The controversy between Satan-ruled man and God is one of method; whether it shall be one of self-righteousness and character building:  or one of bestowed righteousness and character by the fruit of the Spirit.  Will man try to save himself:  or humbly submit to being saved by Another?  Will he try to conform himself to what little he knows to be good and true:  or will he be transformed by the power of God into that which is no less than the image of Christ?  Will he present the sacrifice of a sincere effort to be moral and religious:  or accept the God-provided sacrifice for all sin, in the shed blood of Christ?  Will he try to establish himself before God on the ground of his own works:  or rest in the finished work of Christ for him?  Will he try to improve his fallen nature:  or partake of the Divine nature and become a Son of God by the power of God, through faith in Christ Jesus?

One method, it may be seen, depends wholly upon self for its realization; promises glory to man alone; and has its origin at that unknown time when Satan proposed in his heart to become like the Most High.  The other method is dependent upon God alone, and, therefore, demands an attitude of faith toward him for its realization.  It issues in glory to the Creator, Who alone is worthy to be praised.  The latter, in contrast with Satan’s method, had its origin in the purpose of God, which He purposed before the foundation of the world.  Therein, transcendent blessings are offered; stores of grace are unfolded; and the omnipotent power of God is seen working for the transformation of His human creatures.  These two methods are confused only because they seem to aim at the same general result.  In reality their results, like their methods, are not only incomparable, but they are as far removed from each other as God’s ways are higher than man’s ways.

The revelation of God in regard to salvation might have been limited to the fact that He, rather than man, was to accomplish the work; and while much that is involved in the mighty undertaking of redemption has not been, and probably cannot be, reduced to the level of human understanding, He saw fit to reveal much that was necessary, on both the Godward and the manward side, in providing this way of salvation.  No human conception of the atonement is complete, yet, as the all-sufficient sacrificial death of Christ is clearly stated in Scripture, its value, though unanalyzed, may be appropriated; for man is not saved by what he comprehends or understands, but his salvation is made possible by his attitude of willingness and expectation toward the transforming power of God.