Are we supposed to be hated and persecuted by the world or was Jesus saying that would be a natural consequence of our standing strong for him? I don't know about you, but I don't often feel hated or persecuted. Should that be something about which I should be concerned? Does it mean that I am not doing everything that I should or that I am not living like I have been called? Jesus' words in John 15 don't leave doubt. He says that if the world hated and persecuted Him, and we know that it did, then it will hate and persecute us. He didn't say they may, He said they would. So, if we aren't feeling that is it because something is lacking in us?
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
March 24, 2009 - John 15
Are we supposed to be hated and persecuted by the world or was Jesus saying that would be a natural consequence of our standing strong for him? I don't know about you, but I don't often feel hated or persecuted. Should that be something about which I should be concerned? Does it mean that I am not doing everything that I should or that I am not living like I have been called? Jesus' words in John 15 don't leave doubt. He says that if the world hated and persecuted Him, and we know that it did, then it will hate and persecute us. He didn't say they may, He said they would. So, if we aren't feeling that is it because something is lacking in us?
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We can take his words in two ways, personally as an individual or as a collective. In much of the world Christians are hated. Maybe as individuals we are not the ones hated, and if we are free from that hate, maybe our role as encourager and supporter is that much more important for the persecuted Christians.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment. I had not thought of it as possibly referring to Christians collectively. It certainly is true that in parts of the world today Christians are persecuted and hated. As American Christians, I wonder what our role / response should be to that fact? I know we should pray, but is there more expected of us?
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