Marbaniang, Domenic

Nietzsche called the greatest of all sins to be the murder of God (deicide). There was nothing more sinful than that. On the reverse, the greatest of all righteousness fulfilled was in the self-giving of the Son of God. This self-giving brought an end to the history of hostility between man and God. It cancelled all debts. Man had committed the greatest of all crimes, and God had allowed it to be done to Him in the ultimate divine sacrifice. The Cross was where Justice and Love met vis-à-vis. It was where man affirmed his estrangement and God affirmed His belongedness. It was where God accepted man as he was. The one act of righteousness by the Son of God nullified forever the writ of accusation against all humanity. The veil was torn away; the entrance is paved, now the ball is in our court. He has accepted us. Do we receive Him or choose to remain estranged? [ Estrangement and Belongedness in the Ultimate Sacrifice of God ] When you first hid behind the trees of Eden, When you first

I look behind and find that today Yesterday's maturity looks childish, Yesterday's brilliance looks foolish; And, what if I look at myself and find That I'm better off today than I was ever; Perhaps, I could scarcely be satisfied With my today disregarding what I could be tomorrow! "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit." ~ Aristotle

I saw a madman yesterday and wondered if We ourselves aren't often mad in many ways, When we let loose our tantrums, when we Let temper kill wisdom, temperance, and the day, When we let loudness overcome reason, And violence put on destruction, Coz' we've gotten so mad that people keep away. A man (or woman) would also go wild with love That he's blinded to what is pure and real; We say "He's gone crazy in love (or perhaps, in lust)", Misjudging his madness for a holy quest, For it is truly love when one is willing to make a sacrifice For the good of the other and all the rest; But, it's sheer madness when one keeps believing the lies, Counting purity and justice as utmost jest. It might be a moment's infatuation That soon turns out to be a mad delusion Bereft of truth, leaving an empty sense of emotion. I see another man running to be rich, And so much by the smell of money bewitched That he forgets home, family, and friends And uses all around fo

II The Song of the Clay Through Him and for Him, To Him and from Him, My Maker, My End: I was there on the ground, Alienated, isolated, blasted by the wind all around; Up to myself, Stranded, corroded, drifted into earth’s sinking ground. He took me, Gently, He lifted me, Softly, He cleansed me, Patiently, He placed me on the rock. He took me to His Potter’s Wheel, And whirled me round and round. Oh, the whirling, I would have fainted, Were it not for His gentle hands around me! Oh, the turnings, I would’ve been thrown off, Were it not for His guiding hands that ground me! His fingers shaped gently my hollow inside, Pushing, molding, forcing, with love, While His other hand kept caressing me outside, Stroking, holding, smoothing, with patience. I swirled here and I swirled there, Yet, was still in His hands – they were always there! He formed my lips, and smoothened my face, Then He stopped the wheel – but, wasn’t yet through with grace… He took me off, and placed me in the sun. He lef

1. To be strong is a command (Deut 31:6, 7, 23, Josh.1:6,7; 1Kgs 2:2; Dan.10:19). It begins primarily with mental strength, which is good courage. 2. To be strong means to not let hands be weak (2Chr.15:7). 3. Strength is spiritual in nature (Luke 1:80, 2:40). 4. Strength is in the power of God's might (Eph. 6:10). 5. Strength is holding on the word of God (1Jn.2:14). 1. When you're strong, you must utterly drive away the Canaanites. You can't just employ them. 2. Strength is also a place to be in (Tower, Ps.71:7). 3. In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence (Pro.14:26). 4. The name of the Lord is a strong tower (Pro.18:10). 5. Wisdom is strength (Prov.24:5) 6. Love is as strong as death (Song.8:6) 7. Strength by confession (Joel 3:10)

Potentiality/Actuality Determinism rules the analytic situation of amoral existence. The seed determines the fruit. Essence defines existence. E.g. (1) Man is a social being. Man is a sexual being. Man is a rational being. Man is a moral being (in the sense of capability). (2) Man can’t but be social. Man can’t but be sexual. Man can’t but be rational. Man can’t but be moral. Freedom rules the synthetic situation of moral existence. The choice determines the consequence. Decision defines existence. E.g. (1) He killed the man. He forgave the man. He loved her. He hated her. The son rebelled against the father’s discipline. The son submitted to the father’s discipline. (2) He is a murderer. He is merciful. He is full of love. He is full of hatred. He is a rebel. He is obedient. Death and Actuality In Adam, death was actualized, mortality was finalized. Therefore, death rules over the entire Adamic race.  Man became a mortal being (not that he was created immortal, but that through his ch

(Excerpt from Hamartiology (Notes) , 2006) God created humans as mortals. [1] Mortality was known to Adam, or else reference to it in the command would have meant nothing to him. The world is Christo-centric, not anthropo-centric or eco-centric. The statement ‘let us make man…’ must be seen in this context. God did not create humans as males and females to remain so eternally. In the divine purpose, man is created to be glorified and transformed into the image of the Son. In this sense, then human creation must be seen as real but not final. As far as the creation of the animal kingdom was concerned, it was final; however, the creation of human was not final. Adam was not the complete man. He would only be complete when mortality puts on immortality. Human creation can only find finality in Christ. Then in what sense, death passed from Adam to all men? It means that although God created humans as mortals, that mortality was not finality. The finality would be the absorption of mortali