I just got done reading a great article about the difference between the Theology of Glory vs. The Theology of the Cross. The author, Todd Wilken, does a great job of sorting out between the two and I would encourage you to read it.
Within American Christianity today, one only needs to go to the local Christian bookstore or Barnes and Noble to see that the Church is absolutely infatuated with a theology of glory. The author explains in greater detail, but essentially a theology of glory holds that God "helps those who help themselves;" if we do certain actions, God, like a genie responds by granting us "success." (Examples of the Theology of Glory would be: Your Best Life Now, The Prayer of Jabez, and too many others to count. I get know joy out of pointing these books out as examples and I don't know the spiritual state of these authors. I just know their theology is dangerous.)
A Theology of the Cross essentially tells us that God reveals Himself in ways that we would never see coming by our own human reason. Jesus says in His kingdom, "the last will be first." Jesus the Son of God comes as a babe not enshrined in a castle, but in a smelly stable; Jesus the King of the universe comes riding in on a donkey; Jesus the Owner of the universe has no place to lay His head; Jesus the purest and most holy Being, suffers the death of the worst of sinners. It is only after death, that glory comes through the Resurrection.
Through these same means, humility, shame, dishonor, etc. God showers blessing on the believer. This is The Theology of the Cross. This theology is only found through the Word.
We all struggle with The Theology of Glory. This is the reason why Jesus called us to pick up our cross daily and follow Him.
Can you think of ways that you see the theology of glory or the theology of the cross in our world today?
1 comment:
Question:
Can you think of ways that you see the theology of glory or the theology of the cross in our world today?
Response:
A few weeks ago I was at the airport, waiting a bit for my better half to pick me up to go home. While waiting, I discussed the gospel with a woman. At first I hadn't seen her shirt (which said something like, "Always Thank God for Everything - Ephesians 5:20"), but was then a bit surprised that she accepted the Bible I offered her. A few minutes later, her son-in-law and daughter approached to pick her up.
We continued the conversation, which turned to where they congregate ("The Rock Church" in San Bernardino, with whom I've also had contact for very different reasons). They spoke of the power of the past Sunday's message - something along the lines of unleashing the power God intends for his children to claim the blessings of this life.
Obviously I couldn't gather the full context of the sermon in the five minutes that we spoke, but it certainly seemed to proclaim the theology of glory.
Not knowing how to respond in a way that would be fruitful, I parted ways with them asking that the woman I'd met would take some time to read the Bible that I gave to her a few minutes earlier. She asked if she owed me anything for it - I told her that we both knew that the price had already been paid.
_______________________________
I've heard it said that we should grasp the power of the Holy Spirit to proclaim the gospel truth of Jesus Christ. This sounds good, but this even treads closely to the theology of glory. Being drawn back to the cross we would find the power to be present not in what we grasp but in what we are given from God while forsaking ourselves. (re: Ephesians 3:16)
Post a Comment