Turning the World Rightside Up
By Buddy Hanson The Covenant News ~ October 03, 2009
When the first century Jewish leaders in Thessalonica came to Jason's house looking for Paul and Silas they announced, "Those who have turned the world upside down have come here, too." (Acts 17:6) Their statement reveals several important considerations for our time.
First, it shows that the Jews were approaching life as though this fallen world is the "norm," when Christians should realize that it is abnormal because of the consequences of The Fall of Adam and Eve. Infighting, jealousies and envy should be seen as temporary occurrences until Jesus blesses our obedience by replacing them with the Spiritual fruits of holiness. So it was not that the first century Christians were "turning the world upside down," but rather doing what they could to restore it to its original and upright condition.
Jehovah proclaims something to the Jews at Palestine that many of our 21st century brothers and sisters would find hard to fathom:
And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the bow of war will be cut off. And He will speak peace to the nations; and His dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. Zechariah 9:10
The current disbelief at such a thought of a Christianized world points out our immense misunderstanding of Jesus' message to us, as well as a misunderstanding of what Christians have been called to accomplish. Isaiah's statement to Judah more than 2,700 years ago is as relevant to us as it was to them:
For eye has not seen, neither has ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man to conceive what the Lord has laid up for them that fear Him. Isaiah 64:4
How many people are accusing you of "turning the world upside down?" If they are not accusing you, why aren't they? Do we not agree that
our daily walk for our Lord, Savior, and King, Jesus Christ, should
reflect "salt and light" (Matthew 5:13-16) to those with whom we come
in contact? Do we not agree that we should image God by carrying out
righteous judgments? (Genesis 18:23-26)
Jehovah commands us to "be fruitful, increase in number and subdue the earth," (Genesis 1:28) so that we can be "rulers over the works of Jesus' creation. (Psalm 8:4-6; 72:8; 115:16)
Such a lifestyle includes more than inviting an acquaintance to church. If we're living according to God's laws, we have a promise from Moses that our neighbors will be attracted to our distinctively different lifestyle and will initiate the conversation about the One True God. (Deuteronomy 4:5-6)
What this means is that both we and our church are responsible for providing systematic instruction in how to deal with today's cultural issues in a manner that brings honor to Jesus. God's perfect counsel and wisdom is waiting to be incorporated into our lives, and both we and our churches are called to "bear fruit." (John 15:2)
You will know them by their fruits...A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So, then, you will know them by their fruits. Matthew 7:16-20; 3:10; Psalm 92:12-14
The prophet Ezekiel emphasizes the necessity to apply the Biblical truths we learn, instead of merely filing them away as interesting knowledge about God.
My people come to You, as they usually do, and sit before You to listen to Your words, but they do not put them into practice. Ezekiel 33:31
If our interest in God's Word only results in our gathering to hear it and then discussing it with each other, we are "deceiving ourselves" concerning carrying out our service to God. Where once we willingly walked according to our will and that of fellow unsaved sinners, now we should strive to consistently walk according to the will of God. (1 Peter 4:1-3) This includes "standing in the gap" for Jesus (Ezekiel 22:30), and "calling for justice and pleading for the truth." (Isaiah 59:4) In the words of Paul, if we profess to "live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25) Jehovah's instruction to Moses for the Israelites is still in full force today:
Speak to the children of Israel, and say: "I am the LORD your God. According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances. You shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances, to walk in them: I am the LORD your God. You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the LORD. Leviticus 18:1-5
Several hundred years later the prophet Isaiah laments at the
consequences of Judah's disobedience. They could have avoided their
suffering, captivity and the loss of their identity if only they had
lived according to God's will instead of their will.
I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to My commandments! Then your well-being would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea. Your descendants would have been like the sand and your offspring like its grains; their name would never be cut off or destroyed from My presence. Isaiah 48:17-19
No matter how severely we are oppressed, we have the confidence of knowing we are always under the watchful eye and divine protection of Jesus. (Zechariah 9:8)
When faced with long odds of success, as we often are, we have the assurance that the strength to do God's work comes from God. This means that our weakness is no obstacle to carrying out our duties because when we are weak, then we are strong! (Zechariah 4:10)
We also have the distinction and honor of being the
appointed instruments in God's hands to accomplish His purposes on
earth. (Zechariah 9:13)
Those who would question the probability or the possibility of this must deal with Daniel's proclamation: "His dominion is an everlasting dominion," (Daniel 7:14) and Jesus' command for us to pray that His Father's Kingdom will come and His will will be done "on earth as well as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10)
Our unseen advantage is that Christ dwells in our midst, observing everything that happens to us, interceding for us, and His intercession never fails! (Hebrews 7:25)
The time to act is now. The promises and threatening of God, though slow, are certain, and just because His promised punishment upon disobedience has not happened does not mean we've wiggled off the hook of our commanded responsibilities. A review of the Old Testament will refresh our memory that God is simply waiting for the perfect time to act. In the meantime, our consistent and faithful obedience to His instructions can prevent His cup of wrath from being filled against us and result in blessings being poured out instead of curses. (Job 22:23) So, then, our calling is not merely to be soul winners, but culture winners.
How's your church doing? Is it systematically teaching you to incorporate Biblical truths into your lifestyle? Is it stressing the importance of bringing every part of society into conformity to Godly principles and standards? Or is its preaching and teaching limited to personal salvation, individualistic matters and generally positioning Christianity as a culturally irrelevant subculture that should have no say-so in "real life?"
May we all repent of our hesitancy to proclaim the crown rights of King Jesus, so that He will enable us to once again turn the world, and America, rightside up!
Next week's topic is "Th Difference Between Politicians and Statesmen."
Buddy Hanson is President of the Christian Policy Network and Director
of the Christian Worldview Resources Center and has written several
books on the necessity of applying one's faith to everyday situations,
circumstances and decision-making.