Why not start with the city’s namesake? Augustine of Hippo, the Doctor of Grace, was the foremost theologian of the church’s first one thousand years. He laid the theological groundwork for the doctrines of human depravity and salvation by God’s Grace alone that would later be expounded upon by the likes of Luther and Calvin during the Reformation. My favorite quote by Augustine is a prayer he had regarding his own chastity. He would pray to God, “God, make me chaste…but not yet.” Here was a flesh and blood saint who struggled through the same sin and temptation we all do, yet he was used by God to do great things for the Body of Christ. His major works include De Doctrina Christiana (On Christian Doctrine), De Trinitate (On the Trinity), The Confessions, and De Civitate Dei (The City of God). So, I implore everyone to “tolle lege, tolle lege” (take up and read, take up and read)!
Next, we have the City Gate. My mind immediately goes to two passages.
“Enter through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. But the gate is narrow and the way is difficult that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” –Matthew 7:13-14
"Jesus replied, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'” –John 14:6
Believing on Jesus Christ and following Him is difficult, but He is the only way to God the Father. We cannot try and come into God’s Heavenly Kingdom our own way on our own terms. This is the essence of all false worldviews, belief systems, and religions. The exclusivity of Christianity is a point of contention for many believers and nonbelievers. The logic follows that all non-Christians’ good works, no matter how noble, piety, no matter how devout, and beliefs, no matter how sincere, are not enough to escape eternal damnation. Tough stuff, I know. We may think that it is unfair, nay, evil, to condemn a seemingly “good” pagan into hell. However, there is one problem: sin. So, in reality, according to God’s standard of holiness, there is not one good person, no, not one! This includes Christians who are also sinners, but they are sinners who have received unmerited mercy and grace. Seeing that man was dead in sin and incapable of meeting the standard of the Law, God provided Christ to fulfill the Law and to atone for that sin. It was by faith in Christ’s perfect righteousness that we enter into God’s Kingdom. So, rather they reviling the exclusivity of Christ, embrace it; embrace Christ as the ultimate expression of God’s love and mercy to us fallen, wretched sinners. God had no responsibility or obligation to save us from His awesome wrath. We often cry to God for "justice"; few realize that true justice would only bring condemnation. We should instead cry "mercy, mercy!" Fall prostrate atop Calvary’s hill at the base of the cross and leave your transgressions and guilt there, Beloved. Then, comfort yourself with thoughts of one day treading the streets of gold in the presence of your Savior and Lord!
St. Augustine’s emblematic structure would have to be the Anastasia Lighthouse. You see it everywhere from storefronts to car dealerships, postcards to key chains, and clothing to paintings. Its black and white stripe pattern is instantly recognizable. It also reminds me of an oft-quoted verse:
"Then Jesus spoke out again, 'I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'” –John 8:12
Jesus lights the dark corners of our hearts so that we may understand true godliness. So that we may clearly see our own sinfulness and God’s own righteousness. Jesus is the lamp of Truth in a dark world of falsehood and lies. There are other verses that come to mind:
“Arise! Shine! For your light arrives! The splendor of the Lord shines on you!”—Isaiah 60:1
“If then your whole body is full of light, with no part in the dark, it will be as full of light as when the light of a lamp shines on you.” –Luke 11:36
The lighthouse is a light source, much like God. God is the sun and we are the moon. We do not produce our own light; we are only capable of reflecting the light of God. The words Paul wrote to Timothy are also very pertinent:
“To do this you must hold firmly to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck in regard to the faith.” –1 Timothy 1:19.
Paul made long ocean voyages to evangelize the Gentiles. He knew all to well the dangerous possibility of a shipwreck. He was also aware of the Lighthouse at Alexandria, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. We must always look to Christ and His truth to avoid being run spiritually aground by false doctrine and sinful desires; He will guide us safely across the tumultuous seas of life. Though we are tossed by the waves, battered by the rain, and blown by the wind, by fixing our gaze upon His holy light, we will one day safely make port in paradise!
The other structure synonymous with St. Augustine is the Castillo de San Marcos. The fort was used as a defense against enemy attacks upon the city. Its massive coquina walls protected the soldiers within who stood on guard to fight any aggressor who would mount an attack upon St. Augustine. In a similar fashion, God is our refuge and strength who serves as protection against our three main enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil. These three are the REAL "Axis of Evil." I am immediately made to consider the 46th Pslam. However, my first thought went straight to what has been called both “the greatest hymn of the greatest man of the greatest period of German history” and the “Battle Hymn of the Reformation.” I speak of course of Luther’s famous hymn derived from the aforementioned Psalm: A Mighty Fortress is Our God. Take time to meditate upon these lyrics; they are very edifying:
A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal!
Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle!
And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him!
That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever!
Lastly, we come to the Mission of Nombre de Dios and The Great Cross. For a brief history, go here. This mighty symbol stands like the Colossal of Rhodes above our fair city. It reminds us of Christ’s atoning sacrifice for us helpless sinners. The Crucifixion along with the Resurrection lie at the heart of the Gospel. It should be at the heart of our preaching. Paul makes it clear what we Christians proclaim:
“But we preach about a crucified Christ, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.”—1 Corinthians 1:23
The Cross confounds men. It goes against our grain. It cannot be rationally explained or comprehended. It contradicts all other religion that makes man the author of his own salvation. We seem to think that we are good enough to attain salvation: My good deeds outweigh my bad; surely God will let ME into heaven. Foolish sinners are we! Our faith we place in our own merit is ill-founded. Paul was a brilliant and pious Pharisee, but he did not brag about his own work, but rather be boasted in Christ’s work:
“But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”—Galatians 6:14
We Christians have no excuse for self-righteousness, since it is not by our own righteousness that we have justified but by Christ’s! Christianity is ultimately not about happy marriages, functional families, full back accounts, good health, or "your best life now." Christianity is all about Christ and Him cruicified.
Whenever you stroll through the quaint alleys of St. Augustine, take time to consider God’s holiness, mercy, and love for sinners embodied by Christ Jesus. This city’s charm will take on a whole new meaning!
Soli Deo Gloria!
*All Scripture citations come from the NET Bible at bible.org
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