Hated!

“And you will be hated by all because of My  name, but it is the one who has endured to  the end who will be saved ( Matthew 10:22).”

Hate is a strong word. Merriam-Webster defines hate as intense hostility and aversion  usually deriving from fear, anger, or sense of injury. The only time that a Christian should feel hate is towards their sin as well as evil. The psalmist            declares, “Hate evil, you who love Yahweh (Ps.97:10).”

 However, we should not be naïve regarding how the world views us. As a follower of Christ, you will be hated by the world. Why?  Because you are not of the world. When Jesus  was brought before, Pilate asked, “Are you the  king of the Jews?” Jesus responded with a question of His own: “Is that your own idea, or   did others talk to you about me?” “Am I a Jew?”  Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief  priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” “You    are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I  was born and came into the world is to testify  to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” (John 18:33–37).

 We are not citizens of this world; we belong to God. Peter declared, “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul  (1 Peter 2:11).”  The term sojourner in the Bible      refers to a person who is just passing through. Synonyms in various translations are foreigner,  exile, and alien. Jesus is our King, and His Kingdom is our home, not the world we live in today.

The world is controlled by the evil one, “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world  lies in the power of the evil one (1John 5:19).”

                 Because we belong to God, we walk in  the light of our salvation. Those who do not know God belong to Satan. Satan hates God, and those who do not know God display that hate in their  unbelief. Ask yourself, “Does the world hate me?”    or does the world see no difference in your life     than theirs?

“If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world,  but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave 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 (John 15:19-20).”

Your shepherd,

Pastor Mark