Confessions - Book Xii - Chapter Xxx
St. Augustine emphasizes the pursuit of divine truth through humility and love, urging believers to rightly use Scripture as a guide toward pure love and spiritual fruitfulness.
In this devotional sermon, St. Augustine reflects on the challenges of interpreting Scripture amidst diverse opinions, emphasizing humility and the pursuit of divine truth. He encourages believers to love one another and God, the Fountain of Truth, and to rightly use the law as a guide toward pure love. Augustine honors the inspired authors of Scripture and calls for unity and spiritual fruitfulness through faithful understanding.
Text
41. In this discord of true opinions let Truth itself bring concord, and may our God have mercy on us all, that we may use the law rightly to the end of the commandment which is pure love. Thus, if anyone asks me which of these opinions was the meaning of thy servant Moses, these would not be my confessions did I not confess to thee that I do not know. Yet I do know that those opinions are true--with the exception of the carnal ones--about which I have said what I thought was proper. Yet those little ones of good hope are not frightened by these words of thy Book, for they speak of high things in a lowly way and of a few basic things in many varied ways. But let all of us, whom I acknowledge to see and speak the truth in these words, love one another and also love thee, our God, O Fountain of Truth--as we will if we thirst not after vanity but for the Fountain of Truth. Indeed, let us so honor this servant of thine, the dispenser of this Scripture, full of thy Spirit, so that we will believe that when thou didst reveal thyself to him, and he wrote these things down, he intended through them what will chiefly minister both for the light of truth and to the increase of our fruitfulness.
Sermon Outline
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I
- Acknowledgment of diverse opinions on Scripture
- The necessity of divine mercy for right understanding
- The ultimate goal: pure love through the law
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II
- Humility in confessing limited knowledge
- Recognition of truth in Scripture beyond carnal interpretations
- Encouragement for hopeful believers not to be dismayed
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III
- Call to love one another and God as the Fountain of Truth
- Warning against thirsting after vanity
- Honoring the inspired servant who wrote Scripture
Key Quotes
“In this discord of true opinions let Truth itself bring concord, and may our God have mercy on us all, that we may use the law rightly to the end of the commandment which is pure love.” — St. Augustine
“Let all of us... love one another and also love thee, our God, O Fountain of Truth--as we will if we thirst not after vanity but for the Fountain of Truth.” — St. Augustine
“Indeed, let us so honor this servant of thine, the dispenser of this Scripture, full of thy Spirit, so that we will believe that when thou didst reveal thyself to him... he intended through them what will chiefly minister both for the light of truth and to the increase of our fruitfulness.” — St. Augustine
Application Points
- Approach Scripture with humility, acknowledging the limits of human understanding.
- Cultivate love for God and others as the fulfillment of God's law.
- Seek unity and avoid vanity when faced with differing interpretations of Scripture.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main message of this sermon?
The sermon calls believers to seek divine truth with humility and love, using Scripture rightly to grow in spiritual fruitfulness.
Why does Augustine confess not knowing the exact meaning of Moses’ words?
He humbly admits limited understanding while affirming the truthfulness of the Scripture beyond carnal interpretations.
What does Augustine mean by 'Fountain of Truth'?
He refers to God as the ultimate source of all truth and spiritual nourishment.
How should believers respond to differing scriptural opinions?
Believers should love one another and seek unity in truth, avoiding vanity and discord.
What role does love play in this sermon?
Love is the fulfillment of the law and the guiding principle for rightly using Scripture.