What Does It Mean to Be an Enemy of the Cross?

Archdiocese of Washington ^ | 02-22-16 | Msgr. Charles Pope

[Salvation]

What Does It Mean to Be an Enemy of the Cross?

Msgr. Charles Pope * February 22, 2016 *

In the epistle for the Second Sunday of Lent (Phil. 3:17-4:1), St. Paul laments those whom he calls enemies of the cross of Christ: For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ (Phil 3:18).

What does it mean to be an enemy of the cross? And how do people end up in this condition of being inimical to the very thing and the very One who alone can save them? St. Paul not only laments the situation, but shows how they get into this condition. He does so in a very succinct way, in one verse, as we shall see below.

But first, let's rescue the word enemy from too narrow an understanding. In modern (American) English the word "enemy" tends to be associated with a distant foe, perhaps one with missiles aimed at us or armies ready to conquer us. It is often reserved for those who threaten our life or are opposed to us in the most extreme ways. In practice it is considered almost impolite to refer to difficult people who oppose us in some way as enemies.

Enemy comes from the Latin inimici. And while inimici is best translated "enemies," its roots are in (not) + amicus (friend). So our enemies are those who are not our friends, who oppose our values, who do not wish us well or stand ready to assist us.

This understanding helps us to grasp that enemies may be very close to home, not merely on distant shores. Enemies are not just those who plot the most serious hostilities against us. Thus, when Jesus tells us to love our enemies He has more in mind than just a distant group in some foreign land. He is also referring to those who are near--even within our own families--who are not friendly, who oppose us or the things and people we value.

So when St. Paul speaks of those who are enemies of the cross of Christ, he is not just referring to those who go around tearing crucifixes off walls or demanding that crosses be removed from public property. In his very brief description, St. Paul emphasizes an opposition that escalates from mere worldliness to the outright idolatry of comfort and pleasure. Indeed, if we take St. Paul seriously and are honest with ourselves, some of us who have crucifixes in our homes and march in processions with the crucifix before us as we sing "Lift High the Cross" might find that we are in some opposition to the cross.

So let's take a deeper look at St. Paul's description of the enemies of the cross of Christ. St. Paul describes the inimical stance of some in a fourfold way: Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things (Phil 3:19).

St. Paul, like many ancient authors, states the result first, followed by the causes. Because that is not the usual way to present a point of view, in the reflection that follows I am going to reverse St. Paul's order. By reversing his order, I will try to show how things can escalate so that one can become an enemy of the cross.

The text says, For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things (Phil 3:18-19).

St. Paul describes the escalation that can make a person more and more an enemy of the cross of Christ.

I. Foolish Preoccupations -- The text says that the enemies of the cross are characterized by having minds set on earthly things.

Of the threefold origin of temptation (the world, the flesh, and the devil), the world is understood not so much as a physical place in which we live, but as a mindset, a collection of thoughts, priorities, premises, values, and goals that are opposed to God and His Word. The fundamental values and priorities of this world include the amassing of possessions, power, prestige, and pleasure. Goals such as autonomy and instant gratification, and views rooted in materialism, secularism, anthropocentrism, secular humanism, utilitarianism, and utopianism are emphasized.

There are many in this world who not only accept these flawed premises and values, but also advance them. They do this because when one follows the world's agenda, one is frequently rewarded with wealth, access, popularity, and approval.

But we were not made for these things. The finite world cannot satisfy the infinite desires that are within us. The world may well grant us temporary comforts and benefits, but in the end it takes everything back and assigns us to a stone-cold tomb.

For this reason, having our minds set on earthly things is a foolish preoccupation. Scripture says,

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life--is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:15-17).

In a world that tells us to "scratch where it itches," there is going to be a cross of self-denial and of trusting God, who teaches us that we are made for more than mere trinkets. The world and devil promise pleasure now and then send you the bill later. The Lord speaks to sacrifice and discipline now and points to the fruits and blessings that come later.

To refuse this and insist exclusively on pleasure now is to become an enemy of the cross of Christ, who warns us to refuse to give our hearts over to the false promises and passing pleasures of this world. We are to crucify our excessive passions and desires (Gal 5:24). We are not to conform to the pattern of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, so that we may be able to test and approve what God's will is (Rom 12:2).

Historically, this has meant the cross and suffering for Christians who live this way. The world and the consensus it desires (and often demands) does not take lightly the rejection inherent in true Christianity. The long legacy of persecution and hatred of Christians demonstrates this. It is one thing to choose to live our values in a personal way, but it is quite another to stand opposed (as we must) to the excesses and errors of the world and to seek to snatch others from its illusions and false promises. Marketers, industrialists, politicians, advocacy groups, ideologues, and the like all depend on a widespread "buy-in" in order for their products, projects, and schemes to advance. If we are not easily manipulated by the fears, anxieties, and guilt that the world uses to separate us from our love and loyalty to God, and our basic sense of truth, we are "off-message." We must, therefore, be silenced, either by pressure to conform or through shame. And if these do not work, then persecution: the cross.

But Scripture warns us that such crosses must be endured. Jesus says, If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you (John 15:19-20). And St. James adds, You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God (James 4:4).

Many Christians find resisting the world and its errant demands a cross too difficult to bear. It is easier to cave in to the world's demands, to "go along to get along." This can be done in a thousand little ways through small and growing compromises, or in larger, clearer ways in which one denies truths of the faith in order to receive the praise of men and the blessings that come with conformity to the ways of the world.

To the degree that this happens in our life, we subtly and increasingly become enemies of the cross of Christ. We refuse the self-denial that is necessary and foolishly set our mind on worldly things, which can neither save nor satisfy.

II. Festive Perversions -- The text says of the enemies of the cross that they glory in their shame.

As people deepen their alliance with the ways of the world, their initial compunction is gradually and steadily eroded by rationalization and by surrounding themselves with teachers who tickle their ears (2 Tim 4:3). St. Paul speaks of those who, on account of their sinfulness, suppress the truth. Claiming to be wise, they become fools as their senseless minds are darkened (Rom 1:18, 21).

And as the darkness deepens, not only do they move further away from repentance, but they actually glory in their shame. Of their lack of shame over sinful acts. St. Paul says, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them (Rom 1:32).

And thus today we live in times of "gay pride" parades and the celebration of "gender diversity." Further, there are movies that glorify mob violence and political corruption and glamorize all sorts of evil. Some forms of music celebrate rebellion, hatred of authority, and misogyny. "Greed is good" was the theme of a movie about Wall Street in the late 1980s.

Being an enemy of the cross of Christ deepens in this stage. Not only are the crosses of self-control, self-discipline, and living within limits set aside due to human weakness, but now there is a prideful "doubling-down" in which one declares that what God calls sin ought instead to be celebrated.

This gradually becomes an outright mockery of the cross of Christ because it would seem to say that Jesus died for nothing, that the sins He died to save us from are not only not sins but are actually things worth celebrating.

These enemies of the cross see any limits as unreasonable. And if this weren't bad enough, as their inimical stance to the cross deepens they celebrate their rejection as a virtue of which to be proud. Their glory in their shame is a twisted and deformed version of tolerance; anyone who does not join in their celebration is guilty of one of the few sins left in their worldview: intolerance. Traditional biblical morality now becomes a form of hate, of intolerant bigotry.

This leads to a de facto rejection of God, at least the true God of Scripture:

III. Fallen Passions -- The texts says of the enemies of the cross, their god is their belly.

At some point the enmity toward the cross grows deep enough that the passions and pleasures of the world reach a godlike status, and indulging them becomes in effect a form of idolatry. All human beings struggle at some level with unruly passions and desires. But as long as we struggle and engage in the battle we are still clinging to the cross. Having rejected the cross by outright glorying in their shame, enemies of the Cross now begin to imbue their sins with a kind of godlike quality.

We know how easily money can become like a god to some; they give their whole life over to its acquisition. For them it is the most worthy and valuable thing they have. It is at the center, where God properly belongs.

In the sexual arena the idolatry is more subtle, but it is still evident in the way some talk. Consider that many today attribute their sexually irregular state to God Himself. They say, "God made me this way" and speak of sins and sinful desires as a gift from God. Some equate their desire with the very voice of God; the simple fact that they have a desire must mean that God put it there, and if God put it there it must be good.

In this way a fallen and disordered desire is thought to come from the very voice and will of God, and should therefore be accorded the reverence and obedience due to God Himself.

In this third stage, those who entertain such notions have entered idolatry's clutches. In effect, they reinvent God and ignore His actual revelation in Scripture and Sacred Tradition. But a reinvented god is not the one, true God, and to worship and obey such a false god is idolatrous.

IV. Final Place -- The text says of these enemies of the Cross: their end is destruction.

Only the true Christ and His true cross can save. Those who stand opposed to the cross embrace a poor destiny indeed. An old litany says, "Sow a thought, reap a deed. Sow a deed, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny." And so we see how our stances deepen within us, either for or against God.

It is therefore a serious matter to permit enmity for the cross to grow within us in any way. It begins with simple weakness and aversion to the more difficult and narrow way of the cross. Then we begin to surround ourselves with teachers who assure us that our sins aren't all that important or even that we can outright celebrate our sins. This then leads to a growing form of idolatry in which we reinvent and reimagine God, going so far as to call our sinful desires godly. The final stage is destruction, for a fake god, an idol, cannot save us. Only the One true God, who told us to take up our cross daily, can save us.

Beware the tendency to become an enemy of the cross of Christ. Spare us, O Lord, from our foolish tendency to substitute false religion. With St. Paul and all the saints may I be determined to know nothing except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified

[MHGinTN]

m’Lady, you cannot expect someone who has not the Spirit of Life in them to understand theTruth that the Holy Spirit is the Life in the Words thus it matters not which version of the Bible is quoted from, because it is the Voice of Him speaking, even if someone doesn’t say or write ‘As The Scriptures Teach, or Speak, or Read. Jesus put satan in his place by quoting the Scriptures ... “It is written” means little to one looking for escape clauses and searching for nits.

[imardmd1]

I am so grateful for the servants of the Lord who have taken and discipled me, who train people to themselves become disciplers. This is what Jesus set forth as the process by which He would build the church of Jerusalem, and plant other independent, autonomous, immersionist churches in Judea, and Samaria, and in other far-off lands and cultures.

That's what Kephas (Peter) was applying, right away, on Pentecost, while there were lots of people making aliyah to Jerusalem for the festal Pentecostal celebration; people like Candace's eunuch treasurer (even though he was barred from entering the inner Temple grounds proper). What joy he must have experienced to know that Jesus would accept him just as he was!

The Eleven began immediately to recruit more disciples, to induct the regenerated ones into the local assembly by the rite of baptism with authority delegated to them by the Godhead, and congregating those disciples for instruction on all the ways of the operation of the society as laid out in detail to His intimately trained associates.

What a joy it is to you and I to have received those benefits, and even more so, with the instruction by the Spirit through the Book of doctrine and discipline written just for us (which the early churches did not have), available for anyone to check out the fact that we are following it, and not some cult or secret society whose doings are not open to public inspection.

[imardmd1]

AF, I've been following this spat for a while, and have been criticized for reacting much as BB has to your offbeat mode of making comments or replies.

It's irritating that you don't stop whining and carping on the point that BB accurately called you on in Post #591 (click here).

Now, I know that BB can hold her own on this without my help, but let me add my voice to hers in that your self-designated "custom" of presenting Scripture snatches and references to them in such an inconvenient, UNaccustomed way as to be just worthy of me summarily ignoring your replies to me and to others in which you exercise this stupid method.

Now, you can post in whatever way you want that is permitted, but don't expect anyone to be required to read through an inconveniently framed and time-consuming one.

Eh?

[imardmd1]

Yeah. Spot on. Sniping and carping as a distraction from what is germane and to the point.

[imardmd1]

This third degree monkey business is what passes for catholic apologetics.

Actually, I think this nagging and carping is just a way to inflate the number of replies to an article that is listed as 'Catholic' under the "Topics" heading and/or linked with the word 'catholic' under the "Keywords" specification. Whether or not this is the intent, it is what does happen, and makes the hit numbers for the search term "catholic" look good to the site proprietor.

I am very much aware of this effect, as I sometimes help another website on collecting and interpreting hit statistics. We would be well-advised to relocate our principal comment exchanges on threads like those created by MM or Gamecock or Bill Randle or Charles Henrickson, rather on Salvation's link to Charles Pope and the like.

Just sayin' . . .

[af_vet_1981]

Now, you can post in whatever way you want that is permitted, ...

Thank you for your consideration, as may you.

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Colossians, Catholic chapter three, Protestant verses twelve to seventeen,
as authorized, but not authored, by King James

[Religion Moderator]

Do not continue to make such personal remarks.

Do not make comments that make the thread about other posters instead of the issues.

[daniel1212]

Not to ALL Jews it wasn’t.

Yet the issue is simple: if person is charged with violating a law which prohibits a person from impersonating a policeman, but in reality he is a policeman but due to the blindness or animus of the arresting officers and judge then they do not or will not recognize him as such, then has he really broken the law, or have the arresting officers and judge?

Charging Christ with breaking the OT law of God since He (and the Holy Spirit) rightfully taught that He was God, uniquely one with the Father, makes the accuser guilty of breaking the law, since this is akin to a case of wrongful arrest and conviction.

Of course, you also have atheists charging God with breaking the Law by killing infants, but infanticide is wrong since giving and taking innocent life is the prerogative of the Creator, not delegated to finite man who cannot claim he is doing what is best, while God can do such things as stop a terminally wicked nation from replicating itself once again and infecting others, and save innocent Canaanite children from Hell (Ezek. 18:20; Dt 24:16; 1Ki. 14:13; 2Ki. 14:6) and not be unjust or otherwise wrong.

[af_vet_1981]

Please enforce one standard for everyone about quoting the scriptures, or are there different standards for different classes of people under your authority ?

[Religion Moderator]

You choose to not comment on the issues in my post to you, but change the subject.

To refresh your memory, my admonition was as follows:

**Do not continue to make such personal remarks.

Do not make comments that make the thread about other posters instead of the issues.**

Referring to your statement: We do.

If a reply is posted by the RM it is to be considered to be applicable to every poster on the thread.

Sometimes “All” will be included in the “to” field as some are not familiar enough with the guidelines of the Religion Forum to know the one in the sentence above.

It would be helpful if you clicked on my name at the bottom of this post and do a careful and thorough study of the guidelines.

As for your question, I will not be baited with strawman questions of that nature nor will I argue with or debate posters.

And you know the answer.

[boatbums]

No.
No.
No.
If you cared so much about accuracy, you would have noticed that I wasn’t directly quoting a specific verse but giving an example of how Jesus and the writers of the New Testament were quite aware of the Scriptures and their divisions by books when they referenced the truths God has revealed. THAT was the point you continue to evade. Like I said...straining at gnats.

[boatbums]

Escape clauses, picking at nits, straining at gnats...kinda all the same thing. Add in revenge and that about explains it.

[af_vet_1981]

You choose to not comment on the issues in my post to you, but change the subject.

I was not aware you were asking for a response. Since you appear to be, it seems to me the source of your concern is post 565, which was not addressed That was the initiation of comments making the thread about another poster which you objected to.

[af_vet_1981]

It would be helpful if you clicked on my name at the bottom of this post and do a careful and thorough study of the guidelines.

"When quoting a source, e.g. a website, article or book – be sure to include sufficient source information for the moderators to enforce copyright restrictions."

Does this apply to scripture ? Does this mean book name, chapter, verse(s) and version for all posters ?

[Religion Moderator]

I wasn’t

You were told that the RM does not debate or argue with posters

Please leave the thread

[boatbums]

Well said. Like saying “it’s carved in stone” - an allusion to God’s writing on the stone tablets given to Moses. Jesus said that heaven and earth would pass away but His word would NEVER pass away (see Matt. 24:35).

[imardmd1]

Like saying “it’s carved in stone” - an allusion to God’s writing on the stone tablets given to Moses.

What a stirring thought, BB! That never entered my mind. But now that you have mentioned it, a couple of Bible verses are brought to mind. One is from Job, telling his 'friends' (hence us four thousand years later, as fresh as dew on the morning glory 'round the door):

"Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever! "
(Job 19:23-24 AV)

Let the rocks of the world crumble! This will still be graven in the Book of the Rock of our Salvation!

And then, by the Choirmaster of the Temple, the words inspired by the Holy Ghost a thousand years later:

"My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made
touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer" (Psalm 45:1 AV)

Certainly the tablets of the hearer's heart, upon which the words of saving faith are engraved forever,
whose writer is the tongue of the grace-acting faithful preacher-herald:

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the ρηματος, the Spoken Word of God"
(Romans 10:17, adapted from the Textus Receptus and the Crown-authorized Version).

And carried forward by the blind song-writer unable to read her own writing, but hearing the voice of God and declaring the Gospel words which will be recalled by the worshipers singing them, to the Glory of the Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost, as told by dear Fanny Crosby looking back two thusand years, telling of the Master, The Yet-Present Christ in Heaven and living in our hearts:

=====

Tell me the story of Jesus

Tell me the story of Jesus,
Write on my heart every word;
Tell me the story most precious,
Sweetest that ever was heard,
Tell how the angels, in chorus,
Sang as they welcomed His birth,
"Glory to God in the Highest,
Peace and good tidings to earth."

Fasting alone in the desert,
Tell of the days that are past,
How for our sins He was tempted,
Yet was triumphant at last.
Tell of the years of His labor,
Tell of the sorrow He bore,
He was despised and afflicted,
Homeless, rejected, and poor,

Tell of the cross where they nailed Him,
Writhing in anguish and pain;
Tell of the grave where they laid Him
Tell how He liveth again.
Love in that story so tender,
Clearer than ever I see:
Stay, let me weep while you whisper,
Love paid the ransom for me.

Chorus:

Tell me the story of Jesus,
Write on my heart every word;
Tell me the story most precious,
Sweetest that ever was heard.

=====

Thank you so much, BB, for your insight, that God has touched your heart:

"Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends;
for the hand of God hath touched me" (Job 19:21 AV)

It has touched mine, too.

[imardmd1]

Of course, you also have atheists charging God with breaking the Law by killing infants, but infanticide is wrong since giving and taking innocent life is the prerogative of the Creator, . . ."

My dear Bro Dan, please write this hint on the back of your hand:

God cannot sin.

And work from there, ne?

----

(Respectfully)

[imardmd1]

Yes, IMO.