Malfuzat – Volume I — Page 182
182 Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and used for purification. Their passion for the cow exceeds all bounds and this is the very reason that they have made this concept a part of their fundamental belief. Remember that fundamental beliefs are like a mother and deeds are the resulting offspring. When the Messiah serves as an atonement and he has taken upon himself the sins of those who believe, what reason is left for people to re- frain from sin? It is astonishing that when Christians speak of the concept of atonement, they begin their discourse from the mercy and justice of God Almighty. But I would ask, if one person is hung for the crime of another, then what justice and mercy remains? If it is proclaimed as doctrine that Christ has taken upon himself the burden of all sins-even those sins which are yet to be committed-then what reason is there for anyone to abstain from sin? If the teaching was that this atone- ment was limited to the Christians of that era, then this would have been another matter; but when it is accepted that Christ has taken with him the burden of the sins of even those who shall be born until the Day of Resurrection, and he accept- ed punishment for this purpose, then how unjust is it to seize a sinner? In fact, to punish an innocent person in the place of a sinner is injustice in the first place. But further still, the second injustice is to first place the burden of sin on Christ and give sinners the good news that he has shouldered their sins, yet punishing those who then commit sin. This is some strange deception, which the Christians will never be able to explain. Belief in the Atonement Emboldens a Person to Commit Sin If someone were to assert that belief in the Atonement enables a person to attain salvation from a life of sin, and the propensity to commit sin no longer remains within them, then this is a statement with no proof at all. For there is sin at the very root of this concept. The strength to abstain from sin comes from a fear of accountability to God. But how can there be any fear of accountability when it is accepted that Christ has taken upon himself the burden of our sins? From this, I conclude that a person who subscribes to such a concept can never be God- fearing, because they would deem unnecessary all such actions that have their basis in principles of fear of God. One ought to remember well that inner-purity always begins with concepts, if not: