Meditational Musings from the Mind of Milo

• Band of Brothers
• Lombardi Was Right. Winning IS the Only Thing
• Clothed in Righteousness
• Imago Deo
• All In!
• Super Body

Band of Brothers

Although I never fought in a war or even served in the military, I've seen the strong bond that comrades-in-arms have for each other in shows like Band of Brothers, movies like Saving Private Ryan, books I've read, and veterans I've encountered. Their devotion to each other and willingness to sacrifice for one another is as strong as can be found in any human relationship, including marriage.

This has given me insight into why God asks His people to suffer for His cause. Serving God puts us into the middle of a cosmic battle:

• For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)

No different from any other war, this epic conflict comes with casualties. Throughout the centuries Christians have been imprisoned, tortured, and killed for their faith. Others have lost family, their livelihood, and everything they own. All Christians who are persecuted for their faith comprise a Band of Brothers and Sisters with a common bond forged in the face of adversity:

• Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (I Peter 5:8-9)

Moreover, this Band of Brothers and Sisters includes the Lord Himself:

• But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. (I Peter 4:13-16)
• I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
• For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. (II Corinthians 1:5)

Just as veterans who have fought side by side in earthly wars have cemented a special bond lasting the rest of their lives, so will the brotherhood of Christ that endures trials and tribulations for the good cause of God's work on Earth enjoy a unique kinship for all eternity:

• Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs in the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:10-12)

We believers who are blessed to live in a land where we are free to exercise our faith are also fighting against a world system that opposes God, and we stand with the holy warriors on the front lines of the battle for this planet:

• Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. (Hebrews 13:3)
• If one part (of Christ's body, the body of believers) suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (I Corinthians 12:26)
• Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. (Hebrews 10:33-34)

Lombardi Was Right. Winning IS the Only Thing.

I hate losing. Losing stinks. It's never good when the Packers lose, especially to the hated Vikings or Bears. In politics, I can't stand seeing my side lose an election. Maybe the only time I tolerate losing is at the craps table as a price for entertainment. Nah, I hate losing there, too. Winning is best.

Although maybe Vince Lombardi never really said, "Winning isn't everything. It's the only thing," the sentiment is absolutely right when it comes to God executing His plan. Unlike the Packers, elections, or craps where the prospect of winning is always in doubt, God guarantees victory:

• With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies. (Psalms 60:12)
• A day of the Lord is coming when your plunder will be divided among you. I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime -- a day known to the Lord. When evening comes, there will be light. On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter. The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name. (Zechariah 14:1-9)
• I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he wages and makes war. His eyes are like a blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one but he himself knows. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of the people, free and slave, small and great." Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. (Revelation 19:11-21)
• Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him. (Daniel 7:27)
• Then the end will come, when he (Christ) hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. (I Corinthians 15:24-26)
• When the perishable has been clothed with imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (I Corinthians 15:54-57)
• And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth." (Revelation 5:9-10)

The Bible says it's a done deal. We win! I love winning. It's the ONLY thing. Through the blood of Christ, we have victory over sin, victory over death, and victory over the power of the devil!

Clothed in Righteousness

In our sin we stand naked before God, as Adam and Eve found themselves after they disobeyed Him:

• Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. (Genesis 3:7)

Our attempts to hide our sin with good deeds aren't acceptable to a holy God, just as He found Adam and Eve's clothing of themselves to be inadequate, so He dressed them Himself:

• The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21)

This was indeed the first sacrifice, for some animal had to be skinned, and foreshadowed the death of God's Son, Jesus the Christ, as the final recompense for sin:

• And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:10)

Simply put, we can't save ourselves through our own effort, which the Bible again describes as clothing ourselves:

• All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; (Isaiah 64:6a)

I recently heard a preacher say that the previous verse refers to a menstrual cloth. Let's remember that before we think we can earn our way to heaven. No, we need to put on God's clothing, which is the righteousness provided from the Christ's work:

• You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (Galatians 3:26-27)
• Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes." Then he said to Joshua, "See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you." (Zechariah 3:3-4)
• Therefore put on the full armor of God, so after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:13-17)

The Wedding Supper of the Lamb is the grand party of all parties when the Christ gathers His people together with Him in eternity. He referenced this momentous event when He instituted the sacrament of Holy Communion:

• "I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom." (Matthew 26:29)

Everyone there must be clothed in His righteousness:

• Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb (Jesus, John 1:29) has come, and his bride (the church, the true followers of Jesus, Ephesians 5:23-32) has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. (Revelation 19:7-8a)
• But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. "Friend," he asked, "how did you get in here without wedding clothes?" The man was speechless. Then the king told the attendants, "Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 22:11-13)

For only His righteousness can cover sin:

• I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire (things refined by fire have eternal value, I Corinthians 3:13-15), that you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness (i.e. sin); and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. (Revelation 3:18)
• Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed. (Revelation 16:15)

Imago Deo

Imago Deo is Latin for "image of God". God created us in His image:

• So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)

What does being created in God's image mean? Does God have arms and legs, and a head? No, at least not before the incarnation of the Christ. It means each of us has a personality, powers of reason, the ability to love, emotions, desires, and a will. Just like God does.

It also includes being male and female. Don't get me wrong. I'm no heretic who thinks the Bible, the creeds, and our hymns need to be rewritten to be gender neutral. God is our heavenly Father and is referenced by male pronouns, and the Christ walked this planet as a man, but I believe Genesis is saying that God has apportioned His attributes to men and women in varying degrees.

The Lord is a warrior. He provides. Stereotypical male traits. He's also relational and a nurturer, things that women tend to be better at than men.

I see in this the mystery and wonder of marriage, and why God hates adultery and divorce:

• "Haven't you read," he (Jesus) replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother, and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." (Matthew 19:4-6)

The union of man and woman brings together the attributes of God that He has apportioned between them, resulting in wonder, the creation of more humans.

All In!

We know what's right, yet we delight in our sin. We want to have it both ways, looking for a minimum standard to please God, and living the rest of our lives however we want. God thinks otherwise. He wants us to offer everything we have to His service:

• No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. (Matthew 6:24, also Luke 16:13)
• Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world -- the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does -- comes not from the Father but from the world. (I John 2:15-16)
• You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. (James 4:4)

In the Texas poker games on ESPN, the time comes when a player shoves all the stacks of chips he has left into the pot. All in! God wants us go all in:

• Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)

Let's submit everything to God. Let's surrender to His plan for our lives. Let's spend time with Him. Let's draw on His power to give up unholy pleasures. Let's make Him the master of our finances. Let's trust in Him to supply our needs and meet our desires, and ultimately to grant us eternal life, for that's the ultimate bet, our eternal destiny, so let's go all in. The stakes are well worth it.

Super Body

Note the recurring terminology in the following verses:

• For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:29)
• But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (I Corinthians 15:20)
• For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. (I Corinthians 15:22-23)
• He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (Colossians 1:15)
• And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. (Colossians 1:18)
• And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him." (Hebrews 1:6)
• ... and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. (Revelation 1:5a)

What do firstfruits and firstborn mean? Does it mean that the Christ was the first to rise from the dead? Trick question! Jesus had already raised the daughter of Jairus (Mark 5:35-41), the widow's son (Luke 7:11-15), and Lazarus (John 11:38-44). There were even resurrections at the moment He died (Matthew 27:52-53).

Jesus is different. His resurrected body is the first one that never gets sick and will never die. Not like Lazarus and the others who had their old bodies and just died again. Moreover, Jesus could appear in a locked room (John 20:19) and float into the sky (Luke 24:51 and Acts 1:9) like a spirit, although He was corporeal because He could eat (Luke 24:42). He has a Super Body, and someday we get one!

• But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagarly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (Philippians 3:20-21)
• So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it it raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it it raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. (I Corinthians 15:42-44)
• For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. (I Corinthians 15:53)