Does the World Hate Us?
4-6-08
“Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you”
(1 Jn. 3:13)
Much can be learned about a man by knowing who his enemies are!
Jesus’ enemies were the self-righteous, religious hypocrites of His day - therefore, we can pretty much tell from this fact alone Jesus was not like them. In the same way, a Christian can be identified “when the world hates them”.
Having said this, let us ask the question, “who hates me?” Beginning with the world, then moving to the church, here are some pointed questions that can help us to know “which side of the fence” we are on.
1) In the eyes of atheists, am I an “enlightened” person who believes in “modern science” or am I a backward, Bible believing fanatic?
2) In the eyes of those in the denominational world, and I “one of them”, or do they realize my stance for the one, true church of the New Testament?
3) In the eyes of my peers on the job, am I the ‘principled one’ who stands for what is right, or do I “go along to get along” regardless of Biblical principles?
4) In the eyes of the brotherhood, who respects the biblical positions I take more…those who are holding to the truth, or those who are compromising truth to “win the world”?
You see, knowing who respects a person and who doesn’t sometimes speaks volumes about his character.
