God talk

  There has always been controversy on how we become followers of Christ.   The truth is we were dead in our sins and trespasses and there is no way a person who is dead towards God can become alive.   It is an impossibility. Faith is seen as a gift of God and so it should be.   St Augustine was living the sinful life and then he heard a child singing about opening a book. He took it as a command from God and he got converted after reading Romans: “ Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. Romans 13:13-14” (Taken from https://www.midwestaugustinians.org/conversion-of-st-augustine ) Whilst walking 10000 steps this was the view! Beautiful   Faith is a gift because God has to make the first move and then there is the effect of salvation (mystical union).   I don’t understand how the work o

November the 16 th is a very special day for those who enjoy Herman Bavincks Theology.   Volume 2 of his Reformed Ethics is published on that day.   I have ordered mine, but it will take time to arrive as it is through the post.   Here in Finland the clocks have gone back to the Wintertime and one can feel that soon the temperatures will be below zero.     It reminds me of the children’s story about the Moomin.   Autumn is almost finished and soon the snows will come and the Moomin will be hibernating except the young ones as they start their own adventures.   In the United Kingdom today is Bonfire Night.   This is a celebration of stopping a gun powder plot to blow up the houses of Parliament.   So, our question today is: What are the subjective causes of the spiritual life for the believer?   When I was studying I made a box for my calliper This raises serious questions about the steps to conversion (the origin of our spiritual life) being a follower of Christ.   Herman Bavinc

  29 10 2021 The Three Objective causes of the spiritual life.   Part 1 This is the sun rising.  Let us always see our cup half full.   So, Facebook has decided to change its name to meta (sounds like ‘dead’ (feminine form) in Hebrew.   מתה )   Anyhow people will go into this digital universe wearing these goggles and living their virtual world. A lot of people are not interested in the spiritual, but the fact is they practice it every day even without realizing it.   We all have a spiritual life something that cannot be touched, and it is not tangible in the everyday sense, but it does exist.   We see glimpses of the spiritual life in everyone we meet.   A smile can tell you that a person is feeling good inside.   When a person has a sad experience, they may shed tears.   Everyone is different but we cannot escape spirituality not even the atheist or the scientist although they may interpret spirituality in a way that I would choose not to.   We now move into Bavinck’s world,