Gladiators know they must conquer to live another day. Every morning they rise, it’ll either be fortunate, or not, and immediately they’re aware of defeat, or be defeated. If they do survive, they’ll enjoy less than a moments peace, because of false hope. They cherish any glimpse of peace, and want it to last, but they know the demands put upon their lives because of wickedness evaporates any symbol of that hope.
What do you awake too? Are the demands placed upon you so heavy, life feels as if it’s only meant to survive, so you count the hours and minutes, before you can get to some spot you believe is peaceful, hoping the weight of the day is over, chores are met, demands complete, until tomorrow when it starts all over again? If this is you, you’re looking at life similarly through eyes like a Gladiator, and that’s not of God.
Scripture tells us we’re MORE than conquerors, (Romans 8:35-39). Let me paraphrase. Even though there will be trouble or distress, dealing with the affaires and circumstances of the world — persecution because people hate; too, even though they’ll be famine — needing the bare necessities of life such as food and drink, escorted by nakedness/poverty, and I could go on, scripture says, there’s more to life then these battles. There’s more to life than just surviving it; using a Gladiator’s mindset, which again is defeat or be defeated, because it’s contradictory to God’s intent for Man. That mindset is absent from God – (1st John 2:15-17), and – (Proverbs 10:22). YOU may know God, but your Arena may not. Your Arena may know God, but are they demonstrating it; you included, or is everybody Gladiators at first thought?
Jesus said, He came to separate mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers; even in-laws – (Matthew 10:35-38), and – (Luke 12:53); meaning, to remove you from the Arena, by the renewing of your mind if you believe – (Romans 12:2). Not to renew your mind is disobedience, keeping you in the Arena hoping to fight another day without any optimism, or lasting peace.
You can’t serve God with the eyes and mindset of a Gladiator, and I’ll say it once more, to defeat or be defeated, and God won’t serve you, because survival of the fittest, doesn’t require faith — it’s all YOUR effort, and disbelief in our two only Commandments that matter, which covers them all — love God, and love people as Jesus did – (Matthew 22:36-40), and – (John 13:34).
Gaidi
Word of note: To defeat or be defeated is not for Mankind, it’s for beasts; they inherited it after the fall of Man. And you can’t serve God appeasing those, or yourself who keep fighting in Babylon’s Arena with eyes to defeat or be defeated can you … Gladiator?
Gaidi