God's Holy Mountain

I've been coming into consolidating type understanding on big things recently. See the post below on the second conscious shock (there's alot in that). Also, in theology.

Covenant Theology is organic and difficult to get your arms around, but that's because it is biblical theology (as opposed to systematic theology). The old term for covenant theoloyg is Federal Theology. Federal Theology, on the other hand, is beautifully clear and powerfully so (because it explains covenant theology in systematic terms, drawing parallels, and defining it with perspective). It is based on seeing the two 'federal heads' of humanity, the first and the second Adam, Adam himself and Jesus Christ.

Federal Theology is seeing man in his fourfold state in the entire sweep of the history of redemption: man in his state of innocence in the garden; man in his fallen state of depravity; man in his state of regeneration; and man in his state of glorification.

This also includes the 'mountain' symbology. The Garden of Eden has the mountain of God. The Garden itself is higher than the level of earth. Man was created 'on high', then 'fell', then reconnects with God and makes his way back up, and then attain glorification (a level higher than the original state in the Garden). From the Mountain of God in the Garden to the Mountain of God called Zion.

And all the 'soteriology' (or order of salvation) that occurs in between those two mountains is everything the Work describes and biblical doctrine regarding the Doctrines of Grace (Calvinism) describes. All that awakening and struggle and passive and active sanctification where you both make efforts as well as get 'drawn upward' from above. All the anti-intuitive ideas and practices and goals that are about effecting the internal 'turning' from sleep to awakening, from vanity, worldly pride, and self-will to faith, repentance, and God's will.

Thomas Boston's Human Nature in its Fourfold State is an elegant history and description of Federal Theology.

What I'm saying is the sacred history enmeshed deeply in the background of the Bible and that explains it all (and remember Covenant Theology and Federal Theology are the same thing, yet just different in its presentation) is present in understanding when you know Federal Theology. And when you have understanding of the second conscious shock you have understanding of the Work.

All the above is hard to describe in quickly sketched type writing, but it's remarkable the understanding and perspective Federal Theology gives once you have complete in understanding. I've been there with the Work for a long time now, but with Federal Theology it's a new level attained (I'm not being vain, by the way, I'm just recording something new I've come into). It's big and energising because both are the biggest subjects. The biggest mountains. The same mountain, really. God's Holy Mountain...