A nominal Christian is content with proving the way of salvation by a crucified Redeemer. But the true Christian loves it, delights in it, glories in it, and shudders at the very thought of glorying in anything else"
"...and shudders at the very thought of glorying in anything else"
That might need a bit of unpacking, as it seems almost to deny the rightness of gloriying in the image of God already present (regardless of any sense of redeption and restoration through the life, death, and ressurection of Jesus).
Yeah I agree, Focus not on Jesus is diversion, its a cool quote. But I agree with post liberal in that I would love to hear your thoughts on it, unless its one of those it does what it say on the tin for you. Nice Blog btw. Liam
Hey Dave, i read your posts a lot... keep up the good work there's real meat to think about on here!
I do totally agree that to glory in the cross is to glory in the single most exemplary statement of who God is. At the same time (and now i'm nitpicking somewhat), there's a whole lot of other things which we can take about who god is, and glory in. What about the life of Jesus, the things he did and how that displayed his redeeming healing heart aswell? What about glorying in his artistic creativity in the beauty of creation? Is it possible that while yes, we should never lose the wonder of the cross - because it's the heart of who God is - there's a lot more to glory, things which also display who he is? What about the risen redeemer, the healing redeemer, the creating redeemer. Love your thoughts on mine Dave. Bless up
Amen brother. I agree fully! My nitpick (!) would be that to see glory in creation and all the other places that God displays himself comes via the cross.
To glory in all the rest of God's character is the application of glorying in the cross alone.
Once I rest in the presence of my king, in intimate sonship with him by the Spirit then my eyes begin to open to see his glory in the view out of my window, in creativity, in my wife, in all of life.
This quote caught me off guard and knocked me back into shape... always good.
It seems to me that Christians (particularly myself) are constantly trying to make life more difficult for themselves than it needs to be. It's really quite simple when you think that the glory of Christ and his cross is the only thing we should be concerned about.
I would've thought the "greatest revelation of God's character and image" is the very incarnation itself - the whole life of Jesus Christ, in it's totality. It's a complete narrative of redemption and revelation...of which the passion story is a part...
PL. Point taken but I think as you read the gospel the high point of revelation and what Jesus came to achieve is in his death.
All four are massively weighted accounts centred upon Jesus death - which obviously entails his perfect life and his resurrection. What the gospel writers have recorded for us isn't everything but it points us towards seeing Jesus death at the centre of everything - and so too in heaven when the slain lamb is on the throne. As Zinzendorf said - "tell them about the lamb of God until you can tell them no more."
The crux of the matter is the crucified redeemer. He who redeems because he dies, because of who he is that dies. The Bible gives us the story of God's salvation which climaxes with the crucified king. He came to die.
Alright - I might be best to come out an say I don't like the focus on death. I have an antipathy to morbid theology that sees death as the crux.
This is more than a personal antipathy, though, I think we cannot be principled espousers of the gospel while truncating the redemptive act of Jesus Christ. All four gospel accounts, Mark in particular, do seem to act almost as passion narratives with extended introductions. As I've indicated, I think the atonement of the passion story is life-death-ressurection. Niether of these makes sense apart from the other, gaining thier full Christological significance when sharing light.
Let's not put convenience above good theology here - it may be easier to have the slogan of 'the cross alone', but it actually comes very close to meaning that people might miss the whole significance. The disciples went away unsure and despondent at his death, only finding the significance when they met him on the roads and in thier rooms; risen again.
somewhat lost in translation... "to glory in" means to boast in. Thus the question is where is your confidence before God... the answer should be solely in the Cross of Christ. And in that Cross because of who is dying there - the one Jesus who made all things, holds them together, lived and died, and rose and will return...
In his death we find the ground of all hope, confidence and boasting. That is why we love it and delight in it so much.. and why we dare not boast elsewhere.
I've said all I can think of, and how I might put it. I sympathise, despite what it may seem. Though will end saying that life is what I celebrate, of which death is only one aspect (hows that for paradoxical)
I celebrate life too, the one thing we have to keep in mind is that the joy of eternal (now and not yet) life is only achieved for us on the basis of the death of Jesus.
That death being significant because of the person (who lived) who died. And because of what that death achieved (bearing God's wrath/curse in our place and then rising from the dead to defeat death, sin and satan).
naughty - you've drawn me into commenting on this again ;P
Leaving aside our understandings of atonement (PSA ect.), I think most of all I'm simply calling for a widening of appreciation. Maybe this early hymn, quoted in Philippians, that I often quote around (being rather taken by) might serve to integrate our perspectives here:
"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Salvation is found through Jesus Christ - one aspect of which was his dying and rising again. Or so I reckon...
Ultimately, let our discussion turn to Christ-exalting worship:
Lord, You’re calling me to come And behold the wondrous cross To explore the depths of grace That came to me at such a cost Where Your boundless love Conquered my boundless sin And mercy’s arms were opened wide
My heart is filled with a thousand songs Proclaiming the glories of Calvary With every breath, Lord how I long To sing of Jesus who died for me Lord, take me deeper Into the glories of Calvary
Sinners find eternal joy In the triumph of Your wounds By our Savior’s crimson flow Holy wrath has been removed And Your saints below Join with your saints above Rejoicing in the Risen Lamb
(c) Steve & Vikki Cook, Lyrics, MP3 and Sheet Music available at http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/music/projects/crosssongs/
"...and shudders at the very thought of glorying in anything else"
ReplyDeleteThat might need a bit of unpacking, as it seems almost to deny the rightness of gloriying in the image of God already present (regardless of any sense of redeption and restoration through the life, death, and ressurection of Jesus).
Taking your point - to glory in the cross is to glory in the greatest revelation of God's character and image
ReplyDeleteSee also Galatians 6:14
To glory in anything else is to glory in self and sin.
Yeah I agree, Focus not on Jesus is diversion, its a cool quote. But I agree with post liberal in that I would love to hear your thoughts on it, unless its one of those it does what it say on the tin for you.
ReplyDeleteNice Blog btw.
Liam
Hey Dave, i read your posts a lot... keep up the good work there's real meat to think about on here!
ReplyDeleteI do totally agree that to glory in the cross is to glory in the single most exemplary statement of who God is. At the same time (and now i'm nitpicking somewhat), there's a whole lot of other things which we can take about who god is, and glory in. What about the life of Jesus, the things he did and how that displayed his redeeming healing heart aswell? What about glorying in his artistic creativity in the beauty of creation? Is it possible that while yes, we should never lose the wonder of the cross - because it's the heart of who God is - there's a lot more to glory, things which also display who he is? What about the risen redeemer, the healing redeemer, the creating redeemer. Love your thoughts on mine Dave. Bless up
An excellent quote which stopped me in my tracks - after having got hold of only part of the Christian Hedonism theology...
ReplyDeleteWill be chewing this over and praying about it - thanks.
Amen brother. I agree fully! My nitpick (!) would be that to see glory in creation and all the other places that God displays himself comes via the cross.
ReplyDeleteTo glory in all the rest of God's character is the application of glorying in the cross alone.
Once I rest in the presence of my king, in intimate sonship with him by the Spirit then my eyes begin to open to see his glory in the view out of my window, in creativity, in my wife, in all of life.
Matt,
ReplyDeleteCome, enjoy the journey.
This quote caught me off guard and knocked me back into shape... always good.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that Christians (particularly myself) are constantly trying to make life more difficult for themselves than it needs to be. It's really quite simple when you think that the glory of Christ and his cross is the only thing we should be concerned about.
Let's serve God over our bellies...
I would've thought the "greatest revelation of God's character and image" is the very incarnation itself - the whole life of Jesus Christ, in it's totality. It's a complete narrative of redemption and revelation...of which the passion story is a part...
ReplyDeletePL.
ReplyDeletePoint taken but I think as you read the gospel the high point of revelation and what Jesus came to achieve is in his death.
All four are massively weighted accounts centred upon Jesus death - which obviously entails his perfect life and his resurrection. What the gospel writers have recorded for us isn't everything but it points us towards seeing Jesus death at the centre of everything - and so too in heaven when the slain lamb is on the throne. As Zinzendorf said - "tell them about the lamb of God until you can tell them no more."
The crux of the matter is the crucified redeemer. He who redeems because he dies, because of who he is that dies. The Bible gives us the story of God's salvation which climaxes with the crucified king. He came to die.
Alright - I might be best to come out an say I don't like the focus on death. I have an antipathy to morbid theology that sees death as the crux.
ReplyDeleteThis is more than a personal antipathy, though, I think we cannot be principled espousers of the gospel while truncating the redemptive act of Jesus Christ. All four gospel accounts, Mark in particular, do seem to act almost as passion narratives with extended introductions. As I've indicated, I think the atonement of the passion story is life-death-ressurection. Niether of these makes sense apart from the other, gaining thier full Christological significance when sharing light.
Let's not put convenience above good theology here - it may be easier to have the slogan of 'the cross alone', but it actually comes very close to meaning that people might miss the whole significance. The disciples went away unsure and despondent at his death, only finding the significance when they met him on the roads and in thier rooms; risen again.
somewhat lost in translation... "to glory in" means to boast in. Thus the question is where is your confidence before God... the answer should be solely in the Cross of Christ. And in that Cross because of who is dying there - the one Jesus who made all things, holds them together, lived and died, and rose and will return...
ReplyDeleteIn his death we find the ground of all hope, confidence and boasting. That is why we love it and delight in it so much.. and why we dare not boast elsewhere.
I've said all I can think of, and how I might put it. I sympathise, despite what it may seem. Though will end saying that life is what I celebrate, of which death is only one aspect (hows that for paradoxical)
ReplyDeleteI celebrate life too, the one thing we have to keep in mind is that the joy of eternal (now and not yet) life is only achieved for us on the basis of the death of Jesus.
ReplyDeleteThat death being significant because of the person (who lived) who died. And because of what that death achieved (bearing God's wrath/curse in our place and then rising from the dead to defeat death, sin and satan).
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeletenaughty - you've drawn me into commenting on this again ;P
ReplyDeleteLeaving aside our understandings of atonement (PSA ect.), I think most of all I'm simply calling for a widening of appreciation. Maybe this early hymn, quoted in Philippians, that I often quote around (being rather taken by) might serve to integrate our perspectives here:
"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death–
even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."
Salvation is found through Jesus Christ - one aspect of which was his dying and rising again. Or so I reckon...
Ultimately, let our discussion turn to Christ-exalting worship:
ReplyDeleteLord, You’re calling me to come
And behold the wondrous cross
To explore the depths of grace
That came to me at such a cost
Where Your boundless love
Conquered my boundless sin
And mercy’s arms were opened wide
My heart is filled with a thousand songs
Proclaiming the glories of Calvary
With every breath, Lord how I long
To sing of Jesus who died for me
Lord, take me deeper
Into the glories of Calvary
Sinners find eternal joy
In the triumph of Your wounds
By our Savior’s crimson flow
Holy wrath has been removed
And Your saints below
Join with your saints above
Rejoicing in the Risen Lamb
(c) Steve & Vikki Cook,
Lyrics, MP3 and Sheet Music available at http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/music/projects/crosssongs/
"Ultimately, let our discussion turn to Christ-exalting worship"
ReplyDeleteI think I can safely say an "amen" to that.