I suppose if I call myself well-read I need to back it up by proving I read something once in a while. Actually, sometimes I’ll even read something more than once!
That’s the case with a theological book I’ve been reading for the second time lately, The Theology of the Cross: Reflections on His Cross and Ours by Daniel Deutschlander.
I can’t recommend this book enough. The title and topic might scare some people away for sounding too “heavy” or theological. And it’s true: this book is not a quick or light read. But it is so worth the work.
The point of the book is the “Theology of the Cross.” The name comes from words Jesus spoke in Mark 8:34-38, where he says that anyone who wants to follow Jesus, to call themselves a believer or a Christian, must deny himself (or herself), take up his cross, and follow Jesus.
Basically, to deny our sinful self with its sinful desires and follow Jesus alone is to bear the cross. It might sound easy, but it’s not. It’s hard and painful. But in the end, it’s what being a Christian is. Bearing our cross doesn’t save us; Jesus has already done that. But bearing our cross is a necessary consequence of being a Christian. As Pastor Deutschlander memorably puts it, “No cross, no Christian.”
In the future I might post a few quotes from the book. But in the meantime, if anyone has read this book already or has any thoughts on the topic, feel free to leave a comment on it.
