The essence of Christianity is, therefore, nothing else than Christ Himself."
"The essence of Christianity is, therefore, nothing else than Christ
Himself. The founder of the religion is Himself, its sum and
substance. He is not merely the historical founder of a religion; His
person cannot be separated from the doctrine which he proclaims,
but has an eternal, ever-present significance for the human race. As
he is the Mediator and Propitiator, the sacred point of unity between
God and the sinful world, so He is also continually the Redeemer of
the human race. All regenerating, all purifying, all sanctifying
influences by which man is freed from his state of bondage to sin,
and made to partake of the mystery of the incarnation and atonement,
proceed from the person of Christ, through the Spirit going out from
Him into His Church." (Martensen, Dogmatics §15)
Himself. The founder of the religion is Himself, its sum and
substance. He is not merely the historical founder of a religion; His
person cannot be separated from the doctrine which he proclaims,
but has an eternal, ever-present significance for the human race. As
he is the Mediator and Propitiator, the sacred point of unity between
God and the sinful world, so He is also continually the Redeemer of
the human race. All regenerating, all purifying, all sanctifying
influences by which man is freed from his state of bondage to sin,
and made to partake of the mystery of the incarnation and atonement,
proceed from the person of Christ, through the Spirit going out from
Him into His Church." (Martensen, Dogmatics §15)
