Posted on 03/27/2015 2:04:10 PM PDT by Colofornian
The whole thrust of your argument is what bothers me, which is to minimize the doctrine of the Incarnation. Jesus is truly God and truly man. “John” says, and the Word became flesh. Paul says more concretely ”born of a woman.” That woman was Mary, as Luke makes abundantly clear, and not merely a passive actor. Without Mary, the person who gave him flesh, Jesus is a messenger from heaven.
You could point to a LOT of people and say, "Without XYZ..."
You could say, "Without Moses..."
Yet we see Moses had disobeyed God by striking the rock when he was told to speak the word to the rock to bring forth water; and because of that, he was told he would not see the promised land.
IoW, yes God used him: But Moses, ultimately, wasn't "indispensable" for how God would finally usher His people into the promised land. For every servant, ensuing servants exist when previous ones fall by the wayside.
God already knew Mary would acquiese, so it's not like I believe He had "plan B." However, were it not for Mary, it's not like God's hands would have been tied. He could have accomplished it thru another virgin; I simply believe, with His sovereign omniscience, He would have sent angels to that other person.
My point is whenever men and conclude that a certain servant, or a certain reformer, or a certain denominational leader, or a certain pope-servant, etc. is "indispensable," then they wind up glorying in that servant vs. the God who selected, equipped, empowered, worked in & thru that person.
Plain and simple, it's idolatry. And people need to repent. It's like having a spiritual gift and trusting in the gift itself vs. the God who gave it. Paul said no servant-leader is to whom we rally around (1 Cor. 1:10-17)
The whole thrust of your argument is what bothers me, which is to minimize the doctrine of the Incarnation.
Well, a key purpose, actually is to show that the Church has actually minimized the doctrine of the Holy Spirit-as-Indweller/River of Life, etc. of the flesh-and-blood church.
We wonderfully -- as we should -- celebrate Christmas, Good Friday, Easter. But we greatly play down Pentecost. (And, no, I'm not a Pentecostal or even what others might call a charismatic).
We talk about Jesus as if He's gone, when Paul references Christ as one who lives in us (Col. 1:7; Gal. 2:20). Jesus Himself promised to be with us until the end of the age (Matt. 28:20).
And we tend to treat the Holy Spirit's divine Presence as if He was "lesser" in glory, etc. than the Son of God's.
May the Church repent of this.
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