Idea of the Holy

David Clarkson, Idea of the Holy Post, April 3rd, 2015

Christianity Today

"Christianity, as it stands before us to-day in present actuality as a great 'world religion', is indubitably, so far as its claim and promise go, the first and truest sense a religion of Redemption" (Otto 164). This quote by Otto stuck out to me as I was reading this chapter on Divination. I agree with this statement by Otto about Christianity being a religion of redemption more than any other religion in the world today. To me, Christianity is a religion about what has already been done for us, as opposed to all the other religions that lay out a set of guidelines about what one needs to do in order to reach enlightenment or salvation. This is one of the key features, which sets Christianity apart from other world religions. This relates to what Otto is referencing in this chapter because the work that has been done for us as believers in the Christian faith is Jesus' redemptive work. Jesus's redemptive work on the cross, which served as the ultimate and permanent atonement for all sins of the past, presents and future is defined as, 'overabouding salvation' by Otto, and is available to all those willing to humble themselves and put their trust in Jesus (164). This work is more than any human being deserved, because we are all evil (Romans 2-3, Luke 11). Because we are evil at the root, Christ's redemption on the cross for us is the true measure for his immense love for us. This is explained to us in Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. As believers in Christ, we must not take for granted the incredible love God has shown to us through the redemptive work in Jesus Christ.