Recently Jmac stirred the pot and created some controversy by saying, “We don’t win down here, we lose!”
In a lot of ways I agree with him. Mark this day down in history because I don’t always agree with MacArthur, but I think he really nailed it here. I also believe there is a lot of Biblical precedent that supports what he is saying. The last shall go first, the meek shall inherit the Earth. Our Savior Himself did not ride into victory to conquer the Romans and “win.” By earthly measures, it doesn’t look like a “win.”
Jmac says “we lose on this battlefield,” key words being “this battlefield.” The war itself has already been won.
In faith we are called to pour ourselves out, to use everything we have been given, with little or no earthly reward, without reaping the glory, without the victory. Hopefully we “lose” everything. Things like pride, envy, wrath, idols……
These words also needed to be said because in the Western world we are just obsessed with “winning,” to the point of having nearly lost all perspective. There are men invading women’s sports right now in part because the primary goal is “winning.” Forget sportsmanship, forget opportunity, it’s all about the winning.
Politics no longer resemble any kind of cooperative human venture either, it’s all about winners and losers and owning the other side. I don’t know how anyone sensible could claim all this “political winning” is benefiting anyone.
In marriage there are quite a few so called Christian teachings about who gets to be the “tie breaker,” the winner, the boss. Let me tell you, if you think the goal of marriage is to win, to figure how who is the more powerful “tie breaker,” that’s the fastest path to divorce. If you don’t divorce, at the very least you will completely destroy another person, the one you claim to love. I’m horrified that “who gets to be the tie breaker” is even a part of the discussion. Love doesn’t care about “winning” it wants to lift up, elevate another, serve, cooperate, listen, sacrifice. Husbands are supposed to love their wives like Christ loved the church. In an earthly sense, in a worldly definition, there was no “winning” going on there. Jesus simply poured Himself out and laid down His life.
Victory looks a whole lot different in the spiritual realm than it does in the worldly world.
I need to put in a good word for the objectors however, for those upset about what Jmac said. They aren’t totally wrong. They also make a valid point about how MacArthur really fought against covid lock downs with the intention of winning. And he did win! He has also certainly accumulated some wealth along the path of all this “Christian losing.” So we do have a case of, “do as I say, not as I do.”
Also, if the battle is already lost, then why bother? Why do we do the things we do, serve others, try to make the world a better place? I think that’s where the strong meat of faith comes in, the understanding that we will lose, but we fight on anyway. Some things are just worth fighting for, even when losing the battle is guaranteed. In fact, what we chose to fight for even knowing it will cost us everything and result in no worldly victory helps to demonstrate what we truly value, what genuinely has worth and value to us.
This is what we mean when we say, “some people are so heavenly minded they do no earthly good.” So now nobody has to speak up about injustice because the world is not my home?! There are numerous examples of people using faith as a form of avoidance, as a way of never having to participate in the dreaded, “social justice.” I realize those words are packed with political biases, but just same, we are supposed to be caring about the well being of our fellow human beings and what our neighborhoods and nations look like!
Also, while the world is indeed full of suffering and sorrow, we are not commanded to live in a “vale of tears,” lamenting the delay of the return of the Lord. We have been granted some authority over our own circumstance! At least make your bed, take out the garbage, and go spread some good cheer.
Ultimately I suppose this is a eschatological debate which is why I keep stamping my foot and proclaiming, abiding panism. That’s where you just abide in the Lord and trust that it will all pan out.
See, there's this thing called biology... 
The war was won at Calvary. But the devil is still fighting on earth. We don’t quit because we have been given a job , to resist sin and share the good news of salvation to those who are also losing . The battle on earth is between good and evil. We win if we are on the winning side. And we win even if we die fighting. We just don’t win like the world defines “winning”. The only way for us to win the battle is to surrender to Jesus who already won.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good answer! Yes, I think I agree. I liked your, “resist sin and share the good news of salvation to those who are also losing.” That’s a good attitude to have.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As you say, a lot depends on what a person means by “winning.” Jesus didn’t have one of those bumper stickers “He who dies with the most toys wins.” The people who think that’s what winning looks like are deluded.
One of the great ends of the church is “the exhibition of the kingdom of heaven to the world.” That can sometimes look a lot like making your bed, taking out the garbage, and spreading some good cheer. Maybe that amounts to “going for the win” after all.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good point about the simplicity of, “going for the win.” For some that might mean just getting up in the morning and trying again.
Many of the complaints about Jmac involved his alleged “theology of losers” which made it clear to me that a lot of people actually perceive faith as being all about domination and winning, being the top dog in all things. I’m laughing here, but being a loser for Christ is actually far preferable to being a winner for anything else.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agreed!!
LikeLike
always reminded of what christ said “my kingdom is not of this world”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes! But he also said, “thy kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven.” So I think we’re supposed to be bringing a bit of heaven down to earth.
LikeLike
“The Kingdom of God is within you” meaning in your midst when Jesus actually said it (meaning He is the kingdom) and In Us now as Jesus and the kingdom live within us. “Bringing heaven to earth” doesn’t mean subjugation earth to God’s Kingdom rule NOW. That won’t happen until His Return. He does that… not us. At this time however… His Kingdom is not of this world, but within and thru us as believers.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Objectively, how can we win or lose when life, impoverished or wealthy, comfortable or suffering, is a free and unsolicited imposition in the first place? Isn’t win or lose in this context merely a product of the envy provided by the competitive portion of our DNA?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting point, Jack! “Winning” is a somewhat subjective matter of opinion. We really do need to ask ourselves, winning by Whose standard??
I like the analogy of a game of tug of war. Well, if everyone on the other end of the rope is way bigger than you, the fastest way to “win” is to get everyone pulling hard and then just drop the rope. They will all fall on their behinds in the mud! True, you will have technically “lost” and they will have “won,” but you won’t be the one on your face in the mud. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That the subjective must be selected as the controlling view seems reasonable to me, too. But it sure plays hell with the ides of sin …
LikeLiked by 1 person
One of the debates going on in the world today is just that, is sin subjective and personally defined or is there an objective standard outside of ourselves? If there is an objective standard outside of ourselves, then how do recognize that standard, how do we know what it is?
Myself, I kind of believe that is the journey, that is the struggle, that it is deliberately left somewhat vague so we would be forced to seek it out and discover those things.
LikeLike
An unwinnable debate, that. Do not Jews and Christians suppose that the Commandments are objective? And then proceed to argue applications ..?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on clydeherrin.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Clyde. Much appreciated. 🙂
LikeLike
This is part of a problem that’s infested Western Culture—in particular the English-speaking world for a long time. The idea that I mean is that life and ethics are based on “cost-benefit” or “win-lose” principle. A lot of this is the result of Evo-Psych, Social Darwinism, and predatory Crony-Capitalist economic and social theories which have gained currency over the last few centuries; but in our corner of the world seem to predominate.
The traditional approach is based more upon a “right vs. wrong” principle. This is where MacArthur gets it wholly wrong. Being a Christian doesn’t mean being “A Loser for Jesus” it means standing for what’s right, having lines that we don’t cross, even when standing for something is most difficult. It’s true that sometimes in this life we have to choose between the Lesser of Two Evils, but this “win-at-all-costs” mentality doesn’t count. A terrible example of this is how Left-Wing governors are being criticized by ‘Conservatives’ because they want to close down religious services that don’t support homos or abortion; meanwhile these same people are cheering Right-Wing governors who want to close down religious organizations providing humanitarian services to immigrants. Or more recently, hearing people on the Right supporting people accused of crimes all the way up to outright homicide and calling for defunding the FBI—when just a few months ago they complained about Liberals giving criminals a free pass for political reasons and defunding the police. This is what happens when society equates ‘winning’ with God’s Will.
On the other side of the coin, equating ‘losing’ with God’s Will leads to apathy and resignation to injustice and abuse; like the Red Pills saying that wives and children should submit to abuse and tyranny from their husbands; or fake ‘Libertarians’ who say we should tolerate whatever the superior people want from us for our own good. I think that we can see from examples like these both sides played out in society right now. I don’t believe that God cares about winning or losing; He cares about whether we do right or wrong.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, you make a really good point about how “winning” and “losing” can be about a cost benefit analysis! Basically it amounts to asking, “what’s in it for me??”
That’s a good thing to ask in life sometimes, but when it comes to our faith, Jesus makes it known, you must be willing to lose everything, to let go of everything. There is a cost, a price to be paid. In cultural Christianity, also known as the comfortable West, being a Christian has traditionally paid big dividends, it benefited you socially and sometimes even financially as we see with mega churches, book sales, and evangelical empires. Jmac is no exception.
And of course it’s a real paradox within our faith, we have practically “won” the whole lottery, we have gained our souls, it is victory and the payoff is huge! We are invited to sit at the right hand of the Father with Jesus. So “lose” to Christ and you will “win” everything.
LikeLike