Stranger and Pilgrim

“The thirst for glory is not ended by satisfying but rather by extinguishing.” Martin Luther

Two theologies exist in this world; amongst a cacophony of voices there are two stories of redemption, two worldviews of life, two overarching paradigms of ontology. These antithetical theologies are locked in mortal combat, they are the Story of Glory and the Story of The Cross.

This blog is dedicated to advancing the theology of the cross; a story that bring humility, a story that brings self-despair, a story that brings hope. The Cross Story is a theology which transforms the beholder and captivates the object of it’s power! It is a story which reaches out and makes you a part of its wonderful work by crucifying you with Christ.

The Glory Story is, for all intents and purposes, the chief arch-nemesis of the Cross. It seeks its own interests, it desires acknowledgment, and boasts of its own ability. Theologians of glory might be heard praising the Cross; but never without crediting themselves for part or all of the difference in their salvation.

By God’s providence, Martin Luther was graced with enabling to articulate these axiomatic antipodes with commanding contrast, brilliant profundity and scriptural humility. In twenty-eight pointed theses, Luther sets forth the fundamental truths most key to striking a death-blow to Romanism and works-righteousness. Instead of defining the theologies themselves, he describes the theologians.

Only eight months after Luther rocked the world with 95 Theses nailed to the Castle Church in Wittenberg, he was back with these 28 more pointed statements, this time they were nailed to the coffin of Catholicism. It is truly amazing how much insight God gave this man in only eight months, how far he was brought in truth, and how God made him free from the entanglements of Rome.

Known collectively as the “Heidelberg Disputation,” and worded in a way that only Luther could word them, these twenty-eight theses are as profound as they are intriguing. If any reader is not thoughtful in reading them, they can hardly be but misunderstood. Over the next few weeks, by the mercies of God, I hope to cover the Heidelberg Disputation in sections, to briefly explain each thesis from scripture, to show the wisdom concealed in these truths, and to exalt the resurrected Christ and the Glory of His cross!

“But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.” 1 Cor. 1:23-29

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Pride is idolatry of self. Spurgeon called it the “worst malformation of all the monstrous things in creation; it hath nothing lovely in it, nothing in proportion, but everything in disorder. It is altogether the very reverse of the creatures which God hath made, which are pure and holy. Pride, the first-born son of hell, is indeed like its parent, all unclean and vile, and in it there is neither form, fashion, nor comeliness.”

Humility, on the other hand, is of all graces most to be treasured and embraced. It ought to be lived in our communication, our dress, our thoughts, our doctrine, and in our prayer.

A child of God would never assert that he could do ought to merit righteousness, perhaps never think it; but the ongoing inability every Christian has in being continually and entirely heart-broken by God’s glorious grace to him or her is evidence enough of the pride still remaining within the heart.

Pride is a brainlessly ignorant thing, an entirely dishonest thing, a malignantly selfish thing, but above all, it is a most deceitfully adaptive thing.

Pride sometimes takes its shape in doctrine; it teaches the religion of man’s-sufficiency; it tells us what man can do, and will not submit itself to the scriptural teaching that we are by nature utterly lost, fallen, debased, and ruined creatures, as we are.

Other times, pride takes the form of prayer, petition, praise, even repentance, but all tainted with the stigma of self-righteousness. Men will “thank God” that they are not like other men, thinking themselves humble, never knowing that the deceitfulness of pride prompts them to pray. Continue reading

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Over the last week I have been quick slack in blogging. However I have greatly appreciated the refreshment afforded by a God-Glorifying Lord’s-Day Rest. As part of my resting, I’m taking a little time to bring you another blog-post. To the end that Christ may be honored, through us, as we embrace the beauty of  humility by grace.

Earlier this week I found myself at the library, waiting upon the rest of my family to finish some homeschooling projects. While the rest of them occupied a study room, I was entrusted with my youngest sister in the main room and using one of the public computers. She patiently sat in my lap as I skimmed through a few sermons by Jonathan Edwards, when I finished, I decided to spend the rest of my time teaching her a lesson on the Virtue of Humility; a valuable lesson to learn young!

Explaining humility in a way that a young child can understand requires some thought and patience. Out of curiosity, I actually turned to a regular dictionary to see how it might define the term “humble”. Continue reading

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