Deep Dive into The Weight of Glory by C. S Lewis

C. S. Lewis differentiates Christian Love from what he sees as modern unselfishness. He notes a shift where "Unselfishness," a negative term focusing on self-deprivation as the important point, has replaced "Love," a positive term aiming for the good of others. Lewis argues that modern thought, influenced by Kant and the Stoics, wrongly considers the desire for one's own good as bad, a notion he finds is no part of Christian faith. He contends that Christ actually finds our desires not too strong, but too weak, because we settle for fleeting earthly pleasures when infinite joy is offered.Lewis explains that the promises of heaven represent proper rewards, which are not external payments but the consummation or fulfillment of the activity itself. He uses the analogy of a schoolboy learning Greek to illustrate how the ultimate reward, the vision of God, is gradually desired for its own sake as understanding and experience grow.He identifies a deep human longing, the "inconsolable secret," a desire for a "far-off country" or reality beyond earthly experience. This longing, a sense of being strangers, is seen as the "truest index of our real situation".The satisfaction for this desire is found in "glory with God." Lewis understands glory primarily as divine approval, acceptance, and appreciation, healing the ache of being ignored. It also encompasses transcendental splendour and luminosity, a participation in divine beauty. This biblical concept of glory ultimately satisfies our deepest, often misdirected, desires. Understanding the potential glory of our neighbors places a "weight" on us, requiring awe and costly charity towards these immortal beings.Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologianPatreon: patreon.com/edi_reformed