The Temptations of Christ and Other Stories
This chapter examines biblical narratives to illuminate the role of Christ’s passion and death in bringing a person to a life in grace. Reflection on the narratives shows that Christ’s passion and death are a most promising way for God to help a human person to the surrender which is the necessary condition for spiritual and moral regeneration. The stories of the temptations of Christ show the way in which Christ’s suffering and death are connected to justification and sanctification. A person’s ceasing to resist the grace of God and surrendering to God’s love is the pinnacle on which her salvation has to stand. If we focus on this necessary condition for salvation, we can see the reason for Christ’s suffering. What can be gained by weakness that could not be gotten through power is the melting of a heart accustomed to willed loneliness and hardened against joy.