The World’s Hatred of Believers

 

Scripture: John 15:18-19 (ESV)

^{18 “}If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Devotion:

            It is happening. Even in areas where the gospel was loved and cherished only a few decades ago. The world is beginning to look with hatred upon those of Christian faith. This should not surprise us really. Jesus promised this would happen. The world’s admiration or at least tolerance of people of faith is slowly but perceptively ending. Those who hold Biblical views of marriage, gender issues, and the right to life are increasingly under attack. Just expressing our views aloud is considered to be an offence against the world.

            We know that the world hated Jesus first. Why did the world hate and eventually kill Jesus? It was not because of the miraculous healings, exorcisms, or other good works that he performed. The world hated Jesus so intensely because his preaching on righteousness and love of neighbor condemned their own actions. He sought to upend their religious traditions with the radical grace of God and that could not be tolerated.

            In the same way, we are called to righteous living. We are called to live out the love of God for the voiceless and weak ones in society. We are called to proclaim the matchless love and grace of Jesus is available to all who will believe on Jesus’ name and repent of their evil ways. This can no longer be tolerated in many areas of the world. People must be free to choose any manner of living that they choose.

            We as Christians say no to abortion, the world says “shout your abortion”; we as Christians say marriage can only be between a man and a woman, the world says marriage can be between any consenting adults as long they are not hurting anyone; we as Christians say that there are only two genders and that they are fixed and immutable, the says you can be any gender you want when ever you desire or even have no gender. The love of God displayed in Jesus life and teaching requires us to speak this way to our culture.

            For these offences and many similar ones, the world hates us. We are considered closed minded and bigoted because we declare that there is a more excellent way. A way where love for each other is paramount. Not the sickly love that the world wants, but a pure and holy love for creation and our fellow humans that leads to everlasting life in Jesus. We do not condemn the world for acting the way it does. Instead, we invite the world to join us in the pure, holy love of Jesus. Let us pray for our world.

Prayer:

            Holy Lord our world is changing. What was previously called evil is now called good. The culture has turned its back on you and your people. We pray for our world. We pray that they may find their way back to you through our witness, May we be filled with good works and brotherly love that the world may see our love for them and one another and be drawn into a relationship with you. Amen.