Man and God
With a thread title like this, there are so many different issues that I could discuss. I could talk about the flawed trend of talking about God's nature in human terms, for example. But what I actually want to do is give a little comment about a chapter in the Book of Matthew that I read today, completely by chance (chapter 5, to be precise). In fact, it should bring us to a much deeper paradigm of man's route to salvation offered by God in Christian theology.
One last thing before we get going - you might like to read the conclusion before you read the detail of the argument. Even if you're an atheist, I think there might be something in this for you too.
What does it say?
This chapter opens with what is, in my view, one of the most moving sections of the whole Bible (3-10):
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Frequently Christ speaks in subtle parables, but this passage is striking for its directness. Now here I must confess that some Protestants, though probably not Catholics, will find this argument of mine to be blunt. But what is it that we notice about all of these statements? They all relate to experience and actions that characterise a person's entire life. What it does not say is, "Blessed are those who sign on the dotted line, for they will get off scott-free."
The chapter ends thus (43-48):
You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his Sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Is that not the most astonishing command from Christ? "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
How are we to take this?
Like I say, I actually don't want this to be an attempt to bash Evangelicalism, but I'm afraid that it will be a necessary, ahem, evil. The first reaction on most people's behalf is probably something like, "But how am I supposed to be perfect? Isn't that asking a bit too much?" Of course, some people have noticed this, and have explained that God Himself will gradually make us perfect, so don't worry, just sit back and let God do the work.
Well to me and to the Orthodox (and I suspect Roman Catholic) Church, that's just lazy Christianity. St Paul would seem to have agreed when he said (Philippians 3:12-14),
Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected: but I press on that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
"I press forward..." Now what an Evangelical might (and has in the past) say is that this places too much emphasis on man saving himself, and cuts out God completely. Not at all! We shouldn't get side-tracked on this too much, but I shall point out that it is entirely by God's Grace that man is saved. However, man has free will, and God will not force man to accept this Grace. In short, the answer to, "What must man do to be saved?" is simple: accept God's Grace. It is by God's Grace that we may be "perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect".
But how do we reconcile this with Paul's statement that he may believe in Christ, but has not yet attained perfection? How do we reconcile this with the fact that, as we see today, many people who believe in the Christian God (including myself) are less than perfect?
How am I supposed to be perfect?
The teachings of Christ and His Apostles make clear that salvation is not instantaneous. See for example Mark 13:13 in which Christ says,
All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
First of all, we must ask, "What is perfection?" That answer has already been given. Go back to the beginning of this post and re-read the Beatitudes. Each human attribute has it's divine counterpart - our hungering and thirsting after righteousness results in God's satisfying our desire for righteousness, our mourning results in comfort, our mercy will result in God's mercy, and so on. It suggests then that, as we attain all of these points - poverty of spirit, mercy, desire for righteousness, and so on - we are aiming towards the summation of all of these, that is to the say perfection granted by acceptance of God's Grace.
The conclusion, in short
Acceptance of God's Grace is not an intellectual concept, it is a solid action. More accurately, it is a series of solid actions lasting our whole lives.
What I am saying more specfically is that a person is not perfect until they have fully accepted God's Grace, and a person has not fully accepted God's Grace if they do not act accordingly.
In fact, what I am saying is that 'acceptance' consists of both thinking and doing.
More generally (and this is where it is relevant to non-Christians), I am saying that becoming a 'good' person is not effected just by a conscious decision, but by positive action. Good works breed more good works, and life is a ladder up which we must progress. It is in the nature of free choice that a choice is not really a choice unless it is borne out in deed as well as word.
God offers us the ladder with perfection and (as we Orthodox say) theiosis* at the top - it is our task to climb it.
* Partaking in the Divine Energies, i.e. communion with God)
P.S.
I have deliberately left this post shortened and un-fleshed out in the hope of provoking some kind of discussion or controversy.
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Originally Posted by Zenith Darksea
Thanks for reminding me Enoch...
