Wednesday, July 2, 2008

To the Glory of God.

1 Cor. 10:31-33 (ESV)
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. [32] Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, [33] just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

What ever you do, do all to the glory of God. I love that. It is technically speaking law. I am being commanded to do something, namely give glory to God. This is something I by nature, sinful nature, cannot do, nor would my sinful nature care to do this. Sinful nature wants only to give glory to the self. It will even feign giving glory to God, in order to glorify itself. It makes a show of piety. My sinful nature, though, is much more inclined to make a show of self-indulgence. (Just being honest, an ascetic I am not.) I think man is born with one of two types of sinful natures, and they are never rid of them till they die. Some are born with an ascetic nature. (An ascetic is one who denies himself worldly pleasure, and I think in a masochistic way finds pleasure in denying himself/herself pleasure.) Others are born with a more hedonistic nature. ( We all know what a hedonist is.) But at the core is sin, sin that would stand before God on its own merits, or sin that would write God off. So the ascetic would deny God His glory by what He gives up, and trying to save himself by denying himself. The hedonist would deny God His glory by not giving Him the time of day. The Christian though will give glory to God in what ever they do. (Implied here, is that in what ever you is in accord with the Ten Commandments, kind of hard to give God glory while fornicating.)
But I do like to know that as I go home for lunch now, I will be giving Glory to God, simply by eating a hotdog, and drinking a beer. Could it really be that justified by the blood of Christ, God finds such mundane things as self nourishment to be glorifying Him? No wonder, the sheep in Matthew 25 could not recall their good works!

10 comments:

Es ist das Heil said...

Hot dogs cause Heart Burn (Not pleasing to God!). You ought to have a Johnsonville Brat!
(It is more Lutheran!).
Just Kidding!!

Bror Erickson said...

Actually, today it will probably be one of the Johnsonville Hotlinks I bbqed Saturday. I nuke them all week long.

Es ist das Heil said...

Yeah!... that's what I am having for the 4th! (Although I kind of go for the BeerBrats!). On the BBQ of course!

Hey, by the way, you were talking about a book by Herman Sasse that you were translating. Which one was it?
Also, yesterday you were talking about Luther at Marburg (did I get that right?), where can I get more info on that?

Bror Erickson said...

es ist das heil,
I have translated and the rough draft has been sitting on my desk for sometime now, "Zeugnisse." A collection of very powerful sermons and essays he delivered during the rise and fall of the third reich.
The best book on Marburg, is "This is My Body" by Hermann Sasse.
And as long as you are in a book buying mood, pick up "To Live with Christ" by Bo Giertz, half of which I translated.

Bror Erickson said...

The fourth,
Not sure what I am having on the Fourth, I'm flying mid afternoon to Cali, to pick up my son so we can spend the next four weeks fishing and camping.

Es ist das Heil said...

Thanks for the info on the books. I have some books I am translating too! I am astounded by some of the old Lutheran writings!
I just got off vacation myself. This is the first year EVER that I have not gone fishing or camping! My house was (and still is) in need of work and repair and I had to put a new Trans. in my truck so I just stayed home and worked on the house. NOT much of a vacation!

Anonymous said...

Bror,

Great post! Oh the mundane activities of everyday living. How in the world could these ordinary activities bring glory to God?

I think I will build a 'Glory to God Center' where people can come and give their testimonies and do some work and leave some money, and work on their marriage, and work on their children, and work on their Bible reading, and work on their selfless acts of random kindness.

A brat and a beer, huh? Sounds like a better idea. I'm worn out from all that Glory to God stuff down at the GTG Center.

- Steve

William Tucker said...

I have updated my blog per your request. It was long overdue and I like to put out as much information as I can to keep people safe. I never thought of it as giving glory to god, but if this is the case I guess I will have to post more often. Anyway, since this my last day of work for the week I might have to join you for beer and brauts.

Bror Erickson said...

Sound good,William

Anonymous said...

Hey Bror, Sonia had our baby on Sept.9th, 2008@ 7:20pm at the U of U. His name is Kaden Eli Jaffe. He was 4 lbs 9 oz. He was born at 34 weeks and is having a little weakness and difficulty eating. Please add him and Sonia to a prayer of speedy recoveries! Thanks- Joe