RCIA 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace 4: Covenants, Jesus, - PDF document

9/2/2019 RCIA 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace The Covenants of God with Us Covenants Chart by Dr. Scott Hahn 2 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace The Covenants of God with Us The Covenant with Adam & Eve • Be “fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it” (Gen 1:28) 3 1

9/2/2019 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace The Covenants of God with Us The Covenant with Noah (Gen 9:1-13) • Be “fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” • “Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you” • “Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood” Noah's Ark Cycle: 2. Entering the Ark (1588) by Kaspar Memberger 4 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace The Covenants of God with Us The Covenant with Abraham • “I will make of you a great nation , and I will bless you and make your name great” (Gen 12:2) • “[N]umber the stars…so shall your descendants be (Gen 15:5) • “I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land in which you are now residing as aliens, the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession; and I will be their God.” (Gn 17:8) 5 *Rembrandt, The Sacrifice of Isaac (detail Abraham), 1635 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace The Covenants of God with Us The Covenant with Moses • “Now, therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possession among all peoples… and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Ex 19:4-6) Moses Before A Burning Bush , Domenico Fetti (ca.1589-1623 Italian), 6 Oil On Canvas 2

9/2/2019 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace The Covenants of God with Us The Covenant with David • “I will make for you a great name… the Lord will make you a house… I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his Kingdom… your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever David and Goliath (1542-44) by Titian before me” (2 Sm 7:9, 11-13, 16) 7 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace The Covenants of God with Us The Final and Eternal Covenant • This final covenant of God is w/ anyone & everyone who… – has faith in Jesus (see Rom 5:1) – repents of his or her sins (see Acts 3:19) – is baptized (see John 3:5) – keeps his commandments (see John 14:21) The Last Supper (1465) by Dirk Bouts 8 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace The Sacramental Economy • The “providential plan”: participation in Trinitarian life for all eternity – The plan from the beginning… – made effective by the Paschal mystery… – effected in our lives by the life of grace… – through the liturgy and sacraments 9 3

9/2/2019 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace The Sacramental Economy • The four reasons for the Incarnation – saves us from sin & reconciles us to the Father – Christ shows us God’s love for us – Christ models holiness for us – Christ makes it possible for us to be partakers of the divine life 10 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace Jesus, the Unexpected Messiah • “Messiah” (Heb), “Christ” (Gk): anointed one • Awaited for more than 1,000 years • Promised in the Garden of Eden (Gen 3:15) • Prophets kept the Israelites aware of a coming Messiah • Gentiles all over the world had expectations as well • John the Baptist announces it in the NT • Over 450 OT passages describe the promised Messiah • Yet varied expectations even in Jesus’ own time • And Jesus shattered religious leaders’ expectations 11 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace Jesus, the Unexpected Messiah • Jesus – More than a prophet – the Son of God – Mission: preach the Kingdom of God He came to establish – Came to bring a new spirit to the world – Healed bodies but wanted to change hearts – drive out sin – Love God first and then neighbor (even enemies) – A new Spirit (Beatitudes) to find happiness here & hereafter – Gave suffering redemptive value • We are called to continue His work of love 12 4

9/2/2019 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace Did Jesus Always Know He Was God? • Christology – True God and true man – One divine Person with two natures (divine & human) – Like us in all things but sin • Soul, intellect, will, body – A human creature cannot achieve a divine purpose – Knew from conception He was united to divinity – Appeared human but came to be seen as prophet, miracle worker, authority figure, wise, powerful, a king – Claimed to be able to forgive sins and to have seen Abraham (c. 2000 BC) 13 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace Did Jesus Always Know He Was God? Apostles – Saw it all, growing in knowledge and understanding – Stuck with Him through rejections of Jesus – Did not expect Jesus’ Resurrection – Jesus foresaw the betrayal and denial 14 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace Did Jesus Always Know He Was God? • Jesus’ consciousness was given within a true, but limited, human knowledge – Not meant to reveal the day of His return • Jesus submitted His human will to His Father’s will • “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mk 15:34, Ps 22:1) • But then, “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!” (Luke 23:46) https://youtu.be/UonsJlKD1vE?t=714 15 5

9/2/2019 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace Did Jesus Always Know He Was God? • Our hearts respond with wonder, respect, gratitude, and love • Faith, through grace, increased in prayer, needed to see the Son of God 16 St. Catherine of Siena 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace Miracles: Proofs of Christ’s Claims • Conception in a virginal womb -> Resurrection • Power over nature, human body, demons, death 17 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace Miracles: Proofs of Christ’s Claims • Miracles – For the good of the people – To prove his power was extraordinary – Lack of faith an obstacle to His power • Empowered disciples, saints, Mary to work miracles, as well 18 6

9/2/2019 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace Did Jesus Have to Suffer and Die? • Finite creatures cannot make adequate atonement to an infinite God – In God’s plan that was God Himself – Jesus • The Second Person of the Trinity freely chose this • He took upon Himself all sins from the first to the last – God wanted to clearly demonstrate… • the horror of sin • His love for us 19 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace Did Jesus Have to Suffer and Die? • Jesus suffering and death was the reason for His incarnation • Jesus, the new Adam – Obedience to the Father’s will reversed Adam’s disobedience – Resistance to temptation reversed Adam’s faithlessness – Humiliating death reversed Adam’s pride – Victory over death brought on by Adam’s sin 20 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace Did Jesus Have to Suffer and Die? Now, opportunity to unite our sufferings with Christ’s 21 7

9/2/2019 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace Justification • The purpose of human existence is to share in the very life of God by becoming members of His divine family • The promised Redeemer would restore us to the full measure of divine friendship • The grace of the Holy Spirit, flowing from the power of the Redemption, justifies us • Read Romans 6:3-4 22 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace Justification • Justification : restoration of sinners to friendship with God so that He may adopt them into His divine life – A new creation, fully released from the bondage of sin and death – To be justified, a sinner must undergo a free conversion of heart which turns him or her away from sin and toward God – We are not justified against our will – we can turn against God after Baptism – We are admonished to “work out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12) 23 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace Once Saved, Always Saved? • God’s grace is never in opposition to human freedom • “Once saved, always saved?” – Not according to Scripture (see handout) • God has a way for us to receive forgiveness for serious sins 24 8

9/2/2019 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace Good Works Justification is Not the Result of Our Own Efforts • Romans 11:6; 4:4-8 – God’s favor and forgiveness are the result of God’s grace not our own efforts – God initiates the process of conversion Paul writing his epistles 25 by Valentin de Boulogne (1591-1632) 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace Good Works We Cannot “Earn” God’s Favor • We must have faith and trust in God • No right to merit – God gives us everything – Rom 3:20-28 • Justification by grace thru our redemption by Jesus – Begins at Baptism 26 4: Covenants, Jesus, Salvation, Grace Good Works Good Works are Essential Part of the Christian Life • “For he will render to every man according to his works” (Romans 2:6) • A requirement of the Christian life – Witness, manifest the truth of our faith – “So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” (Jas 2:17) – Faith, hope, and love are all needed (CCC 1815) • Good done by a believer is thru God’s, not our, initiative 27 9