Yearly Archives

112 Articles

The Glory of the Cross

Posted by Nathanael Szobody on

So maybe I just don’t get it. There are two interpretive camps from the reformation tradition; those who emphasis the theology of glory and those who emphasis the theology of the cross.

Now the theology of glory is criticized by the proponents of the theology of the cross as tending toward a wrong understanding of the end times; namely that the ultimate purpose of all things is the glory of God, therefore as time progresses and God’s plan is brought to fruition this world becomes better and better as God increases his glory.

The theology of the cross is criticized as being too introspective and morbid, ignoring the joys that are now to be had in Christ. They see suffering as being the prevalent theme of the Christian walk as the believer daily takes up his cross and is united with the sufferings of Christ.

So here’s where I’m confused. Isn’t God most glorified in the sacrifice of Christ? Of course our ultimate calling is to reflect the glory of God! But what is the essence of that glory? Is it not the pouring out of the self for another? Is not God’s dominion through the giving of life? Is not also man’s vice regency through the sacrifice of the self for the benefit of those under his care? How do the two perspectives contradict each other? God is clearly to be glorified, but is not the quality of that glory loving sacrifice? Someone help me out here.

Your Will Be Done On Earth As It Is In Heaven

Posted by Nathanael Szobody on

Ephesians 1:9-11 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

God’ will is indeed a mystery, but he is making it known to us! When we pray that his will be done we are asking that what he plans to do for all creation might be realized through us according to his revealed plan.

James 4:1-6

Posted by Nathanael Szobody on

Don’t I know that quarrels are caused by selfishness? Is it not clear that we have conflict because we each seek our own interest? How many times must we be told to think of others first before we actually do it? …How many? Then again, don’t I need stuff?

True Saints and Hypocrites

Posted by Nathanael Szobody on

True saints have their minds, in the first place, inexpressably pleased and delighted with…the things of God. But the dependence of the affections of hypocrites is in a contrary order: they first rejoice…that they are made so much of by God; and then on that ground, he seems in a sort, lovely to them.

— Jonathan Edwards

Time Does Not Exist

Posted by Nathanael Szobody on

The past is completed; the present is not; only the future is, which yet is not.

— Soren Kierkegaard

True; time past and time future do not exist, and as soon as one acknowledges the present it is already past; so what’s time?

That “time will be no more” may simply be the statement that we will dwell always in the moment, in the life of God.

Then again, the ESV translates that totally differently.

Church and State

Posted by Nathanael Szobody on

The separation between Church and State is as firm a doctrine in America as the Trinity is in Christianity. The Church as a visible orginization must surely remain seperate from the State; the two instititions are given entirely different tasks in this world and to mix them ends up weakening one or the other.

However, every Christian has a different application of that principle in daily life and politics. Some understand this principle to mean that a Christian should not be involved in politics. I understand this view point to be a confusion between the church government and the true church. In fact the separation is not between the spiritual church and the State, but between the government of the Church and the government of the State. For the true church is the collective body of all those whose lives are controled by Christ and who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. One cannot separate this sort of pervasive faith from one’s life in politics or anything else.

The Invisible Church

Posted by Nathanael Szobody on

Jesus told the Samaritan woman that one day people would worship neither in Jerusalem nor on the mountain in Samaria, but that “the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” If then the church does not consist in a place of worship, nor in outward forms, but in spirit and in truth, then we may truly speak of an ‘invisible church.

However, this Spirit is active; it is this Spirit which obeys the Word to create. This Truth is also incarnate, for he hung on the cross and rose from the dead to give life. So if the Church visible wants to excuse its divisions and its lack of faith in actions of love by saying that it is only the ‘invisible church’ dwelling within the visible church that matters, then it has unwittingly confessed its estrangement from the true church of Christ. If one is truly a part of the invisible, spiritual church, then one will seek to bring about the visible unity of that church. For the Father is seeking such people to worship him.

The Faith of Ruth

Posted by Nathanael Szobody on

Ruth’s faith in the God of Naomi caused her to leave her people for the enemies of her people. She served Naomi with diligence and obedience. She left all that she knew and cast herself into the arms of God’s providence, and grabbed every opportunity handed to her with a tenacity of one who holds on to what they are sure of receiving. She did not receive a direct promise of God, but the voice of her mother-in-law was effectively the voice of God, mediated through the authority that God had ordained for her.

In Ruth we see the aspect of faith which is a new identity. Noah and Abraham and Joseph and many other great people of faith all received a new identity when they rested in God by faith, and this is seen most dramatically in Ruth. For her faith was not in a God who had spoken directly to her, but in a God that she knew was compassionate and faithful to those who sought him with all of their heart. And on that basis she gave up all and received all that God had promised for humanity.

Humility

Posted by Nathanael Szobody on

Humility does not consist in self-deprecation. Seeking to hide what one is and what one is gifted with is to see those gifts and abilities as belonging only to oneself, and therefore an act of arrogance not to conceal. In fact this in itself is a pride, for we do not realize who gave the gifts and for what purpose they were given. We are mere tools in the hands of the maker. The gifts that he gives are meant to be displayed and used to the utmost extent so that his work is done. True humility is in being so consumed with the proper use of our gifts and abilities and calling, whether they be publicly displayed or never recognized by a single person, that the self almost disappears in the glory of God’s work.