Theology of glory vs Theology of the Cross

This post by tullian tchividjian. 

Any version of Christianity that makes the focus of the Christian faith the life of the Christian is what Martin Luther called a “theology of glory”—not God’s glory, but ours.

A theology of glory is all about us and what we do. It’s about me and my performance, my obedience, my faithfulness, my potential, my strength, my improvement, and so on. Its main message is our need to do more, try harder, get better, and climb higher.

A theology of glory has no room for Christian failure and weakness. It may give lip service to Jesus hanging on a cross for us, but its emphasis is you and me climbing a ladder for Him. 

The opposite of a theology of glory is what Luther called a “theology of the cross.” A theology of the cross readily acknowledges that we are weak and weary, bad and broken. We admit that while our love for Jesus will continue to fall short, Jesus' love for us will never fall short. A theology of the cross embraces the beautiful truth that because of what Jesus has accomplished for us, there is nothing we can do—or fail to do—that will ever tempt God to leave us or forsake us. Because of Jesus, God’s love for us, approval of us, and commitment to us does not ride on our resolve for Jesus but rather on Jesus’ resolve for us. It is, after all, His faithfulness that is great, not ours.

Jesus’ words from the cross, “It is finished!” (John 19:30) mean we are set free from the impossible burden of having to work our way into God’s love and acceptance. This liberates us to admit our faults and failures, our sins and struggles, without fear of rejection. The good news of Christianity rings true when we finally disclose that we are weak and we need help, that we fail, that we’re not as put-together as we want people to think we are. That’s when the rushing wind of God’s amazing grace blows through and reminds us…

Because Jesus was strong for us, we’re free to be weak;

Because Jesus was extraordinary, we’re free to be ordinary;

Because Jesus succeeded for us, we’re free to fail;

Because Jesus won for us, we’re free to lose.

- Tullian Tchividjian

The Octopus story

I made some new friends when I was in Langkawi. At the beach bar, they were telling me ( with some level of enthusiasm) about a movie called "My Octopus Teacher". I didn't think further about it till one evening, bored with the monotony of the mco, I searched it out on Netflix.

It was a documentary.

A remarkable tale of a filmmaker who lost his mojo, finding solace in the sea, ends up making 'friends' w an octopus in the underwater world. Everyday, he would keep diving into the kelp ocean just to keep familiarity with this sea creature. 
Soon he begins to draw  life lessons in his observations and  relationship with it. The octopus at first suspicious of this 'alien' man, slowly begins to warm to his presence and even responds in curiosity.

After awhile, it became an obsession.

So it must have been horrifying that he would witness a shark attack on his octopus friend.
The ending was a surprise (which I shall not spoil it for you).

The most astounding scene in my mind was that one scene of the octopus resting in his chest, in total  relaxation and trust. (almost like a house pet this wild sea creature).

To me the documentary "Octopus My Teacher is an allegory of the gospel. Many thousands years ago (2021!), God dived into our world, to begin a relationship to humans that was as unlikely and as unthinkable as a man making friends w a sea octopus. (both of different worlds)

Just as the man kept diving into the sea to keep looking for his 'friend', God also keeps  looking for us.

The scars of life ( it lost one tentacle result of the shark attack), are all too familiar. We suffer trauma, loss, pain, disappointments,  etc etc, but we too will survive and be restored to wholeness.

Our human experience is not too different from the octopus.

In the end, the enduring image of a wild sea creature resting ( in total trust) at the chest of an 'alien' man, it depicts where God wants us to be.

Resting in total trust of a God who will be there for us.

If you ever do watch this remarkable documentary, the 'continuity of life' is what the Creator of life had in mind.

We have hope, a reason to believe and the courage to continue.

Because we have a loving God.