Are You Hated?

“The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I bear witness about it, that its deeds are evil.” John 7:7

In 2017 “The Nashville Statement” was signed by a national coalition of more than 150 evangelical leaders. The statement was written affirming their beliefs on human sexuality, including that marriage is between one man and one woman and approval homosexuality is sinful. The statement says the evangelical coalition who signed it are responding to an increasingly post-Christian, Western culture that thinks they can change God’s design for humans. “Our true identity, as male and female persons, is given by God. It is not only foolish but hopeless to try to make ourselves what God did not create us to be,” the statement reads.

This statement was quickly denounced as hateful, homophobic, and non-Christian. Human Rights Campaign wrote,

“Hundreds of Christian leaders, pastors, theologians and advocates have denounced the vicious, anti-LGBTQ manifesto “Nashville Statement” with a powerful statement affirming the inclusion of LGBTQ and intersex people within faith communities and broader society. The 10-point treatise, titled Christians United, holds “that every human being is created in the image and likeness of God and that the great diversity expressed in humanity through our wide spectrum of unique sexualities and gender identities is a perfect reflection of the magnitude of God’s creative work.”

So-called Christian leaders denounced what the Bible says about human sexuality. Not surprisingly, the World embraces these leaders as true Christians and that those who hold to a Biblical understanding of sexuality are not acting Christ-like.

When you share the truth of Scripture in love and tell someone they need to turn from their sin, don’t be surprised if they hate you. When Jesus spoke in John 7:7, He told his half-brothers (children of Joseph and Mary) that the World could not hate them because they were part of the World. It is the same today as it was when Jesus walked the earth.

At this point in His ministry, they did not believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior, but the World hated Jesus because He exposed their deeds as evil.

The days continue to grow darker, and it is happening rapidly. In a recent Gallup poll, the question was asked, “Are gay or lesbian relations morally acceptable or morally wrong.” In May 2022, 71% of Americans said it was morally acceptable. This dramatically changed from May 2021, when only 40% thought it was morally acceptable.

The World hated Jesus when He walked this earth, and they will hate you because you love Him. Jesus warns us, “If the World hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 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 ( John 15:18-19).”

Ask yourself, Christian, are you hated because of your walk with Christ or our you loved by the World?

Your shepherd,
Pastor Mark