Self-Sufficiency or Hope?
Friday, April 5, 3013  

The Roman Philosopher Seneca wrote,  

            "When will it be our privilege to utter the words, 'I have conquered'? Do you ask me
             whom I have conquered? Not external enemies…" They recognized a great truth.
             It's not just soldiers. It's not just defeating other people that's the real challenge. "…
             but greed, ambition, fear of death, all of these things that could disturb me internally
             that has conquered the conquerors."  

In the Ancient world to be a conqueror meant to become so self-sufficient, so self-reliant that no circumstance can disturb you anymore. Then you're a conqueror.  In Contrast the apostle Paul wrote,

           “I don't think there's any comparison between the present hard times and the coming
            good times. . . . . we groan inwardly waiting to be delivered . . . .and in this hope we
            are saved. . . . .Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or
            hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? . . . .No, in all
            these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."              
                                                                                            Romans 8:18-37

He says we are saved in “hope”,  not my self reliance in being able to conquer whatever I’m facing!    He says it's not because of your strength or mine. It's not because things will turn out the way I want them to in this life, and it's not because I have conquered my emotions through supremely powerful, self-sufficient reason.  

Rather it’s because Jesus, as an act of complete grace, for people as sin-soaked and sin-damaged and sin-stained as me, chose to give his life and suffer and groan and die on a cross for somebody like me. If we ever really understood that, everybody would stand up and cheer like we have never cheered for anything before in our lives.  That's  the good news.  

Note:   I am indebted to John Ortberg, Pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church for the above insight.