Comparing Holy Scriptures with other writings, we observe that from the perspective of human reason no book is so full of contradictions as the Bible, and that, not only in minor points, but in the principal matter, in the doctrine of how we may come to God and be saved… In one passage a free offer of life everlasting is made to all men; in another, men are directed to do something themselves towards being saved. This riddle is solved when we reflect that there are in the Scriptures two entirely different doctrines, the doctrine of the law and the doctrine of the gospel.

Bivens, Forrest L. Getting the Right Message Out – And Getting It Out the Right Way
Spring 2004. WLQ, Vol. 101, No. 2, p.115

Comment: More will be said of Law & Gospel in upcoming posts.

NEW TOPIC!

One day, Little Johnny visited a doctor for a vaccination. After the doctor gave him an injection, he tried to put a bandage around Johnny’s arm.

“I think you’d better put the bandage around the other arm, Doc!”

“But, why? I’m supposed to wrap a bandage around the injected part of your arm to let your friends know not to touch it.”

“You really don’t know anything about how my friends behave!”

Source Unknown

Comment: Improper use of the Law is to strike where there has already been pain and the Gospel has set to work.

(Vatican City) “People today simply are less and less aware of original sin. And without that awareness, the Immaculate Conception makes no sense,” said one Vatican official.

The late Bishop Fulton Sheen put it another way in 1974, speaking about the loss of the sense of sin: “It used to be that the Catholics were the only ones to believe in the Immaculate Conception. Now everyone believes he is the immaculately conceived.”

Thavis, John. Immaculate Conception: Church marks anniversary of difficult dogma
December 3, 2004. Catholic News Service - Vatican Letter

Comment: Isn't that the truth! Only Christ was conceived without sin. But fewer and fewer people today are willing to believe that they are conceived as sinful creatures. You have to point out to them, children are naughty and selfish without instruction. We have to train and raise them to do the right thing... and even then, we struggle our whole life through to be truly loving and selfless. We are all conceived and born in the image of Adam, rather than in the image of God. We need that image restored and our guilt removed. That's where Christ and baptism come in.

Left to themselves, uninformed by the Bible, spiritually hungry people will construct a religious philosophy that resembles their everyday civic and business life. Here is part of that man-made creed:

· “The principal human obligation is to try to be nice to other people.”

· “There is good in everyone,” and its corollary, “I’m not such a bad person. I try my best.”

· “I can define my own truth, what is right and wrong for me.”

· “With a reasonable effort you can surpass whatever expectations the Divinity may have.”

· “If you’ve been bad, do one of three things: try harder, perform religious rituals, or pay.”

· “Only wretchedly bad people will end up in hell, if it even exists. Pretty much everybody will get to heaven, whatever that may be.”

Jeske, Mark. God’s unchanging message, pg. 14
March 2005. Forward in Christ – Features, Vol. 92, No. 3

Comment: This is what we hear and see all the time... except when we look at the cross and read the Bible. There we find God and his justice, His Son and his mercy and grace. Like Jesus said to Pilate, "Everyone on the side of truth listens to me" (John 18:37). Pilate's answer resembles the attitudes listed above, "What is truth?" (John 18:38). If we're not willing to listen to God's answers, we make up our own. But washing our hands of the matter, like Pilate did, won't satisfy our Creator and Judge. Only the cross can do that.

The new librarian decided that instead of checking out children’s books by writing the names of borrowers on the book cards herself, she would have the youngsters sign their own names. She would then tell them they were signing a “Contract” for returning the books on time.

Her first customer was a second grader, who looked surprised to see a new librarian. He brought four books to the desk and shoved them across to the librarian, giving her his name as he did so.

The librarian pushed the books back and told him to sign them out. The boy laboriously printed his name on each book card and then handed them to her with a look of utter disgust.

Before the librarian could even start her speech he said, scornfully, “At least the other librarian could write.”

Anonymous

Comment: When the opinio legis (lit. "Opinion of the Law": the natural belief that we save ourselves through our own efforts) makes us think that we have to do it ourselves, we look at God’s salvation with contempt. We will not give God all the glory, when we think that we have lived a good enough life to enter heaven. When we give ourselves the credit, we empty the cross of its meaning and we transfer our faith from Christ's sacrifice to our own personal sacrifices.