- The
Christian’s vocation is to discern God’s gratuitous love (ND 1935) in
creation as well as in the “new creation” effected in human
persons(2 Cor 5,17; Rom3,24-27;ND 1935, JD 15, Eph 2, 8-10) by incorporating
them into Christ(Rom 6, 1-11;8,17; 2 Cor 5,17; Phil 1,21) and by making
them the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3, 16; 2 Cor 6, 16b) that
their existence becomes a grace-filled communion with Him, others and
the world.
- The Spirit,
the creator and shaper of Jesus’ mission(Lk 1,35;4,14), and who vivifies
the Church (LG 4, 8),
- Is at work
in other religio-cultural traditions (AG 4) and
- In the
socio-political realities that are life-giving and life-enhancing (GS 11).
1.
The Christian’s vocation is to discern God’s gratuitous love
(ND 1935) in creation as well as in the “new creation” effected
in human persons(2 Cor 5,17; Rom3,24-27;ND 1935, JD 15, Eph 2, 8-10)
God’s
gratuitous love in creation:
-
Creation is a free gift of God.
-
A free act of god.
-
A gratuitous gift of God means – without
any condition –we don’t merit it as Eph 2, 8-10 says and
-
Even human existence.
-
Creation is a divine act – god’s
revelation/self communication – through HS and the Word.
-
Creation is an invitation by God to
participate in the divine life.
God’s gratuitous love (ND 1935) in “new creation”
-
God’s self manifestation reached its
culmination in the Christ event.
-
A person is justified or made new
creation when she/he responds to this Christ event.
-
St Paul uses many symbols and concepts
to explain new creation, like justification, reconciliation redemption, which means
in and through the death and resurrection of Christ we have been made a new creation.
In Baptism we become a new creation through justification
-
Means – true members of God’s house hold
-
Incorporated into the body of Christ.
-
Become temple of the Holy Spirit.
New Creation:
-
2 Cor 5, 17 – “If
anyone is in Christ, there is new creation. Everything old has pass away; see
everything has become new.
-
Rom 3, 24-27: They are now
justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus;
whom
God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through
faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance
he had passed over the sins previously committed.
-
ND 1935 : “…we are said to be justified gratuitously
because nothing that precedes justification, neither faith nor works, merits
the grace of justification. For it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of
works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.(Rom 11,6). – implies justification is through the grace of God.
-
JD 15(Ecumenical dialogue between
Luthern and Catholic Church)
JD peaks of 3 basic truths:
a.
Justification is a free
gift.
b.
Justification is through
faith. (a gift of the spirit).
c.
Justification must be seen
as an organic unity with other truths of faith and HS lead us towards renewal.
-
Eph 2, 8-10: By grace you
have been saved through faith and it is not your own doing but it’s the gift of
God.
-
L uther Rom 3: 28 – For we hold that a
person is justified by faith apart from the works prescribed by the law.
Paul’s justification by incorporating
them into Christ(Rom 6, 1-11;8,17; 2 Cor 5,17; Phil 1,21)
-
Rom 6,1-11 : Dying and rising with
Christ with Baptism and getting newness of life.
-
Rom 8,17 : If children then heirs, heirs
of God and joint heirs with Christ – if –in fact we suffer with him then we
might also be glorified with him.
-
2 Cor 5, 17: If anyone is in Christ,
there is a new creation. Everything old has passed away, see everything has
become new.
-
Phil 1,21 : For me living is Christ and
dying is gain.
Effect of justification are - two fold.
1.
Relation with Christ: Immanance of Christian with the risen Lord –
incorporation into Christ.
2.
Indwelling off the HS in a
believer/Christian.
Paul’s understanding of Immanance
can be called the propositional formula of St Paul. He explains the intimate
union with Christ with these propositional formulae –
a.
Into
Christ(Eis Christ) :
·
Dynamic tendency towards Christ.
·
Movement from our Adam’s nature(self) –
from our natural inclination in flesh into Christ’s life by faith and baptism. ( From sin to Christ)
b.
Co –with Christ( Syn Christo)
Paul expresses co-to
express double relationship.
1.
Christians union with the
redemptive act of Christ(Paschal mystery)
2.
Christians union with Christ
in his eschatological glory(Our union with the Lord after our death)
-
or we co-die with Christ(Old
Life)
-
We co-rise with Christ(new
life)
This is done through faith and Baptism.
(Looking back and looking
forward)
c.
In Christ (En – Christo)
-
A Christian is made a new
creation – that is transformed into Christ.
-
We become a new creation in Christ
(2 Cor 5, 17) and Christ lives in us.
-
Therefore Paul says in Gal 2,
20: There is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me.
Ex: Mother and Child –
Symphatos.
And making them the temple of the HS( 1 Cor 3,16/ 2 Cor 6,16b)
-
1Cor 3,16 : Do you not know
that you are god’s temple and that God’s spirit dwells in you?
-
2 Cor 6, 16b : For we are
the temple of the living God
#Indwelling
of the temple of the HS( 1 cor 3,16/2 Cor 6, 16b)
-
Justification reaches its climax in the
indwelling of the spirit of Christ with Christians.
-
1 Cor 3,16 : God’s spirit and God’s
temple dwells in you.
Indwelling in OT
1.
God’s
quasi-local presence : Presence of YHWH in the tent(Ex
40,34-38)
-
Ark of the covenant(Ex 25/22)
-
Temple(1kgs 8,29)
2.
God’s
divine familiarity(Individuals) :relationship of
Intimacy with some individuals like
-
Abraham – Gen 17, 9-10
-
Jeremiah 2,23
-
Moses ( Ex 33/11)
Indwelling in NT
Paul
and the Spirit
-
He refers to the spirit as divine spirit
or post Easter gift (Inner principle of renewal and sanctification) which a
Christian receives at baptism.
-
Spirit is the principle of Christians
eventual resurrection(Rom 8,11)
-
Spirit is the first installment, not
given at the end but already present with us here and now).
-
Spirit is the Principle of faith( 1 Cor
12,3)
-
Principle of Love(Rom 5,6)
-
Principle of Hope(rom 15,23)
-
Principle of Prayer (Rom 8,26)
-
Principle of right conduct( Gal 5,
16-25)
Pauline
understanding of Indwelling(NT)
He explains it through
2 scriptural themes.
1.
Theme of Temple: It was part of Jewish
eschatology that a mighty temple will be built(Is 28/16) after the destruction
but the temple was not rebuilt.(as prophesized by Issiah)However early
Christian believed that this prophesy of Issiah was already fulfilled. Paul
emphasizes this and says community is the temple of God and individuals too. He
says that the spirit dwells in us(Rom8,9,11)
2.
Theme of the covenant:
o
In the OT covenant was sealed or made
with the blood of animal(Ex 24).
o
Now it is no more the blood that is the
link of union but the indwelling of the spirit after outpouring of Christ’s
own-blood.
o
Paul combines Lev 26,11-12 and Ezek
37,27 and thereby joining the ‘presence’ and the ‘spirit’.
§ For
Paul Community is primarily the indwelling place of the spirit.
John:-
-
John takes the OT theme of divine
familiarity.
-
For him it’s more a personal
relationship of Love.
-
Spirit is understood as a Person to be
related with and not an object to be infused with.
-
Spirit – teaches –judges-guides into all
truth – is a prophet.
-
Spirit -
Paraclete = 3 meanings – advocate – intercessor
–comforter/counselor.
Patristic Period:
-
Fathers of the church referred to spirit
as a sanctifier, a link between a Christian God and a link between Divine
Image(Image of the son).
-
That their existence becomes a grace – filled communion with him,
others and the world.
-
The effect of this new
creation/existence becomes a grace filled communion with the triune God, with
our fellow beings and the world (G 13).
-
Because of our old self we abuse our
freedom, go away from god.
-
Sin separates, delinks us from God,
humans and the world.
-
The effect of this new creation (justification)
once again joins once broken relationship.
-
There is once again linking up of
relationship with oneself, God, others and the whole cosmos.
-
This grace filled communion is an
ongoing process and not a finished process.
-
We grow into the fuller communion
through our constant openness and docility to the spirit.
-
In freedom we can be docile to the
spirit.
-
Being docile to the spirit we can
experience the fullness of freedom.
-
Sin - broken relationship –
justification(indwelling of the spirit) – joins the broken relationship.
-
Growth(in spirit) – Openness/docile to
the spirit.
-
Docility = experience fullness of
freedom.
The spirit, the creator
and the Shaper of Jesus’ mission(Lk 1, 35/4,14)
-
Lk 1, 35 : the spirit overshadowed Mary.
Therefore child to be born will be holy; he will be called the son of God.-
-
Lk 4,14: The spirit who is the shaper of
the public ministry of Jesus.
Relationship
between Jesus and spirit until/till the death of Jesus = Pneumetological
Christology.
After
his death and resurrection = Christological Pneumetology.
Creator:
-
From the very beginning life of Jesus has
Pneumetological thrust.
-
(Lk
1,35) – “the spirit will come upon you”(Over hadowing of Jesus).
-
This speaks of the specific role of the
spirit in Incarnation.
-
As spirit played a great role in creation
(Gen ½) so also spirit has a significant role in the life of Jesus as Creator/
Originator.
-
Does not begin at his birth but goes
back to Jesus’ conception.
-
There are 3 referrences with regarding
to the creator spirit.
1. Gen
1, 2 – wind from God – Blow.
2. Lk
1,35 – Over shadowing of the spirit.
3.
Acts 2,2 = sound like the ruah = a
violent wind.
Shaper:
1.
At
Baptism: Jesus was anointed by the spirit (Lk 3,21)
and begins his prophetic mission.(Jesus is the permanent abode of the Spirit –
Jn 1, 32-33).
2.
Public
Ministry :
the spirit mediate the will of the Father to the son. Lets him know the
will of the father and facilitates the obedience to the will of the father.
3.
Pasion
and death: spirit plays a strengthening
force/role in his passion.
4.
Spirit
is the author of resurrection: spirit is the power
behind the resurrection(1 Pet 3/18)
and the
spirit vivifies the church.(LG4,8)
-
It speaks of the role of the spirit in
the church.
-
LG 4 –It speaks of the birthing of the
church on the day of Pentecost.
The
spirit is active in the church.
-
It’s principle of the life of the body
of the church
-
It animate the church.
-
Sacrifices
-
Builds
-
Makes the word a contemporary reality.
-
Constitutive of the Church
- Principle
of communion/unity.
The spirit is
at work in other religio – cultural traditions.(AG 4)
-
AG 4 : Spirit was in the world before
Christ was glorified.
-
At Pentecost spirit came on apostles –
disciples
-
The church which speaks every language
was inaugurated.
-
Spirit –active in the church is also
active in the whole world.
FABC – 81
speaks about how the spirit is at work in Asia today.
-
1st part explores the
presence of the spirit in other religions.
-
Hinduism – Atman, Prana , Antaryamin,
shakti, Agni
-
Buddhism – Dharma(Fullness) – KARMA
–MAITREYA(LOVE)
-
Confucianism : Practicing values
-
Primal Religions: sense of the sacred.
-
Islam – Peace – will of God,
Brotherhood.
-
All these religions have experienced the
power of the spirit.
Spirit is in
the socio – political realities that are life giving and life enhancing(GS 11)
-
GS 11 :
-
We are called to discern and see the genuine signs of the presence of the
spirit in these realities.
-
Though the world is full of
contradictions, misery, globalization, yet there are groups working. –
Peace,women empowerment – workers movement – child labour –enhancing life etc.
thus safe guarding the values of the human person.
-
social events
-
political movements
-
ecological movements
-
Minority group movements
-
women movements
All
these work for life enhancement.
