The Holy War — Page 254
254 Psalms 86:5 and 106:1. Moreover, your other statement, which you keep reiterating as if Mercy and Justice are at war with one another, and atonement was recommended to settle the dispute. This statement of yours is completely wrong. There is no doubt whatsoever that sin comes into being when first the law requiring obedience is published, because disobedience comes after [the promulgation of the law requir- ing] obedience. So this being the case, it is clear that when the rules are revealed and the Book of God Almighty begins to operate according to its promises—in other words, it will have injunctions like if so and so does good deeds then his reward will be such and such, or if he does bad deeds then his punishment will be such—then, in such circum- stances, atonement has no right to intervene whatsoever because deci- sions are made according to His promises and warnings. This being the case, even if a thousand sons were crucified instead of one, even then the promise of God cannot be broken, nor is it written in any Book that God Almighty breaks His promises. Since the entire foundation is based upon His promises and not on anybody’s right, the decisions should—therefore—be made according to His promises. Your repeatedly stating that decisions are made in accordance with rights amazes me. You fail to understand that nobody has a right against God; if anyone had a right against God, then many allegations would be raised against Him from all directions. As I have already explained, insects, bugs, and all types of animals, which God Almighty has cre- ated, would complain why He created them as such. Similarly, God Almighty also does not hold anybody accountable before His Book is revealed or sent. Besides, the rights of God upon man are as numerous as His favours upon man—in other words, they cannot be numbered—but the term sin will only apply to those actions that fall under the label of disobedience after the Book is revealed. And since this is the case, it proves that God Almighty actually does not generally demand His rights because they are innumerable and beyond measure, but He does hold people accountable for any disobedience. And acts of disobedience, as I have just stated, are bound together