In continuation of Sermo LI, the Advent sermon I've come to a couple of other passages that are worth noting. Augustine is leading his congregation in somewhat of a dialectic against heretics who were denying that Jesus was born of a woman. It seems to me that he is preaching against Valentinianism, but that is an untrained eye doing quick research. It could also have been docetism but, as Augustine says in this sermon on numerous occasions, I digress...
Three more things came out to me in the next few pages. The first is "Badness came when perverted pleasure turned the Creature's face away from the Creator" (Griffin, 9). Now, I have read some more scholarly translations of Augustine and happen to like what Griffin describes as his paraphrasal translation approach because it makes it more approachable to readers like me. And his penchant for making Augustine colloquial is quite nice; but, on occasion we get words like "Badness" that make me feel like I'm reading the child's version of Augustine, but I digress... This strikes me in a number of ways though - Evil, sin or badness entered the world when perverted pleasure turned man's face away from God. Note that pleasure was not the thing that turned man's face from God, but perverted pleasure. I do have a bit of struggle between the two concepts. When I struggle with my sins I often act out in the way a pendulum does and try and swing it too far the other way. I mistake pleasure, a naturally and created thing for us for perverted pleasure and push both away. In essence I throw away God's gift to save me from my sin. I attempt salvation on my own. This never goes well and I set myself up to fail. It's all about that discipline. Not that I agree with the notion of everything in moderation because some things are inherently sinful no matter how moderately you partake of them, but I need not try and force myself into a hair shirt either.
Secondly, Augustine begins to theorize how Christ would respond to the fall of man in a down to earth tone. "Now I'm not in the habit of condemning a creature I've just made...No I don't condemn the creatures; it's there sins I condemn. Why? Because I didn't make the sins; they did" (Griffin, 9-10). There is a whole bunch of theology packed into this statement for me so, bear with me as I unfurl it. First, Augustine is combating another heresy, particularly Arianism because it is calling Christ the creator. Second, it resolves a problem of evil. In this short sentence Augustine is denying that Christ (or God) the creator of all things is therefore the creator of evil. Lastly, while still theological in nature, but with the added benefit of comfort and grace Christ states that by not condemning the man he is affording the man an opportunity of salvation through condemning the man-made sins.
Lastly, Augustine shamed my laziness and reminded me that my curiosity when applied properly will invariably lead me back to God. However, my curiosity when left alone will invariably wither and decline or sink into depths of depravity. "'In Him are hidden all the treasuries of wisdom and knowledge'. He hides them, yes, but not because he's embarrassed by them; rather He wants to increase our desire to discover what's in these treasuries. A secret, yes, but isn't it tantalizing? So, Augustine quotes Colossians 2:3 to remind me that there are mysteries of God that I must explore and in exploring I will find all the treasuries of wisdom and knowledge. I am tantalized.
In Chapter 2 of Colossians Paul is writing to those he knows and has not yet met personally to know that he is praying for them. He wants to encourage them to unite in love so that they can have the full riches of God. In this unity of love and encouragement of heart continue to seek the mystery of God, Christ "In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3). Buy why is Paul encouraging this? Because there is safety in Christ. There is safety in His wisdom and knowledge. This safety protects from fine sounding arguments that might deceive and pull one away from God.
I'm starting to see the road to seeking the Kingdom of God, rooted in Scripture reading and this blog. But, I fear that the daily minutia of life will pull me from being rooted deeper and deeper. Lord I pray for the discipline I need to continue to seek first the Kingdom.
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