The Antechamber of Faith
The Christian faith teaches that salvation has been accomplished through God's self-movement towards sinners, and it is ours to receive by faith.
Selwyn Hughes emphasizes the unique aspect of Christianity in contrast to other religions, highlighting that while other faiths focus on self-salvation through human effort, Christianity reveals God's initiative in sending His Son for our salvation. He contrasts the self-effort required in Buddhism and Hinduism for deliverance with the profound declaration of Jesus on the cross, 'It is finished,' signifying the completion of salvation through His sacrifice. Hughes underscores the importance of accepting this finished work of salvation rather than striving endlessly for self-redemption through cycles of rebirth or personal efforts.
Text
"... Jesus said, 'It is finished.' " (v. 30)
For reading & meditation:
John 19:28-37
The chief difference between other religions and the Christian faith as it relates to the matter of personal salvation is: every other religion teaches a form of self-salvation; Christianity teaches that God came in the Person of His Son to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. One Christian writer, Emil Brunner, refers to "the self-confident optimism of all non-Christian religions, because they teach a gospel of self-salvation, whereas in the Good News the whole emphasis is on the gracious 'self-movement' of God towards sinners and on self-despair as the antechamber of faith." Buddhism sees the main problem in life as suffering rather than sin, and the "desire" which is at the root of suffering. Deliverance comes, claims Buddhism, through the abolition of desire by self-effort. There is no God and no Savior. The very last words of the Buddha to his disciples were these: "Strive without ceasing." How different from the last words of our Lord from the cross, which included the wondrous cry: "It is finished." Hinduism teaches the main problem in life is maya or karma, maya being illusion and karma retribution through reincarnation. Each person, says Hinduism, must receive the fruit of his or her own wrongdoing in future lives, if not in this one. From this endless cycle of rebirths or reincarnations there is no escape by forgiveness but only the final release of nirvana, involving the extinction of being. If only people of the world would heed the text at the top of this page. What a difference it would make to them. Salvation has been accomplished. It is ours to receive.
O God, I am thankful that I am no longer caught up in precariously trying to save myself. Instead I rest assured in the salvation You have purchased for me on Calvary. Grant that millions more might enter into it by faith this very day. In Christ's Name I pray. Amen.
Sermon Outline
- The Christian Faith vs. Other Religions
- Buddhism's View of Suffering and Desire
- Hinduism's View of Maya and Karma
- The Christian Message of Salvation
- Every other religion teaches self-salvation
- Christianity teaches God's self-movement towards sinners
- Buddhism sees suffering as the main problem
- Deliverance through self-effort
- Maya as illusion and karma as retribution
- No escape from the cycle of rebirths
- Salvation has been accomplished
- It is ours to receive by faith
Key Quotes
“It is finished.” — Selwyn Hughes
“the self-confident optimism of all non-Christian religions, because they teach a gospel of self-salvation, whereas in the Good News the whole emphasis is on the gracious 'self-movement' of God towards sinners and on self-despair as the antechamber of faith.” — Selwyn Hughes
“Strive without ceasing.” — Selwyn Hughes
Application Points
- We can rest assured in the salvation God has purchased for us on Calvary, rather than trying to save ourselves.
- We should pray for others to enter into the salvation that is available to them by faith.
- We can trust in God's sovereignty and self-movement towards sinners, rather than relying on our own efforts.