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Tuesday, February 05, 2008

The Altar of Cynicism

I've posted numerous times on my hearts stickiness to cynicism. Ever since that one day when someone got in my face and called me a cynical S.O.B. I took it seriously and decided to get to the bottom of it.

What have I discovered? This fantastic article: The Altar of Cynicism clearly points to the central issue.

I define my cynicism as: discovering, in the end, that all of life is meaningless without God and willfully choosing to live as if it is true. Another way to look at it is that cynicism is a perseverating choice not to love and apply by faith the remedy - The real Gospel of Jesus Christ - to all of life.

The following quote displays the remedy:
In our bitterness and resentment we go to the temple of cynicism. But there is a gospel for cynics. There is a gospel that says to us, “Of course, all of these will fail you. Of course, they are unfaithful and untrustworthy, and so are you.” So, in the words of Solomon, let’s hear “the conclusion of the matter.”

Don’t give up; there is one more temple. It is the temple that welcomes the unfaithful and untrustworthy. Above the door are words of grace: “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?” (Isa. 55:1–2).

The cynic comes to this temple and finally finds One who will not betray him and who will never fail him.
Cynicism is day-to-day faithlessness in the true and living God. Yet, cynicism is faith in my own made up unfaithful god. Cynicism says "Of course there is something deeply wrong with everything in this world. Of course. It also says "I MUST DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!"

The gospel says "You can't. It's been done. Rest."

2 comments:

-V- said...

Whoa - SO true. LOVE your last two paragraphs especially. The gospel of Grace says it's been done. rest. Absolutely yes!

Carla said...

Rest, babe, rest.