Posted in , , , ,

Try That, Tinker Bell

15 September 2011 by David Regier

Q. 37. How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?
A. Christ the Son of God became man, by taking to himself a true body, and a reasonable soul, being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the virgin Mary, of her substance, and born of her, yet without sin.

Q. 38. Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be God?
A. It was requisite that the Mediator should be God, that he might sustain and keep the human nature from sinking under the infinite wrath of God, and the power of death; give worth and efficacy to his sufferings, obedience, and intercession; and to satisfy God's justice, procure his favor, purchase a peculiar people, give his Spirit to them, conquer all their enemies, and bring them to everlasting salvation.

Q. 39. Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be man?
A. It was requisite that the Mediator should be man, that he might advance our nature, perform obedience to the law, suffer and make intercession for us in our nature, have a fellow feeling of our infirmities; that we might receive the adoption of sons, and have comfort and access with boldness unto the throne of grace.

Q. 40. Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be God and man in one person?
A. It was requisite that the Mediator, who was to reconcile God and man, should himself be both God and man, and this in one person, that the proper works of each nature might be accepted of God for us, and relied on by us, as the works of the whole person.


This summer our family was able to do more than the usual amount of theme-parking around Southern California. All in all, I had a great time introducing the little ones to new gradients of fear and stomach churning. And if you want to understand how church works in Southern California, you would do well to visit the theme parks first.

That said, the various Lands and Worlds that grasp for our pocketbooks have a tremendous fascination with the number One. Wherever you go, it's unity. I mean, it's a small world, after all (aren't you glad I got that going through your head?). At Sea World after one of the big production numbers, my son said to me, "It seems like they want us all to worship the ocean." Because that's what connects us all, you see. One world, one people, one ocean.

But if I sin against the ocean (and who can fail to sin against the ocean), who's going to defend me? Shamu? It should be noted that even his gentle handlers may no longer swim with him. Not even their friendship can assuage his wrath against us all, no matter how many times we sing the mantras. And what happens in the small world to Cruella deVil, Captain Hook and Jafar? They are forgotten forever, and no amount of imagineering can revive them.

But God, our God, does not work in this way. He does not save by a mantra. He does not rescue with an idea. He instead gave us His Son, who took on flesh, laying aside His privileges, becoming like us and then dying on a cross. In doing this He was reconciling the world to Himself, not by our penance or a carbon offset, but by His own blood.

And somehow the result of this flesh and blood redemption is a unity born not of the will of man, but of the Spirit of God. And this unity is in Christ; fully God that we might be saved from His wrath, fully man that we might receive the adoption as sons. In Christ, our unity has been purchased for us.

Labels: , , , ,