Some of us were given a story about who God is. And when we reached the season of our lives when we started wondering… Is God worthy of being our God?… We were told that we couldn’t just pick and choose. We had to stick with THIS God we were given.
Or… We could be an atheist.1
(So many good people chose atheism at that moment.2 )
One of Luther’s early students asked him, “What do you think God was doing before God created the world?” To which Luther replied, after a dramatic sigh, “Cutting switches to beat people who ask such questions.”
(I know… Typical Luther.)
Luther - in his vivid way - was referencing the god behind God. The god we try to get to behind the mask. The god of the abstract. Don’t try to contemplate this god, Luther is trying to say, for this god is a monster.
It’s awful how Jesus has been abstraced into a god who cuts switches. Clearly, this is a massive bending of the Gospel. For the God revealed in Jesus died at the business end of our switches.
The only version of God I know about who is worthy of contemplating is the God made known in Jesus Christ. A God who chooses deep solidarity in our finitude, flesh, and brokenness.
“In manger, cross, and empty tomb, we see God’s loving face.”
- Martin Luther.
This God (in my humble opinion) is the only one worthy of worship.
Any other god is cutting switches.
And that kind of god is only worthy of atheism.3
I have to say, this wasn’t my experience, but I’ve come across so many people over the years whose it is.
In case you’re wondering, this is not how theology functions. God (as revealed in Jesus, at least) is not super concerned whether or not you’re going to pass a multiple choice test (with only answers A or B present) about the divine reality.
Thanks, Jonas. I had never thought about what is behind God.
Amen!