If The World Doesn’t Hate You, You’re Doing it Wrong

Have you ever noticed how focused people become on hate?

Hate crimes, Hate speech, and just how much people HATE these things.

Which got me thinking, is hate really such a bad thing?

I’m not talking about hating your neighbor, but about how much people hate you.

John 15:18 NKJV

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.

If we are supposed to be more like Jesus, then shouldn’t the world hate us?

Put another way, what does it say about the “churches” that the world NOT hate?

Who Hates You Matters

How much time and effort do those who claim to be christians spend trying to get people to love them?

1 John 3:13 NKJV

Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.

John is telling us we shouldn’t marvel, we shouldn’t be surprised if the world hates us.

Yet how many have told us that, in order to be considered loving others must love us?

They may not use those words, but that is often the effect of what they are saying.

“That church says sex outside of marriage is wrong, they are not very loving.”

“That church won’t let a women be pastor, they’re not very loving.”

“That church told me I’m wrong, they’re not very loving.”

I’ve been to unloving churches,

And some of them I’ve called out on that fact.

Not because they didn’t meet the world’s standards, but those of the Bible.

Guess what, when I did that, they didn’t like me very much.

So why are so many “christians” surprised that people hate them when they follow Scripture?

Maybe because they were lied to by other christians.

Told that everything would be fine if they just followed Jesus.

Did everything they could to get them to “join the church”,

And in doing so, left out the “fine print”:

John 16:33 (NKJV)

… In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Imagine, you’ve been told that everything will be great if you do this one thing, only to find out, because you did that thing, the world HATES you.

What if The World Loves You?

Let’s look at this from the other point of view, what if the world loves you?

While traveling through Galilee, His own brothers derided Him.

John 7:3 NKJV

His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing.

Why did they say things?

John 7:5 NKJV

For even His brothers did not believe in Him.

After pointing out it was not His time, Jesus said:

John 7:7 NKJV

The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.

The world cannot hate its own, but it had Jesus and those who follow Him.

What does that say about those who hate to be told their works are evil?

Those who are in opposition to Jesus?

Regardless of where they are found?

In the World vs Of the World

John 15:19 NKJV

If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

John 15:20–21 NKJV

Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant 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. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

Conclusion

Ultimately, there are two groups of people.

1 John 4:4–5 NKJV

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.

That is why the world hates us, we are not part of it.

It’s not a question of do you go to church, or did you say the sinner’s prayer.

While their response may be hate, ours should be love.