ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Monite Sanuali 10, 2022

A DOCTRINE OF PIETY

KO E TOKATELINE ‘O E LOTU MO’ONI

I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules. I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!

PSALM 111:7-8

Ko e koto mo‘oni mo fakakonisitūtone ‘a e ngaahi ngāue ‘a hono nima; ‘Oku ‘osi-‘a-sivi ‘ene ngaahi fekau kotoa. ‘Oku nau matu‘u ‘o lauikuonga pea ta‘engata, Kuo feia ‘i he mo‘oni mo e tonusika.

SAAME 111:7-8

Sola Scriptura - Scripture Alone - Ko e Folofola´ pe   

The Word of God in the beginning, who is Himself God, must be our life, meat, light, and salvation. Therefore we cannot attribute to Christ's human nature the power of making us alive, but the life is in the Word, which dwells in the flesh and makes us alive by the flesh. This interpretation is simple and helpful. Thus Saint Paul is wont to call the doctrine of the Gospel doctrina pietatis, a doctrine of piety—a doctrine that makes men rich in grace.

However, the other interpretation which the heathen also have, namely, that all creatures live in God, does indeed make subtle disputants and is obscure and difficult; but it teaches nothing about grace, nor does it make men rich in grace. Wherefore the Scriptures speak of it as "idle.” Just as we interpret the words of Christ when He says, “I am the life," so also should we interpret these words, and say nothing philosophically of the life of the creatures in God. On the contrary, we should consider how God lives in us, and makes partakers of His life, so that we live through Him, of Him, and in Him.

MARTIN LUTHER

Ko e Folofola ‘a e ‘Otua mei he kamata’anga, ka ko e ‘Otua mo’oni, kuopau ke ne hoko ko ‘etau mo’ui, me’akai, maama mo hotau fakamo’ui. Ko ia ai ‘e ‘ikai te tau sio ki he natula tangata ‘o Kalaisi ke ne fokotu’u kitautolu mei he mate fakalaumalie, he ko e mo’ui, ‘oku ‘i he Folofola, ‘a ee ‘oku ne nofo’ia ‘a e kakano pea ‘oku ne ngaohia ke mo’ui ‘i he kakano. Ko e fakatonulea ko eni ‘oku mahino ngofua pea fakamaama. ‘Oku ui eni ‘e Paula ko e “tokateline paeatia” - ko e tokateline ‘o e lotu mo’oni - ‘io, ko e tokateline ‘oku ne ngaohi ‘a e tangata ke ne taulofu’u ‘i he kelesi.

Ka ‘oku toe ‘i ai ‘a e fakatonulea ‘e taha ‘oku manako ki ai ‘a e kakai ‘o mamani, ‘a ia ko e tui ‘oku pehee, ko e me’a mo’ui kotoa pe ‘oku nau mo’ui ‘i he ‘Otua. Ka ‘oku tu’u fihi eni mo faingata’a. ‘Oku ‘ikai ke ako’i heni ‘a e kelesi pe ngaohi ‘a e tangata ke fonu ‘i he kelesi. Ka ‘oku lau ki ai ‘a e Folofola, ko e “muna.” Hange pe ko ‘etau fakatonulea ‘a e ngaahi folofola ‘a Kalaisi ‘oku ne pehee ai, “Ko au pe ‘a e mo’ui”, te tau toe pehee pe, ‘oku ‘ikai ha mo’ui ‘i he tangata. Ka ‘oku totonu ke tau lau ‘a e mo’ui ‘a e ‘Otua ‘iate kitautolu pea fakakau kitautolu ke tau ma’u mo’ui ‘iate Ia, ke tau mo’ui ‘o fou ‘iate Ia, pea kiate Ia, pea ‘iate Ia.