Theses #3 and 4 -- Naked Confidence
Theses 3 and 4 "Although the works of man always seem attractive and good, they are nevertheless likely to be mortal sins. Although the works of God are always unattractive and appear evil, they are nevertheless really eternal merits."
Let's summarize where we are, where we've come from: Neither the law of God, the natural law nor 27 steps to self-reformation can accomplish righteousness before God. I once visited a cathedral in Mexico City where the penitent, needy, and seemingly spiritual believers crawled on their knees through a massive courtyard to demonstrate true piety. Listen, you can crawl on your knees from here to Rome and back and all you'll get is bloody knees and a heart shattered by pride and despair. Not interested in being Romish? How about those 7 tried-and-true steps to becoming a more beautiful, wonderful, successful, powerful, spiritual you? We've even got verses!
Perhaps we're not as far from Our Lady of Guadalupe as we think. All those steps that seem so good, so reasonable, so useful are actually steps away from true righteousness because they speak lies to us. They tell us that we are good and simply need a little help from the man upstairs and a sprucing up here or there. We need to demonstrate true sincerity. These steps or "works of man" always seem attractive and good but nevertheless are likely to be mortal sins. We scoff at people who whip themselves or crawl on their knees. Are we that different? Perhaps we know enough to avoid saying 15 Hail Mary's as penance for our misdeeds. But do we see things as they really are? Do we promise God we'll be a better person tomorrow if he just helps us find a parking place today?
The works of God always appear unattractive and evil. They aren't very optimistic. The works of God are a bloody baby born to a woman of questionable morals, whimpering in a feeding trough. They are a not-so good looking bloke being misunderstood, abused, bloodied, stripped, crying out in anguish. They are dark skies and earthquakes. They are wrath poured out and life given up. They are a borrowed, musty tomb. They are also a risen Christ, yes! (hallelujah!) -- but where is he? Why doesn't he show himself? If he's still alive, why must be also be ascended and ruling sovereignly -- hidden to our view? I want to be on the winning team -- not hanging out with a bunch of pathetic losers. So, let's join a political party and transform the world! Want to be a millionaire? Start acting like one! Hate being a loser? Make choices like you're a winner! At heart, don't we militate against the outward unattractiveness of Christianity? That's why we're always trying to spruce it up by adding something more respectable (worldly wise) to it. It's just so unattractive (to use Luther's term).
Yes, it's easy to get there, isn't it? We hide our eyes from the One with no form or beauty that we should desire him. And yet, that's what we are, too. Here's Luther's point: We've got no beauty or comeliness and God ought to hide his eyes from us. But he hid his eyes from his Son instead and now he's hidden us IN his Son. There's no false optimism here. It really does look to the world like we're the losers who are awaiting some pie-in-the-sky-in-the-sweet-by-and-by while they go for the gusto. But the truth is that we've got real righteousness. Why? Because God's Spirit has so worked upon us that he's humbled us so that now we believe we don't have any of our own.
What do we have? Where can we stand? Only in the bare confidence in his mercy. He "humbles us thoroughly, making us despair, so that he may exalt us in his mercy, giving us hope..." (33). What does God's work accomplish in us? It humbles (humiliates is better, I think, doesn't sound so gentle...) us. The cross itself demonstrates the truth of our poverty. And then it implants within us the fear of God. Not the cringing, slavish fear -- rather the realization that even my best deeds (which appear so beautiful to me) are actually putrid before him. Yet...in his mercy he purifies and beautifies them and presents them as sweet offerings to my Father. That makes me worship -- that gives me hope.
Does all this seem a bit pessimistic? I hope it does. I hope it's pessimistic enough to drive us all out of our blind and self-deceived optimism and into naked confidence in the mercy of God. Want merit with God? Strip yourself of everything that makes you feel like you deserve it and stand in naked confidence that he's as merciful as he says he is. There. Stand there. Undoubtedly you'll have to strip down a thousand times a day. That's okay. Fifteen minutes from now you'll forget you ever read this. That's good, too. Because then you'll begin to know that even your ability to stay naked won't save you. Your ability to keep this mindset isn't meritorious. Naked confidence in mercy is ALL we've got. Whether we remember it or not. The humility that comes from the realization that I keep forgetting this truth and that I'll never be good enough is all that I've got to offer. But it's enough. He welcomes it because it's his unattractive, seemingly evil work (it's HIS WORK!) which really is eternal merit because it postures you as a receiver, not a contributor, not a giver. Standing naked clothed in his righteousness alone. There. Stand there. Receive.
Let's summarize where we are, where we've come from: Neither the law of God, the natural law nor 27 steps to self-reformation can accomplish righteousness before God. I once visited a cathedral in Mexico City where the penitent, needy, and seemingly spiritual believers crawled on their knees through a massive courtyard to demonstrate true piety. Listen, you can crawl on your knees from here to Rome and back and all you'll get is bloody knees and a heart shattered by pride and despair. Not interested in being Romish? How about those 7 tried-and-true steps to becoming a more beautiful, wonderful, successful, powerful, spiritual you? We've even got verses!
Perhaps we're not as far from Our Lady of Guadalupe as we think. All those steps that seem so good, so reasonable, so useful are actually steps away from true righteousness because they speak lies to us. They tell us that we are good and simply need a little help from the man upstairs and a sprucing up here or there. We need to demonstrate true sincerity. These steps or "works of man" always seem attractive and good but nevertheless are likely to be mortal sins. We scoff at people who whip themselves or crawl on their knees. Are we that different? Perhaps we know enough to avoid saying 15 Hail Mary's as penance for our misdeeds. But do we see things as they really are? Do we promise God we'll be a better person tomorrow if he just helps us find a parking place today?
The works of God always appear unattractive and evil. They aren't very optimistic. The works of God are a bloody baby born to a woman of questionable morals, whimpering in a feeding trough. They are a not-so good looking bloke being misunderstood, abused, bloodied, stripped, crying out in anguish. They are dark skies and earthquakes. They are wrath poured out and life given up. They are a borrowed, musty tomb. They are also a risen Christ, yes! (hallelujah!) -- but where is he? Why doesn't he show himself? If he's still alive, why must be also be ascended and ruling sovereignly -- hidden to our view? I want to be on the winning team -- not hanging out with a bunch of pathetic losers. So, let's join a political party and transform the world! Want to be a millionaire? Start acting like one! Hate being a loser? Make choices like you're a winner! At heart, don't we militate against the outward unattractiveness of Christianity? That's why we're always trying to spruce it up by adding something more respectable (worldly wise) to it. It's just so unattractive (to use Luther's term).
Yes, it's easy to get there, isn't it? We hide our eyes from the One with no form or beauty that we should desire him. And yet, that's what we are, too. Here's Luther's point: We've got no beauty or comeliness and God ought to hide his eyes from us. But he hid his eyes from his Son instead and now he's hidden us IN his Son. There's no false optimism here. It really does look to the world like we're the losers who are awaiting some pie-in-the-sky-in-the-sweet-by-and-by while they go for the gusto. But the truth is that we've got real righteousness. Why? Because God's Spirit has so worked upon us that he's humbled us so that now we believe we don't have any of our own.
What do we have? Where can we stand? Only in the bare confidence in his mercy. He "humbles us thoroughly, making us despair, so that he may exalt us in his mercy, giving us hope..." (33). What does God's work accomplish in us? It humbles (humiliates is better, I think, doesn't sound so gentle...) us. The cross itself demonstrates the truth of our poverty. And then it implants within us the fear of God. Not the cringing, slavish fear -- rather the realization that even my best deeds (which appear so beautiful to me) are actually putrid before him. Yet...in his mercy he purifies and beautifies them and presents them as sweet offerings to my Father. That makes me worship -- that gives me hope.
Does all this seem a bit pessimistic? I hope it does. I hope it's pessimistic enough to drive us all out of our blind and self-deceived optimism and into naked confidence in the mercy of God. Want merit with God? Strip yourself of everything that makes you feel like you deserve it and stand in naked confidence that he's as merciful as he says he is. There. Stand there. Undoubtedly you'll have to strip down a thousand times a day. That's okay. Fifteen minutes from now you'll forget you ever read this. That's good, too. Because then you'll begin to know that even your ability to stay naked won't save you. Your ability to keep this mindset isn't meritorious. Naked confidence in mercy is ALL we've got. Whether we remember it or not. The humility that comes from the realization that I keep forgetting this truth and that I'll never be good enough is all that I've got to offer. But it's enough. He welcomes it because it's his unattractive, seemingly evil work (it's HIS WORK!) which really is eternal merit because it postures you as a receiver, not a contributor, not a giver. Standing naked clothed in his righteousness alone. There. Stand there. Receive.
I read this today from Of First Importance. More thoughts on what we've been discussing:
The Gospel vs Religion and Irreligion
“Christians come to see that both their sins and their best deeds have all really been ways of avoiding Jesus as savior. They come to see that Christianity is not fundamentally an invitation to get more religious. A Christian comes to say: “Though I have often failed to obey the moral law, the deeper problem was why I was trying to obey it! Even my efforts to obey it has been just a way of seeking to be my own savior. In that mindset, even if I obey or ask for forgiveness, I am really resisting the gospel and setting myself up as Savior.”
To “get the gospel” is turn from self-justification and rely on Jesus’ record for a relationship with God. The irreligious don’t repent at all, and the religious only repent of sins. But Christians also repent of their righteousness. That is the distinction between the three groups–Christian, moralists (religious), and pragmatists (irreligious).”
- Tim Keller, “The Centrality of the Gospel”
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It seems the Lord is all about stripping us naked. And He does so with or without our permission. He has methodically stripped me of many things- homeschooling, small group leadership with my husband, my health, my energy to work, the things I thought I was so right about. I was left with brokenness, weakness, and inability. Anyone else want to sign up for God's work in their life?
I was no longer the 'doer' but now had become the 'done to.' He had to kill me in order to make me alive. All those things He stripped me of were the things I was counting on to please Him with. But I had it wrong! I thought what pleased Him was my strength (in Him), my ability to overcome sin (through Him, of course), and how much I served Him. I had held up these works as something He should be impressed with but He was declaring,"Filthy rags! Trash! Dung!" because He knew His work was so far superior to anything of mine. And mine was tripping me up from seeing His.
It's His kindness to strip us. I want to be comfortable with words like needy, weak, struggling, unable, broken, unattractive, lowly. May He get all the glory.
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Thank you, Kei and Julie P. for those posts. I think this book has really helped to make me think more about the things I do and my motives for doing them. It has also made me more aware of the sin in my thought-life. How I like to compare myself and my works with others being just one example. It has made me see just how sinful I am, not just the lawbreaking, but the lawkeeping. My first reaction to what I was reading by Forde was fear and immobilization. Then came humility and prayer that the Lord would purify my heart and that my motive for "good deeds" would be for His glory done out of love and thankfulness for Him and what He has done... not to puff myself up, make myself feel better or less guilty.
I read this verse in Isaiah 29 the other day: "The Lord says: 'These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.' When I read that it made me think of all I have been learning here. What is my worship 'made up of'? He wants my heart!
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Loving these posts. My thinking is being stretched--thank you all.
As I read this book I still have some trouble with the terminology "theology of glory." I see verses like, Phil.3:3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and GLORY in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh-Rom.8:30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also GLORIFIED-and Col.3:4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in GLORY-and so many more. This is the real theology of glory.
However, I think I get that Luther and Forde are writing about people who are hoping to get to glory by their own efforts and in so doing stealing glory for themselves. People who may be self-deceived by what they think it means to love God. In fact Luther was writing to Romish types.
But this seems so foreign to what is taught in the Word about what it is to be a Christian...like who really struggles with the point Luther is making? I guess I may think like one of the earlier posters to this blog, whose name escapes me now, who did not get what the big deal is. I know there are many churches and believers who truly don't get it. I understand it is a problem for some...maybe my bubbled life is too sheltered?
Don't get me wrong...I DO live for my own glory more often than not. I even think that by doing "good" I will merit favor. Silly me. But I live before the cross and so cannot keep that kind of thinking up for long. Gal. 6:14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
So the law is summed up in loving God whole heartedly and loving others as we love ourselves. Who can ever do that? I fall short every moment. And yet I try...I am commanded to obey God's law--to delight in it...the key is to obey without thinking it earns any merit. The key is to repent and hide in the cross when I fail...so I must live in a state of repentance knowing that there will be a day I will sin no more. But not yet.
I guess I wonder if some who read books like this use them to beat themselves up? I know I went through quite a period of loving to do just that kind of thing. It felt so good to see how far short my heart really fell. To see how much I misapplied the Bible. However, I realized this too was pride...my own knee-bloodying penance called dismal introspection. It was just disguised as "examining my heart and humbling myself before the Lord." Indeed, in my mind, my hypocrisy knows no bounds! Thank God that His grace is more boundless than my mind.
So the gospel is freeing...the bloody condescension of God which may be an ugly stench to those who are perishing- is a deeply beautiful aroma to me! I glory in it. I am free in it. I rejoice in it. It spurs me on to love and good works. It humiliates me, yes. But how I love that cross.
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Well said and some of the same things I have been thinking while reading this book. I think it is very important that while focusing on what God has done for us through Jesus Christ that we are giving Him Glory and not having to say continually "I am worthless, etc. I mean, isn't that a given? Let's rejoice in Him. Be thankful! Worshiping Him puts the focus on Him. Like, instead of saying, me giving this homeless person some bread has no merit outside of the cross and what it has accomplished in my heart (like a mantra to keep me humble ?!! I can't talk myself into being humble) - focus on: Thank you Lord for changing my heart to love instead of to be selfish. I love you God. You are so wonderful. To your name be the Glory. Let everything thing we do in word or deed be done to honor the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. You're amazing God! I love you and what you have done for me. I love you because you first loved me! I could never repay you! ETC! (I'm only halfway through the book, maybe it clarifies this point more, i don't know). I'm really enjoying reading it though. And I'm asking God, what can I learn from this study. If I'm missing something let me know.
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Hey, Joanne, thanks for this comment. I commented on Anita's post so you can read that as well as I do think it applies to what you've said, too.
I don't want to misunderstand you and I hope I'll write clearly enough that you don't misunderstand me, either. I don't want people walking around saying, "I'm so worthless." I don't want people focusing on themselves at all. I'm not interested in more penance or self-flaggelation. I do want my heart, all of our hearts, focused on the great glory of Christ's atoning sacrifice for us. I do want our hearts filled with great joy and freedom. I do want us to acknowledge God's good work in us. I agree with what you've said. I think that Luther would too. After all, he was the Monk who in his self-atoning efforts and "I'm so worthless" mantra had to admit that he while he was so focused on himself and his demerits he didn't love God at all, but rather hated him. "I'm so worthless" isn't what I'm talking about.
Forgive my inability to clearly articulate what I believe. I don't think that anyone can talk themselves into being humble. This is only accomplished by a work of the Spirit as he humbles us and shows us that Christ, and Christ alone, has done it all for us already.
What I don't want people to do is trust in themselves, their own self-atoning works. Perhaps, like Anita, you don't see people doing that much. I see it everywhere. Maybe I see it everywhere because I'm looking for it. That's a distinct possibiity. But when I see book after book after book about how to make yourself more acceptable to God by your own good works, I have to say that I don't think this is something I/Luther/Forde was imagining. As Michael Horton says, "the American church is awash in a sea of narcissistic moralism." I would agree with him completely (and sadly).
So, I'm thankful that your heart is focused on Christ and that you're rejoicing in Him. And I trust that you're not trusting in yourself or your own goodnesses at all. I hope all of this will make more sense as we go on and I'm so glad you're involved in the discussion. You're helping each of us refine and redefine what we believe. Thanks again for your love for the Lord, JoAnne.
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Elyse, you bless me with your graciousness. I totally get what you are saying and why. And when I remember that Luther was dealing with the Catholic Church (works, works, works & penance, penance, penance) I understand where he was coming from.
I'm reading some things in the book that don't make sense to me, but maybe they will later.
I love and appreciate you!
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Thanks for your thoughts, Anita. I won't quibble about Luther/Forde's use of the phrase "glory story." I think it works if you understand i(and I think you do) that they're talking about living to produce your own glory by your own seemingly good works.
I would probably disagree that few Christians are trying to work their way into a glorious condition by their own works (aside from Romish ones). I see it everywhere -- I'll probably blog on it this afternoon after just returning from Glory Story Central -- the International "Christian" Retail Show in Denver.
I would also agree that some people might use this line of thinking to beat themselves up. I hope you don't hear that from me. If you do, then it's my fault that I'm not explaining what I'm saying clearly enoungh. Beating yourself up for sin is simply a result of believing in the glory story, ie: "I'm such a terrible person, my works are so awful...I hope my repentance and guilt appeases God somehow." Just more glory story. Just more self-atonement. Just more sad moralism.
I love what you said here: "And yet I try...I am commanded to obey God's law--to delight in it...the key is to obey without thinking it earns any merit. The key is to repent and hide in the cross when I fail...so I must live in a state of repentance knowing that there will be a day I will sin no more. But not yet." Yes and then to rejoice that Christ has done it all, as you said. You've got it. This is what I'm trying to say, probably not very clearly.
I agree with both you and Joanne that we need to focus on Christ. Yes! Yes! Yes! That's the whole point! Perhaps we're going too slowly through this book and we're not getting on to the focus on Jesus' work quickly enough.
Hope this helps and that I'm not misrepresenting your/Luther/Forde's thought in any way. I'm so glad for this opportunity.
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Hi Elyse,
Thank you for your response. I do agree with you 100%.
I am sorry to imply that this is not a problem nor that it is not prevalent. As I mentioned: "I know there are many churches and believers who truly don't get it. I understand it is a problem for some...maybe my bubbled life is too sheltered?"
I think you hit it---you are looking for it, I am not. Boy, I know it is out there...but by God's grace, I have been in places where it is not as much of a problem...and yet it is in some ways a problem for all of us. I think it will be until we enter the not yet.
It does sadden me that so many churches teach a Christless gospel. Saddens and sickens me. And I think the book and discussion are helpful as they sharpen and prepares me for opportunities to share with those I may speak to who don't understand they are following a theology of glory...or a watered down gospel.
It is a good discussion...I guess it is just hard for me to see that it's personally a danger to me. So it is a good discussion in a theoretical way to be filed away until needed...and counseling requires it as does conversations with friends/family in glory story churches.
I also did not mean to say that you think we are supposed to start beating oursleves up about taking part of the glory story. At least I hope you did not think that I was accusing you of saying that! I guess it is just that among women who really get God's grace, I often find that kind of unforgiving self-criticim is more of a problem than thinking they are able to please God at all. Guilt may reign in their hearts being driven by pride, I think, pride that they think they should not fall short in any area. Being humble is a good thing because our humbleness is in Christ as much as our righteousness is. Our sins are in Christ too. Not sure how to really address that issue. I know you nor this book are promoting that we should become morbidly introspective over our shortcomings. So sorry if you thought I was implying that!
I definitely appreciate and love what you are getting at...it is all Christ...we do not add merit, we do not help God out, we do not lessen our guilt...it is already paid for completely and eternally by God through Christ. There is where our joy and rest is found...not in anything this world offers or our hearts can feel/think/do. We are helpless 'victims' of His great love by grace. And how that incites me to overflow in joy - in Him.
Thanks for clarifying. I do not want to be misunderstood, nor do I want to mislead. The drawbacks of a posted discussion are huge. Thank you for the opportunity to participate in the discussion.
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