Barth: on grace
Thursday, January 6, 2011
EPIPHANY
Meditation:
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
—Romans 5:1-2 (NIV)
Quotation:
Grace is the incomprehensible fact that God is well pleased with a man, and that a man can rejoice in God. Only when grace is recognized to be incomprehensible is it grace. Grace exists, therefore, only where the Resurrection is reflected. Grace is the gift of Christ, who exposes the gulf which separates God and man, and, by exposing it, bridges it.
... Karl Barth (1886-1968), The Epistle to the Romans, translated from the 6th edition by Edwyn C. Hoskyns, London: Oxford University Press, H. Milford, 1933, 6th ed., Oxford University Press US, 1968, p. 31 (see the book)
Quiet time reflection:
Lord, You have crossed the gap between us that I could never have crossed.CQOD Blog email RSS
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EPIPHANY
Meditation:
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
—Romans 5:1-2 (NIV)
Quotation:
Grace is the incomprehensible fact that God is well pleased with a man, and that a man can rejoice in God. Only when grace is recognized to be incomprehensible is it grace. Grace exists, therefore, only where the Resurrection is reflected. Grace is the gift of Christ, who exposes the gulf which separates God and man, and, by exposing it, bridges it.
... Karl Barth (1886-1968), The Epistle to the Romans, translated from the 6th edition by Edwyn C. Hoskyns, London: Oxford University Press, H. Milford, 1933, 6th ed., Oxford University Press US, 1968, p. 31 (see the book)
Quiet time reflection:
Lord, You have crossed the gap between us that I could never have crossed.
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posted by Robert McAnally Adams at 1/06/2011 02:00:00 AM
2 Comments:
In practical terms, how does any one believer put into practical use the reflection of the Resurrection in the believer's own life so the world can see God's grace in that believer?
"if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit"
“24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” (Joh 12:24-25 AV)
"Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. 9 ¶ As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love...Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends"
“7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. 9 ¶ As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and [that] your joy might be full. 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (Joh 15:7-13 AV)
"my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again"
“17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” (Joh 10:17-18 AV)
“we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren"
14 ¶ We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not [his] brother abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16 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.” (1Jo 3:14-16 AV)
“22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 24 ¶ Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.” (Joh 17:22-24 AV)
The world can never see the grace without seeing the glory of the resurrection in a believer's love for all other believers, regardless to which Christian denomination or faith group they belong.
Each one believer's faith that Christ's grace is held in common by all believers is the only hope any of us have of reflecting His resurrection to the world.
He never gave a command one couldn't perform.
“7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Lu 18:7-8 AV)
Love in Jesus to all,
Tim Warlick
www.SpiritualChristianUnity.org
In practical terms, how does any one believer put into practical use the reflection of the Resurrection in the believer's own life so the world can see God's grace in that believer?
"if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit"
“24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” (Joh 12:24-25 AV)
"Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. 9 ¶ As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love...Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends"
“7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. 9 ¶ As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and [that] your joy might be full. 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (Joh 15:7-13 AV)
"my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again"
“17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” (Joh 10:17-18 AV)
“we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren"
14 ¶ We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not [his] brother abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16 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.” (1Jo 3:14-16 AV)
“22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 24 ¶ Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.” (Joh 17:22-24 AV)
The world can never see the grace without seeing the glory of the resurrection in a believer's love for all other believers, regardless to which Christian denomination or faith group they belong. Faith in Christ's grace held in common by all believers is our only hope of reflecting His resurrection to the world.
Love in Jesus to all,
Tim Warlick
www.SpiritualChristianUnity.org
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