Posted on 02/20/2018 8:58:35 AM PST by Salvation
The Baltimore Catechism asked the question Where is God? The answer given was God is everywhere. While this is certainly true, it is even more true that God is beyond the concept of “where.” Everywhere is too limiting to contain God, for He transcends His creation and cannot be contained even by the “everywhere” of it.
C.S. Lewis had an interesting analogy:
Looking for God by exploring space is a bit like reading or seeing all Shakespeare’s plays in the hope that you will find Shakespeare …. Shakespeare is, in one sense, present at every moment of the play, but he is never present in the same way … but to look for him as one item within the framework he himself invented is nonsensical [The Business of Heaven, p. 47].
So, just as Shakespeare is far more than and far beyond even the sum total of all his writings, even more is God far beyond the “everywhere” of this world. God is not this or that thing. He is not here or over there. He is existence itself, the very definition of “to be” (ipsum esse).
Yet unlike Shakespeare, God is not merely bigger than and outside what He has made. God is no mere writer or creator who left an impression of himself in what he made. No, God is at the same time both transcendent and immanent. He is inside what He created, sustaining everything He made from moment to moment.
C.S. Lewis continues,
[And so with God] mere movement in space will not bring you any nearer to him or farther from him that you are at this very moment. You can neither reach him, nor avoid him by travelling to … other galaxies [ibid].
This of course raises the question: Why do we attribute a special presence to Christ in the Eucharist or the tabernacles of our churches? Like the ancient Jews, who found a special presence of God in the Ark of the Covenant in the Temple, we do not lack sophistication. We understand that God is not merely in this place or that one, but we do accept by His own revelation that He is uniquely and powerfully present in certain places and in certain ways designated by Him to confer that special presence. Thus, while God speaks in and through His creation, He speaks even more clearly and powerfully in his revealed Word. And while He is everywhere immanently present, He is profoundly present in a special way in the Eucharist and in certain holy places.
In the end, God is everywhere, but he is also “beyond where,” “beneath where,” and “above where.” He is God, who said, “Before there ever was an everywhere, I AM.”
Oh, no one doubts that.
But what in the world do you think Augustine meant when he said, "You were with me, but I was not with you"?
Oh, no one doubts that.
But that isn't what you were advancing previously in your post 16...at least it doesn't seem to be.
But what in the world do you think Augustine meant when he said, "You were with me, but I was not with you"?
Don't know and it really doesn't matter. Augustine's philosophy is not Scripture.
However, 1 John 4:13 and the other passages I posted are.
As members of the Catholic Church that Jesus Christ founded, we receive the physical Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist along with the graces that are necessary for our eternal life.
It is sad that some do not have Faith in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist that is necessary for their salvation.
A believers in Christ has Christ indwelling in them in addition to the Holy Spirit.
Christ is always with the believer as is the Holy Spirit. They do not depart the believer.
13In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:13-14 NASB
24“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. John 5:24 NASB
67So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” 68Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69“We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” John 6:67-69 NASB
We come to Christ through belief in Him.
We are sealed by the Spirit.
No where does the NT ever record the believer as being unsealed.
Are believers truly believers when they reject the words of Jesus Christ?
Jesus tells us to believe in Him....that is the consistent message of the NT.
We come to Christ through faith. Peter recognized that and said so in two different situations.
The question is, do you believe His promise of John 5:24?
Have you cut off your right hand or gouged out your eye?
Sold all of your possessions?
You see, ADSUM, you have to understand the context of the passage to get the correct meaning.
Yes. I do understand context. Truly, truly Christ said.
Do you truly understand context or just try to use words to fit your your opinions?
Then I take it you've cut off your hand(s) and/or gouged your eye(s) out?
One can accept or reject the teachings of Jesus.
I accept His teachings as He intended.
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