Theologica Germanica?

[Thatgirloncfforums]

Thanks again for sharing. This was encouraging. Refreshingly abstract, open minded, insightful. A needed reminder "not as I will, but as thou wilt."

"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross (stauros, σταυρός) daily, and follow me." (Luke 9:23)

The stauros (σταυρός) is actually a "stake" or "tree". Metaphorically the "tree of life". Relating to symbolism/imagery in the Menorah candlestick, grape vine, olive tree: "I am the true vine ... ye are the branches" (Jn 15:1, 5) "And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree ...that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." (Rom 11:17, 25) "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree." (Acts 5:30) "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:" (Gal 3:13) "And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:" (Deu 21:22)

Which relates to the (cattle) "yoke" of God's commandments. "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me" (Mt 11:29; see also Acts 15:10, Gal 5:1) -- Christ being the Torah incarnate, the living word of God, and the branches are both "Jew and Greek (Gentil)", a united entity, an international body, under God's law. Shalom or Salem (Greek): "peace in the world" (Jn 16:33) As in "Jeru-salem". i.e. "Thy Kingdom".

= "possession of peace" or "of Salem";

"foundation of peace" or "of Shalem [God of peace]"
JERUSALEM - JewishEncyclopedia.com

Thus, it's both internal and external. An outworking must take place that stems from inner change, from spiritual/theoretical to practice. An outworking of agape/charity/unconditional love. In family, community, friendship, ecclessia, business relationships. All forms of neighbourliness. And in doing so, reflects God. ---This is the challenge, since most of us are rather wretched and depraved.

"Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." (Jn 3:16-18)

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (Jn 15:13)

"What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (Matthew 7)

It's this area that monastics/ascetics/mystics usually fall short, in remote reclusive places etc. See the Desert Fathers. i.e. the "self denial", self-sacrifice, self-control, etc, has an object. A recipient or beneficiary.

For the individual, fully realised when Christ returns, this will be a complete unification of spirit, soul (ψυχή, psychē), and body:

"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul (ψυχή, psychē) and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thes 5:23)

Pysche ranges from "the breath of life; the vital force which animates the body and shows itself in breathing" to the "soul, the seat of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions (our soul, heart, etc." Which is the part you noted. G5590 - psychē - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv)



Misquote.

Scripture says, "
The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand." (Pro 12:7)

And,

"Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." (Dan 12:10)



This is true. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Cor 5:17)



Misquote. He's exploiting the English nuance/semantics. Scripture does kinda say that, but not the way he's suggesting. Especially the "I live by the faith" part is an active statement, but this time at the individual level.

"I am crucified (συσταυρόω, systauroō) with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I (οὐκέτι ἐγώ, ouketi ego), but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live (ζῶ, zo) by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Gal 2:20)

ζῶ, zo is Present Active Indicative - 1st Person Singular.

It's also a reference to stauron and the "seed of the Gospel" taking root in one's life. "The seed is the word of God" (Lk 18:11) To live by faith, on the foundation of God's word, on Christ the solid rock.

Just prior to that Paul says "For I through the law (διὰ νόμου, dia nomou) am dead to the law, that I might live unto God." (v19) Where nomos (νόμοs) is "Torah" or the Pentateuch, the first five books of Moses.--- Which ofc covers the origin of sin and the definition of sin in great detail, through God's perspective, in his words. Thus the will of God.

Have you read Owen on Mortification of Sin? It's a nugget.

https://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/sdg/owen/Mortification of Sin - John Owen.pdf

No. But I will. Thank you!

 

[Petros2015]

Looks like a lot of in depth and valuable commentary here. I'll just say that I've been through the first 4 sections or so and haven't come across anything like a "we don't do works" attitude- in ch 10-15 there was definitely the contrary

 

[Davy]

I read it a long, long, long time ago. It is based on mysticism, and agree or not, there is NO SUCH THING AS CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM.

A life of asceticism is not commanded by Christ nor any of His Apostles. And performing constant mystical exercises is NOT going to make anyone holier than any other, nor closer to godliness. The idea of practicing mystical exercises and ceremonial style worship was ended by Lord Jesus on His cross, as those things were what the handwriting of ordinances was about.

The practice of mysticism is actually an act which occultists use in attempting to do an end-around God's back door into Heaven. The goal of Mysticism is to seek 'direct experience' of the Divine by constant spiritual exercises. It is actually a non-drug related replacement for pagan religion of old that used drugs to induce mystical altered states of consciousness, like American Indians using peyote in their religious rituals.

 

[philadelphos]

IME, asceticism and mysticism has value as a means to an end, repentance in order to re-connect with God. i.e. "If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish" (Mt 5:30). Otherwise locking into that mindset superstitiously becomes a superstitious ritualism, living a lie. e.g. monasticism, ritual prayer, ritual chanting. Not at all practical or beneficial to others in the grand scheme, a selfish system, self-willed. i.e. Christ's model is self-less. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (Jn 15:13) Describing great heroism, a conscious energy that objectively serves others. But ofc one must fix himself before fixing others.

I find Milton's Paradise Lost helpful, re themes above. Ofc non-Scripture but as literary/poetic work it helps loads to conceptualise war in heaven, temptation of Eve, Adam's fall, all mankind, the human condition, suffering etc. Which is the grand scheme of Scripture, with Christ effectively fixing/restoring Creation per God's will.-- Then what to do about it, with the limited ability of oneself.

LibriVox

Peterson: "Following on from Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Dostoyevsky, etc.... (one ought to) adopt the mode of authentic being, refusing to participate in the lie, to instead orient oneself towards the truth, and to take responsibility for one's own life and that of others; which is meaningful, responsible, noble, and serves to mitigate the nihilism and escape into the arms of the totalitarians to begin with."

 

[Petros2015]

Loved it.
Just got a paperback copy.

Has anyone read this and what are your thoughts?

Thank you