"The necessary consequence of this life of the Christian in hope is that he learns to consider the present earthly life as a journey, a pilgrimage, something necessary for the sake of the end but which does not have any independent value or attraction in itself." - Geerhardus Vos
"...something necessary for the sake of the end but which does not have any independent value or attraction in itself."
That's a strong realization and hardcore statement. It's also true. The moment you start seeing some value or attraction in this world *after* you'ved been born again you kind of are entering illusion and delusion. (Maybe happy illusion and delusion, but illusion and delusion nevertheless. And, happy until you see the limits and the reality.)
And by 'value' Vos isn't - and Christian teaching - isn't saying there is no value in this life after one has been regenerated by the Word and the Spirit. We aren't translated to heaven immediately after regeneration and conversion for a reason. Evangelization is one. Sanctification is another. Jesus' life is the example.
2 comments:
Vos is a theologian of quite some order, I'd say. He comes out with the rarest of things and you know, if you're tired or a little unfocused it'll pass and you'll never know it. His language can be dense and academic, but for all that he's still a rare influence. The Vos Anthology is a great book. I just started The Pauline Eschatology, but only 20 pages in, so no comment yet.
The untranslated Greek in the Pauline Exchatology made me feel inadequate to the text.... ~:/
But I think one can probably still get alot from the work anyway just plowing through that.
It's one of those still--hanging-in-mid-air books (i.e. not nailed down yet and become part of the furniture) by the theological world.
Vos' uniqueness is due to the fact that he is a orthodox a Calvinist as Calvin. But he brings to it, within those boundaries, the mystical elements (I'll use that word). Which is rare for a theologian able to be so on-the-mark biblically.
You can see the Work-related elements in it too for that reason.
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