The Cross and the Language of Duty

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Where To Buy Xanax Powder Before the Cross was Gethsemane. Before the Cross was a moment that we all face in a much lesser way in every day of our life when we face choices about what we should do. But, more than that, Gethsemane reminds us that theosis, our journey to grow into the likeness of God, is not merely and only a loving response to the grace of the Holy Spirit in us. In one sense, of course it is always a loving response to the grace of the Holy Spirit in us. But, in another sense, it is a response of duty and commitment. Having made our decision, we rely on the Holy Spirit to help us to follow the path of duty and commitment. We cannot say, “I have been crucified with Christ …,” without, at the same time, saying that we have chosen the path of voluntary duty, commitment, and even suffering.

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” … Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

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Gethsemane reminds us that Jesus, himself, did not feel like going to the Cross. Jesus’ behavior and language is not that of a loving joyful person rushing off to be crucified. Jesus’ language is that of a person who knows his calling in the Holy Spirit and is carrying out what he needs to do out of a sense of duty and commitment. It is true that the duty and commitment is backed by the Holy Spirit. It is true that, “God so loved the world that he sent his only-begotten Son …,” and yet this is an act that is not taken out of an inner emotional response to God’s call, but out of an inner commitment and duty to God’s call.

Brand Name Xanax Online Part of what troubles me out of much of the current Evangelical explanation for sanctification is that various Evangelical groupings avoid “problems” with the idea of works by essentially denying that any works that are done out of anything but an almost emotional sense of love are valid. Thus, if our congregation is due to take a turn manning the kitchen at a homeless shelter, I can only participate if I feel like I ought to be there. If I participate in manning the kitchen with a grumpy and frustrated inner attitude, then God will not accept what I have done and it will not help our sanctification. Wow! The fear of works-righteousness in some circles is so strong that they would almost rather have a Christian do no works than to perform them with anything but a joyful almost irresistible attitude that makes it impossible to resist going to perform that work. It takes a form of election to an almost completely new level.

Buy Xanax Nyc But, if that is true, then any of us who have raised children are doomed. Or, perhaps, parents are the true example of what sanctification is supposed to look like. Every good parent understands martyrdom. It is no wonder that the Orthodox marriage service has the crowned couple circle the altar to three troparia, one of them being about apostles and martyrs. Parenthood is a type of losing oneself for the sake of others. Parenthood is a type of crucifixion in which you yield your rights and sacrifice yourselves for others. I have watched our daughters with their children. They do the same thing we did, that our parents did, that our grandparents did … . They get up several times a night with their babies. They sacrifice personal comfort in order to make sure that they children are clothed and fed. In fact, the word parenthood and the word sacrifice are almost synonyms. And, yet, there are many times that they are doing it out of sheer duty. Emotional love is not part of it because there are many times that parents (if they are honest) wish they could send their children somewhere else, either for a while or forever.  There are times, particularly during the teenage years, that throwing your child out of the house may be seriously considered but at least will be a fantasy they consider. But, a good parent never lets their child know that. The child of a good parent only learns that when they themselves have children. That is a sanctification that is based on true love, or to put it another way, duty and commitment are the ultimate expressions of true love.

Cheap Xanax 2Mg That is why some Evangelical definitions of love are so wrong. That is why Saint James can say that we say that we have faith, but he will show you his faith by his works. The works that spring out of true love are works of duty and commitment. Planning works for the sake of serving our Lord Jesus Christ is not necessarily works-righteousness. Of course it can be. But, the reality is that to strongly imply that planning and forethought cannot be part of true theosis is to fully misunderstand theosis. True theosis is our every day going to Gethsemane to pray before God and to ask what cup we are to drink that day. It is permitted to ask that the day’s cup be taken from us. At times the Lord even relents and takes the cup from us so that we might have respite and recovery time. But, often, our growth in theosis requires us to drink our daily cup of duty and commitment. The true parents are those who have drunk their cup of duty and commitment to the dregs and even asked for more. The true Christian is he or she who looks at this world with God’s eyes and asks God what is the daily cup that God would have them drink that day. We can only be crucified with Christ if we are willing to pass through Gethsemane, day after day. Gethsemane is the beginning of being crucified in Christ.

Alprazolam Visas Zales It is not easy; it is not always a joyful response. But, it is a loving response, expressed as duty and commitment. We speak of tough love and, all too often, we mean being tough on someone else. But tough love most often means being tough on ourselves. May God grant me and you the mercy of the strength to fulfill our duty and commitment.

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