Posted on 06/28/2016 6:44:48 AM PDT by Salvation
Perhaps it’s that old protestant thread of resistance that still runs through when I see God’s Word described with “but”, followed by examples of “balance”, as opined and expressed by Monsignor Pope.
I have no problem taking God’s Word more literally and believe we would have all been better off if through the ages we had done just that.
The saints and Apostles and their priest successors were closer to the times of Jesus. Therefore, I find comfort in reading the teachings of the Early Fathers and the saints own writings about some of these “questions”, and where they do not address something, for me I am pleased to let it remain a mystery.
Clearly, we accept that we seek and strain toward and for conversion of heart daily, among those of us who understand that we “all fall short of the glory of God”, certainly imperfect and unfit for Heaven, where God’s Glory resides.
I believe for myself that I understand the obligation to distinguish between my faults and my venial sin from mortal sin, which with any mortal sin brings with it first my own rebellion against God and a purposeful complicity with Evil.
Msgr. Pope makes that point, but Pharaoh had his heart “hardened by God”, and permanently so. Sacred scripture is quite explicit about that. Msgr. Pope says, here, that the Pharaoh “hardened his own heart”.
No. That is not even remotely what God said.
I've been having an ongoing mental argument in my imagination with someone once on FR who said that there is no such thing as free will.
Msgr. Charles Pope says what I've been trying to say in my mental arguing. Very helpful!
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