Mercy is Eternal, the Government can only forgive so much

three slaveries, three freedoms, and three stages of life from Kierkegaard

Sep 23, 2022

1/ He is Good (2 Chronicles 5:13, 7:3)

I'm reading through 2nd Chronicles, and seeing this basic confession from King Solomon, at the dedication of the temple.

He is good.
His mercy endures forever.

This seems pretty simple. God is good. But this basic confession should shape us.

We live in a world fighting against the idea of good and evil, right and wrong. It is good for us to remember that there is a GOOD, and that God is good.

2/ Three Stages of Life

Kierkegaard saw humans progressing through three stages of life:

Aesthetic (chasing desires)
Ethical/Moral (chasing good)
Religious (faith/trusting God)

This matches really well with the three slaveries/ three freedoms I’ve been working on (meditating on the Parable of the Prodigal Son):

Prodigal leaves the father (slavery to sin, freedom in contrition) [Note: The first slavery looks, at first, like freedom. “Do what you want.” Also, this first freedom is only a half-freedom.]
Prodigal returns to be a hired hand (slavery of despair, moralism, freedom in faith, the Father’s welcome)
Older Brother in the Field (slavery of pride, moralism, Phariseeism, freedom in the joy of salvation, especially in the joy of other’s salvation.)

And one final note. The joy in the parables in not in the found sheep, but in the finding shepherd. The joy is not in the returned son (although we trust that he was deeply comforted by the father’s embrace). It is the father who rejoices. We normally think of the joy that we have in salvation, but the parables want to impress on us that God is joyful in saving us!

I lectured for a few hours last weekend on the Prodigal Son. You can watch it here:

Part 2
Part 3 (lecture starts at 36 minutes)

3/ Also these…

4/ There’s Nothing Christian about Biden’s Debt Relief

Hans at it again.

5/ A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth

This is beautiful

Remember to go to your pastor's Bible Class this week and, read old theology books. (If you don't have a pastor or congregation, click here. If you don't have old theology books, click here.)

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Thank you, again, for your time and attention, and for your prayers. Please keep in touch.

Lord's Blessings, Pastor Wolfmueller

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

www.wolfmueller.co

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