For this post, I’m simply thinking out loud, so forgive me for the stream of consciousness as I ramble in between reading and coloring and juice-getting with my two girls.
I’ve heard it said, “Love the sinner, hate the sin,” but for some reason, this doesn’t sound like the Gospel to me, never mind the fact that Jesus never said it, or as far as I can tell, this modern proverb isn’t in the canon. This convenient phrase is often used in the church’s homosexuality debate. It sounds helpful, but I’m not convinced. Saying, “Love the sinner, hate the sin,” in this midst of this debate is to say, “I love you, but I don’t love the people you love,” and I’m not sure this should be our message.
Potty break with my daughter . . . and I’m back.
So let’s think about it this way. Is the converse of our parable true? “Love the sinner, hate the sin,” seems to say that I am to love regardless of the actions one performs. So, with this seemingly universal parable, am I to love Mother Teresa for her selfless acts, or am I simply to love Mother Teresa? Well, the way Mother Teresa has chosen to use her gifts to express the love and compassion of God makes it easy to “love” her, but I wonder if I am loving what she does instead of loving her?
What is the relationships between our action and our identity? Are we what we do? Some say that’s all we are. Others agree that there’s more to “I” than the actions “I” perform.
Had to chase my youngest from climbing up the stairs . . . and I’m back.
I think Aristotle was the one who associated action and identity–a hammer is a hammer because it hammers, which is why virtue is such an Aristotelian ideal.
Animal sound break with Annaleigh . . . and I’m back
Obviously, I’m going to have to write about this later. For this discussion, I’m not necessarily concerned with the philosophical understanding of “I;” I’m interested in the relationship between “I” and salvation.
By grace through faith we are saved. Paul and Luther’s Reformation taught us that we cannot earn salvation through works of the law (things we do), so it doesn’t make much sense to say that we can lose salvation via the works of the Law (things we do), right?
Long story short because I’ll just have to write later, the “I” of theology is not the “I” of philosophy. As Paul says, “It is not I who live, but Christ who lives within me.” That’s one of the most profound things I ever pondered. If the “I” is Christ, what can “I” do to earn or lose salvation?
Now, my friends working on Doctrinal papers for Ordination, I would advise you not to read this post, or at least don’t quote it. I’m simply thinking out loud about salvation on the day after Thanksgiving. Blessings and Peace to you.