Book: The Reasonableness of Christianity

Overview

John Locke’s The Reasonableness of Christianity (1695) argues that the Gospel’s saving message is strikingly simple and publicly accessible: the essential article of faith required for salvation is believing that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, the anointed king and savior promised in Scripture, and sincerely turning to God in repentance and obedience. Locke contends that Christianity is reasonable because it rests on testimony authenticated by miracles and prophecy, asks for assent to a plain proposition, and reinforces a moral law already discernible by natural reason.

The Gospel’s Simple Center

Locke combs the New Testament and claims that apostolic preaching and early Christian reception hinged on one central confession: Jesus is the Christ. From the proclamations in Acts to the Pauline letters, he finds that admission into the new covenant did not require mastery of complex metaphysics or assent to long catalogues of doctrinal propositions. Instead, baptism followed upon belief in Jesus as Messiah and the resolve to live under his lordship. This faith brings justification because God has, in Christ, opened a way of mercy for those who cannot meet the perfect demands of the divine law.

Law of Works and Law of Faith

A key contrast shapes Locke’s account. The “law of works” demands flawless obedience, an ideal no fallen human attains. The Gospel institutes a “law of faith, ” by which God graciously accepts sincere believers who repent and aim at new obedience. Good works remain necessary as the fruit and evidence of genuine faith, not as meritorious payments. Final judgment still reckons with deeds, yet the barrier of absolute perfection is replaced by a covenant of grace centered on Christ.

Life and Immortality Brought to Light

Locke emphasizes that the distinctive benefit of the Gospel is the promise of eternal life. Adam’s transgression introduced death; Christ’s mission, authenticated by his resurrection, reveals and secures the hope of life beyond death. Immortality is not a natural human possession but a divine gift publicly announced and guaranteed in the Messiah. This promise, plainly taught and universally offered, grounds Christian hope and underwrites moral transformation.

Reason and Revelation

Reason’s task is twofold: to judge that the Christian revelation bears credible marks of divine origin, and to interpret Scripture’s intended sense. Miracles and fulfilled prophecies render Christ’s testimony trustworthy; once authenticated, revelation may contain truths above reason without being contrary to it. Locke insists that Scripture’s saving message is adapted to ordinary minds, so that unlearned hearers can understand and believe without reliance on priestly gatekeepers or speculative systems.

Scripture, Doctrine, and Controversy

Locke does not reject doctrinal reflection but resists enlarging the terms of communion beyond what the apostles demanded. He is wary of imposing intricate creeds as conditions of salvation, arguing that sectarian multiplication of articles obscures the Gospel’s clarity and burdens consciences. His minimalist thesis sparked controversy, especially among those who feared it diminished traditional dogmas or weakened accounts of original sin and imputed righteousness. Locke replies that he is restoring the biblical order: Christ proclaimed as Messiah, faith leading to repentance and obedience, and salvation promised through divine mercy.

Enduring Significance

The Reasonableness of Christianity unites moral seriousness with epistemic modesty. By centering the faith on the confessible, publicly evidenced claim that Jesus is the Messiah, Locke offers a vision of Christianity fitted for common reason, capable of civic peace, and focused on the transformative hope of eternal life.