I hope you've each been utilizing Jesus formula for joy since the last
lesson in our study of John chapter 17, because you're going to need it
in the face of hatred! While this might seem like a strong topic to tackle,
hatred is a reality for the Christian. That's right, in case you haven't
met with it before, the saints of God are hated by the world…
John 17:14-18 (KJV)
I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they
are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou
shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them
from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent
me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
The Son of God - as an oracle of the Father - has given us the Word of
God. Again, a pointed reminder of what our responsibility is before others,
amen? As children of God, we have in our possession the greatest thing
in the world - the truth! Is anybody happy for us for having found such
a treasure?? Not the world! Don't look to the world for a pat on the back,
dear lady, because you won't get it... I hope you're not looking to your
worldly neighbor to praise you for submitting to your husband and staying
home with your children because it's not going to happen! We are hated
for having something so perfect, so pure and holy, so life changing in
our midst. With this understanding, how much more ought we to stay close
to our Father in heaven for that warmth, encouragement, and protection,
amen? How much more we will need the fellowship of a good Bible preaching
church and Christians who are serious about living for God! The hatred
of the world is one of the main reasons that God commands His children
to love one another! Such a hostile attitude as hatred ought not to be
found in the house of God, amen ladies?? Though we are surrounded by hatred
in this world, we can be filled with love because of the Word of truth
we have been given! Scripture is a safeguard from the darts of those that
first hated Christ…
Proverbs 30:5 (KJV)
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust
in him.
Psalm 119:114 (KJV)
Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.
Psalm 3:1-3 (KJV)
Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise
up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for
him in God. Selah. But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and
the lifter up of mine head.
With the truth established in our hearts and lives, you and I are going
to stick out like sore thumbs in this dark world. It's not going to take
long for the world to notice that we are not like they are. This stark
reality is a shock to their wicked system and the worldly are not happy
about being provoked in the direction of uprightness by our presence.
The darkness does not like the light shining it's glow and revealing the
sin that has been hidden for so long! Our presence is nothing more of
a reminder to the world of what they have not yet done with Christ and
the Word of God. We have taken away the cloke for their sin and left them
naked and angry. Hence, our Christian views will be harshly opposed…
John 15:18-22 (KJV)
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If
ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are
not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the
world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant
is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also
persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because
they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them,
they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.
Ladies, you and I are not going to be treated properly by others until
those persons first treat Christ properly! I hope you are strong enough
to handle this reality and accept it. I hope you are more concerned that
people accept Christ before they accept you as a person! If they've personally
rejected Jesus in their lives, it only stands to reason that they are
going to reject His followers. It should not surprise us, but provoke
us to be prepared to handle being detested. Does the world's abhorrence
for truth set you back and easily throw you off track in your Christian
walk? How often do you moan and groan about how your feelings got hurt
by others who picked on you or didn't support you in your new life as
a Christian? How about being more grieved and burdened about the fact
that they've rejected Christ in their lives! You see, if your perspective
was right, you would be better prepared to handle rejection in a godly
way so as to provoke the one who hates you toward accepting Christ first,
rather than you!! Stop pouting and feeling sorry for yourself, put your
bottom lip back in - we've been given the Word for a shield - get it out,
use it and endure hardness as a good soldier! With the Word of truth in
place in our hearts, and Christ's example before us, we ought to be able
to handle the heat of hatred.
John 15:18 (KJV)
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
1 John 3:13 (KJV)
Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
When you consider the strong hatred that the Bible says the world has
for Christ and His followers, you would think that the Father would whisk
us all away and prevent believers from having to dwell in the midst of
harsh situations. But the Bible says in our main text today that God sent
His Son into the hateful world - on purpose - and He sends the rest of
His children into an unloving atmosphere as well. Does the Lord do that
so that we can fall prey to the intensity of evil? No, we have been sent
with the same purpose that Christ had in this world - to glorify the Father!
As children of God living in this world, we are not to lose sight of the
fact that we belong to Christ. Are you living like a child of God or are
you living like you belong to this world?? Are you responding to hatred
with greater hatred? If so, you are not behaving toward your enemies in
the right spirit for hatred is inconsistent with the love of God…
Proverbs 10:12 (KJV)
Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
Ladies, Jesus prayed that we would remain pure in the midst of sin and
darkness. How does this purity come about in our lives? It comes through
immersing ourselves in the Word of God - the same way our joy comes! The
more time we spend in the truth and obey it, the more we are purified
and preserved from the evil that surrounds us.
Titus 2:11-14 (KJV)
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
[12] Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should
live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; [13] Looking
for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and
our Saviour Jesus Christ; [14] Who gave himself for us, that he might
redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people,
zealous of good works.
Hatred is nothing more than a lack of purity in our souls; it is a work
of the flesh! (Gal. 5:19&20) Love is the result of purity abiding in our
hearts and it gives birth to right reactions toward unlovable people.
As a child of God, the living Word of God is the instrument with which
this purification process takes place. We've got something more powerful
than hatred!! Truth is what the Holy Spirit uses to scrub away the impurities
that have taken up residency within us so that new life in Christ can
shine forth. The Holy Spirit is our spiritual sponge - He soaks up the
truth and sponges away our sinful attitudes. The world that has rejected
Christ and the Word of God has therefore rejected that purification process
and is incapable of exercising true love…
1 Peter 1:22 (KJV)
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit
unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with
a pure heart fervently…
1 John 3:3 (KJV)
And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he
is pure.
You say you are a Christian, but how often are you taking a bath in the
Bible?? Ladies, God commands us to purify ourselves, to wash ourselves
with the Word. If you and I don't faithfully spend time in the Word of
God, we aren't going to see where sin has dirtied our life and we're going
to live as if we still belong to this world rather than to Christ. I don't
know about you, but as a parent I like to put my children to bed at night
entirely clean. I didn't give birth to them to let them walk around covered
with dirt. When they were little, I didn't just wash the arms and face
of my children and leave their legs and feet for another day - I washed
them every bit! Likewise, the best part of salvation is that we didn't
have to clean up our act to come to Christ; He died for us while we were
yet sinners, yet filthy rotten. Without Christ, we couldn't adequately
clean ourselves, but with the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit we
can! Once we belong to God, He expects us to live like we are His in this
world; God expects His children to wash daily. And ladies, our heavenly
Father doesn't want to see His children taking partial baths either -
purify your souls completely and get rid of all the sin in your life!
Don't let the hatred of the world distract you from your own dirt; get
rid of the character you condemn in others. Let that love of God shine
through you and influence lost souls for eternity.
Romans 12:21 (KJV)
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
Revised 2003
