The Paradoxical Exchange of Glory and The Cross

Here is more on Luther's contrast between the Theology of Glory and the Theology of the Cross (all bracketed text or underlines are mine).

Luther's railing against good works is to be taken as referring to the self-glorifying and self-justifying attitudes about good works that were promoted in the theological environment in 1518:

21)  A theology of glory calls evil good and good evil.
       A theology of the cross calls the thing
       what it actually is.

This is clear: He who does not know Christ does not know God hidden in suffering. Therefore he prefers works to suffering, glory to the cross, strength to weakness, wisdom to folly, and in general, good to evil. These are the people whom the apostle calls "enemies of the cross of Christ" (Phil. 3:18), for they hate the cross and suffering and love works and the glory of works. Thus they call the good of the cross evil and the evil of a deed good.

God can be found only in suffering and the cross, as has already been said. Therefore the friends of the cross say that the cross is good, and works [for glory or justication] are evil, for through the cross works are dethroned and the "old Adam," who is especially edified by works, is crucified.

It is impossible for a person not to be puffed up by his "good works" unless he has first been deflated and destroyed by suffering and evil, until he knows that he is worthless and that his works are not his but God's.

Luther's definition of the Theology of Glory is a way of defining Legalism.  And how often isn't it the case, even as believers in grace, that we feel good about ourselves when we do well (as we see it), and feel bad about ourselves when we do poorly (we were surprised by it, and hate looking bad in the eyes of other men).

Legalists!  How can we be sanctified, when all our ways of understanding what sanctification really is are wrong!

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There is a revolution here which comes from minds and hearts being refreshed by the Theology of the Cross, but this revolution keeps getting lost. We should pray for this vision to be renewed in our generation.  It was at the root of the greatest revival in the church since the Day of Pentecost.