The audience rooting for the young man in the red uniform (the “red wrestler”) was cheering so loudly it was hard to think in the small gymnasium.
Wait a minute...what???
Prior to being pinned, the red wrestler had been tossed around a bit, but had proven himself a worthy competitor. Sweat was pouring off of him. Each time he managed to buck his way out from underneath his opponent, the audience would gasp and the red side of the gym would sigh, distraught, but still hopeful their friend/classmate/brother/son would be pinned soon.
Huh?...is this making any sense???
The blue wrestler simply refused to give up. Early on in the match it became apparent to all that the red wrestler didn’t stand a chance at pinning his opponent. The blue wrestler was just a superior athlete.
When the referee’s hand had signaled the final pin, the clock was dangerously close to running out, hence the elated cries from the red wrestler’s fans.
This story doesn’t make any sense, does it? Not from an earthly viewpoint - wrestling fans don’t cheer when their athlete gets pinned. However, in the spiritual life, it’s just the opposite.
In my little story above, the red wrestler depicts the human flesh. We are all born with one and it is a tenacious little bugger. As unbelievers, we “are” our flesh. It’s really arrogant so it refuses to give in to its opponent, namely the Holy Spirit of God. It knows deep down inside it is the inferior competitor, but nonetheless it carries on in its stubbornness. For as long as there’s still “time left in the match” (Hebrews 9:27) the Holy Spirit never stops trying to “pin” the human flesh, to the benefit of its owner.
The cheering fans are like those of us who are already saved, rooting for the flesh of our loved one to give up the fight and surrender, to be “pinned”, to lose.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
— Matthew 16:25-26
You might ask why I chose a wrestling match as an illustration. My answer is because this is precisely how the Bible depicts the process of conversion. While salvation is accomplished by God’s grace alone, man struggles with it, sometimes for years before being saved, sometimes until death, incurring eternal punishment.
And He was passing through from one city and village to another, teaching, and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem. And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”
— Luke 13:22-24
The Greek word translated “strive” is agonizomai, which means to struggle, to strive (as in an athletic contest or warfare), to contend, as with an adversary [Strong’s Concordance]. Those words were spoken by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and inserted into Holy Scriptures by His Spirit. Let us not underestimate why this particular Greek word was used, as it is the root for the English word “agonize.”
While salvation is simply by grace, man wrestles with the difficulty of entering through the narrow gate, of accepting our Lord’s demand to deny self, of surrender.
It may be the only time we cheer when someone loses a competition, but we ought to cheer as loudly as the angels, for “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10b)!
One of my most consistent prayers is that those I love be “pinned” under the mighty hand of God and that their human flesh be exasperated, overcome. I don’t want to celebrate with the world when their flesh succeeds or when the clock runs out and their flesh is still standing, for that means an eternity in the Lake of Fire - “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). In this sense, I embrace the idea of a loved one struggling with God on the topic of salvation. For as long as they are engaged in battle, there’s always hope.
For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
AND IF IT IS WITH DIFFICULTY THAT THE RIGHTEOUS IS SAVED, WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE GODLESS MAN AND THE SINNER?
Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.
— 1 Peter 4:17-19
Man wins when he is “pinned” to the mat. Not the best pep talk to give an aspiring Olympian, but certainly the righteous one to give a spiritually dead person.
Love in Christ,
Ed Collins
