IX. Redemption
(The restoration of spiritual order by subjugation of the hells)
1. Doctrinal Core
Redemption consisted in the subjugation of the hells, the restoration of spiritual equilibrium, and the re-establishment of the church, and that it was accomplished by the Lord through spiritual combats and victories, not by suffering alone nor by the transfer of guilt or merit.
True doctrine teaches that:
- redemption was necessary because hell had gained dominion over humanity,
- without redemption no one could have been saved,
- redemption did not remove sins automatically,
- and redemption made salvation possible by restoring freedom and order.
2. The Literal Message of the Word
True doctrine teaches:
- Redemption was not about paying a debt or transferring punishment.
- Humanity was in danger because evil had grown too powerful.
- The Lord restored balance by defeating the hells.
- This made it possible for people to repent, resist evil, and be saved.
In short:
Redemption fixed the spiritual environment so that people could freely turn away from evil and live.
3. Spiritual Message of the Word
Spiritually, redemption means that:
- hell was restrained from overwhelming human freedom,
- heaven was restored to its proper influence,
- and a new equilibrium between good and evil was established.
Before redemption:
- hell acted directly upon human minds,
- falsities dominated the church,
- and spiritual collapse was imminent.
After redemption:
- spiritual combat became possible for individuals,
- truth could again be received,
- and the church could exist in freedom.
Redemption is therefore cosmic and structural, not merely personal.
4. Psychological Meaning
Psychologically, redemption corresponds to the restoration of inner freedom.
It explains why:
- people are no longer only compelled by evil,
- conscience can function again,
- and moral choice is genuinely possible.
Redemption does not change the person directly, but it changes the conditions under which change can occur.
Without redemption, inner conflict would be hopeless; with redemption, resistance has meaning and outcome.
5. Regenerative Process
(What changes in a person over time)
True doctrine teaches that redemption:
- Does not regenerate anyone automatically
- Does make regeneration possible
In regeneration, it works by:
- Putting off:
- belief in automatic salvation,
- despair over inherited evil,
- fatalism about spiritual struggle.
- Putting on:
- confidence that evil can be resisted,
- responsibility for repentance,
- trust in Divine support during temptation.
Change is gradual because:
- evils are rooted in habits and loves,
- freedom must be exercised repeatedly,
- and victory is cumulative, not instant.
6. Daily Life Application
(How true doctrine lives in practice)
In daily life, true doctrine calls a person to:
- stop waiting for salvation to happen automatically,
- take responsibility for resisting known evils,
- trust that resistance is supported by Divine power,
- and understand struggle as meaningful rather than futile.
It reframes:
- temptation as opportunity,
- effort as cooperation,
- and repentance as realistic and possible.
7. Common Misunderstandings Corrected
(What true doctrine is NOT saying)
Being a Christian does not mean:
- that sins were taken away at the cross,
- that guilt was transferred to Christ,
- that redemption equals forgiveness,
- or that human life requires no effort.
It explicitly rejects:
- substitutionary atonement,
- imputed righteousness,
- salvation by belief alone,
- and predestinarian theology.
8. Doctrinal Connections
True doctrine governs:
- The Lord the Redeemer - how redemption was achieved
- Repentance - how redemption is applied personally
- Freedom of choice - equilibrium restored
- Regeneration - actual removal of sins
- Imputation - rejection of transferred merit
- The New Church - possible only after redemption
Without true doctrine, salvation becomes either magical or impossible.
9. In Short:
Redemption was the Lord’s work of subjugating the hells and restoring spiritual order, making human freedom and regeneration possible. It did not remove sins automatically, but it made repentance, resistance, and salvation real and attainable.
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