THE WORLD’S HATRED
THE WORLD’S HATRED
And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. —Mark 13:13
You will be hated by everyone because of me… —Matthew 10:22
Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. —Matthew 24:9
Everyone will hate you because of me. —Luke 21:17
If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. —John 15:18
Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. —I John 3:13
The world system is not our friend— “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” (James 4:4). Wow! These are very strong words! Beware of being conformed to this world’s system— “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2). The battle is in the mind. Those who follow Jesus need to have their minds in the process of being renewed and this will bring about transformation to be more like Jesus. Part of the battle we are in is that the world wants to press us into it’s way of thinking and acting. The flesh desires to go in that direction. We battle against the world, the flesh and the devil.
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. —I John 2:15-17
Instead of being pressed into the world’s way of thinking and acting, those who follow Jesus are to seek God’s will and do God’s will. The world is at odds with our Lord God Almighty. The world hates Him. The world hates us. Let us not forget the world’s attitude toward those who follow Jesus. Let us not be surprise when hatred is directed toward us. Jesus said it would happen.
Why is this? “Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed” (John 3:20).
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. —II Corinthians 4:4-6
We are love people, share the gospel with people and trust our Lord to cause His light to shine in hearts. There will be those, like us, that will respond and follow Jesus. Dear Father please help me to be faithful even when people hate me, trusting You to accomplish your will. May this be so by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLX83HbefrI