In a World Turned Upside Down
What are Christians to do when:
The top official in the country appears to be mentally unfit to serve?
People are killing each other with no remorse or reason?
Gay, lesbian and transgender people defy nature itself without shame?
Millions entertain themselves with food and fun while the nation morally rots?
The thought of war hovers in our minds as tension within and without the country grows?
All we need to do is turn to the New Testament during the reign of the Roman emperor Nero who ruled from 54 to 68 A.D. This ruler of the most powerful nation on earth was morally if not clinically mad. He murdered two wives and his mother. He was bisexual and used his power to exploit men and women and boys and girls. He blamed the great fire of Rome (which many Romans believed he had started) on the Christians and had them burned as street lamps and torn to pieces by wild animals before jeering crowds. If we think it is hard to give “honor to whom honor” is due today, we should remember who was in power when Paul wrote these words to Christians in the capitol of the empire in Romans 13:1-7.
Christians who lived in this early age of the church knew about senseless killings. Their world was dangerous like ours is. Jesus’ story about thieves who beat a man and left him for dead was not an exaggerated view of the times (Luke 10:30). Paul said that he faced “perils of robbers” in his travels (II Cor. 11:26). He wrote about some who were “murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers” (I Tim. 1:9). Some killings were personal and private while others were political and public. Barrabas was in prison for “a certain rebellion made in the city and for murder” (Luke 23:18). Today we are shocked every time we hear of some deranged person who randomly shoots innocent people at a school or a shopping area. It is hard for decent people to grasp this, but murder goes all the way back to the first family and is a real part of life. Christians in the first century had to cope with the fear and sorrow it brought.
The world of the early church had its share of perverted people. Paul said, “The women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature” and “Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men” (Rom. 1:26-27). This sin is always lurking in the shadows in almost any culture and waits for an opportunity to parade itself. When morals decline and that door opens, “They declare their sin as Sodom; they do not hide it” (Isa. 3:9). Lot knew how hard it was to live in such a wicked place. While he lived in Sodom he “tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds” (II Pet. 2:8). Christians living in the first century had this sickening feeling just like we do.
The old saying that Nero fiddled while Rome burned is a fitting image of millions today. Many are “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God” (II Tim. 3:4). Like the Israelites in the days of the prophets, they are “at ease in Zion” but care nothing about the problems all around them (Amos 6:1-6). They just want to enjoy themselves. As long as they have access to the Internet, plenty of good food, and a vehicle to go where they want, they are happy. But if you warn them about the consequences of selfish living on an individual and national level, they ignore or resent you. Christians in the first century saw this same attitude in people. They were more interested in shows at the theater and food at the market than the church and heaven.
The worst calamity in history was looming on the horizon as Nero’s reign came to a close. Jesus described it as a time of “men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth” (Luke 21:26). He was talking about war between the Romans and Jews. That war culminated in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A. D. Before this happened Jesus said there would be great commotion and persecution (Luke 21:9-18). But Jesus told His disciples to trust in God during these trying times: “By your patience possess your souls” (Luke 21:19). If they could keep their mind focused on God in such a world of constant turmoil and uncertainty, surely we can.
During these turbulent times the gospel was preached to every creature under heaven (Col. 1:23). They focused on telling the Good News instead of on hearing the latest news. As usual, we need to read our Bibles more often.
Kerry
West End church of Christ bulletin article for April 2, 2023
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