Fellow servants,
I’m re-reading “Bonhoeffer” by Eric Metaxas…wow, one tremendous book. Boy, did Bonhoeffer ever write some good stuff, “Cost of Discipleship”, “Ethics”, etc. He. Was a Lutheran pastor, theologian, anti-Nazi is dissident and key founding meme bear of the Confessing Church. Plus a martyr for Jesus Christ. Here’s a little sample from the 2011, book of the year, “Bonhoeffer”.
“the great masquerade of evil has played havoc with our ethical concepts. For evil to appear disguised as light, charity, historical necessity, or social justice is quite bewildering to anyone brought up on our traditional ethical concepts, while for the Christian who bases his life on the Bible it merely confirms the fundamental wickedness of evil. Who will stand fast? Only the man whose final standard is not his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom or his virtue, but who is ready to sacrifice all this when he is called to be obedient and responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God; the responsible man, who tries to make his whole life an answer to the question and call of God.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer“This is how Bonhoeffer saw what he was doing. He had theologically redefined the Christian life as something active, not reactive. It had nothing to do with avoiding sin or with merely talking or teaching or believing theological notions or principles or tenets or rules. It had everything to do with living one’s life in obedience to God’s call through action. It did not merely require a mind, but a body too.” – Eric Metaxas
Or I’ll put forth the question: were those of Bonhoeffer’s era guilty of Biblical academia verses Biblical obedience. Did they know what the Bible said but were too immersed in their traditions and “church dogma” on Sunday and thus fail to manifest the truth through their lives the rest of the week?
“But prove yourselves doers of the word and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” James 1:22 “for faith without works is dead” James 2:17 I am praying for you and your families.
