Meditations on some writings of Augustine:
Just some
thoughts about the love of God that I have been meditating on for some time.
One of my hearts passions is the study of the philosophical foundations of the Christian world view.
One of my hearts passions is the study of the philosophical foundations of the Christian world view.
Not secular philosophy,
but the philosophy that Paul refers to in
1Corinthians 1 + 2.
Paul states that we are to avoid so called "worldly wisdom" but that we are to seek and revere the wisdom that comes from God.
As we know; the word philosophy is a combination of two Greek words; Phlo = love + sophia = wisdom.
Hence, philosophy is the "love of wisdom".
Paul states that we are to avoid so called "worldly wisdom" but that we are to seek and revere the wisdom that comes from God.
As we know; the word philosophy is a combination of two Greek words; Phlo = love + sophia = wisdom.
Hence, philosophy is the "love of wisdom".
The Apostle
Paul was, of course, a world class philosopher, theologian and logician, as
well as a top notch rhetorician.
This in no way disqualified him from his role as Apostle and Evangelist.
Quite to the contrary; it prepared him to be the best Apologist for the Christian faith of his age, and arguably of all time.
While recently reviewing the writings of Augustine I was able to gain some helpful insights into his idea of the primacy of the grace of God in initiating the love relationship between the believer and Jesus Christ.
This in no way disqualified him from his role as Apostle and Evangelist.
Quite to the contrary; it prepared him to be the best Apologist for the Christian faith of his age, and arguably of all time.
While recently reviewing the writings of Augustine I was able to gain some helpful insights into his idea of the primacy of the grace of God in initiating the love relationship between the believer and Jesus Christ.
I have always
had difficulty with Augustine's ideas because of certain major disagreements
that I have with his, as I see it, lingering Neo-platonist tendencies
concerning the nature of man and his ideas concerning the sacerdotal infusion of actual grace through the sacraments and so on.
But this time through I have been able to set all that aside and consider the merits of each concept on it's own; and I like his insight into the love of God and the position of primacy that it holds over all of the other of God's graces that follow.
But this time through I have been able to set all that aside and consider the merits of each concept on it's own; and I like his insight into the love of God and the position of primacy that it holds over all of the other of God's graces that follow.
Augustine's
stated singular goal in his early life and indeed throughout his entire life,
was the pursuit of wisdom.
One of his favorite verses was 1 Corinthians 1:24 which states that "Christ is the wisdom of God."
And so it is a short step to take to say that to love Jesus Christ is to love the wisdom of God.
And so we have the definition of Christian philosophy.
This is a new starting point for me in considering the grace of God that Augustine speaks of as God's Charity.
One of his favorite verses was 1 Corinthians 1:24 which states that "Christ is the wisdom of God."
And so it is a short step to take to say that to love Jesus Christ is to love the wisdom of God.
And so we have the definition of Christian philosophy.
This is a new starting point for me in considering the grace of God that Augustine speaks of as God's Charity.
And so the
meditations of my heart and mind lately are about the love of God for me and for mankind.
We read in 1 John 4:8 that "God is love."
Augustine speaks of the triadic structure of the soul as a reflection of the eternal triune nature of God.
He offers many helpful analogies between the human soul and the essential being of God.
We read in 1 John 4:8 that "God is love."
Augustine speaks of the triadic structure of the soul as a reflection of the eternal triune nature of God.
He offers many helpful analogies between the human soul and the essential being of God.
One such
analogy is self-knowledge: Consisting of Memory, Understanding and Will. Each
of these separately can be properly called the mind, and still each is distinct
from the others; like the Holy Trinity.
Another triadic
analogy he offers is self-love.
I need to hasten to state that the self-love in view is not the selfish prideful self love that the scripture decries, but the self-love of which Jesus speaks as a given; "Love your neighbor as yourself", and Paul mentions in Ephesians 5:29 "No one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes it and cherishes it."
I need to hasten to state that the self-love in view is not the selfish prideful self love that the scripture decries, but the self-love of which Jesus speaks as a given; "Love your neighbor as yourself", and Paul mentions in Ephesians 5:29 "No one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes it and cherishes it."
The triadic
structure of self-love is: Lover, Beloved and Loving.
This is reflected in the human soul as: I love myself.
And in the Holy Trinity as: The Father loves the Beloved Son who loves the Father.
The Father is the Lover, the Son is the Beloved and the Holy Spirit is the Love between them.
And so, as John said; "God is love."
This is reflected in the human soul as: I love myself.
And in the Holy Trinity as: The Father loves the Beloved Son who loves the Father.
The Father is the Lover, the Son is the Beloved and the Holy Spirit is the Love between them.
And so, as John said; "God is love."
John goes on to
say in 1 Jn.4:9 - that the love of God was manifested in us and into the world
through Jesus Christ so that we might live through Him.
Augustine
argues that when God, by His grace, chooses to reveal His love and wisdom to a
soul, by revealing these attributes through the person and work of Christ, that
the soul is then irresistibly drawn to God through Christ because of His
overwhelming loveliness.
It is an involuntary response to God's grace, wisdom and love.
It is an involuntary response to God's grace, wisdom and love.
If this is what
Augustine means by irresistible grace; I can say a hearty Amen.
I will however continue to disagree with any notion promoting the idea that God is actively withholding said grace from any soul that would lovingly receive it.
Because of such notions Augustine is forced to come up with such contrivances as infused grace (as opposed to imputed righteousness), alien faith (as opposed to the required personal faith that Jesus so frequently speaks of) and infant baptism etc.
I will however continue to disagree with any notion promoting the idea that God is actively withholding said grace from any soul that would lovingly receive it.
Because of such notions Augustine is forced to come up with such contrivances as infused grace (as opposed to imputed righteousness), alien faith (as opposed to the required personal faith that Jesus so frequently speaks of) and infant baptism etc.
The love of God
is shed forth in the hearts of men and in the world in the face of Jesus
Christ.
When, by the grace of God and with the aid of the Holy Spirit a soul finally sees the loveliness of God in Christ, a response is engendered; either rejection leading to separation from God and His love;
Or the desired response of falling in love with God.
Augustine argues that we fall in love involuntarily with that which we find lovely.
A wonderful insight and a very helpful observation for me this time through his reflections.
When, by the grace of God and with the aid of the Holy Spirit a soul finally sees the loveliness of God in Christ, a response is engendered; either rejection leading to separation from God and His love;
Or the desired response of falling in love with God.
Augustine argues that we fall in love involuntarily with that which we find lovely.
A wonderful insight and a very helpful observation for me this time through his reflections.
