The Upside Down World Of Christianity
 

I was thinking today about Christianity and how the way we do things as Christians is so opposite from the average human way of reasoning.

Some examples are...

The White Flag...
In our human way of thinking surrender is the end... the loss... it's over... we officially lose. But in Christianity when we surrrender we finally begin to win.

The Cross...
What greater defeat is there than suffering death as a punishment especially when you were not guilty of the charge. But Jesus' death on the cross was the ultimate victory for all.

So I was wondering what other examples there might be that people could think of. They may be biblical or simply a physical example that plays out the same way.

Re: The Upside Down World Of Christianity
 

Great post...

Another example:

We are called to put others before ourselves. And in the process, ironically, we learn that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

In other words, we experience the greatest joy when we seek the joy of others. How counter-cultural is that?

Re: The Upside Down World Of Christianity
 

you lose your life to find it

the greatest is the one who serves all

the last shall be first

Re: The Upside Down World Of Christianity
 

Excellent thought. Thanks for sharing.

Re: The Upside Down World Of Christianity
 

See... Posts like we have seen so far are why I started the thread. I had the thought and a few came to mind and I thought.... man there are probably tons more out there but I'm old & tired and my brain isn't working at it's peak right now. :)

I was also thinking that many say that sports teach us a life lesson and it prepares people for life... well... it doesn't do much to prepare people for the upside down world of Christianity. There's nothing in sports that teaches us to prefer our brother to ourselves or to love our enemies.

Re: The Upside Down World Of Christianity
 

If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his soul shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his soul for my sake and the gospel's shall save it (Mark 8:34-35)

Re: The Upside Down World Of Christianity
 

:thumbsup

Re: The Upside Down World Of Christianity
 

copied from my blog, but i think it fits well with your topic

Watchman Nee: The Normal Christian Life
Published in 1977 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc

Mark 14
3And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
4And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
5For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
6And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.
7For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
8She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
9Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

Why did Jesus say that the story of Mary pouring the ointment on his head would be told with the Gospel? he wishes that we be willing to waste ourselves on him, to count him more precious that anything that we have. He wishes us to consider that nothing that we could possibly give him is too costly.

Are we worried that our talents are not being used, that our lives are somehow being wasted? All that God really wants is that we waste ourselves on him, and as our lives are crushed and broken as we bear the cross, our lives wasted unto him become a sweet fragrance that will stir a hunger in others for Christ. As an alabaster box is broken and the sweet aroma fills the room, Christ desires our lives to be broken and the fragrance to draw people to worship Him.

"Clearly it is this, that in approving Mary's action at Bethany, the Lord Jesus was laying down one thing as a basis of all service: that you pour out all you have, your very self, unto him; and if that should be all he allows you to do, that is enough . . . the Lord's first concern is with our position at his feet and our anointing of his head. Whatever we have as an "alabaster box": the most precious thing, the thing dearest in the world to us - yea, let me say it, the outflow from us of a life that is produced by the very Cross itself - we give that all up to the Lord." (Nee 274)