THEOSISAugustine of Hippo
These individuals gain much from His presence, and He harbors no ill will towards them. However, they resist change, unwilling to be transformed. You advise your adversary toward righteous living and reform, yet he scorns and dismisses your counsel, exclaiming: “Who is this that offers me guidance? Whose commandments should I follow to live righteously?” He continues to forge his own path, unaffected by your words, disregarding the fact that you speak of God’s desires for his life rather than his own. Consequently, he remains unchanged; it would benefit him to turn back and submit to following the rightful guide sooner rather than later. The Lord spoke to His disciples about His impending suffering. Peter, shaken, declared, “Far be it from me, Lord!” (Matthew 16:22).
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Just prior, he had recognized Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God,” yet now he feared for the Lord’s death as if Jesus were merely a mortal. However, the Savior, destined to endure suffering (for our redemption necessitated the shedding of His blood), had previously praised Peter’s confession. Yet the moment the Lord began to discuss His Passion, Peter became anxious that Jesus might meet a tragic end, although our own fate would be dire had He not laid down His life. He says, “May it not be so, Lord! This must not come to pass.” Yet the Lord, who had recently declared, “Blessed are you, and upon this rock I will build My Church,” responded, “Get behind Me, Satan; you are an offense to Me.” Why, then, does Satan arise from one who was once deemed blessed and foundational? For he, as the Lord indicates, does not set his mind on divine matters but on human concerns (Matthew 16:23). Not long ago, he had savored the revelation of God, knowing it was not mere flesh and blood that unveiled this truth to him, but rather the Father who is in Heaven. In acknowledging God, it was Peter who offered praise, not Satan; yet now, swayed by his own understandings and the weakness of human affection, which could obstruct his and others' salvation, he is identified with Satan. Why this identification? Because he attempted to stand in front of the Lord, offering earthly counsel to the divine Leader. You assert, “Let it happen,” and proclaim, “Lord! If He is indeed Lord, He acts with authority; if He is Teacher, He possesses knowledge and wisdom.” Yet you aim to guide your Leader, instruct your Teacher, and command your Lord, choosing to attempt to dictate to God the very actions He should take—often falling behind rather than advancing. Has this approach benefited your adversaries? My foes retreat; still, they must not remain stagnant. For this reason, let them turn back, avoiding progression, so they may instead follow, not linger. “In whatever day I have called upon You, behold, I have learned that You are my God” (Psalm 54:9). This is profound wisdom. He does not simply state, “I have learned that You are God,” but rather, “my God is You.” He is yours when He renders assistance; He is yours when you are no stranger to His presence. Therefore, it is proclaimed, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” To whom is He not God? Truly He is the Sovereign of all, yet He speaks notably of those who love Him, who seek Him, possess Him, and revere Him as belonging to His household: mighty is this family, redeemed by the precious blood of His only-begotten Son. Consider what an incredible gift it is that God has granted us: to be His possession and for Him to be ours! In truth, those who remain distanced from Him are separated as strangers; they are the progeny of strangers. Observe what is declared about them in another psalm: “Deliver me, O Lord, from the hand of the sons of strangers, whose mouth speaks vanity, and whose right hand is the hand of iniquity.”