quote:

Originally posted by FHHM213:
I may be misreading your comment, but I think we are being too distracted by what is possible by man alone.

I agree that 1 Cor 13 quickly describes perfect love, but it is describing that shown in Christ. Absent the work of Christ, some men are certainly more loving than others. But if we read that passage as describing one of those more loving men, we have missed the whole gospel message and we are indeed mistaking brass for gold (to borrow from Lewis). We are assuming that some of us are more capable of climbing Jacob’s ladder to ascend to God. That is our original sin, symbolized by the name of that tree in the garden, which a Lutheran theologian (Ted Peters) paraphrased with, “Our daily inclination is to draw a line between good and evil and then place ourselves on the good side of the line.”

Furthermore, your quote from John 15 is describing Christ’s sacrifice for us. And though John uses the term “friends”, such is within the context of the saved sinner’s responsive life as a foreign branch grafted onto the true Vine (Christ). As stated earlier in that passage, that branch will not produce fruit (i.e. will not obey the command to love God and neighbor) on its own. Such fruit is only produced by the branch’s union with the vine and specifically effected by the sap – i.e. the Spirit – as it sanctifies that sinner throughout his present life. Thus, we should not view that passage as confirmation that such love is exhibited by a soldier’s willing sacrifice for his comrade or a father’s willingness to die for his sick son.

As Paul explained quite clearly in Romans 5, “while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”

I do not mean to belittle the sacrifice of a fallen soldier or dismiss the angst of a sick son’s father. My wife has been struggling with a malignant brain tumor this year. I personally understand the desire to give one’s life to save / extend the life of a loved one. But, if my wife’s situation instead resulted from an attacker’s violent blow, would I be willing to spare that convicted man by taking his place in the chair? Sadly, I’m not that strong or loving. But Christ is and he died such a death for a man who cursed him and rejected him – i.e. he died such a death for me and for you. That, my brothers, is love.

And to expand on my earlier quote from Ted Peters, “What the gospel reveals is surprising. It is counterintuitive. When we draw the line between good and evil and then place ourselves on the good side of that line, the gospel reports that God is on the evil side of the line. Really!? Yes, truly. When we pursue what we deem to be the good, God sides with those who become victimized by our pursuit…To say it another way, our virtues are just as deadly as our vices, and God, among others, suffers from our virtues.”

I truly believe such was the point being made by Lewis with respect to brass, gold and clay. May God bless each of you and your families this Christmas.