Contra-Distinct From The World Pt. II

Like Israel, new, unique and contrary among the heathen nations; God is today calling out another new people, distinctive, born-again “from above” people with a reverse culture. What Israel was called out to be, in Christ Jesus we are, millions of us, “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people.” (1 Peter 2. 9)

The language of the Kingdom is strange to the ears of the world. The first great discourse of Jesus (Matthew chapters 5, 6, 7), seems to describe an upside-down world. He begins with the Beatitudes, with such reverse judgments as “Blessed are those who mourn. Blessed are those who are persecuted” and goes on to say ”love your enemies.” The Kingdom of God is the right way up against the topsy-turvy state of false messiahs, false prophets, disagreements, competing aims, dangerous political prejudices, ingenuity devoted to contriving more clever weapons to tear fragile flesh apart, accessible to the demented fanatics. Wise observers see the mass of the public being manipulated by media hype conditioned and taught to be “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.” The world is a worldly place of material values.
 

To the heathen born and bred, the new Israel was mad, contrary to sense. They were not dependant on slaves, trusted God for their safety, mocked the great high gods, did not believe in the signs of the Zodiac, were kind to children and animals, pre-occupied with justice, caring for the poor, generous with their money, and worshiped a God they could not see or describe. But they were way in advance of their times, given the spiritual tools of a new creation, a new global order.

So are those born-again of God. Paul uses words hard for us to understand, sounding frightening and extreme; “Those who have wives should live as if they had none. Those who mourn, as if they did not. Those who are happy, as if they were not. Those who buy something, as if it was not theirs to keep. Those who use things of the world, as if not engrossed in them.” He was living in times of frequent famines, which gave relevance to his words, but we can all see what he had in mind. It was what John said, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 John 2:15 NKJV.