City of God - Augustine - XVIII - Book 10 continued

Required reading
City of God by Augustine (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) -  Continue Book Ten by reading Chapters 12 to 25.

My summary
Today we carry on reading Book Ten looking at true worship.

Augustine continues looking at miracles and affirms that God 'does not disdain to work visible miracles in heaven and earth, by which he arouses the soul, hitherto preoccupied with visible things to the worship of himself, the invisible God.' 

He gives examples of God's miracles as testified to in the credible Scriptures and ends with the greatest miracle of all, the God incarnate being sacrificed for men.  Augustine defends this miracle from philosopher's such as Porphyry, who 'despised Christ as he appeared in flesh'.

What grabbed me
I loved to hear from Augustine's mouth how man is justified: 'And so the power is conquered in the name of him who assumed human nature and whose life was without sin, so that in him, who was both priest and sacrifice, remission of sins might be effected, that is, through the "mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus", through whom we are purified from our sins and reconciled to God.  For it is only sins that separate men from God; and in this life purification from sins is not effected by our merit, but by the compassion of God, through his indulgence, not through our power; for even that poor little virtue which we call ours has itself been granted to us by his bounty.'

What separates us from God?  Sin. 

What removes that sin?  The sacrifice of Jesus Christ. 

What has NO involvement in that removal?  Our merit.

It is so sad that the Roman Catholic church walked away from Augustine and his clear defence of justification by faith in Jesus Christ alone.

Next week's reading
Conclude Book Ten by reading Chapters 26 to 32

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.