The World Hates Us

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." John 15:18-19 (NIV)

After entering Jerusalem for the last time, Jesus predicted His betrayal and denial, then comforts His disciples with the promise of The Holy Spirit and He began to teach them. Here He lets them know the reason why the world hate them.

We should not be surprised that so many people hate us. They hated Jesus for what He said and did, and we are continuing to spread the good news about Him. Those who do not believe in God, will not want hear what we have to say, and they will hate us if we insist upon saying it. We the elect of God have been chosen to spread The Word of God throughout the world, but we should not expect that everyone will be happy to hear it or believe it. All we can do is speak it and be living examples of it. Remember, we are not of this world, we are just passing through it.

We Are Not Of This World

"I have given them Your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. 'My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are one: I in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity ..." John 17:14-23 (NIV)

Jesus prayed for His disciples and for all believers. He prayed that we might be united as one,
as He and His Father are one, that we would be in Him and He would be in us.

Jesus said that He was not of this world and, because His is within us, we are not of this world. He prayed for us because He knew that the world would hate us. He also knew that we would need God's help and protection to withstand the attacks of the devil.

Love Not The World

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of The Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of The Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." 1 John 2:15-17

'Love' here signifies affection and devotion, and 'the world' refers to invisible spiritual system of evil dominated by Satan and all that offers opposition to God , His word, and His people. 'Lust' is a strong desire for negative, evil, and sinful things. The 'flesh' refers to the sin nature of man and his rebellious preoccupation with himself and self love.

The world's philosophies and ideologies lead to deception because they all are in opposition to,
and omit any reference to, the knowledge of God. As Christians we must realize that we are in this world but not of this world.

Our beliefs and guiding principals should be based upon our belief and faith in God. Don't get hung up on the fleeting things of this world.