Nathanael Szobody on As the individual, through faith in the promise of the Word, revels in the anxiety that is produced when facing the possibility of the freedom that is in that faith, he rests transparently in God, and his relationship to all of the physical world, and most importantly to fellow man, is defined.
Nathanael Szobody on God’s name is used in scripture in reference to his relationship with his people. When we ask that God’s name be made holy, we ask that the relationship that he has established with his people might be set apart and recognized as great in the world.
Nathanael Szobody on When God is most intimate his sovereignty is most firmly established and his justice most fearful.
The Christian should not fear God’s intimacy for that justice and wrath is consumed in Christ. But the paradox of the relationship is this: in a sinful world true love is ethically described as hate. For God loved the world in such a way: he caused his son to become a part of the world so that he could kill him. This is God’s intimacy.
Nathanael Szobody on Evil: The experience of creation’s insignificance before God.
Creation has always been insignificant before God, but if it is abiding in his power then it will not experience its insignificance. Whereas sin rejects the God and experiences its own nothingness.
Nathanael Szobody on When the thought now becomes absorbed into the future, it strays hither and thither in its restless efforts to force or coax from the mystery its explanation; like a spy it hastens from one possibility to another, but in vain; and under all this the wishing soul becomes sorrowful, sits there and waits for the thought to return and enlighten it as to what it might venture to wish with all its heart.
— Soren Kierkegaard
Nathanael Szobody on Life, the life of God, spiritual life, is defined by what gives all that it is.
Love is life with a purpose: it is life that gives for the sustenance of created design.
Nathanael Szobody on When two goats meet upon a narrow bridge over deep water, how do they behave? neither of them can turn back again, neither can pass the other, because the bridge is too narrow; if they should thrust one another, they might both fall into the water and be drowned; nature, then, has taught them, that if the one lays himself down and permits the other to go over him, both remain without hurt. Even so people should rather endure to be trod upon, than to fall into debate and discord one with another.
— Martin Luther
I though we were supposed to be sheep…?
Nathanael Szobody on God’s rest is not an idle relaxing but an active enjoyment of communion with his creation.
Nathanael Szobody on The Way is flesh; John 10:9
The Truth is flesh; I John 2
The Word of life is flesh; John 1
The way of truth through the word of life became flesh and remains flesh–resurrected flesh–to communicate that life to man . Life within the incarnate Christ, therefore, is continually communicated through physical means, the high points of which are the Sacraments.
Nathanael Szobody on To comprehend is the range of man’s relation to the human, but to believe is man’s relation to the divine.
–Soren Kierkegaard