Alive in God: A Christian Imagination

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Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire ( HX) and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous ( HY) for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3 Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. ( HZ) 4 Christ is the culmination of the law ( IA) so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. ( IB) Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as [being] dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus. Athena (Greek: Ἀθηναία) was the Olympian Goddess of Wisdom and War, and serves as the overall deuteragonist-turned-final antagonist of the Greek Era of God of War Series, who mostly appeared as an ally of Kratos. Since we have now been justified ( Q) by his blood, ( R) how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath ( S) through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, ( T) we were reconciled ( U) to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! ( V) 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. ( W) Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ

Precognition: Athena was the goddess of foresight, and she was able to see a future vision in which even had Artemis and Poseidon joined her in opposing the actions of the God of War, Ares, they would have failed. Athena always was the most caring god to Kratos. That stemmed from their first meeting during the Raid on Sparta. As Olympian forces ( Centaur Generals), cleared the way for Athena and Ares, they grabbed Deimos. Kratos tried to revolt, but was beaten down by Ares. It was Athena who stopped Ares that day from killing Kratos. She saved the life of her brother and showed regret for what she and Ares had to do. In his 10 years of servitude to the gods, it was mostly Athena who told Kratos which task was asked of him. During Kratos' journey to the Sisters of Fate, she communicated with him and tried to stop him, but Kratos, undeterred, ignored her warnings. It was also interesting to note that Athena knew that Kratos was still alive after Zeus' betrayal when all of the others had believed him to be dead. That showed that she was aware of his capabilities and continued to watch over him even after his dethronement as god of War.For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. ( H) 6 For we know that our old self ( I) was crucified with him ( J) so that the body ruled by sin ( K) might be done away with, [ a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin ( L)— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. ( M) What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? ( Z) By no means! 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey ( AA)—whether you are slaves to sin, ( AB) which leads to death, ( AC) or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God ( AD) that, though you used to be slaves to sin, ( AE) you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching ( AF) that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin ( AG) and have become slaves to righteousness. ( AH) Romans 7:5 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh ( sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit. I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! ( JC) I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, ( JD) from the tribe of Benjamin. ( JE) 2 God did not reject his people, ( JF) whom he foreknew. ( JG) Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me” [ aq]? ( JH) 4 And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” [ ar] ( JI) 5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant ( JJ) chosen by grace. ( JK) 6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; ( JL) if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

If you have died with Christ to the spiritual forces of the world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its regulations: Romans 8:3 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh ( sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verses 4-13.THIS book by the well-known author Timothy Radcliffe OP is a wonderful one. It extols the importance of the Christian imagination; and the author brings to bear a tremendous range of examples in fiction, as well as in theological writing, to encourage us in the happy task of expanding that imagination. I found it exhilarating, and I commend it wholeheartedly. As Kratos made his way to the Ambrosia once again, Athena tried to warn him about the many dangers on the path to the Ambrosia. Kratos simply shrugged off her warnings however, and moved on. Kratos later encountered her again, and was told by the Goddess that it was the dead that he must fear. Further on, Kratos found the dead Spartan Soldiers whom he had abandoned many years ago. They returned from the dead and were ready to fight Kratos and kill him in anger and vengeance, but Kratos defeated them. Timothy Radcliffe argues we must show how everything we believe is an invitation to live fully. God says: 'I put before you life and death: choose life'. Romans 8:28 Or that all things work together for good to those who love God, who; or that in all things God works together with those who love him to bring about what is good—with those who Athena and Kratos were originally supposed to have some form of romance. According to David Jaffe however, this was more one-sided for Athena.

For he himself is our peace, ( AF) who has made the two groups one ( AG) and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh ( AH) the law with its commands and regulations. ( AI) His purpose was to create in himself one ( AJ) new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, ( AK) by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace ( AL) to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. ( AM) 18 For through him we both have access ( AN) to the Father ( AO) by one Spirit. ( AP) In this way also consider yourselves that you are dead to sin and that you are living to God in our Lord Yeshua The Messiah.

You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh ( DA) but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. ( DB) And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, ( DC) they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, ( DD) then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life [ j] because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead ( DE) is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies ( DF) because of [ k] his Spirit who lives in you. This book can be a great encouragement in alerting its readers to where those allies can be found, and to the Christian hope that promises life in abundance now.