The philosophy of Plato, which filtered into the church through Augustine’s neo-Platonism, may be briefly described as an idea or ideal towards which one strives to arrive.
The Gospel is not concerned with ideals. The Gospel does not talk about with how we get closer to Jesus. Rather, it announces how Christ graciously comes all the way to us. The Christian confession is not at its best when it contemplates the kingdom of God in terms of lower to higher, closer or nearer, comparatives and superlatives. At issue is not that we become more and more like God, but rather that He became like us, taking on our flesh and yet was without sin.
It is not that we go to God, but rather that He comes all the way to us through the means of grace. He does not come to us through symbols or imagery but through Word and Sacrament. Luther put it this way:
Although [God] is present in all creatures, and I might find him in stone, in fire, in water, or even in a rope, for he certainly is there, yet he does not wish that I seek Him there apart from the Word, and cast myself into the fire or the water, or hang myself on the rope. He is present everywhere, but He does not wish that you grope for Him everywhere. Grope rather where the Word is, and there you will lay hold of Him in the right way. Otherwise you are tempting God and committing idolatry. For this reason He has set down for us a definite way to show us how and where to find Him, namely the Word. (AE 36:342)
That which is not incarnational is most likely allegorical. Can sinners be saved by figures of speech? People may enjoy symbolism, metaphors, and illustrations as interesting, inspiring, enlightening or even entertaining, but there is no power in allegories to save. Figures of speech might provide some sense of stimulated elation wherein the audience imagines that it is getting closer to God, but this is at best an illusion.
In the same vein, the Lord God does not love in a way that admits of degrees: more or less or so much. He loves entirely and completely in a way that is so vast that we cannot comprehend or describe it. It is not that we love Him but that He loves us – and His love in Christ is not measured by degrees, lesser or greater, comparatives or superlatives.
O Lord, How Shall I Meet Thee
Love caused Thy incarnation,
Love brought Thee down to me;
Thy thirst for my salvation
Procured my liberty.
O love beyond all telling,
That led Thee to embrace,
In love all love excelling,
Our lost and fallen race!
Rejoice, then, ye sad-hearted,
Who sit in deepest gloom,
Who mourn o'er joys departed
And tremble at your doom.
Despair not, He is near you,
Yea, standing at the door,
Who best can help and cheer you
And bids you weep no more.
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