Battles, Glory, and Inheritance

I’ve heard it said that there is no glory in war or death. In my experience, this is usually proffered by someone claiming that all war or violence is an unnecessary evil at best, and a satanic evil at its worst – nevermind that gallant violence or a just war is sometimes necessary to remove actual evil before it destroys honest peace and innocent life.  While I once spent a short portion of my life training for war, I have never had to see it up close, and I hope to never see death in the midst of violence or in anything other than a peaceful passing from natural causes. But even with my lack of experience, I can’t help but disagree with the statement that there is no glory in war or death. War is clearly filled with glory. Naturally, it is also filled with glory’s opposites – shame, dishonor, and disgrace. Glory is the renown, honor, or praiseworthiness something has because of its innate and visible qualities. It is a quality that is likened to splendor and radiance. When it is applied to intelligent, sentient beings, it is always rooted in the elements of that being’s personal moral character. When a soldier lays down his life to protect his country, his rights, the innocent, or his brothers, that is glorious. It is ugly and deeply sorrowful, but it is also beautiful and glorious at the same time.  When a man refuses to defend the innocent when he has the ability to do so, but chooses to flee in cowardice instead, it is also ugly. But it is no way glorious or beautiful. It is shameful, disgraceful, and dishonorable. The greatest glories come from the greatest sacrifices.

Interestingly, Paul teaches us in Romans 8:12-17 that we become fellow heirs with Christ when we are adopted into God’s divine family at our salvation.  This means that we inherit the universe with Christ as one of God’s heirs (Hebrews 1:1-2)! But Paul puts a qualifier on that adoption and inheritance.  He says this is only true if we suffer with Christ so that we may be glorified with him. Of course true followers of Christ will choose to suffer for his name’s sake and will live a life reflecting his character. Implicit in Paul’s statement is that, at the very least, some of Christ’s glory comes from his willingness to suffer on our behalf to fulfill his father’s desire that no one be lost (1 Timothy 2:3-4). While Christ’s death on the cross is disturbing, difficult to truly think about, unsightly, bloody, and unsettling, it is also peak glory. It is peak glory because it is a visible evidence of his love, his morality, his discipline, and his sacrifice. No greater love has any man than that he lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13). That level of sacrifice is glorious. That glory is multiplied by orders of magnitude when it is applied to the entirety of the human race. In the terrible war of Good against evil, in which mortal men are loved by God and despised by his enemies, the glorious sacrifice of Christ put evil spiritual powers to shame (Colossians 2:15). He took back what glory God had given them. They had once been given the task of watching over men, but they apparently failed to suffer even in the slightest for the creation with which they were charged (Psalm 82). 

You may suffer mockery, false judgement, and even violence for your faith in Christ. Know that this is evidence that your faith is genuine, and that Christ is shaping you toward good. Know that your selfless sacrifice in battle counts toward glory and inheritance.