cats and dogs.

In the book Cat and Dog Theology, Bob Sjogren & Gerald Robinson write the following:

In Romans 15:8-9, Paul speaks about Christ's death. He says, "For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that..."

Stop right there. Note what is happening here. He is proclaiming the reason why Christ came to the earth to live a perfect life and die a painful death. This is an important key. What is the reason? He says, "so that the Gentiles" (odds are that this pertains to the majority of those reading the book) "might go to hell".

Wrong. That's not what the text days, but what a perfect place for Paul to have said it! If that's not what Paul said, then what did he say? He said, "so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy." All of us are saved for a reason: so that we might glorify God for His mercy. There is a purpose to our salvation, and that purpose is not just about escaping hell.


The basic premise of this book is that some Christians are like cats and some are like dogs. A dog says, "You pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you love me, you must be God." A cat says, "You pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you love me, I must be God." While none of us are actually saying that we are God, that attitude of God serving us instead of us serving God permeates our prayers, our worship, our testimony, our very perspective of God! Reading this quotation reminds me that God did not create the world for me, but rather He created the world for Himself and that we are saved to give glory to God for His mercy. And that just blows my mind.

How did I glorify God today for His mercy? How will I glorify God tomorrow for His mercy?