I remember the '60s -- yes, I've heard many times "if you remember them you weren't there" and all the other tired clichés people say about that period of time, but I assure you, I was there elbow deep in it all. I remember the most prevalent idea found, whether in the hippie "free love," communes, underground music world and drug culture was "We are the generation that is going to change the world!"
"We are going to turn the world upside down!"
Actually, I believe every generation truly believes they are "the one" that is going to change the world; those that came before, during, and after the '60s generation, the greasers, beats, beatniks, rads, mods, rockers, bikers, hippies, freaks, yippies, yuppies, punks, skaters, Gen X's, Gen Y's, the Millennials -- so many it would take the entire column to list them all -- no matter what people have used to identify themselves in each new generation and movement and if it were possible to speak to those from far past ages, I'm sure there were those that had the same attitude and, perhaps even said that very same thing, "We are the generation that is going to change the world!"
"We are going to turn the world upside down!"
And then, one by one, each were assimilated back into, and became part of, no, became the very establishment they once so vehemently railed against. And, so it goes.
You see, there is, in all those movements, an inherent flaw that cannot be overcome; they are based on someone and some person's idea of what would be the best for the rest, and humanity, for all its noble ideas, thoughts and aspirations is inherently flawed. As long as the ideas and changes spring from this flaw, they are doomed to failure before they start. Why? History has shown that as soon as those aspiring to those positions where there is power to change situations, those achieving those positions, no matter how altruistic and well meaning they are in the beginning soon become corrupted by that very power and lose their drive and desire to advance or help anyone but themselves.
This has been the nature of the world since the fall, and will continue to be the nature of the world until such a time as men yield to the only concept, the only true change that can truly "turn the world upside down" that begins with accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and being born again.
Oh, don't think for a moment it will be as easy as just being born again; that only gives you the ABILITY to TRULY change and overcome this inherit flaw within human nature. The temptation to be selfish and become corrupted by power will always be there. We've seen over the years, if we will honestly examine its history, the Church has not always been immune to this and, in fact, has fallen down and continues to do so to this day.
The Church's disciples WERE once known as "those that have turned the world upside down." You can read about it in the book of Acts, chapter 17:1-9. What happened? Look at it honestly. Everywhere we look it seems the world is dictating to the church what will be and the church is rolling over and going along with it. Why? Is sin still sin or not? Has God changed? Has the Holy Spirit changed? Has Jesus Christ changed? Who has changed?
Sadly, for the most part, no one has. We haven't taken advantage of the ability we've been given by God and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to break the flaw that is inherent in man. We are still a selfish, self-serving, sin ridden, focusing on self people that refuses to repent of our sin. Since our churches are made up of people, the churches are mirrors of who we are. We preach sermons telling people Jesus loves them but won't tell people God requires us to "go and sin no more." Preaching against sin might offend someone and we sure wouldn't want to do that would we?
If we are going to "turn the world upside down," we must get back to basics. Scriptures tell us God "now commandeth all men every where to repent." In other words, it's house cleaning time. In 1 Peter 4:17-18: "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"
I guess the question we should consider is: do we seriously expect people to be saved if we are no different than they are?
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Editor's note: Charlie Newman is pastor of Avoca Christian Church. To contact him, e-mail [email protected], or write in care of The Times at [email protected] or P.O. Box 25, Pea Ridge, AR 72751.
Religion on 05/20/2015