Whats your religion belief - Essay Example

A fundamental question among many believers has been whether or not divine revelation continues and knowledge of salvation can take place beyond the bounds of what Christ indicated, as well as the 12 apostles (plus Paul); or whether or not the representation of what salvation entails, how it is secured, and what defines it is open to further understanding and the revelation of current truth – prompted by the Holy Spirit and perhaps other men and women of belief. According to one of the sources made available for this course, “We have learned from none others the plan of our salvation, than from those from whom the Gospel has come down to us, which they did at one time proclaim in public, and, at a later period, by the will of God, handed down to us in Scriptures, to be the ground and pillar of our faith”.

In a fairly categorical sense, the above quote seems to indicate that the existence of further understanding, revelation, or identification of how salvation takes place is not existentially possible. Instead, the quote embodies the belief that the final revelation of salvation and its relation to humanity have been uttered and no possible further explanation could be offered. Yet, this particular view misses one fundamental precept; namely the fact that both before and after Christ’s earthly ministry, the power and importance of the Holy Spirit and its ability to convict the hearts of men and lead them in the path of righteous understanding played a central, if not pivotal, role in the way in which theological interpretation and understanding took place.

The underlying theological relevance of the above quote is of course central to understanding how a further knowledge and appreciation for Christian doctrine should develop. If it is in fact true that the development has taken place already, then the possibility for future scholars and theologians to continue to approach these topics from new perspectives and gain further insights is all but wasted effort. However, if the statement and untrue and somewhat misguided, then it is still required for individuals to engage with the Gospel and consider the unique ways in which theology and theological inquiry regarding the Holy Spirit, salvation and other fundamental Christian precepts can be understood and engaged within the life of the believer.

Those that would disregard this approach as heretical would likely point to the danger of revisionism of key Biblical doctrines. However, such a fear is not necessarily grounded in reality or in fact; as the desire to understand core components of Christian theology and belief is not based upon a desire to shift the spectrum of belief from one standpoint to another. Instead, they are predicated on a desire to effectively reveal more truth and better understand the way in which the life of the adherent should be defined.

Regardless, seeking to state that all truth is existing within the Gospel and no further development on this is possible is a very untenable position and one that is at the very least shortsighted.