Sacrament is God gracing mankind with a part of creation, true creation. It is ritual whereby, through the grace of God as source, we make the world sacred. We cannot create from nothing, but through the power of God we can awaken the meaning intrinsic to our world. Bread becomes body, blood we make through the visible wine—seeds God allows us to watch grow.
The question here is, why does the symmetry of Matthew 25:46 take precedence over other descriptions of parallels that make an important theological point? There is also the symmetry of Adam and Christ mentioned by Paul: "Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people" (Romans 5:18); "For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:22).
But before we proceed, permit me to offer the reader some thoughts on the idea of redemption, for the rider on these four horses, as we shall see, is none other than our Redeemer – The Lord Jesus Christ.
MacDonald was a primary influence on the development of Lewis’ religious beliefs. Yet, despite Lewis’ admiration and emulation of MacDonald, he never accepted the core belief of his “master”- universal salvation. George MacDonald believed that all mankind would be saved and return to God, eventually. This piece attempts to explain how and why these two men differed in this most important theological point.
The Child then spoke up and said, (although mostly to herself), “But who can I say thank you to, for roses or the color blue, for bumble bees or cheese fondue, or the books on my bookshelf?"
The best thing you can do for your fellow, next to rousing his conscience, is--not to give him things to think about, but to wake things up that are in him; or say, to make him think things for himself.
For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.