From the Associate&

Romans 8:15, 16 says, "For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, 'Abba!  Father!' The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God."  1 John 5:1 says, Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God, and everyone who loves the father loves (also) the one begotten by him."  This sense of Christians begotten by God is repeated in verse 18, "We know that no one begotten by God sins; but the one begotten by God he protects, and the evil one cannot touch him."  This is very perplexing.  Scripture states clearly that Jesus, the Son of God, is truly the only one who is begotten by the Father.  How is the apparent contradiction settled, and how does John's theology differ from St. Paul's teaching, that we are adopted? 
     Children who are adopted enter into a special relationship of love with their new parents, which is  wonderful.  The parents generously love them as their own, providing for their needs, and in the end, even offer their inheritance to the children.  And all this occurs despite the fact that the parents' literal flesh and blood has not contributed to the physical makeup of the child.  This is analogous to the gift of adoption we receive through Jesus Christ.  He is God's only begotten son, but through baptism, confirmation and Eucharist, we enter into His dying and rising, becoming a member of His body (that is, the 'body of Christ'), and therefore are able to participate in His sonship.  Thus, we become children of God, receiving the inheritance of eternal life.
     However, while John does not contradict this sense of adoption, he offers another perspective, namely that we are not only adopted by God, but we also become begotten by God.  The Son of God did not 'become' begotten in time, but, has been, is, and ever shall be, begotten by the Father.  In fact, the Father is begetting the Son, as we speak.  We Christians, however, 'become' begotten in time, and so become God-like in a most   beautiful manner.  This makes it easier to understand John's argument that one begotten by God cannot sin, for the very life-blood of God, if you will, is flowing through our veins, and since God by nature cannot sin, how could anyone whose nature is divinized (that is, connaturalized to God, so utterly God-like)?

Fr. Michael

Preschool&
St. John's Little Lights Preschool continues to take registrations for the 2002/2003 school year.  Little Lights offers a half day program either two or three days per week.  We are a Christian based program with staff dedicated to each individual student and their family.  Please call Mary Walus 651-633-1540 ext. 1227 for more information.