Theses 8-12 -- The Painful Truth about the Problem of Good Works or Wow! Earthquakes Are Scary!
In this post we'll finish up the first section, "The Problem of Good Works," of our book. Thanks to all of you who are pushing past our typical response to tectonic shifts in our assumptions: "put it down and turn something (anything!) else on..."
.
Before I begin to unpack them a bit for you, here they are:
Thesis 8: By so much more are the works of man mortal sins when they are done without fear and in unadulterated, evil self-security. (Wow.)
Thesis 9: To say that works without Christ are dead, but not mortal, appears to constitute a perilous surrender of the fear of God.
Thesis 10: Indeed, it is very difficult to see how a work can be dead and at the same time not a harmful and mortal sin.
Thesis 11: Arrogance cannot be avoided or true hope be present unless the judgment of condemnation is feared in every work. (Wow again).
Thesis 12: In the sight of God sins are then truly venial when they are feared by men to be mortal.
I live in Southern California. (Right now I'm blogging from Boston, but that's beside the point.) Whenever I travel out of SoCal, women are always saying things like, "Oh, you live in San Diego? It's beautiful there...but we have seasons here...". When I hear this I'm most frequently tempted to reply, "Yes, we have seasons, too. Spring, Summer and Fall...mostly Spring." Then a comment about earthquakes is usually made. "I could never live there! You have earthquakes!" I've lived in SoCal pretty much consistently for nearly 60 years. I can remember some earthquakes. Last year when I was teaching up at the Master's College there was a doozie. Like most (all?) of you I don't like earthquakes. Unlike Carol King, I don't like it when the "earth moves under my feet." Earthquakes scare me.
Over these last 12 theses, Forde and Luther have been hammering away at the ground upon which we love to stand. They've been stripping us of our self-security. They've been telling us that we need to fear our good works as much as (more than?) we fear our sins. These last four theses simply complete that work...Not that we're completely convinced (any of us) that our good works are to be feared, but they've come to the end of this present line of reasoning.
Luther himself makes the point that none of us are convinced as we should be:
"It is impossible to trust in God unless one has despaired in all creatures and knows that nothing can profit one without God. Since there is no person who has this pure hope...and since we still place some confidence in the creature, it is clear that we must, because of impurity in all things, fear the judgment of God...Thus arrogance must be avoided, not only in the work but in the inclination also, that is, it must displease us still to have confidence in the creature." (47)
Here's the point even (especially) for we theologians of the cross: if you think that you've finally got the theology of the cross, that you're finally trusting perfectly in Christ, and that this trust in His righteousness and personal self-doubt will make you acceptable to God, you're simply to falling, once again, back into the glory story. Yipes. I'm always looking to save myself. Even in the blood soaked mud at the foot of the cross.
All my life I've been taught to stand under a door jamb when an earthquake strikes. Supposedly, that's a safe place to be. That's how it is in my spiritual life, too. I'm always trying to make it under that door jamb, trying to find a place of security. If I throw out the theology of glory then I'll stand under a theology of the cross thinking that if I can just get this right I'll finally be okay. Every fiber of my being militates against the free fall of faith alone, by grace alone, in Christ alone. Or, as Forde writes, "All possibility of confidence in our own works...are impossible. This, of course, seems quite depressing to inveterate theologians of glory." (48) Yes, it is depressing. And please don't miss my point. My heart is boastful enough to take the theology of the cross and make it into a theology of glory. This is the truth about me. And, yes, it is depressing. Is there nothing in my heart not addicted to the glory story? Of course not! Will I never lie down at the feet of my heavenly Kinsman-Redeemer and let him put his robe over me? Not for more than a millisecond!
But Forde and Luther do not leave us there. Here's how Forde finishes up the section on the problem of good works and I'm thankful:
"...[W]e should not miss the new note that sounds out of the rubble of rejected human works. It is the note of hope. It is not possible...for true hope to be present unless the judgment of condemnation is feared in every work. Every hope built on human work will prove untrue. the hope that arises out of the ashes of the refining fire will not disappoint. The way, however, is the way of the cross." (48)
I bring myself once again to rest -- under that blessed door jamb, under the cross beams -- and in thankfulness I know that He's forgiving my self-delusion and reminding me again that it's not about me at all. And then I go running out from under again and again and again and I wonder at the perversity in my heart and then I wonder why I wonder at it and then I rest again for the moment. And the Lord keeps reaching down, covering me again and I lay down again and rest and wait for our wedding day when the heavens and the earth will melt away and everything will be made new and I'll see Him in His glory and be fully at peace. And then the ground shakes and I go racing off to find that door jamb du jours again...
.
Before I begin to unpack them a bit for you, here they are:
Thesis 8: By so much more are the works of man mortal sins when they are done without fear and in unadulterated, evil self-security. (Wow.)
Thesis 9: To say that works without Christ are dead, but not mortal, appears to constitute a perilous surrender of the fear of God.
Thesis 10: Indeed, it is very difficult to see how a work can be dead and at the same time not a harmful and mortal sin.
Thesis 11: Arrogance cannot be avoided or true hope be present unless the judgment of condemnation is feared in every work. (Wow again).
Thesis 12: In the sight of God sins are then truly venial when they are feared by men to be mortal.
I live in Southern California. (Right now I'm blogging from Boston, but that's beside the point.) Whenever I travel out of SoCal, women are always saying things like, "Oh, you live in San Diego? It's beautiful there...but we have seasons here...". When I hear this I'm most frequently tempted to reply, "Yes, we have seasons, too. Spring, Summer and Fall...mostly Spring." Then a comment about earthquakes is usually made. "I could never live there! You have earthquakes!" I've lived in SoCal pretty much consistently for nearly 60 years. I can remember some earthquakes. Last year when I was teaching up at the Master's College there was a doozie. Like most (all?) of you I don't like earthquakes. Unlike Carol King, I don't like it when the "earth moves under my feet." Earthquakes scare me.
Over these last 12 theses, Forde and Luther have been hammering away at the ground upon which we love to stand. They've been stripping us of our self-security. They've been telling us that we need to fear our good works as much as (more than?) we fear our sins. These last four theses simply complete that work...Not that we're completely convinced (any of us) that our good works are to be feared, but they've come to the end of this present line of reasoning.
Luther himself makes the point that none of us are convinced as we should be:
"It is impossible to trust in God unless one has despaired in all creatures and knows that nothing can profit one without God. Since there is no person who has this pure hope...and since we still place some confidence in the creature, it is clear that we must, because of impurity in all things, fear the judgment of God...Thus arrogance must be avoided, not only in the work but in the inclination also, that is, it must displease us still to have confidence in the creature." (47)
Here's the point even (especially) for we theologians of the cross: if you think that you've finally got the theology of the cross, that you're finally trusting perfectly in Christ, and that this trust in His righteousness and personal self-doubt will make you acceptable to God, you're simply to falling, once again, back into the glory story. Yipes. I'm always looking to save myself. Even in the blood soaked mud at the foot of the cross.
All my life I've been taught to stand under a door jamb when an earthquake strikes. Supposedly, that's a safe place to be. That's how it is in my spiritual life, too. I'm always trying to make it under that door jamb, trying to find a place of security. If I throw out the theology of glory then I'll stand under a theology of the cross thinking that if I can just get this right I'll finally be okay. Every fiber of my being militates against the free fall of faith alone, by grace alone, in Christ alone. Or, as Forde writes, "All possibility of confidence in our own works...are impossible. This, of course, seems quite depressing to inveterate theologians of glory." (48) Yes, it is depressing. And please don't miss my point. My heart is boastful enough to take the theology of the cross and make it into a theology of glory. This is the truth about me. And, yes, it is depressing. Is there nothing in my heart not addicted to the glory story? Of course not! Will I never lie down at the feet of my heavenly Kinsman-Redeemer and let him put his robe over me? Not for more than a millisecond!
But Forde and Luther do not leave us there. Here's how Forde finishes up the section on the problem of good works and I'm thankful:
"...[W]e should not miss the new note that sounds out of the rubble of rejected human works. It is the note of hope. It is not possible...for true hope to be present unless the judgment of condemnation is feared in every work. Every hope built on human work will prove untrue. the hope that arises out of the ashes of the refining fire will not disappoint. The way, however, is the way of the cross." (48)
I bring myself once again to rest -- under that blessed door jamb, under the cross beams -- and in thankfulness I know that He's forgiving my self-delusion and reminding me again that it's not about me at all. And then I go running out from under again and again and again and I wonder at the perversity in my heart and then I wonder why I wonder at it and then I rest again for the moment. And the Lord keeps reaching down, covering me again and I lay down again and rest and wait for our wedding day when the heavens and the earth will melt away and everything will be made new and I'll see Him in His glory and be fully at peace. And then the ground shakes and I go racing off to find that door jamb du jours again...
Elyse, thank you for this blog. I don't read many books. Except books of the bible and don't read that enough. I did read all these blogs(most recent 1st) and didn't realize you were talking about a book until I got to the 1st one. (A little on the slow side) Really liked it all, made me do some soul searching. Thanks again. Y.B.I.C cliff
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Hey Cliff, Glad you're joining us. Sorry that I didn't make it clear that we were going through a book. I'm a cyber-neophyte aka: grandma. E
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Wonderful picture--the door jamb formed by the beams of the cross, our only protection against the earthquakes that threaten us. If Luther's "theology of the cross" threatens to rock my self-secure house of cards, than how much more will the wrath of God? It is always a mercy when God destroys our illusions of security so that we finally run to the only safe place in the universe.
Since the first part of our soul's cure is diagnosis, I wonder if it might be helpful for us to talk about specific examples where we recognize the glory story in our own lives and churches.
Recently I met a lovely Christian woman at a party. We had a ten minute conversation, during which she told me about the ministry she and her husband had founded. Although I enjoyed the conversation, I came away a little tired and thinking about what an important ministry this was and how wonderful she must be. I didn't come away impressed with my Savior. The exact same thing happened a day or two later when I ran into a Christian friend at the grocery store. Our 2 minute conversation impressed me with how busy she was serving the Lord in the women's ministry at her church. Though I know neither woman would have consciously wanted to obscure Christ's glory with their own, this was the effect of the words that flowed from their innermost being.
In my own life, I see hints of my glory story when I am prevented from doing some good work that I had on my to do list (mental or written). I usually feel irritated and somewhat anxious when one of my good works is blocked--a dead giveaway that some of my trust resided in it. In a former church we served we used to call it "religious insecurity" and saw it in many people when we cancelled the Sunday evening service. (What???? How can I be a good Christian if I don't go to church twice on Sunday??)
Anybody else have an example come to mind?
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Thanks, Rondi. Thanks also for always asking those, "So where do you see this in your life?" questions. I do so enjoy orbiting around in the stratosphere of theological musings.
I think it's easy for me to see religious insecurity in others and not so easy in myself.
I do recognize that I "feel better" (more confident) about myself when I've had enough time to read and pray in the morning. On those days when I just have to run, gasping for a breath, out the door, thoughts of "unworthiness" do crowd in.
I also notice this when I've had a full ministry weekend, am exhausted, drained and aggravated at everyone about everything and then wonder, "Who do I think I am speaking to anyone about anything?" Yes, it's there for sure. Somehow I still fall into believing that God's work through me is predicated upon my sincere and consistent performance before him.
I also saw it in spades when Phil and I were small group leaders and I used to think that I wasn't caring for the women in the group enough. Honestly, it made me hate being a small group leader's wife and it made me resent the women who had needs that I wasn't getting to. Yes, it was definitely there and probably still is except that we're not leaders anymore. Well, that solved that! Whew!
My prescription for overcoming a propensity to trust in good works: live in a hotel room in Boston and don't talk to anyone. Snooze when you like. Blog when you like. Read when you like. Ignore everyone else. Sweet.
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Elise, I'm not sure what to think about that last paragraph - we can't read peoples emotions when they write - are you laughing, joking, sarcasm, fed up?
Well, I finally finished the book. Now,I think I have to start reading it again. haha Going online and perusing reviews, Lutheran websites and the actual Disputation of Luther also helped. I agree with the reviewer who said "What I am saying is that the prose is such that a lay-person would probably find it too difficult and confusing. Being a life-long Lutheran, none of the concepts discussed by Dr. Forde were alien to me. However, they were written in such a manner that I had to continually re-read certain sections to understand Forde's point. He packs so much into each sentence that you REALLY need to pay attention to each sentence lest the continuity be lost." (jo anne)Yep, he packs alot into each sentence! Most of it I know as truth, there is one thing I'm not sure I understand which I will touch at the end. But here are some of the wonderful highlighted truths in this little book:
P.104 "God simply is not interested in works issuing out of the self's concern for its own righteousness. Only those who believe much in Christ are righteous before God, period...Good works, works done for the neighbor without calculation or claim, can begin when the Old Adam is put to death and the new appears." (jo anne) AMEN AMEN AMEN!!!!
P.106 "Not that the righteous person does nothing, but that his works do not make him righteous, rather that his righteousness creates works. (i love that) For grace and faith are infused without our works. After they have been imparted, THE WORKS FOLLOW!!!" (caps, mine and HALLELUJAH!)
p.107 "Good works are God's work in the believer." (I want to say, DUH! is that bad? Of course they're God's works!!! And even if we get off kilter thinking they may be ours, we're still covered by the blood of Jesus!! In other words, if I screw up somehow, God's not going to cast me out. He will discipline me and his kindness will lead me to repentence!
p.113 "Therefore sinners are attractive because they are loved" I just love this statement. If that doesn't cut to the gut I don't know what does. This one line has moved me more than anything else.
Okay, so here's the thesis that I don't quite get,Thesis #11 Elise, what is the judgement of condemnation?
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Thanks for taking time to post and for being so interested in reading with us, JoAnne. Actually, I was in Boston last week and just resting so I was trying, albiet very weakly, to be funny. No, I don't believe that we should just sit around hotel rooms and blog and sleep. Although it was really nice for a few days. I need to learn to use those little smiley face thingies so that readers can understand the thoughts behind the words.
It is true that the book is difficult to understand and is certainly not the sort of sound-bite, "you're really great, just tap into your inner power, it's YOUR time" fluff that we frequently get from so many modern authors. Because I think that the book is difficult too and because I want the Lord to work on my instinctive self-reliance, I've been going slowly through the book and letting its truths permeate through the fog.
I agree that it's difficult, when being first introduced to this line of thinking, to wait to hear about what I get to contribute to my salvation/sanctification. I assume that you're interested in seeing your part of the work because you're cautious about being lazy (your word) and because you want to be sure that we're not drifting off into some form of hanging around hotel rooms in Boston incessantly and ignoring the obligation that the gospel places upon us. I agree with those obligations and would to God that I would be more zealous for holiness, not less.
But, here's where I think we MAY have a difference of opinion (or at least a difference of perspective): I think that thinking and meditating upon His work WILL eventuate in a heart motivated to work and obey. I believe that because I am a hard-wired legalist, my first question is always to as WWJD instead of WDJD. Hence, perhaps you're uncomfortable with the beginning pages of this book because you're happier with WWJD than I am -- and perhaps Luther and Forde were. What we have here is simply a question of motivation. Am I motivated to work for Christ when I think about Christ or when I think about my work? I have answered that question for myself and know that my heart is transformed by grace and filled with love for him when I keep myself musing on what he's done for me rather than what I do for him.
That's not to say (again) that we don't work. It's just that the "hallelujahs" and the "Amen and Amens" come for me when I remember that my initial and ongoing salvation and sanctification is of the Lord and not of me at all. I think your exurberance at finding Luther/Forde talk about your work (done in Christ) may be born out of a desire to be sure that we're not all being slackers but it makes me wonder why there's such joy here.
My guess (and it's only a guess) is that you're thinking you already get the salvation part and wonder why we're spending so much time talking about it. I may be wrong here. I would agree that there is a slothfulness that we must guard against. But I think, too, that there is a greater danger, and one that would indeed cut us off from God's grace, were He to allow our hearts to fully go there, and that danger is trusting in our own works and rejoicing in them rather than in his. That's Luther's concern, I think. And I think that's what he means in Thesis 11.
If you were to ask me what I thought the biggest problem in the church today is, I wouldn't say that I think people are lazy. It is that the American church is "awash in a sea of narcissistic moralism". I think that the problem is that we think we get it. We think that the salvation narrative is great for people who are just getting saved, but that we don't need to be reminded of it every moment of every day. And because of that, our pulpits are filled with the 7 steps to becoming a better you -- moralistic, narcissistic deism (Mike Horton's phrase). People don't live holy lives because they're not in love with Christ. And they're not in love with Christ because they haven't soaked their souls in the truths of the gospel. Instead they're fed a steady diet of moralistic 'preaching that omits [assumes] Christ's person and work and fundamentally teaches that we can reach God on our own, without a mediator. And while this is not the intention of most Christian preachers, when we leave Christ out, it is no longer a Christian sermon...If a Rabbi [or a Mormon] can preach your sermon [or enjoy your book on self-godulization] then, it isn't a Christian sermon [or book]." (Julius Kim, Heralds of the King, p. 90). And it is this kind of preaching [reading, writing, etc] that makes people lazy and despairing or proud and demanding. Thinking about the gospel is the ONLY antidote to sloth.
And that, my JoAnne, is the problem with Joel Osteen and his ilk. He assumes the gospel. He assumes that we can work and get in better with God, once we've got that sort of salvation stuff settled. And that's simply the old semi-pelagian song and dance that was condemned by the church's forefathers but has been swallowed in toto by we moderns. We militate against thinking that we have nothing to bring because we believe that we have something to bring and thereby prove Luther's fundamental point.
Forgive me, JoAnne, if I've been too pointed. I am not angry with you and if this sounds like I am, then just write it off to my inability to communicate my concerns clearly. I'm thankful for your posts and for the way you've put yourself out there and given us your opinions. I'm thankful for the work you've done in reading ahead and in researching about Forde/Luther on the internet. And I'm thankful that you were willing to say what other people were undoubtedly thinking but were afraid to say. So, thank you again, JoAnne. Please do post again. This has made this discussion more lively, which is what we all need.
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Elyse! I love what you said. Thank you for saying it as pointedly as you did.
Regarding the joy - (and all those exclamation points of mine
I don't know Joel Osteen personally, but i know people who do. The pastor of his spanish service (Marcos Wit) came to Peru many times and is a personal friend of the Barrigers. We met him there. He is a man of God, a Christian brother as is Joel Osteen, I'm sure.
I'm still not sure what the judgement of condemnation is and why we need to fear it. I am going to research it. (The scriptures that immediately come to mind are "there is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus; Jesus came not into the world to condemn the world...; we work out our salvation with fear and trembling", anyway, I love studying the Word. I read the introduction to Forde's book again today. I underlined some questions that came to mind. I'll probably bring them up later. Anyway, I love you and all you are teaching us. I'm gaining alot!!!
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Thanks JoAnne, for your gracious reply and obvious love for the Lord. I'm glad that the Lord is using this study to stretch us all.
As this blog is not about Joel O, I'll simply post a link that might be of interest. Otherwise, I'm going to proceed on with our next theses in the next few days. Thanks for hanging in there.
http://theologica.blogspot.com/2007/10/60-minutes-osteen-and-horton.html
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ElYse! Sorry I kept misspelling your name.
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