imself from
the realm of impurity and to elevate himself into the realm of purity by
his own repentance. Sin never becomes a demoniacal power depriving man of
his divine dignity of self-determination and condemning him to eternal
damnation. It ever remains merely a going astray from the right path, a
stumbling from which man may rise again to his heavenly height, exerting
his own powers as the son of God.

Chapter XXXIX. Repentance Or the Return To God

1. The brightest gem among the teachings of Judaism is its doctrine of
repentance or, in its own characteristic term, the return of the wayward
sinner to God.(765) Man, full of remorse at having fallen away from the
divine Fountainhead of purity, conscious of deserving a sentence of
condemnation from the eternal Judge, would be less happy than the
unreasoning brute which cannot sin at all. Religion restores him by the
power to rise from his shame and guilt, to return to God in repentance, as
the penitent son returns to his father. Whether we regard sin as
estrangement from God or as a disturbance of the divine order, it has a
detrimental effect on both body and soul, and leads inevitably to death.
On this point the Bible affords many historical illustrations and
doctrinal teachings.(766) If man had no way to escape from sin, then he
would be the most unfortunate of creatures, in spite of his god-like
nature. Therefore the merciful God opens the gate of repentance for the
sinner, saying as through His prophets of old: "I have no pleasure in the
death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live."(767)

2. The great value of the gift of divine grace, by which the sinner may
repent and return to God with a new spirit, appears in the following
rabbinical saying: "Wisdom was asked, 'What shall be the sinner's
punishment?' and answered, 'Evil pursues sinners';(768) then Prophecy was
asked, and answered, 'The soul that sinneth, it shall die';(769) the
Torah, or legal code, was consulted, and its answer was: 'He shall bring a
sin-offering, and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be
forgiven.'(770) Finally God Himself was asked, and He answered:(771) 'Good
and upright is the Lord; therefore doth He instruct sinners in the
way.' "(772) The Jewish idea of atonement by the sinner's return to God
excludes every kind of mediatorship. Neither the priesthood nor sacrifice
is necessary to secure the divine grace; man need only find the way to G