Hello...
One of the little things I tried to get across yesterday was the sense that St. Paul--with other Jewish Rabbis of his day--felt that following the one true God meant that one was alive/had life, whereas not following or being Pagan meant death/ being dead. In other words, to convert from Paganism to the one true God meant converting from death to life. This is the typical Jewish "2-ways" approach. Shades of this can be found all through the scriptures. Take for example Proverbs 14:12: "There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death." Or consider Psalm 115: 2 Why do the nations say, "Where is their God?" 3 Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. 4 But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. 5 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. 6 They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. 7 They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats. 8 Those who make them are like them, and so will all who trust in them.17 It is not the dead who praise the Lord, those who go down to the place of silence; 18 it is we who extol the Lord, both now and forevermore."
After stating that idols have no characteristics of living, he states that those who make them & trust in them are just like the dead idol they worship.
With all of that in mind, now consider 1John 5:12: "Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.". This verse was the backbone of a Praise tune we used to sing in the church I grew up in. I always thought "life" meant "everlasting life".....as in going to heaven when I die. And I think that's true too.....but I don't think that's what the author was saying. I think that author, as well as St. Paul in his context was doing something very Jewish......but transferring all of the meaning to Jesus Christ. NOW....whoever has the Son has the God of Abraham Isaac & Jacob; whoever has the Son has left Paganism behind; whoever has the Son has the *fulfillment* of Torah; whoever has the Son has crossed over from being a walking/talking/breathing corpse into FINALLY......living......to being in relationship with LIFE itself.
Cheers!
TM
About Me...what is an 'evangelical-catholic?'
- Pastor Tim Manwell
- Elk Grove Village, IL, United States
- I was born & raised in rural mid-Michigan (M-go blue!). Life & work have taken me to many different places. God has too, as I've come to learn that faith is a pilgrimage. I very much resonate with the label 'EVANGELICAL-CATHOLIC.' I was raised Baptist, but found myself drawn to the Sacraments & Liturgy of the Church. I appreciate very much the words of the Augsburg Confession: "...nothing has been received among us, in doctrine or in ceremonies, that is contrary to Scripture or to the church catholic." Evangelical-catholic is a term of self-designation used by Christians coming from a broad spectrum of theological perspectives and commitments, ranging from Lutherans, Anglicans, and various Evangelicals yearning for greater catholicity .....to faithful Roman Catholics longing for an evangelical renewal of the Church. Perhaps beneath the apparent denominational differences there lies a common...groaning of the Spirit of God, who is seeking to draw the members of Christ’s mystical body into a communal life that is both fully catholic and fully evangelical. One can always hope and pray!
Listen to Current Sermons (hi speed)
Monday, February 11, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 comments:
Post a Comment