ment" is to pervert the meaning of Scripture. The word "at-one-ment"—to come into oneness by means of repentance and reform—alone conveys the true idea of the Bible.
The elaborate symbolism of the great Day of At-one-ment obviously pictures sorrow for sin, sincere repentance and promise of reform. For that it was given, to have men turn from their evil ways, and so become at-one with God. But many doubtless held to the low ideal of heathendom that God could be placated only by blood atonement and expiation.
But why take that idealism into the Christian religion and make it the supreme condition of eternal life as is done by means of the Plan of Salvation? The Lord throughout the history of Israel showed them that what He desired was life according to the Ten Commandments. In Micah He sums up religion—after rejecting animal sacrifice forever—as justice, mercy and humility. And yet in the Plan of Salvation the murder of the Son of God is made to constitute the Christian religion itself. Its adherents claim that no one can get into heaven except by "faith in the shed blood of Christ"—thus by acceptance of Jesus' death as expiation, and this as the only condition of admission!
Jesus reminded the Jews that Deity did not require expiation and atonement, but desired instead to extend mercy,—"If ye had known what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless." The reference was to Hosea, "For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings." Does not this show that the idea of expiation behind the Plan of Salvation is man-derived and contrary to the Divine idea and nature? And yet the ideas of the Plan of Salvation are written by translators into many scriptures, so that one reading those passages sees only the suggestion of an expiation, as manifestly as any heathen idea of religion by propitiation of their deities. From a thousand pulpits we hear that we are saved only by "the shed blood of Christ," and that our works have nothing to do with our salvation, whereas Jesus said, "Wherefore by their fruits—or works—ye shall know them." "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
