On The Olympics

Post 256

2012 Summer World Olympics:
Because of the terrifying concepts that threaten to shatter our comfortable perception of the faith as we know it, I have elected to interject this transitional post before I present my “unbelievable” suggestions.
This week the world is watching the 2012 Summer World Olympics and I have some thoughts that warrant contemplation as we see the reality of the daily events play out.

Are these athletes not very nearly gods? Today we have not yet been emotionally moved to come to this very real conclusion and so we assume the Greeks and Romans at their games were only using the term metaphorically as they crowned their winners. And perhaps they were. But as these athletes year after year, continue to break the previous world records there comes a point at which to break it again would require godlike abilities. When does that transition actually happen? Will a human being eventually run 100 meters in 3.8 seconds, or the 1500 in under a minute? See what I mean?
This is not my first Olympics; I have seen several. And as I look back on the superhuman success of Mark Spitz (http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sp/mark-spitz-1.html) who utterly blew away all the world’s best with seven gold medals in world record times, even then I wondered how this man was so able when the very best of the world through the many previous Olympics could not.
Today I watch in amazement as Michael Phelps (http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ph/michael-phelps-1.html) literally double decimates the records of those who came before him with 18 career Golds and 22 total medals with a mountain of world record times. What makes him so able? I honestly want to know.

As I watched the preliminary 100 and 200-meter Track and Field winners, their legs were moving so fast it actually looked like the silly animated cartoons! It is simply not possible (or at least it wasn’t only a few years ago) to move so fast. So is the cause previously unknown training techniques? Is it newly discovered means to increase strength or muscle twitch? Is it simply the fact there is a new faster goal to aim at than before, so the athletes try harder? I don’t think so.
Humanly possible is humanly possible, but we see somehow that it actually changes. How?

As American Carmelita Jeter runs her races with a magnificently toned body obviously crafted carefully by intense muscle management programs for the goal of winning the Gold, comparatively “skin and bones” Ethiopian and Kenyan women humbly but mightily remain very able contenders with evidence they may end up with more than a few golds!
The 15-year-old “normal looking” small American girl Katie Ledecky swam the 800 meter freestyle “all wrong”. She did not have a phenomenal physique to warrant her win, nor did she follow any textbook tried-and-true procedural plan to explain her triple body-length 4 second win against second place and by interview after her win there was nothing to suggest even a strategy; she just swam hard and she just won. How?

How is it that nearly the entire field of final contenders today must be able to break the world records of the recent past? Is there even a single record from 40 years ago that has not been broken? How is this possible? So are we to believe by reverse projection that the best of the Greeks and Romans ran the 1500 in 11 minutes something? They had to have if we trend the progression backwards: In 1896 the world record for the 1500m was 4:33.2, this year every finalist waiting the race has turned in a time under 3:50! That’s only been 116 years!
Here is a fun resource listing the results of men’s swimming events in every Olympic since 1869 to 2012 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Olympic_medalists_in_swimming_%28men%29). Is this Evolution, or at least micro-evolution in observation? Has anyone comparatively tested the DNA to find out? Why not? Common people, there must be someone from the past who has been cryogenically frozen or something so that we can do an accurate test. Let’s not be so afraid that the evidence might disrupt our confident convictions that we refuse to seriously ask, regardless of which side of the opinion you stand on. All I request is that the evidence found be open for earnest and thorough scrutiny and discussion by all parties, unlike Obama’s birth-certificate of “proof” that by a lack of honest public scrutiny proves nothing if not fraud.
I am very curious to see how secular, scientific, and temporal reality, stacks up against what the Bible says is actually happening to humanity… which I hope to begin exposing in the next post.
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Reflecting On the Olympics, for Christians:
As we are thrilled and amazed at watching the feats of these very worthy athletes displaying the fruit of their years of dedication and self-denial of the desirable things that hinder their hopes of the prize for success, I contemplate the meaning behind the Apostle’s words that directly relate our perspective of the faith to the Olympics:

“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?” I Corinthians 9:24.

Do I really have to waste ink explaining this? Paul is not suggesting that only one Christian will win but is suggesting that we must view the faith from this perspective in order to be successful. Not everybody who enters the race wins the prize. Today this concept utterly defies our modern perception that simply entering the Olympics through Salvation automatically gets you the Gold with no work necessary! It’s just not that simple; Today even our secular sports provide “three winners” of each variously specific contest, with degrees of their “win” represented as Gold, Silver, and Bronze, but we see the second best in the world burst into tears because she did not win the lone coveted prize. Paul is not declaring that only one Christian will succeed but that this is your race to win, and you will only win it if you train like you intend to win it… as if there were only one prize.

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” Philippians 3:13-14.

Don’t go all spiritual on me here and begin arguing theoretical doctrine of “position vs. possession", etc., we see in verse 16 that Paul makes clear we have actually already attained by promise, and so we understand he is here speaking of a functional perspective to apply the promised goal not yet acquired; He did not say he had not yet attained but that he does not count (3049) himself to have apprehended:

Count 3049 logizomia; middle voice from 3056; to take an inventory, i.e. estimate (literally or figuratively):-- conclude, (ac-) count (of), + despise, esteem, impute, lay, number, reason, reckon, suppose, think (on).

Why? Paul tells us it's because we need to earnestly reach forward to gain those things still in front of us and not dwell in confidence on the success of the past.
What things is Paul actually speaking of?
Michael Phelps can help us understand this:
Why did Michael seem to be so intense just before he raced the final race of his career? Was he afraid if he failed this race he would be stripped of his “greatest athlete of all time” standing? Hardly. He was intense about this race because he was not thinking of all his past wins and awards, he was thinking of the race he had not yet won but lay in front of him now. Though he had already attained greatness he had not yet apprehended the completion of his greatness.
Like Mr. Phelps having won his title and many awards, Paul had won his Salvation and he had won his acceptance by the other apostles, he had won his sons in the faith and the churches he established among the Gentiles, he had won his victory of confident faith over persecution, Paul had quite an Olympic career record already, but he was not thinking about all that. He had things still possible to win for the Lord before his Olympic career was over, and his last race was perhaps the toughest of them all (Acts 20:22-24).

“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection (5047); not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment” Hebrews 6:1-2.

Of course Paul is not declaring the principles of the doctrine of Christ as error or needless, he is saying there is far more to the faith than knowledge and camping on the first things we learned as if that were the end goal. Go on further!

“Let us therefore, as many as be perfect (5046), be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample” Philippians 3:15-17.

Perfection 5047 teleiotes; from 5046; (the state) completeness (mentally or morally):-- perfection (-ness).
Perfect 5046 teleios; from 5056; complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.); neutral (as noun, with 3588) completeness:-- of full age, man, perfect.
5056 telos; from a primary tello (to set out for a definite point or goal); properly the point aimed at as a limit, i.e. (by implication) the conclusion of an act or state (termination [literal, figurative or indefinite], result [immediate ultimate or prophetic], purpose); specifically an impost or levy (as paid):-- + continual, custom, end (-ing), finally, uttermost. Compare 5411.

Are you this perfect minded, or are you happy with just entering the Olympics by your Salvation and your success of qualifying for the race by baptism? These are simply qualifying your abilities that only get you positioned to even attempt to win a prize. Instead of drinking beer with fellow relay team-members camping out at a pub near the Olympic Stadium to celebrate that you are an Olympian, You need to hang out with Michael Phelps or others like him who actually have a larger vision of success. This verse ensures us that if we are of such a mindframe to win Gold, then God will make you aware of what that means and anything you are doing that hinders this goal.

“And every man that striveth for the mastery (the skill to win the Gold) is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we and incorruptible.
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly (of my training); so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: (not just shadow boxing but actually competing) but I keep under my body (5299), and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be castaway (96)“ I Corinthians 9:25-27.

Castaway 96 adokimos; from 1 (as a negative particle) and 1384; unapproved, i.e. rejected; by implication worthless (literally or morally):-- castaway, rejected, reprobate.

Clearly in our Olympics parallel, “castaway” is a failure to reach the finals for the race by means of a DQ (disqualification). This is different than running faithfully but still not putting in a performance comparable to greats like Billy Graham, this is why there are degrees of awards while Paul says only one wins the prize; this is not a comparison kind of win against others but is comparison against what God designed you to do. Since Paul’s examples are racing and fighting in the parameters of such a contest, we are not even stretching it to understand he is actually using our Olympic games to make his point regarding our Christian faith. Paul is speaking of a very real spiritual warfare with very real adversaries trying to keep us from the Gold, and very real consequences for disqualification; all in the spirit of a game not a war. We don’t fight against our opponents but wrestle them, though with a very real effort and reward:

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” Ephesians 6:12.

Knowing the consequences of loosing the spiritual war means eternity in hell, how does Paul explain his comparison to a game and not a war? It’s because he already confirmed in passages like Hebrews 6:1-2 that like Phelps, we are already officially Olympians just by registration (we are saved) and cannot loose that spiritual standing unless we abuse our entry through willful or negligent disqualification of the spirit of the Olympics; like doping or cheating or un-Olympian conduct (Ephesians 5:5-17, James 1:12, etc.)(*1).
For the honest competitor, this claim to fame as “an Olympian” can never be taken away regardless if we win any medals or not. This is Salvation in Christ Jesus. But unlike Phelps, most of us have yet to win a single medal in the actual several contests of our faith. Paul, a great spiritual athlete, still runs like he wants to win… because he does. Otherwise even though he already has plenty of Gold awards for past wins, he might find himself not just loosing the race by poor performance but disqualified from the race for breaking the rules and possibly even ejected from the Olympics if the cause warrants it (II Timothy 2:3-5, Ezekiel 3:20-21). Poor but honest performance has little to do with salvation anymore than loosing a race makes you no longer an Olympian, but it sure affects your rewards that are eternal (Philippians 4:1, I Thessalonians 2:19, II Timothy 4:8, Revelation 2:10). Yet while loosing a race is not scorned by the fans or umpire; the spirit of “not really trying” is.
It’s curious that Paul would choose the phrase; “I keep under my body”:

5299 hupopiazo; from a compound of 5259 and 3700; to hit under the eye (buffet or disable an antagonist as a pugilist), i.e. (figuratively) to tease or annoy (into compliance), subdue (one’s passions):-- keep under, weary.

Paul, being a spiritual man in the faith, does not leave his body to conduct itself as it wills, but rather keeps his strong spirit connected to his burdensome body to subdue it into a refined athlete able to win. You cannot win the wrestling match without your body as a participant, even though the contest is spiritual (*2)(James 2:26).

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand (2476 i.e. not be beaten)” Ephesians 6:13.

And then Paul goes on to describe the specific details of the needful amour we must put on before “battle” as if he were not just blowing at us cute phrases of meaningless romantic ideas. I think he really intends us to believe this is a very important Olympic event in the spirit performed not by, but through, the flesh... IF we will be so like minded (Philippians 3:15).

Skipping for the moment the immediately problematic observation that today’s Christian warriors have rejected the personal chainmail bodyarmor of truth and the companion breastplate of righteousness as too cumbersome and needless behind their foolishly oversized shield of faith, they have slipped into their “comfortable” modern style shoes of the gospel of peace that being easy slip-ons need no preparation to worry about. Most these pathetically faithful Christians are at least willing to stand…er…sit in Christ’s battleline with their helmet of salvation chinstrap unfastened in “John Wayne style” that looks so cool but places the security of salvation at risk of being dislodged in battle, and the sword of the spirit tightly sheathed sometimes at their side but more often packed away on the shelf, while some of them thus haphazardly dressed for battle are even impatient for the Lord to act and so break the ranks to charge the enemy with enthusiasm in the name of the Lord, and then wonder why they fall as slain. Olympians nothin’, These guys couldn’t win their children’s preschool foot race!
“I’m not an Olympian, but I played one on TV,” is their jovial attitude regarding a race with eternal scores.

I see in my mind the contrasting opening scene of Gladiator as General Maximus surveys his well prepared Roman army just before a very tough battle, and I can’t help but have deep concern as I see today’s Christian army pathetically unprepared but too drunkenly ignorant to know it or care. As one example of my meaning regarding the protective "armor of God" listed, I offer this short discussion of the only weapons we are directed to take up:
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The Sword of the Spirit:

“And take…the sword (3162) of the Spirit, which is the word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching…” Ephesians 6:17-18.

Sword 3162 machaira; probably feminine of a presumed derivative of 3163; a knife, i.e. dirk; figuratively war, judicial punishment:-- sword.
3163 mache; from 3164; a battle, i.e. (figuratively) controversy:-- fighting, strive, striving.

Clearly as still used today; the meaning of “sword” is a cutting and thrusting instrument used in battle (Hebrews 4:12). So here is the question, Oh prepared warrior of God:
When does a Christian, instructed to turn the other cheek (Luke 6:29) and love ones enemies (Matthew 5:43-44), actually draw the sword of the Spirit from its scabbard? And when he does, what does he actually do with it?
I know you think you know, so stop right now and answer the question so clearly that it would hold up in debate. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
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After the very bloody battle, where many valiant men fell in honor and loyalty to Rome, we see a dramatic contrast as the morally weak son of Caesar shows up flamboyantly but safely late as usual. As the battle weary army participates in after-battle cleanup, Caesar’s son is seen not far from camp in the non-public-view portion of the woods, really working up a sweat practicing diligently his swordsmanship with six “aggressors”; this guy must be really good with a sword to require that many to keep his talent honed, and obviously this is not performed for show, it is a private event.
But it doesn’t take long as we quietly watch unnoticed, to see that this is really not sword practice but choreography for a later play; a public show. There is no swordsmanship going on here as they carefully map out every action and reaction to perfection by verbally counting with pause every key position of every man. There is no Spirit with this sword use and this often accurately portrays Christian studies as they sit around a metaphorical round-table discussing among themselves what each of them thinks the scriptures say to them. The illusion is a process of rightly dividing the word of truth as instructed (II Timothy 2:15), but it is only an illusion, because the truth has been replaced by opinion while the word is politely “debated” among friends without the risk of damage to egos or opinions. There is no contest to actually test skills, “Somebody could get hurt!”
Other than a very insufficient sword-arm strength-training by merely holding up the sword in this activity, there is nothing useful to a real battle in their activities though they really work up a sweat in the exercise and the end result looks very much like the battle of a valiant man with an amazing number of adversaries! Such an activity is even less useful than “beating the air” by a boxer because at least the boxer is getting strengthened by the weight of the gloves without the illusion that he is a great fighter. Paul says, “Don’t practice like this,” instead train against your friends with real blows of unscripted debate, then get out on the street where your scriptural use will be aggressively challenged by unfriendly lifestyles. Now how skilled are you at responding with a worthy parry and overcoming their defenses against the faith?

As Tongues is not a thing of itself but is an evidence of the Spirit, so the word of God is not a thing of itself but is a weapon of the same Spirit. It’s not something we are supposed to wield at our pleasure but a powerful offensive and defensive tool used by the Spirit that dwells within us. Such proper use of this instrument is an Olympic event that we should be earnestly striving to master (II Timothy 2:15), which is not as easy as one might think (II Timothy 2:16-18). Our adversary the Devil is attempting to keep us from winning the Gold (I Peter 5:8, Revelation 3:11). He doesn’t play fair and is really good at cheating and deception, seemingly without being penalized by the line judge, which is why we need the Spirit’s guidance with using the word wisely; “We wrestle not against flesh and blood…”
Our great advantage is that although the Devil has handled the word of God for many centuries, he is a performer, a fake, he cannot actually use its Power in the Spirit. Winning our matches justly while he cheats is all a part of our rigorous training program so that we can master the skills and receive the award in the end. Michael Phelps didn’t become the greatest athlete of all time simply because he signed up for the Olympics, likewise you’re saved, that’s great! Now what events will you enter, and how diligent will you train; as if you intend to win the Gold, or content to place 14th and so receive no award? (Matthew 25:19-21 vs. 24-30).
While we finish up the present Spiritual Olympics of today, I am about to show you what the next Olympics will look like; the times to beat have been lowered even further and the bars have all been raised higher. If you’re not winning your preliminaries now, you really need to take your training more seriously. Instead of being content to run, you need to be training for Gold. There is no second place.

“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?” I Corinthians 9:24.
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(*1) Un-Olympic Conduct:
• Four women’s Badmitten doubles teams were sent home for intentionally loosing in an effort to improve their draws.
• Algerian middle distance runner Taoufik Makhloufi was thrown out of the Olympics for not running hard enough in his 800 meter preliminary heat. The race referee determined; "failure to compete honestly with bona fide effort" (*1b). It is believed he was saving energy for his later run in the 1500 meter final, of which he was a medal contender. Later by appeal he was reinstated, but the point is made.

(*1b) resource: Associated press August 6, 2012.

(*2) Did world-class gymnast Jordyn Wieber fail to perform her vault and so loose the Gold because her body was unable or unwilling to perform? Hardly. This girl is well renown for her consistent success in the performance of her art. Not being a psychologist or a gym coach I am not presuming to provide mysterious wisdom here but only making an observation. The flaw in her performance was more likely due to a fear (*2b) that by the cataclysmic series of failures of the girls in front of her, she got mentally freaked out. And instead of her normal mental alertness that subconsciously guided her body to perform what it knew how to do through training, she changed what was normal by attempting to will her body in a way that was unfamiliar. Her body was not practiced to operate like this and so was unable to perform well in this strange new spiritless way.
Likewise our regular training in the works of our faith as spiritual gymnasts is for the purpose of training our body and spirit to work as a unit unto perfection. The end result is a system that seems to perform flawlessly without specific domineering control of willpower but rather something else. At the Olympics is not the time to will your body to perform but rather be the performance that has been so perfected in training (II Corinthians 4:11,17-18).

(*2b) Fear:
Don’t miss the distinction yet connection between the cause of the failure in her attempt, and the failure to attempt of the Exodus people that refused to cross-over in even the attempt to win the Gold, and instead of receiving an award at all, found themselves ejected from the games for a failure to try. Debilitating fear comes in significant degrees of consequence, but it’s all the same basic stuff: Fear (II Timothy 1:7-9).
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