06 June 2015

Spiritual Aikido

Satan is a created being by God who continually seeks to mimic his Creator, masquerading as an angel of light.  Jesus Christ is the Way, but the devil tries to thwart the advance of His kingdom by many counterfeit "ways."  Jesus is the Truth, and much of the world is deceived to believe truth is subjective and bows to the judgment of each individual.  Jesus is the Life, and no one goes the the Father or heaven except through Him (John 14:6).

One of the ways the world has substituted for a life of repentance and faith in Christ through the Gospel is attempted self-improvement.  One such "way" is through martial arts.  From the moment I was exposed to Aikido in particular, I have always had an appreciation and interest in the skills of the practitioners.  The irony of this martial art is the non-violent philosophy which governs it.  That is why Aikido does not have competitions, but demonstrations.  Whilst some believe martial arts and techniques can be practiced apart from the spiritual aspects connected to the development of them, the two in Aikido in the purest form are inseparable.  The philosophy and purpose behind Aikido offers a substitute for what can only be obtained through faith in Jesus Christ.

Quoting from an Australian Aikido website, "Aikido is a modern, non-violent Japanese martial art that was developed early in the 20th century by the late master Professor Morihei Ueshiba, commonly called O Sensei...Aikido is effective as a martial art but its essence goes beyond the resolution of physical conflict. Based on a background of rigorous training in traditional Japanese jujitsu, Professor Ueshiba spent the latter half of his life developing the art as a means of refining and uplifting human spirit. He succeeded in creating what he then named 'Aikido', 'the Way of Harmony with the Forces and Principles of Nature'. Aikido is a true 'budo', path in which the keen edge of martial training is utilised as a 'Way' to spiritual growth."  As a spiritual exercise Aikido is a "way," but Jesus is the "Way."  Only the righteous God who created man is able to lift up fallen men, and make a way through spiritual regeneration for eternal life.

One aspect of Aikido which interests me is how force applied by an attacker is turned against him.  The harder a person tries to punch or kick an Aikido master, the more their exerted power is redirected in disarming or throwing himself to the ground.  This mimics the way God causes the evil of the wicked to return upon their own heads.  As it is written in Proverbs 26:27, "Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him."  In the matter of judging others, this is also true:  with the judgment we judge we will be judged, according to the measure we use it will be measured to us (Matthew 7:1-2).  What we sow, we will also reap just like God designed from the beginning.  I was reminded of this when reading Jeremiah 14:15:  "Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, whom I did not send, and who say, 'Sword and famine shall not be in this land'--'By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed!"  False prophets in Jeremiah's day claimed sword or famine would not be in the land, and God ensured they fell by their own deceptions.  The things they claimed safety from would be the very thing which consumed them.  People who are enemies of God stir up God as an enemy against themselves.

When men fall prey to the lie they can spiritually improve themselves through self-discipline or worldly means, they labour for their own destruction.  Seeking enlightenment in any but the Light of the World Jesus ultimately ends in darkness.  Matthew 16:24-26 reads, "Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"  The man who tries to better himself will only grow worse, and all who try to save their lives themselves will only succeed in losing them.  Praise God He has given us the true Way!

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