On the other hand we have seen, in our enquiry, that life in its progress from its first entrance upon earth seems to have had as its aim growth towards and in spiritual freedom. The force of life, in the channel that led to man, seems to have been directed towards securing the maximum of choice and of field of choice for him, the minimum of determination and of hindrance from without. We said that the brain is an organ of indetermination; we might have said that it is the organ of a spirit seeking its fulfilment through freedom in growth, and growth in freedom. No religion which does not show congruity with what we have learnt about life can seem to us in truth of touch with it. The popular forms of Christianity do not show this congruity. Even the officially instituted forms have, according to the manner of institutions, overlaid that truth and encumbered spiritual and moral life with tradition, habit, heritage that are become its burdens instead of its instruments of expression. Therefore we have to go to the prophet and learn of him, drink from his clear fountain of living waters. There, unquestionably, we find what we seek, religion in touch, in more than touch, with life. It is one with life, this religion given and shown us in the prophet of Nazareth.
Then and there we see that the Christian doctrines of incarnation and atonement should properly have an unmistakable connexion both with our own lives, their needs and aspirations, and with truth we have come to know through men of science. Those doctrines are, to begin with, an explicit recognition of a promise of freedom which the force of emergent life has striven for and secured, and which men are called upon to realize for themselves. That men shall fulfil their destiny more and ever more of life, it seems, must become theirs. That is, more and more of the spirit and life of God must become in very fact, not merely their own, but themselves. This the Christian speaks of as the incarnation or the extension of the incarnation of God in man. And, plainly, there is nothing in the teaching of Jesus, or in his work and person, which implies that this process is mechanical or that, being spiritual, it can be inevitable. God in the nature of things, of himself, cannot—will not, if you like, it is the same—compel union with him. Therefore men can escape their destiny of union with God by rejecting his proffer of more and greater life. They have their fate in their own hands; they may choose amiss.