{"id":5761,"date":"2020-07-16T08:00:44","date_gmt":"2020-07-16T00:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/?p=5761"},"modified":"2021-10-07T05:48:41","modified_gmt":"2021-10-06T21:48:41","slug":"254-grace-and-sin-piet-fransens-creative-parable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/?p=5761","title":{"rendered":"252. Grace and Sin: Piet Fransen\u2019s Creative Parable"},"content":{"rendered":"

18\u00a0<\/sup>Come now, let us argue it out, says the\u00a0Lord:<\/span><\/strong>
\n though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow;<\/span><\/strong>
\n though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.<\/span><\/strong>
\n 19\u00a0<\/sup>If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;<\/span><\/strong>
\n 20\u00a0<\/sup>but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword;<\/span><\/strong>
\n \u00a0\u00a0for the mouth of the\u00a0Lord\u00a0has spoken<\/span><\/strong>. [Isaiah 1:18-20<\/span>, NRSV<\/em>]<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\"\"\u00a0<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In 1969, Peter Fransen, a Belgian theology professor and the foremost 20th century expert on the theology of grace, published The New Life of Grace<\/em>. To this day, it remains unsurpassed in clarity and simplicity, wit and insight. Instead of the traditional approach of scholarly treatises, he opted for the narrative style which produces a text that reads like a personal journal of one who is experiencing grace as he writes. Readers enjoy not only a hefty reference to Scriptures, but also an easy-to-read interpretation of the Word of God.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is at once striking, and reveals the genius of this Jesuit scholar, is that he begins the book by telling a parable. This is creative writing and teaching at its best, modeled after the very teaching style of the Lord Jesus himself.<\/span><\/p>\n

In this parable, Fransen highlights the Christian<\/em> view of human existence, where two great forces are at work:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. the force of human nature<\/em> (in the \u201cfallen\u201d human nature, sin predominates), and<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. the force of grace<\/em> (where God\u2019s unearned<\/em>, unmerited<\/em>, and gratuitous<\/em> love is poured out to humanity).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The incredible thing is, Fransen presents all this by way of a love story. In the story, he contrasts two sharply different scenarios, pitching vulgarity<\/em> characteristic of human existence where love is absent, against goodness<\/em> and beauty<\/em> where love reigns.<\/span><\/p>\n

    In so doing, Fransen contrasts a fallen human nature<\/em> that is hard-edged, violent, and competitive – the tough side of the world, with the more powerful dominating the less powerful – with grace<\/em> that is love, forgiveness, compassion, patience and gentleness, and all things lovely and beautiful.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The Parable<\/em><\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n

    A young girl, an orphan, grew up in coarse surroundings. She had never been loved, so she never knew love; her heart was hardened. All she had was instinctual survival in a rough men\u2019s world. Rough and nothing to look at, she was made even less desirable as a woman for her vulgarity both in language and in behavior:<\/span><\/p>\n