneself of guilt, or
engrams, or neuroses, or liability, must be driven by some
universal force or why the common experience? Christians, the
ones who know what they are talking about, call this force by
the simple name of sin. The devil's in the details, for sure,
but the responsibility for all this madness lies at the door of
each human's soul, or how else would God judge the world?Simply stated, self-atonement is sin, along with all the other sins. If sin is used to rid oneself of sin, one finds an impossible situation, but one nonetheless keeps trying until death do him in. And such is the effect of sin. It makes people think they can use principles or laws or science, whatever, to overcome the natural tendency to keep God out of the mix. Oh sure, they love their religion, Christian it may be, but they hate the idea that they cannot in any way, shape or form atone for their own sin. A popular way to deal with atonement is to ignore the need for atonement. The wicked go to great lengths to rid themselves of the nagging suspicion that God is, after all, going to punish them. They go so far as to invent an educational system that dogmatically teaches that the universe got here by a very small dot that blew up, thus self-actualizing into time and space, organizing itself into the three dots after this sentence...
The Jehovah's Witnesses and the Mormons think a man can atone for his own sin by simply dying. Death is the payment for sin, they say, so what's the problem? The problem is, just because J.W.s don't believe in an extended death that reaches well past the death of the body, doesn't mean that there is no hell. This hell is a place of eternal torment, a place of total destruction that man cannot atone for.
This is why self-atonement is so devilish. The devil has convinced billions that a system of religion that includes self-atonement is not only beneficial but necessary. This is a sure way to hell. God hates it.
There is only one way to atone for
sin. God has already done it. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ,
into the world for the payment of sin, whether past, present or
future. Those who neglect this by seeking to atone for their own
sins are surely condemned by their arrogance. Those who neglect
this by casually saying, "I'm saved", and yet they have no
feeling in their heart for the Lord who gave his life for
theirs, are also surely condemned likewise.
There is a need for repentance. One must turn from his own
estimation of his goodness to the goodness of God. If we do not
despise our own selves before God, then we are surely deceived
that we are saved, and we have never repented at all. Repent,
therefore, and be saved. Look to Him who died for you and loathe
yourself for your lack of thanksgiving and absence of service.
Bend the knee (worship) before him and he will abundantly pardon
you.
- Chris Simonson
We encourage you to email the author to prove or disprove, from the Scriptures, the intent, meaning, purpose or doctrine of this piece. email Chris