White-belt Christians
For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son. – Romans 8:29
1 Corinthians 2:14-3:3
14 But a natural man [soulish (unbeliever)] does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.
15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others.
1 Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you, I could not talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you were of the flesh [belonged to this world] or as though you were babies in Christ.
2 I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you were not ready for anything stronger. And you still are not ready,
3 for you are still fleshly [controlled by your sinful nature] . . .. Aren’t you living like people of the world [unbelievers]?
How Do I Get a White Belt?
If you see someone wearing a white belt around their waist, the odds are that they are at the very beginning of their martial arts journey. To get a white belt, you simply have to show up. Most schools will not require you to do anything out of the ordinary before receiving your white belt. No prior knowledge of the sport is necessary before you receive your karate white belt.
Karate is a martial art with an ancient and rich history. Karate practitioners have been studying the art for hundreds of years. At the beginning of the 20th century, the belt system of tracking progress was initiated. Modern Karate belt styles use the kyu/dan system borrowed from Judo. The “Black Belt” was designed to show competence in the art. The most common belt colors used in Karate are respectively white, yellow, orange, green, blue, brown, and black.
Students begin their journey with a white belt. White belt students do not know how to control their minds or properly make karate moves. Progressing and moving on to other belts requires commitment and determination to learn and develop a Karate lifestyle.
Here’s a suggested progression time for each Karate belt. This is the minimum progression time. The goal is to gain knowledge and skills, not obtain the next belt.
Level Minimum Time between ranks
White Belt 3 months of active training as a white belt
Yellow Belt 6 months of active training as a yellow belt
Orange Belt 6 months of active training as an orange belt
Green Belt 9 months of active training as a green belt
Blue Belt 12 months of active training as a blue belt
Brown Belt 18 months of active training as a brown belt
Black Belt is divided into 10 levels of expertise and mastery.
The system is not based on the years of study but on the mastery of the discipline.
In many ways, 21st-century Christianity is much like Karate. It is an age-old faith with 2000 years of Christian tradition and practice, preceded by 2000 years of Jewish tradition and practice. To participate, you just have to show up. No discipline, commitment, or training is required. All folks that go to church are issued a white belt. They can be repurposed, as people church hop. Most show little inclination to master the art of growing in their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and becoming disciples. They are content to be white-belt Christians.
Christianity and Karate have one common similarity. The goal of each is to become like your master.
In Karate, the goal is to become like the one who taught you.
In Christianity, we are to become like the one who bought you.
Romans 8:29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son.
REFLECT & PRAY
“Without God, we cannot; without us, God will not” (St. Augustine).
Father, encourage me to seek to become Your disciple at any cost, that I may know You and the power of the resurrection and the fellowship of the sufferings of Christ.
INSIGHT
Often, a Greek term contains subtle nuances that provide a deeper understanding of what Paul is saying in our English translations. To help to understand better, it is beneficial to know and comprehend these finer points.
In this section, two different Greek suffixes are placed on the ends of four significant words. The first is ikos, which means characterized by. It connotes how someone or something acts or appears to be. The second is inos, which means made of. That is, what something actually is.
The Greek word translated as natural man [unbeliever] is psuchikos. Psuchikos has the sense ofbeing characterized by merely soulish reasoning. This Greek term is also translated as natural, sensual, or soulish.
The Greek word that Paul uses for spiritual is pneumatikos. Pneumatikos means to be characterized by the spirit, that is, a spiritual person.
The Greek word translated as flesh [belonged to this world] is sarkinos. Sarkinosmeans to be made of the flesh, in this context, a baby or infant. Paul has a nuanced view of the human condition. He refers to new believers as merely human, focusing on their weakness, sinfulness, or transgression.
The Greek word translated as fleshly [controlled by your sinful nature] is sarkikos. Sarkikosmeans to be characterized by the flesh. “Although the Corinthians are Christians indwelt by the Spirit, their divisive behavior shows that they act like the unbelieving world around them” (ESV Study Bible).
Paul recognizes four categories of people: soulish people (unbelievers), baby Christians (new children of the King), carnal or fleshly Christians (children of the King who have had time to grow up but still act like babies), and the spiritually mature (children of the King who are growing to spiritual maturity in Christ).
All white belt children of the King begin as baby Christians. As time passes, if they do not progress, they are no longer babies; instead, they act like babies and are carnal or fleshly.
What belt do you have? Perhaps more importantly, what belt do you aspire to have?
The road to spiritual maturity is not easy but challenging. It may cost you everything you value. It takes determination and commitment. Every child of the King can become a disciple or remain a white-belt Christian. The choice is yours!
Choose wisely!
Luke 14:28 But don’t begin until you count the cost.
“Jesus promised his disciples three things – that they would be completely fearless, absurdly happy, and in constant trouble” (William Barclay).
The disciples were always in trouble, as their commitment to spreading the teachings of Jesus often put them at odds with societal norms and authorities. They faced backlash from religious leaders who felt threatened by their message, and from Roman officials who saw them as a disruptive force. Yet, despite these constant challenges, they remained steadfast in their mission, demonstrating the power of faith and resilience. Their troubles did not deter them; instead, they served to strengthen their resolve and deepen their belief in the transformative power of Christ’s teachings.
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© Dr. H 2024
Dr H Reflections 