An Upside Down World
When I read this verse today it struck me that this is exactly how we are today. We are foolish. We are like young spoiled children where everything is about us and we want everything. If we can’t get it, we have a tantrum and get angry. We have lost our ability to know good from evil and evil from good. We are in a very dire situation but because we are lost and have no knowledge, we don’t even know how much trouble we are in. We certainly don’t appear to know that we are in so much trouble because we have abandoned our God. We are living in a world where everything is turned upside down. How did we get here? What has happened?
We are being led astray at every turn. The world right now is full of darkness and the light in the world is becoming dim. Jesus is the light of the world and as we abandon Him the light is going out in the hearts of men. “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12) We must walk in the light of Christ and not the darkness of this world. The darkness brings death but the light brings eternal life. Be not deceived! There are many deceitful men in this world who are disguising themselves as Christ’s apostles and many good Christians are also being deceived. “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!” (Isa.5:20-23) Those who think they are so smart and so educated are foolish. They will not listen to the wise words spoken in the Bible because they are “wise in their own eyes”. They think they are wise but God knows they are foolish! “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your’s;…And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.” (1Cor 3:19-21,23) I know some people like this who think they are Christians but really know nothing. They appear to be making up their own Christianity based on what they think and not what the Bible says. It is hard to talk to them because they will not listen. They think they are wise and know it all.
We must triumph over EVIL and we can only do this with God’s help. Spiritual warfare is all around us and we know that our God and Saviour will be victorious and we want to be on His side. We must put on the full armour of God to keep us from the attacks of our enemies. The Book of Common Prayer puts it this way on page 536, “Lord of hosts, before the might of whose presence the armies of evil are put to flight, deliver thy servants from the power of Satan. Amen. Cast out of their hearts every evil imagination and every thing which exalts itself against the knowledge of thee; and bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Amen. Grant that they may have power and strength to have victory, and to triumph against the devil, the world, and the flesh. Amen.” Wise words and if we are humble and hungry to know God more and more He will help us. He wants to help us but we must ask Him and repent. Sin separates us from God and we must break its control over us. We must listen to God and not to our enemy the world and Satan’s lies. We must be overcomers of the world.
“Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1John 5:1-5)
When we believe and live our lives like this then our world is no longer upside down. It is all put right. We must be the light in a broken and upside down world. “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;” (Phil. 2:15)
