where purification on the part of the individual enables one to become an honourable vessel, purification that of its essence is voluntary.24 Again, as with Chrysostom, the mystery of free human engagement with God concerns John, not God’s will overriding human self-determination: “It must be understood not as of God’s own activity, but as of God’s allowing through self-determination, furthermore the good is not to be forced.”25 So far I have argued that a forensic notion of atonement is not prevalent