I think I had one of the most interesting thoughts just now and I had to share it before I forgot it. I've been working on my ordination and in the C&MA I need to write 6 papers: the Fourfold Gospel (Christ Our: Savior, Sanctifier, Healer and Coming King) are four of them as well as 2 other papers: 1 on the church and its role and the other on the Completing Christ's Mission.
So I've been thinking A TON about God, his aspects, attributes and so on. Mostly, I've been thinking about Christ's death and the trinity. I've been thinking about the trinity due to The Shack and some of Marc Driscolls claims about the book.
That said, here's my "Trinitarian Thought" When Christ died on the cross, the Father had to turn away from him, because he was our sin offering and to God in that moment, Jesus was untouchable to God. He couldn't even look at that type of imperfection. Does this mean that in that moment, God the Father (and the Spirit) separated themselves away from Jesus, thus cutting a tear in the one-ness that they shared? And if so, who felt more pain, them or Jesus? Because they are one, and Jesus was a part of the trinity, they HAD to have separated away from the sin that Jesus bore.
In fact, I've been thinking so deeply about this, that for God to explain all of these things, he had to mold it in a way we would understand. Thus the idea of the Father and Jesus the Son...he wanted us to understand the feeling of the separation in that moment. For a Father to turn his back on his son and give him up to death is a POWERFUL idea we can understand...but separating ourselves from a piece of who we are...we can't even FATHOM the idea or the PAIN that would cause!
Marc Driscoll said that the Shack was heresy because papa (God the Father who took the form of a Black Woman) said that he experienced the cross, to which Marc Driscoll cries heresy...yet I think God the Father, The Son and The Spirit felt the cross!! They are one, of course they all experienced the cross! Possibly in different forms, I'll give you that, but to say that the Father felt nothing during that time, I just can't sign on to that idea. In fact, I think God the Father and the Spirit experienced something harder... due to the nature of themselves they had to tear away from a piece of who they are...I can't even fathom!
PLEASE COMMENT YOUR THOUGHTS!
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6 years ago
Wow. That's an incredibly profound thought. I've never thought of the cross in those terms. I tend to think that God didn't abandon Jesus on the cross, but let him endure the pain and the shame for our redemption. Jesus talked to the Father while on the cross ("Father forgive them...")
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy to think that Jesus was spiritual disconnected in his last moments on earth (even the natural world darkened from it!). Jesus quotes Psalm 22 "My God, why have you forsaken me?" - For the first time in all of eternity, the Son, Spirit, and the Father were NOT one.
I think this separation was part of the agony of the cross for Christ (and what caused him so much apprehension in the garden).
Very interesting thoughts Marvin, I don't know if I have a resolution for you other than admitting that part of us understanding God's sacrifice for us means that we somehow enter in to the crucifixion and try to relate to what this sacrifice really means for us.
Makes me wonder at what point did the separation end? Death? When Jesus supposedly "descended into Hell?" (Apostles Creed). His resurrection?
Will what Jesus felt on the cross be what humans will feel for eternity if they don't accept Jesus?
Did God and the Holy Spirit turn away for a moment? I believe too that they all had to feel the pain even though they(God and HS) may have trne away. Interesting thougts from both Eric and you Marv. Something to think on more.
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