God who is without sin, was formed and grew amidst sin?
No, where God is, sin isn't. Conversely, where God isn't, sin is.
It always amazes me that those who preach the absolute dominion of God can't appreciate that God freely chose Mary for a reason. God was not obligated in any way to come to us through a woman, nor to involve humans in his work. God, being God had no need of a humble Jewish girl. Yet he chose to be formed in her womb, dependent on her "yes" to the Angel Gabriel and to be "subject to her".
Interesting, no?
Sometimes I think Calvinists have missed the whole beauty and wonder of the redemption, especially its humble, human means.
Is God with you?
Do you ever sin?
How could Jesus spend 30+ years on earth with us? We are all sinners. All his disciples were sinners. All his Apostles were sinners. Jesus ate with them. Jesus walked with them. Jesus fished with them. All the time he was surrounded by sin.
where God is, sin isn't. Conversely, where God isn't, sin is.
Is God with you? Do you ever sin?
If you sin, is God not with you? Does He leave you in your sin? Does He permit Satan to take charge of you?
(Here comes the "cutting and pasting." It contains your answer.)
If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them" -- Psalm 139:7-16 "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
And since I know RCs don't care for the Old Testament, we have Paul assuring us that even while we were yet sinners, Christ loved us enough to die for us."
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" -- Ephesians 2:4-6" But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
As my mother used to say, when your children are behaving their worst, they need your love the most.
That's ridiculous. The Scriptures had to be fulfilled. The entire point of our Christian faith is that God became man and suffered for our sakes. A human mother was a God-ordained necessity.
Mary was a devout young virgin who received a blessing by being chosen by God to carry Jesus Christ to term.
Sometimes I think Calvinists have missed the whole beauty and wonder of the redemption, especially its humble, human means.
And quite often I think Catholics miss the spiritual grace of Christ's redemption because they are focused on the mundane, the physical, the material, the "human means," and thus they forget there is "only one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus."