On the Incarnation of the Word III

On the Incarnation of the Word III

Such are the notions which men put forward. But the impiety of their foolish talk is plainly declared by the divine teaching of the Christian faith. From it we know that, because there is Mind behind the universe, it did not originate itself; because God is infinite, not finite, it was not made from pre-existent matter, but out of nothing and out of non-existence absolute and utter God brought it into being through the Word. He says as much in Genesis: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth; and again through that most helpful book The Shepherd, “Believe first and foremost that there is One God Who created and arranged all things and brought them out of non-existence into being.” Paul also indicates the same thing when he says, “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that the things which we see now, did not come into being out of things which had previously appeared.” For God is good — or rather, of all goodness He is Fountainhead, and it is impossible for one who is good to be mean or grudging about anything. Grudging existence to none therefore, He made all things out of nothing through His own Word, our Lord Jesus Christ and of all these His earthly creatures He reserved especial mercy for the race of men. Upon them, therefore, upon men who, as animals, were essentially impermanent, He bestowed a grace which other creatures lacked — namely the impress of His own Image, a share in the reasonable being of the very Word Himself, so that, reflecting Him and themselves becoming reasonable and expressing the Mind of God even as He does, though in limited degree they might continue for ever in the blessed and only true life of the saints in paradise. But since the will of man could turn either way, God secured this grace that He had given by making it conditional from the first upon two things- namely, a law and a place.

He set them in His own paradise, and laid upon them a single prohibition. If they guarded the grace and retained the loveliness of their original innocence, then the life of paradise should be theirs, without sorrow, pain or care, and after it the assurance of immortality in heaven.

But if they went astray and became vile, throwing away their birthright of beauty, then they would come under the natural law of death and live no longer in paradise, but, dying outside of it, continue in death and in corruption. This is what Holy Scripture tells us, proclaiming the command of God, “Of every tree that is in the garden you shall surely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, but in the day that you do eat, you shall surely die.”

“You shall surely die” — not just die only, but remain in the state of death and of corruption.

Translations

YORÙBÁ

Nípa Ìsọ̀dí-Ènìyàn Ọ̀rọ̀ náà III

Irú àwọn èrò wọ̀nyí ni àwọn ènìyàn ń gbé kalẹ̀. Ṣùgbọ́n àìbọ̀wọ̀ fún Ọlọ́run tí ó wà nínú ọ̀rọ̀ aṣiwèrè wọn ni ẹ̀kọ́ àtọ̀runwá ti ìgbàgbọ́ Kristẹni fi hàn gbangba. Láti inú rẹ̀ ni a ti mọ̀ pé, nítorí Ọgbọ́n (Mind) wà lẹ́yìn ayé àti gbogbo àgbáyé, ayé kò lè dá ara rẹ̀ sílẹ̀ fúnra rẹ̀; nítorí Ọlọ́run jẹ́ Aláìlópin, kì í ṣe ẹni tí ó ní ààlà, a kò sì dá ayé láti inú ohun èlò tí ó ti wà tẹ́lẹ̀, ṣùgbọ́n láti inú asán pátápátá àti àìsí ohun gbogbo ni Ọlọ́run mú un wá sí ìwàláàyè nípasẹ̀ Ọ̀rọ̀ Rẹ̀. Ó sọ bẹ́ẹ̀ nínú Jẹ́nẹ́sísì pé: “Ní ìbẹ̀rẹ̀pẹ̀pẹ̀ Ọlọ́run dá ọ̀run àti ayé.” Lẹ́ẹ̀kansi, nínú ìwé olùrànlọ́wọ́ ńlá náà, Olùṣọ́-Àgùntàn (The Shepherd), a kọ́ wa pé: “Gbà gbọ́ ní àkọ́kọ́ àti ju gbogbo rẹ̀ lọ pé Ọlọ́run kan ṣoṣo ni ó dá gbogbo ohun, tí ó sì ṣètò wọn, tí ó mú wọn jáde láti inú àìsí sí ìwàláàyè.”

Pọ́ọ̀lù náà fi èrò kan náà hàn nígbà tí ó sọ pé: “Nípa ìgbàgbọ́ ni a fi mọ̀ pé Ọ̀rọ̀ Ọlọ́run ni ó fi dá àwọn ayé wọ̀nyí, kí àwọn ohun tí a rí báyìí má bàa jẹ́ ohun tí a mú wá láti inú àwọn ohun tí ó ti fara hàn tẹ́lẹ̀.”

Nítorí Ọlọ́run jẹ́ rere—tàbí dípò bẹ́ẹ̀, Òun ni Orísun gbogbo ìrẹ̀lẹ̀ àti rere—ó sì ṣeé ṣe kó jẹ́ pé ẹni rere yóò jẹ́ aláìnífẹ̀ẹ́ tàbí oníwà kíkùn nípa ohunkóhun. Nítorí náà, kò ṣe ìwọ̀n ìwàláàyè fún ẹnikẹ́ni, ó sì dá gbogbo ohun láti inú asán nípasẹ̀ Ọ̀rọ̀ Tirẹ̀, Olúwa wa Jesu Kristi. Nínú gbogbo àwọn ẹ̀dá ayé tí Ó dá wọ̀nyí, Ó fi àánú pàtàkì hàn sí irú ènìyàn.

Lórí àwọn ènìyàn wọ̀nyí, tí ní ti ìwà ẹranko wọn jẹ́ aláìdúró nípa ẹ̀dá, Ó tú ọ̀fẹ́ kan sórí wọn tí àwọn ẹ̀dá mìíràn kò ní: èyí ni àwòrán Tirẹ̀ tí Ó fi sàmì sí wọn, àti ipin kan nínú ìmọ̀lára àti ọgbọ́n ti Ọ̀rọ̀ náà fúnra Rẹ̀. Nípa bẹ́ẹ̀, bí wọ́n ṣe ń fi Òun hàn nínú ara wọn, tí wọ́n sì ń di alágbọ́n, tí wọ́n ń ṣàfihàn Èrò Ọlọ́run gẹ́gẹ́ bí Òun ṣe ń ṣe, bí ó tilẹ̀ jẹ́ pé ní ìwọ̀n díẹ̀, wọ́n lè máa wà títí láé nínú ìyè alábùkún àti tòótọ́ kan ṣoṣo ti àwọn mímọ́ nínú Párádísè.

Ṣùgbọ́n nítorí ìfẹ́ inú ènìyàn lè yí sí ọ̀nà méjì, Ọlọ́run fi ìdánilójú mú ọ̀fẹ́ tí Ó ti fún wọn nípa ṣíṣe e lórí àdéhùn méjì láti ìbẹ̀rẹ̀: ìyẹn, òfin kan àti ibi kan. Ó gbé wọn sínú Párádísè Tirẹ̀, ó sì pa òfin kan ṣoṣo lé wọn lórí. Bí wọ́n bá pa ọ̀fẹ́ náà mọ́, tí wọ́n sì ṣètìlẹ́yìn fún ẹwà àìlẹ́ṣẹ̀ àkọ́kọ́ wọn, nígbà náà ìyè Párádísè yóò jẹ́ tiwọn láìsí ìbànújẹ́, ìrora tàbí àníyàn; lẹ́yìn náà sì ni ìdánilójú àìkú ní ọ̀run.

Ṣùgbọ́n bí wọ́n bá ṣìnà tí wọ́n sì di búburú, tí wọ́n ju ẹ̀tọ́ ìbí wọn sílẹ̀, ẹ̀tọ́ tí ó jẹ́ ẹwà wọn, nígbà náà wọ́n yóò ṣubú lábẹ́ òfin àdáni ti ikú, wọn kò sì ní tún gbé nínú Párádísè mọ́; ṣùgbọ́n, nípa kú ní òde rẹ̀, wọ́n yóò máa bá a lọ nínú ikú àti ìbàjẹ́.

Èyí ni Ìwé Mímọ́ Mímọ́ sọ fún wa, nígbà tí ó ń kéde àṣẹ Ọlọ́run pé: “Nínú gbogbo igi tí ó wà nínú ọgbà ni ìwọ yóò jẹ láìsí àìpé; ṣùgbọ́n nínú igi ìmọ̀ rere àti búburú ni ìwọ kò gbọdọ̀ jẹ. Ní ọjọ́ tí ìwọ bá jẹ nínú rẹ̀, dájúdájú ìwọ yóò kú.”

“Dájúdájú ìwọ yóò kú” — kì í ṣe pé ìwọ yóò kú nìkan, ṣùgbọ́n pé ìwọ yóò dúró nínú ipò ikú àti ìbàjẹ́.

IGBO

Banyere Iwere Ahụ Mmadụ nke Okwu ahụ III

Otu a ka echiche dị iche iche ndị mmadụ na-akwalite si dị. Ma nkuzi Chineke nke okwukwe Ndị Kraịst na-ekpughe n'ụzọ doro anya ajọ omume na enweghị nsọpụrụ Chineke dị n’okwu nzuzu ha. Site n’ime ya ka anyị si amata na, n’ihi na Uche (Mind) dị n’azụ eluigwe na ụwa, ụwa enweghị ike ịmepụta onwe ya; n’ihi na Chineke enweghị njedebe, ọ bụghị onye e kere eke nwere oke, e sighịkwa n’ihe ndị dị adị mbụ kee ụwa, kama ọ bụ site n’ihe efu kpamkpam na enweghị ịdị adị ka Chineke wetara ya ịdị adị site n’Okwu Ya. Ọ na-ekwu nke a n’akwụkwọ Jenesis: “Na mbido Chineke kere eluigwe na ụwa.” Ọzọkwa, n’akwụkwọ bara uru nke ukwuu a na-akpọ Onye Ọzụzụ Atụrụ (The Shepherd), e kwuru, sị: “Kwere tupu ihe niile ọzọ na e nwere naanị otu Chineke, Onye kere ma hazie ihe niile, ma mee ka ha si n’enweghị ịdị adị bịa n’ịdị adị.”

Pọl kwa na-egosi otu eziokwu ahụ mgbe ọ sịrị: “Site n’okwukwe ka anyị si aghọta na e ji Okwu Chineke kee ụwa niile, nke mere na ihe ndị anyị na-ahụ ugbu a esiteghị n’ihe ndị pụtara mbụ bịa.”

N’ihi na Chineke dị mma—ma ọ bụ kama, Ọ bụ Isi Mmiri nke ịdị mma niile—ọ gaghị ekwe omume ka Onye dị mma bụrụ onye obi ọjọọ ma ọ bụ onye na-achọ ịnapụ mmadụ ihe ọma. Ya mere, ebe Ọ naghị agọnahụ onye ọ bụla onyinye nke ịdị adị, O sitere n’ihe efu kee ihe niile site n’Okwu Ya, bụ Onyenwe anyị Jesu Kraịst. N’etiti ihe niile O kere n’ụwa, O gosipụtara ebere pụrụ iche n’ebe agbụrụ mmadụ nọ.

N’ebe mmadụ nọ, ndị bụ n’onwe ha ndị na-adịghị adịgide adịgide dịka anụmanụ, O nyere ha amara nke ihe ndị ọzọ e kere eke enweghị. Nke ahụ bụ akara Onyinyo Ya nke O tinyere n’ime ha, na òkè ha n’uche na ezi echiche nke Okwu ahụ n’onwe Ya. N’ụzọ dị otu a, ebe ha na-egosipụta Ya ma bụrụkwa ndị nwere ezi uche, na-ekwupụta Uche Chineke dịka Ya onwe Ya si eme, ọbụna ma ọ bụrụ na ọ bụ n’ogo pere mpe, ha nwere ike ibi ruo mgbe ebighị ebi n’ime ndụ ahụ a gọziri agọzi na nke bụ ezi ndụ naanị ya nke ndị nsọ nọ na Paradaịs.

Ma ebe uche mmadụ nwere ike ịtụgharị n’ụzọ ọ bụla, Chineke mere ka amara ahụ O nyere ha bụrụ nke echekwara site na ọnọdụ abụọ site ná mmalite: ya bụ, iwu na ebe obibi. O tinyere ha n’ime Paradaịs nke Ya ma nye ha otu iwu machibidoro ihe. Ọ bụrụ na ha echekwaa amara ahụ ma debe ịma mma nke ịdị ọcha mbụ ha, ndụ Paradaịs ga-abụ nke ha, na-enweghị mwute, ihe mgbu ma ọ bụ nchegbu, ma mgbe nke ahụ gasịrị, ha ga-enwekwa nkwa nke anwụghị anwụ n’eluigwe.

Ma ọ bụrụ na ha akpafuo ụzọ ma bụrụ ndị rụrụ arụ, tụfuo ihe nketa nke ịma mma ha sitere n’amụma nata, mgbe ahụ ha ga-adaba n’okpuru iwu eke nke ọnwụ. Ha agaghịzi ebi n’ime Paradaịs, kama ha ga-anwụ n’èzí ya ma nọgide n’ọnwụ na ire ure.

Nke a bụ ihe Akwụkwọ Nsọ na-akụziri anyị, mgbe ọ na-ekwupụta iwu Chineke, sị: “N’osisi niile dị n’ogige ahụ, ị ga-eri n’enweghị mgbochi; ma n’osisi nke ọmụma ezi ihe na ihe ọjọọ, ị gaghị eri. N’ụbọchị ị ga-eri n’ime ya, ị ga-anwụ n’eziokwu.”

“Ị ga-anwụ n’eziokwu”—ọ bụghị naanị na ị ga-anwụ, kama ị ga-anọgide n’ọnọdụ ọnwụ na ire ure.

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