Territorial Bloggings

Sometimes, having the proper point-of-view can make all the difference in the world.

Case-in-point –> Through Christ, are we reconciled to God, OR is God reconciled to us?

Or, to put the question another way, Are we God’s enemy, OR is God our enemy? (i.e., just who needed the reconciling?)

Over at Weedon’s Blog, the Rev. Fr. Will Weedon has kicked off a very good discussion on these points, contending that we oftentimes get these questions all turned around — i.e., we are not looking at things from the proper point-of-view.

Most properly, we are enemies of God. Thus, we needed to be reconciled to God, not Him to us; for He is not, and never has been, our enemy. As Fr. Weedon stated so well in a comment:

I think you are right that at the heart of Lutheranism is the recognition: God is for me! I think the mistake that gets made too often is that God is for me *on account of what Christ did for me.* That is inverted: God is for you and that is WHY Christ did what He did for you. The cross did not CHANGE God’s disposition towards you, but manifested that disposition!

In short, He didn’t come to appease any wrath of the Father, but to vanquish the enemies of the human race: sin, death, and hell!

One of the nifty things about reading Pr. Weedon’s blog is that, after having listened to him so many times on Issues, Etc., I can “hear” him as I read his postings — something which adds to the experience, as he can be quite the animated speaker!
-ghp