[Mad Dawg]

Isn't the MAIN deal that the relationship within the Trinity is Love?

I was just reading about + Elizabeth Seton and one of her big concerns was, "First: we should do what God wants, second: we should do it in that manner in which He wants it done and third (here's the kicker) We should do it because it is His will."

Here her standard is obedience, not because it's good for you to exercise and eat well (though it is) but because God wills it. Our obedience comes from our Love (which comes from grace and all that, but that's another part of the discussion.)

Anselm is saying that God the Father’s plan was essentially to acquiesce to the will of the Son, who agreed to do the Father’s will.
Okay, treat me like the idiot I am, please. Is it as though there were this conversation:

Father: I want to save the WORLD.
Son: Well, I want what you want, whatever it is.
Father: Well I think the way we do it is You die for their sins.
Son: Okay.

or is it, more like:

Father: I want to save the WORLD.
Son: Well, I want what you want, whatever it is, and if you wanted me to die for their sins, I'd even do that.
Father: Well then, I think that's the way we're going to do it. We'll do it that way.

Or is this just so off base that I should go out and jump off a cliff?

[HarleyD]

Isn't the MAIN deal that the relationship within the Trinity is Love?

The way I understand Anselm’s puzzle is how did the Father/Son relate in returning us to a holy relationship with the Father. Anselm states above:
God did not, therefore, compel Christ to die; but he suffered death of his own will, not yielding up his life as an act of obedience, but on account of his obedience in maintaining holiness; for he held out so firmly in this obedience that he met death on account of it.

My point is that since God the Father and God the Son are one in the same, than wouldn’t they have the same will? If the will of the Son was to die upon the cross, wouldn’t that be the exact will of the Father? Likewise, if the will of the Father was for His Son to die upon the cross, wouldn’t that be the exact will of the Son?

I can understand Anselm’s viewing Christ’s sacrifice as an act of obedience. I think this is correct from Christ’s humanity side. However, Christ’s divinity side was the will of the Father, both who felt the Son must be sacrificed. I believe Anselm may have been looking at the humanity of Christ while not giving due consideration to His deity. Anselm’s statement that God the Father didn’t “compel” the Son to die raises the question of whether God the Father needs to compel anyone to do His will.

This is a very fine point but Anselm’s argument seems to hinge on this concept.

Is it as though there were this conversation: Father: I want to save the WORLD. Son: Well, I want what you want, whatever it is.

In either examples, the Son doesn’t seem to understand what the will of the Father is unless God explains it. This, I think, is similar to the thoughts of Anselm; thinking that the Son would want what the Father wants but not knowing the Father’s will until told. It is as though they got together, pooled they're thoughts and came up with a solution.

I would say that Christ not only knew the Father’s will but it was His will as well. The wills are the same. This is what makes God ONE, while being three. God loves the Son because they are the same holiness, same thought, same will. Just don't ask me much more about the Trinity or I will go crazy.

Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. John 10:17

BTW- I agree with Elizabeth Seton although I probably would have reorganized the list.