The Beginning Doctrine of Theology
Summary of Book Four, "First Steps in the Doctrine of Theology," in Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
In Christianity, God is three Persons in one Being. The Son exists because the Father exists, but not before nor after. To God, tomorrow is now.
Christ is the Father’s only begotten Son (John 3:16). “Begotten” means to become the father of the same kind, with the same divine nature. So humans, being of a different kind, aren’t God’s children in the way that Christ is.
God’s Spirit is from the Father and Son.
God can love because God includes at least two Persons, the Father and Son.
God mercifully and proactively revealed Himself to humans. Christ became a man and voluntarily killed all His human desires; instead, He was poor, misunderstood, betrayed, humiliated, tortured, and executed. Then Christ rose again in the flesh, exemplifying what humans were intended to be.
God gives us free will. He doesn’t foresee our future; He simply sees it.
If we’re willing, our decaying biological lives can be transformed into timeless spiritual lives as we become God’s children. United with God, we will live forever. Separated, we will die.
Pray to God. Our “pretense” to be God’s children gradually becomes real. Christ helps us adopt his attributes, sharing in His power, joy, knowledge, and eternity. Through Christ, God also “pretends” and sees us as His children.
But the more we try to meet His standard, the more apparent our failures become. Though God is pleased by our effort, Christ asks us to surrender ourselves, our wishes and doubt, to Him. Let Him take over.
Our former self was molded by the influence of others and the surrounding culture. If we are willing to forget and lose it, God will kill and replace our natural self with Himself. As He is perfect, He will make us perfect, a painful process that probably won’t be completed in this life. But gradually, our real personality (not the one created by a sinful world) will shine through.
Through a personal relationship with Christ, we will be transformed—strong, happy, and radiant. Sharing Christ’s life, we shall love the Father as Christ does, with the Holy Spirit in us.
These aren’t a result of our efforts, but rather gifts from God. So, let us offer ourselves back to God. We become the present Christ wants to offer to the Father, which is what we were made to be.
Summary of Book Four, “First steps in the doctrine of theology,” in Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.
Christ is the Father’s only begotten Son (John 3:16). “Begotten” means to become the father of the same kind, with the same divine nature. So humans, being of a different kind, aren’t God’s children in the way that Christ is.
God’s Spirit is from the Father and Son.
God can love because God includes at least two Persons, the Father and Son.
God mercifully and proactively revealed Himself to humans. Christ became a man and voluntarily killed all His human desires; instead, He was poor, misunderstood, betrayed, humiliated, tortured, and executed. Then Christ rose again in the flesh, exemplifying what humans were intended to be.
God gives us free will. He doesn’t foresee our future; He simply sees it.
If we’re willing, our decaying biological lives can be transformed into timeless spiritual lives as we become God’s children. United with God, we will live forever. Separated, we will die.
Pray to God. Our “pretense” to be God’s children gradually becomes real. Christ helps us adopt his attributes, sharing in His power, joy, knowledge, and eternity. Through Christ, God also “pretends” and sees us as His children.
But the more we try to meet His standard, the more apparent our failures become. Though God is pleased by our effort, Christ asks us to surrender ourselves, our wishes and doubt, to Him. Let Him take over.
Our former self was molded by the influence of others and the surrounding culture. If we are willing to forget and lose it, God will kill and replace our natural self with Himself. As He is perfect, He will make us perfect, a painful process that probably won’t be completed in this life. But gradually, our real personality (not the one created by a sinful world) will shine through.
Through a personal relationship with Christ, we will be transformed—strong, happy, and radiant. Sharing Christ’s life, we shall love the Father as Christ does, with the Holy Spirit in us.
These aren’t a result of our efforts, but rather gifts from God. So, let us offer ourselves back to God. We become the present Christ wants to offer to the Father, which is what we were made to be.
Summary of Book Four, “First steps in the doctrine of theology,” in Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.