The Whole World is Against You

 1,400 years ago a man named Arius stood and proclaimed that Jesus was a good man, Jesus was a great man, but Jesus wasn't God. The fiery blaze of the Spirit of God provoked a man named Athanasius, who refuted this false teaching vigorously. He thundered that the Bible taught Jesus was indeed God. Controversial sparks spread. Arius' teaching was more widely accepted. 

Someone came to Athanasisus and told him, "The whole world is against you." That was big statement. It is one thing to have a few enemies. A handful of opponents. To have the whole world against you is a different matter. How did this defender of truth respond? He fired back, "Then I am against the whole world." 

Some are people pleasers. Preachers are not immune. It is easy to preach messages the flock wants to hear, that will generate larger offerings and more in attendance. I applaud Athanasius' bold stand. It sounds very similar to what Paul penned in [Gal 6:14] But may it never be that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the whole world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 

There are men of jello backbones in the pulpit today. Some who refuse to touch on controversy. Some who will not take an unpopular stand. These spineless cowards will not go against the woke culture. They will not call homosexuality sin and an abomination to God. They will not call out abortion, transgenderism, or drag queen story hours at local libraries for fear of offending someone. THE WHOLE WORLD IS OFFENDED BY THE MESSAGE OF JESUS. IT LOOKS LIKE FOOLISHNESS TO THEM. A STUMBLING BLOCK TO OTHERS. SO BE IT. LET THEM BE OFFENDED AND STUMBLE. THERE IS SALVATION NO OTHER WAY EXCEPT THROUGH SEE JESUS. See John 14:6. We need bold and fearless men in the pulpit. Prophets who do not preach for profit. Pulpiters who do not preach for popularity, but for the approval of God. 

Athanasius understood that what on he defended hung the hope of the gospel message itself. He had to swim upstream from his contemporaries. He became increasingly unpopular, but that did not deter Him. He stood strong though the howling winds of an antagonistic world blew against Him. He did not budge nor compromise just to get along with people. 

We must defend truth in a culture that says there are plural gods and many ways to eternal bliss. This is becoming increasingly popular. I know that my preaching is old school. I will preach the text. That Jesus was born of a virgin, sent from God to be a propitiation for our sins, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and the Light of the world in this present darkness. I will preach that He and Him alone is the only way to peace with God the Father. I will preach the whole counsel of God. The stuff that is easy on the ears as well as the stuff that pummels the heart. It is all needed and I am more committed to preaching all of it now than I have ever been. 

The culture mocks our God and faith. They ridicule us. We are not the first generation to face these things. We must hold fast on our watch. If the whole world turns against us, then like Paul and Athanasisus let us turn against the whole world. This world holds nothing for us. This world is not our home. God never called us to be popular. He called us to be faithful. He will not say at the end of our lives well done good and well liked servant. Because of your increasing popularity on social media enter into your reward. RATHER, HE WILL SAY WELL DONE GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT! May we commit ourselves to defend Bible truth no matter what it costs us, even our own lives. 

In the end, history has proven Athanasius was right. He is considered a hero of the faith. He is spoken of in revered tones. Most have forgotten the heretic Arius and his false teachings. May we not live for the shortsighted fickle applause of men. May we live for God's greater cause. May we be staunch defenders of truth even if the whole world turns against us.