Christ - the only sufficient Mediator
(from the City of God by St. Augustine)
"It amazes me that such learned men, who have decided that all material things, discerned by the senses, are inferior in value to spiritual things accessible only to the intellect, should make any mention of physical contact, when the question concerns the life of felicity. What has become of that saying of Plotinus, "We must flee to our beloved country. There the Father is, and there is everything. Where shall we take ship? How can we flee? By becoming like God." If man comes near to God in proportion as he grows more like him, then unlikeness to God is the only separation from him, and the soul of man is enstranged from the immaterial, eternal and unchangeable being in proportion as it craves for things that are temporal and changeable.
For the cure of this condition we need a mediator, since there can be no direct meeting between immortal purity on high and the mortal and unclean things below. But our need is not for a mediator with an immortal body, like the bodies on high, but with a diseased soul, like those below-for that disease would make him envious of our possivle cure, and by no means ready to assist us towards health. We need a mediator linked with us in our lowliness by reason of the mortal nature of his body, and yet able to render us truly divine assistance for our purification and liberation, through the immortal justice of his spirit in virtue of which he has remained in his dwelling on high-not by spatial remoteness from us, but by his unique resemblance to God. It is unthinkable that God, who is incapable of defilement, should be afraid of contamination by the human nature in which he was clothed. For by his incarnation he showed us, for our salvation, two truths of the greatest importance: that the true divine nature cannot be polluted by the flesh, and that demons are not to be reckoned our superiors because they are not creatures of the flesh. This mediator is, as the holy Scripture proclaims, "the mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus." In respect of his divinity he is always equal to the Father, and by his humanity he became like us. But this is not to the place to attempt (as far as our powers would allow) an adequate discussion of this doctrine.
Wow, so true. It makes me marvel at God's grace even more after reading this...after just thinking about what He did in sending His Only Son down to earth for US. Sinners. Dead IN our sins. So He could save us. So we could live with Him forever. He loves us, He wants us to love Him. And to think after all God has done for us. Loving us, even though we are sinners always stumbling again and again. That we reject Him. "Yet we asteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted." We reject God, we turn our faces the other way, set on going our own path. We hate Him because of our depraved nature. I can't believe I do this. I am so guilty.
And even when we do all of this. Sin continually, go against His word...He forgives us over and over when we come to Him. What an amazing and gracious God. I can't fathom it.
Shimmer just made me really really happy. This is what she just said on msn to me...she was leaving.
"I better go. *sigh* I miss you I'm sending an atomic bomb over to you look for the package that is labelled "Fragiledangerousexplosivehandle with careLOVEtake to big field but beware effects may spread to those in your vicinity-- "
waaah, i love shimmer, she's so wonderful.
i love my friends. they make me feel....happy. they can make me laugh and fell fulfilled when i've had the worst day ever. i've cried, they can help me sort out my feelings and help me make decisions. my friends are amazing. i miss them like nuts. and nuts are good. :D
"It amazes me that such learned men, who have decided that all material things, discerned by the senses, are inferior in value to spiritual things accessible only to the intellect, should make any mention of physical contact, when the question concerns the life of felicity. What has become of that saying of Plotinus, "We must flee to our beloved country. There the Father is, and there is everything. Where shall we take ship? How can we flee? By becoming like God." If man comes near to God in proportion as he grows more like him, then unlikeness to God is the only separation from him, and the soul of man is enstranged from the immaterial, eternal and unchangeable being in proportion as it craves for things that are temporal and changeable.
For the cure of this condition we need a mediator, since there can be no direct meeting between immortal purity on high and the mortal and unclean things below. But our need is not for a mediator with an immortal body, like the bodies on high, but with a diseased soul, like those below-for that disease would make him envious of our possivle cure, and by no means ready to assist us towards health. We need a mediator linked with us in our lowliness by reason of the mortal nature of his body, and yet able to render us truly divine assistance for our purification and liberation, through the immortal justice of his spirit in virtue of which he has remained in his dwelling on high-not by spatial remoteness from us, but by his unique resemblance to God. It is unthinkable that God, who is incapable of defilement, should be afraid of contamination by the human nature in which he was clothed. For by his incarnation he showed us, for our salvation, two truths of the greatest importance: that the true divine nature cannot be polluted by the flesh, and that demons are not to be reckoned our superiors because they are not creatures of the flesh. This mediator is, as the holy Scripture proclaims, "the mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus." In respect of his divinity he is always equal to the Father, and by his humanity he became like us. But this is not to the place to attempt (as far as our powers would allow) an adequate discussion of this doctrine.
Wow, so true. It makes me marvel at God's grace even more after reading this...after just thinking about what He did in sending His Only Son down to earth for US. Sinners. Dead IN our sins. So He could save us. So we could live with Him forever. He loves us, He wants us to love Him. And to think after all God has done for us. Loving us, even though we are sinners always stumbling again and again. That we reject Him. "Yet we asteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted." We reject God, we turn our faces the other way, set on going our own path. We hate Him because of our depraved nature. I can't believe I do this. I am so guilty.
And even when we do all of this. Sin continually, go against His word...He forgives us over and over when we come to Him. What an amazing and gracious God. I can't fathom it.
Shimmer just made me really really happy. This is what she just said on msn to me...she was leaving.
"I better go. *sigh* I miss you I'm sending an atomic bomb over to you look for the package that is labelled "Fragiledangerousexplosivehandle with careLOVEtake to big field but beware effects may spread to those in your vicinity-- "
waaah, i love shimmer, she's so wonderful.
i love my friends. they make me feel....happy. they can make me laugh and fell fulfilled when i've had the worst day ever. i've cried, they can help me sort out my feelings and help me make decisions. my friends are amazing. i miss them like nuts. and nuts are good. :D
Angel Doves
Mindy Smith
When you're blindsided and deceived
And chained to the floor
When it's difficult to see
The writing on the wall
Chorus:
Keep on beleiving God is
Soaring above a world that's
Running out of love
Pouring hope out over us
His angel doves
WHen it's hard for you to breathe
Keep a clear mind
When it's hard for you to be
Just to be yourself sometimes
Keep on beleiving God is
Soaring above world that's
Running out of love
Pouring hope out over us
His angels
His angel doves
Well, that's all for now everyone.
Good night!
Allegro
"mm. weakness. it's so ugly by itself. it's beautiful in Jesus though."
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