Page 74 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 2

Neologism 4

Widerfahrnis und Erkenntnis: “Something hap- We answer:
pens to me” in the knowing process Obedience towards God, acting in love
Person in a knowing process ---------------->
The fundamental characteristics of a personally determi- On the basis that God has loved us first, in acknow-
ned, biblical path of knowledge can be represented on the ledging his lordship and in obedience towards his word,
basis of Jesus’ statements in John 14. we are then challenged, out of familiarity and intimacy
Jn. 14, 21–23: with him, also to engage with the objects of our know-
“Whoever has my commandments and keeps them is the ledge. In order to know, we give up the distance towards
one who loves me. But whoever loves me will be loved him and are prepared to become involved as persons.
by my father, and I will love him and reveal myself to
him. Judas, not Iscariot, spoke to him: “Lord, what does
it mean, that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the We answer: Entrusting ourselves to God
world?” Jesus answered and said to him: “Whoever loves and, following him, to the objects of investigation.
me will keep my word; and my father will love him, and Person in a knowing process ---------------->
we will come and make our dwelling with him.”

We did not love God first, but he us, the initiative comes If we want to know something about man, we must, in
from him. He did what was real, created through the the relationship with God, approach man, have life-sha-
death of his son the possibility of an intimate relationship ring with him and give, let ourselves be changed, take up
in which he wishes to give us revelation.
position and even be able to allow mutual, existential de-
pendence.
Even the interpretation of this message, that is a gift, is not
possible for me on my own. I cannot create knowledge or All our answering should be understood as a cycle. God
devotion, love or commitment. I cannot manufacture the reveals, has messages imparted to us, does what is real,
most important thing in life and in knowledge, it hap- loves first. If we do not refuse to turn obediently the litt-
pens to, it befalls me. I cannot seize it for myself, but only le that we have understood into action, to share life etc.
receive it.
as much as we can, the cycle starts and God can lead us
further.
The real happens to, befalls us:
God’s love, his offer of relationship,
his message of revelation are given to us. We should, as is expressed in the parable of the talents
(Mt. 25, 14 –30), work with what we have, regardless of
how much or how little it is. The main thing is not to bury
Person in a knowing process <------------ God reveals it, but to “gain interest” with our pound, for then more

can be given to us, than the quantity of knowledge born
of familiarity and intimacy can expand.
God does the real. But what do we do? We allow, we ag-
ree. We answer.
If more has already happened to us, if we have under-
stood more, God can intensify his offer of relationship,
First of all, we answer by being ready to acknowledge reveal deeper aspects of his being and his will, and we
God as Lord, by giving up our self-determination. Only likewise can speak a more profoundly based Yes to him.
thus can he lead us into a relationship of familiarity and The cycle enters a second round.
intimacy in which real revelation of the heart is possible.
Real growth in knowledge born of familiarity and inti-
macy can take place.
Man answers:
Acknowledgement of God’s lordship
Person in a knowing process ---------------->
Acting in love
knowledge
This change of lordship leads us out of the blinding of our Person in a kno- born of famili-
power of seeing. Part of this is that we create space for wing process arity/intimacy God reveals
God’s claims, his requirements in our life. An essential
constituent of biblical knowledge is acting in love in obe- offer of relationship
dience to God’s word.

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