{"id":66235,"date":"2017-12-10T07:00:07","date_gmt":"2017-12-10T14:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/?p=66235"},"modified":"2020-01-06T22:44:02","modified_gmt":"2020-01-07T05:44:02","slug":"the-eagle-and-child-s1e12","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/2017\/12\/10\/the-eagle-and-child-s1e12\/","title":{"rendered":"PWJ: S1E12 – MC B2C5 – “The Practical Conclusion”"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Baptism\"<\/p>\n

We now come to the final chapter of Book II! In this chapter, C.S. Lewis draws to a conclusion “What Christians believe”. In previous chapters, Jack has explained that we receive New Life from Christ. In this final chapter he looks at how it is communicated to us. He principally focuses on belief, Baptism and Holy Communion.<\/p>\n

If you enjoy this episode, you can subscribe\u00a0manually<\/a>, or\u00a0any place where good podcasts can be found\u00a0(iTunes<\/a>,\u00a0Google Play<\/a>,\u00a0Podbean<\/a>,\u00a0Stitcher<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0TuneIn<\/a>). Please send any objections, comments or questions, either via email\u00a0through my website<\/a>\u00a0or tweet us\u00a0@pintswithjack<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Episode 12: “The Practical Conclusion”<\/strong>\u00a0(Download<\/a>)<\/p>\nhttp:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/TEAC-S1E12.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

<\/p>\n

— Show Notes —<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0My outline for this chapter is available\u00a0here<\/a>. Once again, unfortunately there’s no Doodle \ud83d\ude41<\/p>\n

\u2022 Once again, Matt and I are drinking\u00a0Ballast Point Bonito<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The card game Matt taught me the day before was Euchre<\/a>. It’s kinda weird…<\/p>\n

\u2022 Lewis says that the next step in evolution has already happened with Christ. Matt referenced the podcast Intelligence Squared<\/a>, where Yuval Noah Harari spoke about “Homo Deus<\/a>“.\u00a0In response to this, we quoted the Early Church Father, St. Athanasius, who said that “God became man so that man could become God”<\/em>. This provocative phrase speaks of what is known as “Theosis”. Scripturally, this takes its foundation\u00a0from 2 Peter 1:4 where\u00a0we are told that\u00a0“…He has granted to us his precious and very great promises…and become partakers of the divine nature”<\/span>.<\/p>\n

\u2022 How do we acquire this New Life? Lewis compares it to the Natural Life, which we acquired through a curious process that we might not have expected. So too, he says, it is with the New Life.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Matt and I have brief conversation about my belief in The Stork and the\u00a0statue<\/a> which is on top of\u00a0Sharp Mary Birch Hospital<\/a>. I also commented that in England, in answer to the question “Where do babies come from?”, we often\u00a0told that they are found underneath gooseberry bushes!<\/p>\n

\u2022 Jack identifies the three main ways in which this Divine Life is passed on: belief, Baptism and Holy Communion. However, he doesn’t limit it to these channels. God’s grace can move in extraordinary ways. He also says that these\u00a0aren’t\u00a0substitutes for\u00a0our\u00a0attempts to copy Christ.<\/p>\n

\u2022 On what basis do we believe that the Divine Life is transmitted like this? Simply put, on the authority of Jesus. Authority is not a scary word, it simply beens believing something because someone whom you think trustworthy has told you that it is true. Much of by beliefs about science and history are based almost entirely on authority.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Matt and I take\u00a0a short detour to discuss how Jesus passed on His authority to the Church.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Lewis describes how this Divine Life should be protected, essentially addressing the\u00a0doctrine of Once-Saved-Always-Saved<\/a>. If you would like to see a really great debate on this subject, I’d recommend checking out the one between James White and Trent Horn<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Lewis isn’t suggesting a form of Pelagianism<\/a>. He says that the Divine Life\u00a0is a gift, but it must be protected. Even the best Christian who ever lived knows that he’s only nourishing a life that he could have never have won on his own merits.<\/p>\n

I describe this idea in terms of mortal sin, which quenches the Divine Life within us (1 John 5:17<\/a>).\u00a0Lewis says that\u00a0when a living body is hurt, it can to a degree repair itself. I suggest that this nicely maps to venial sin.<\/p>\n

\u2022 God does not love us because we are good, God will make us good\u00a0because<\/span> He loves us!<\/p>\n

\u2022 The New Life which comes from Christ is expressed through the\u00a0whole<\/span> Body of Christ.\u00a0 In a recent episode of The Restless Heart, I recorded a more personal episode where I spoke about\u00a0this idea, how I\u00a0met Christ in the death of my father<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Some people might find the idea of God communicating His grace to us through physical means (such as Baptism and Holy Communication) rather crude, but as Jack points out, God likes matter – He invented it!<\/p>\n

\u2022 The chapter closes\u00a0by considering\u00a0two\u00a0objections.<\/p>\n

1. Isn’t it unfair that the Divine Life is only given to those who have heard of Christ?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lewis points out that we haven’t been told too much about God’s plan for those who have never heard the Gospel. He affirms that all who are saved will be saved through Jesus, but questions whether it’s only those who\u00a0know Him<\/span>\u00a0who will be saved\u00a0through Him<\/span>.\u00a0Matt and I briefly discuss the Catholic perspective on this topic.<\/p>\n

Lewis concludes by saying that the best thing you can do for others is to become a Christian yourself and help transmit that Divine Life to others.<\/p>\n

2. Why did God invade in this way? Why doesn’t He invade in force?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lewis answers that Christians believe He\u00a0will<\/span> invade in force at the Second Coming, but that he is probably giving us a chance to join His side freely.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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