Barth: our belief vs. His holiness

Tuesday, March 20, 2018
    Feast of Cuthbert, Bishop of Lindisfarne, Missionary, 687
Meditation:
    The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness...
    —Romans 1:18 (NIV)
Quotation:
    [From our side] our relation to God is unrighteous. Secretly we are ourselves the masters in this relationship. We are not concerned with God, but with our own requirements, to which God must adjust Himself. Our arrogance demands that, in addition to everything else, some super-world should also be known and accessible to us. Our conduct calls for some deeper sanction, some approbation and remuneration from another world. Our well-regulated, pleasurable life longs for some hours of devotion, some prolongation into infinity. And so, when we set God upon the throne of the world, we mean by God ourselves. In “believing” on Him, we justify, enjoy, and adore ourselves.
    ... Karl Barth (1886-1968), The Epistle to the Romans, translated from the 6th edition by Edwyn C. Hoskyns, London: Oxford University Press, H. Milford, 1933, 6th ed., Oxford University Press US, 1968, p. 44 (see the book)
    See also Rom. 1:18; Matt. 4:8-10; John 3:3-6,19-21; Acts 24:24-25; Rom. 8:5-8; 1 Tim. 4:1
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, lead me to see how I use You instead of being used by You. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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