A Unitarian writer says, " The orthodox scheme of salvation, expressed in the old doctrine of the Atonement and the Incarnation, is not accepted." (The Unitarians, p. 166). Another writer says, that Unitarianism, " denies orthodox doctrines of the Atonement, not because they are un-Biblical, but because they are immoral." (The Unitarians, p. 119). Martineau writes, " So long as you contemplate the Redeemer as a detached person... the difficulty will remain insuperable of making his moral acts avail for other human individuals, unless by a fictitious transference against which conscience protests. Punishment by substitute, righteousness by deputy, vicarious repentance, are notions at variance with the fundamental postulates of the common sense." (Studies of Christianity, p. 172).
Here we have in plain language the spurning of the amazing offer of salvation by a God of infinite love, who has HIMSELF provided the Sacrifice, even His well-beloved Son, a sacrifice which justice and righteousness demanded, if Divine love were to flow righteously to sinful men.
Let us see what Scripture teaches. There is one striking verse woven into the very web and woof of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. We read, "WITHOUT SHEDDING OF BLOOD IS NO REMISSION " (Heb. 9:2222And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. (Hebrews 9:22)).
Whether in the Old Testament by prophecy or type, or in the New Testament by fulfillment, the atoning sacrifice of our Lord is ever held up as the sinner's only hope. We may well ask, " How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" (Heb. 2:33How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; (Hebrews 2:3)). The line of redemption by blood starts very early in the history of mankind. Abel offered up the firstlings of his flock in sacrifice upon the altar, and thereby was accounted righteous before God. His act, we are told, was of faith (Heb. 2:44God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? (Hebrews 2:4)). In Abel's offering was typified a vicarious salvation, pointing to the one and only efficacious sacrifice of God's only begotten Son.
On the Passover night in Egypt, God commanded that the lintel and door posts of the houses, where the children of Israel were, should be sprinkled by the blood of the lamb without blemish. God said, " When I see the blood, I will pass over you." (Ex. 12:1313And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. (Exodus 12:13)). We get the fulfillment of this definitely stated in the New Testament when we read, "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us [believers] " (1 Cor. 5:77Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: (1 Corinthians 5:7)). The Old Testament and the New Testament here link hands, the Old Testament giving the prophecy, the New Testament the fulfillment.
Behold the ceaseless flow of blood from Jewish altars, the endless succession of sacrifices—Burnt Offerings, Peace Offerings, Sin Offerings, Trespass Offerings—all devised and commanded by God. Had they no special significance? Was there no Divine teaching to be learned? The great Epistle to the Hebrews clearly answers our questions. It shows that these sacrifices were typical and symbolical of the one great and effectual sacrifice of our Lord when He wrought atonement at the cross of Calvary (Heb. 9:1414How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)). We read, " Christ being come an High Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for US." (Heb. 9: 11, 12).
Indeed the whole of Christian fellowship is based upon the righteous foundation of the atoning work of our Lord on the cross. We read, " If we [believers] walk in the light as God is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)). The very worship of heaven is ascribed to " THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN, worthy to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." (Rev. 5:1212Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. (Revelation 5:12)). Alas! the cold heart of the Unitarian is totally unresponsive to such heavenly strains. All he can do is to rob the Christian of his only hope, and put the feet of his dupes on the treadmill of earning their own salvation, a hopeless task, that can only end in an eternity of woe.