These things I command you, that you love one another. “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. (John 15:17-19)
Wow! We can definitely relate to that these days. Yes, during resent history, people who professed to be Christians have done some awful things in the name of God, which would make it appear that the church hated the world. That is a great misrepresentation of Christ and His church. But, as we will soon study in the book of Acts, Christ's church in the beginning, during the first century A.D. was a loving church. All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.(Acts 2:42-47 NLT)
So why do so many in the world hate Christians? "Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’ [Psalm 69:4] (John 15:20-25)
The old phrase "ignorance is bliss" applies here. God prophesied through Ezekiel that mankind would have a desire to hear the Word, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. (Romans 1:19) “As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses; and they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, ‘Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.’ So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them. And when this comes to pass—surely it will come—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.” (Ezekiel 33:30-33)
The world hears the Word of God, but they don't want to obey it. Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. (II Timothy 4:2-4) So they do one of three things: they either avoid us who are Christians, which we too often go along with also; they try to silence us who profess to be Christians, which too often we willingly keep silent when we shouldn't; or they try to remove us who stand for Christ, some even to the point of death. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (II Timothy 4:5)
Jesus stresses that same truth to the disciples: “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning. (John 15:26-28) “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. (John 16:1-3) Jesus forewarned the disciples, and it's a warning to us who are Christians today, to not be surprised or made to stumble by the world's hatred of God and us who are Christians; they hated both Christ and the Father, because they have not known the Father nor Christ.
"And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you. But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. (John 16:4-11)
Yet again, Jesus reassures us that the Holy Spirit, the Helper , the Spirit of truth, whom I shall send to you from the Father, He will abide in us and strengthen us and empower us to Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Not what we think or feel, but just what "Thus says the Lord!" Then, by holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. (Titus 1:9) By the Word, the world will be convicted of sin, because they do not believe in Christ, even though His death and then resurrection proves that He is Who He and the Father says He is; convicted of righteousness, because Christ returned to the Father and we see Him no more, just as He said He would, so He was right.
And by the Word, the world will be convicted of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged, and all who choose to believe the lies of the devil will receive the same judgment he does when Christ returns, just as He said they would! And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Revelations 21:6-8) Just as the devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelations 20:10, 15)
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