Monday 1 October 2007

This week I'm taking material from a section of "Christ is Present in Faith" that falls under this subdivision: In faith "everything of the world and the law comes to an end, and the divine begins. This is by Tuomo Mannermaa.



...Luther's notion of the law is marked by the idea that the law belongs only in the "world." Thus, it applies to the "old Adam," or the "flesh." But, in contrast, it must not reign in "heaven," that is, in the Christian's conscience, in which not the law but Christ - the righteousness granted by God - is to sit on the thrown. He is the "law of the law," that is, freedom, and the "death of death," that is, eternal life and blessedness.



The law is good stuff. It is good stuff when we think about the rules of society and how they word to keep order....it is good stuff. The law deals with keep us "in line" or even "on target" within the realmm of everyday life. But in our relationship with our God - the relationship that has the power to create a new being and does create the new being, the law has not power. I find the reminder that Christ (the saving - forgiving - reconciling one) sitting on the throne in the Christian's conscience as being quite powerful. We are already in the realm of "heaven." That is in the bag. That is the beginning and ending of the story. Before God, we are the beloved. Certainly that does not mean we do not abide by the law of the land - we all need to have that "old adam" brought into line so as to maintain the order and life of the community. But remember that we are citizens of a Reign that shapes and lifts us our character so that we are not playing games with our lives in an attempt to do good in order to be loved by God. When we are already citizens of that Reign, we are set free to live as though that is the only word among us.



Connection: Knowing what "knotheads" we can be to and with one another, we need to also know who is ruling our hearts and lives even as we stumble and fall. Such love for us is the power to stand up and face the rest of the day.



By your grace, O God, you set up the domain of your love and we are drawn into your presence. You become the power that shapes us and frees us in the middle of all that takes shape around us. Amen.