ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Tusite ‘Okatopa 25, 2022

TRUE VIRTUE

KO E MO‘UI LOTU MO’ONI

PSALM 34:3

Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.

SAAME 34:3

Mou kau mo au ke viki ‘a Sihova, Pea tau hākeaki‘i hono huafa fakataha.

 

Soli Deo Gloria – To the Glory of God Alone

Ki he Langilangi ‘o e ‘Otua Tokotaha pe    

It appears that the truly virtuous mind, being as it were under the sovereign dominion of love to God, above all things seeks the glory of God, and makes this his supreme, governing, and ultimate end. This consists in the expression of God's perfections in their proper effects; the manifestation of God's glory to created understandings; the communications of the infinite fulness of God to the creature; the creature's highest esteem of God, love to, and joy in Him; and in the proper exercises and expressions of these.

And so far as a virtuous mind exercises true virtue in benevolence to created beings, it chiefly seeks the good of the creature; consisting in its knowledge or view of God's glory and beauty, its union with God, conformity and love to Him, and joy in Him. And that disposition of heart, that consent, union, or propensity of mind to being in general, which appears chiefly in such exercises, is virtue, truly so called; or in other words, true grace and real holiness. And no other disposition or affection but this is of the nature of true virtue.

JONATHAN EDWARDS

‘Oku hā mahino mai ko e loto ‘o e tokotaha tui, ‘i he’ene tukulolo kakato ki he pule aoniu ‘a e ‘ofa ‘a e ‘Otua, ‘oku ne feinga ke fai ‘ene me’a kotoa pe ke langilangi’ia ai ‘a e ‘Otua, pea ko ‘ene kaveinga taupotu taha ia ‘oku fakalele’aki ‘ene mo’ui.  ‘Oku ne fakahaa’i ‘a e mo’oni ko ‘eni ‘i he tapa kotoa ‘o ‘ene mo’ui; ‘oku ne fakahaa’i ‘a e langilangi ‘o e ‘Otua ‘i he tapa kotoa ‘o ‘ene mo’ui; ‘oku hā ai ‘a e kakato ‘o e tokonaki ‘a e ‘Otua ‘i he’ene mo’ui; ko e tumutumu ‘o ‘ene mo’ui lotu ki he ‘Otua, ‘ofa mo ‘ene fiefia ‘oku litaula kotoa pe kiate Ia; pea ‘oku ‘ākilotoa ‘a ‘ene me’a kotoa pe ‘i he fakaha’anga ‘o e langilangi ‘o e ‘Otua.

‘I he taimi ‘oku nofo ai ‘a e tokotaha lotu mo’oni ke ne tulituli ki he ngaahi mo’oni ko ‘eni, ‘oku ne fai ‘a e me’a ‘oku lelei mo hono kaungā fononga; ‘o makatu’unga ‘i he ‘ilo mo ‘ene vakai ki he langilangi mo e masani ‘o e ‘Otua, ‘a ‘ene taha mo Ia, ‘ene fakaangatatau ia kiate Ia mo ‘ene ‘ofa kiate Ia, pea ‘oku kakato ‘iate Ia ‘a ‘ene fiefia.  Ko e tūkunga mo’ui ko ‘eni, ‘a e fiefia, taha, mo e hu’unga ‘o hono loto, ko e uho eni ‘o e lotu mo’oni; ko hono toe fakalea ‘e taha; ko e kelesi mo’oni eni pea mo e mā’oni’oni ‘oku mo’oni.  ‘Oku ‘ikai mo ha toe to’onga mo’ui te ne fakauoua’i ‘a e mo’ui ‘a e tokotaha kuo ne luva kakato ‘ene mo’ui ki he langilangi ‘o e ‘Otua.