Triumphalism
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Triumphalism is a smug, self-satisfied sense of righteousness that cuts us off from the work God wants us to do.
It is a form of extremism. "Virtue is the mean between extremes."
| Too little | Just right | Too much |
|---|---|---|
| Despair | Confidence | Triumphalism |
Triumphalists think, speak, and act as if the spiritual war is over. They blind themselves to their own sins and the weakness and wounds that afflict the Church.
Jesus has won the victory by His death and resurrection. We need to be confident in the Triumph of the Cross and should "rejoice always". But on this side of death, we are members of the Church Militant. We must not rest on Jesus' laurels. We must "work out [our] salvation in fear and trembling" (Phil 2:12).