Random doctrinal thoughts lately...

I wrote this a year ago, but for some reason never posted it~

Lately we've been pondering the Lutheran doctrine of the theology of the cross vs. the theology of glory after hearing a lecture on it at the Reformation services we attended in October on the bondage of the will (vs. the freedom of the will).  It's some pretty deep doctrine to delve into, and much of it that I don't completely understand but I did grasp a few concepts that were clarified for me that have been foggy before.

The doctrine that was clarified at the services for me also was how Lutheran doctrine differs from most other doctrines in churches today.  

• Lutheran doctrine says:  we have power/freedom of choice over the things here on earth (things below us), and God has the power in the things above us (our salvation and eternal destination)
• Other doctrine says: God is sovereign in the things below us (we're just like chess pieces in His hands in our daily lives), in yet we have the power to choose salvation or not (things above us)

I've always wondered why the "God is sovereign in whether you blow your nose or not" teaching didn't sit well with me.  That's why.  Luther didn't teach it, so it's foreign.

And here's some thoughts about being a strong woman that made me ponder my own intentions and heart.  Definitely can work on a few things!

"That’s where strength for us as women gets tricky. And it’s different than we’re told. In The Right Kind of Strong, Mary Kassian writes,

"I was strong in all the ways the world admired.

"But … I began to suspect I wasn’t nearly as strong as I made myself out to be. The more I read the Bible, the more it challenged my idea about what it meant to be truly strong … I was strong enough to demand my rights, yet not strong enough to relinquish them. I reluctantly concluded that what I extolled as strength was often little more than stubbornness, insolence, self-sufficiency, and prideful self-promotion."

"She talks about the “brash, sassy, self-serving, demanding kind of strong”–and reminds us instead of the “hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious” (1 Peter 3:4).  (article source)

Gentle and quiet spirit, hey?  Yeah, I could work on that for sure!

Romans 3:9-12(KJV)

What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

It seems like the older I get, the more I learn about grace (again!)  The more I need forgiveness for so many things, and the more I am flexible (do I even stand for anything anymore?)  Everyone has a story and a reason why they believe what they believe, and they do what they do.  Just because I don't understand it, doesn't make them right or wrong, specifically.  That's also where grace comes in.   Grace is offering empathy and compassion when we don't understand, and not trying to fix or change them and bring them to our level (which quite likely is "wrong" in many ways as well that they aren't telling us!) 

I think this is why old people are either really pleasant to be around or really grouchy.  They've either learned these lessons about grace and authenticity and can see many sides of each situation, not just hard and fast rules about everything.  Or else they're old and bitter because no one and nothing pleases their specific rules and regulations.  May we all learn to be like those little old men and ladies who are full of grace and a pleasure to be around.

Luke 7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?

50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

These are things that Greg and I have been learning about in the past couple years, as well as the effects of "taking the moral high horse" which many Christians tend to want to do.  Often their (our!) motive is pure (they/we want to do what is right and follow the Bible), but it can easily become either works (to earn favor, approval, kudos, or even just stand apart from the "lesser" Christians who falter so much).  After many decades of doing this we're seeing burnout, teenage-like rebellion, relationship collapses and most of all a lack of the ability to give or receive wholehearted grace because they've never really needed it themselves (because they've always done everything "right" in their own eyes).  This is pride at it's peak, but it's rarely called as such.  It's usually labeled "right and wrong" or "just my opinion" or "there has to be a standard".  No, actually there doesn't.  The Bible says,

Romans 5:8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

While we were yet sinners.  Not when we've improved ourselves, or made ourselves worthy, or raised faithful children or any of that stuff.  While we were yet sinners.  And we never get above being sinners.  The fall has doomed us to keep on failing every day and keep on needing Jesus every day.

The End.