Upside-down, Inside-out and Backwards

Have you looked around and considered our culture lately?? Have you ever given any thought to how convoluted our culture really is? Have you noticed, how today, everything seems to be upside-down and backwards? Just think about for a minute - Good has become Bad, and Bad has become Good. One of the big slang terms of the 1960's and 1970's was the word "cool." When something was cool, that meant it was amazing or good. Then the word "hot" began to come to the forefront and had about the same meaning as cool.

But today we have a word that has replaced both of those words and that is the word "Bad." Today, when something is good, they use the word bad. For example, you might buy a new car and your kid may see it and say something like, "Wow, how fast will that bad boy go?" Why not good boy? Because in our culture today, good is bad and bad is good. Everything is upside-down.

It wasn't too long ago that people would actually try to live a moral life. If someone was doing drugs, drinking, having sex before marriage, people would say, "that's bad" where bad really meant "not good." But now, in our twisted culture, these things are looked upon as being good.

The Bible says this: Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and shrewd in their own sight! Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink, who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of his right!" Isaiah 5:20-23

God's warning is pretty clear here. Is it any wonder that He is removing His hand from our backwards, upside-down and inside-out culture? We think we are so smart today, that we are so wise. God says just the opposite: "For it is written, 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.' Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 1Cor. 1:19-20,25

So if you want to be considered good, then go do drugs, drink alcohol, have pre-marital sex and lead a perfectly immoral life and you will be called a good person by the worlds standards. In today's culture its not rebellious to do drugs, its not rebellious to have sex before marriage, its not rebellious to be a homosexual, have an abortion or get divorced. But if you are a true follower of Jesus Christ, then you will be considered bad in the eyes of many. You will be considered narrow-minded, bigoted, a homophobe, insensitive and just plain out of touch with reality. And your message of hope, salvation and eternal life will be considered offensive. So, here's what it all boils down too: If you really want to be bad in today's culture. If you really want to lead a counter-culture revolution like they tried to do in the 60's, all you have to do is be a follower of the one who is truly good, Jesus Christ. In today's culture, that's considered rebellious.

Want proof?? I challenge anyone who considers themselves to be a true Christian to try this. Next time you go to the store, instead of wearing a tee shirt with your favorite sports team on it, or your favorite rock band, try wearing one with the big bold letters of JESUS on it. Just watch the stares of shock, disbelief and animosity you'll receive. I actually did this once. I had one of my JESUS tee shirts on and went to pick up some Chinese food for dinner. I had just been hanging around the house so I didn't even think to look at what shirt I was wearing. When I was standing at the register paying my bill, there was an elderly couple on the other side of the room. The husband kept whispering to his wife and shaking his head while giving me stares that if looks could kill, I'd be dead today. I mean, the way he glared at me you would have thought that I called his wife some offensive name. You talk about feeling uncomfortable - Wow!

Amazing isn't it?? Its ok for people to wear shirts with the name of their god's on them - Dallas Cowboys, Boston Red Sox, Metallica, Rolling Stones et.al. But just try to wear something on it with the name of the One True God and watch out. I'm convinced that if you're a Christian, it won't be long until your freedom of speech is taken away and you'll be thrown in jail just for mentioning the name of Jesus. His name will be considered hate speech. And if you think I'm kidding, believe me I get different Christian news letters from Christian legal organizations and they are constantly in court, fending off the advances or the homosexual agenda, which is to basically do away with Christianity altogether.

But don't worry, Jesus said, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Jesus also said, "...I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." John 10:10b. So, you don't need drugs, you don't need alcohol and you don't need to live a sexually immoral lifestyle. You don't need to chase after the empty things this world has to offer to make you happy. Just follow Christ, only He can give you a life worth living, now and throughout eternity.

God bless

Rob