Dan Nickerson – March 1st, 2021
There are so many Christians that are suffering for the gospel of Jesus Christ around the world today because the world hates Jesus and all those who He has saved us out of the world (John 15:19). John the apostle is sentenced to prison on the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. Imagine having to go to prison just because you wanted people to come to the knowledge of the truth that is found in Jesus. I guess nothing has changed. As a matter of fact, the closer we are getting to the return of Christ, the persecution of God’s saints is increasing, and it seems that the hatred of Christ is increasing. But it is not only a hatred for Jesus Christ that brings about persecution to the believer (John 15:20-23) (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16), it is also due to man’s ignorance of God (John 16:1-3), and the preaching of the cross (Galatians 5:11).
The world (the unbelieving in Christ) hates the word of God, and those who hold and declare it to be true. Sad but true! One wonders why so many hate Jesus because He wants to save them from the consequences of sin and give them eternal life. How can anyone hate Jesus for such an act of love.
People hate Christians because they hate Christ (John 15:18). Why do they hate Christ? Because their deed’s are evil and His are not (John 3:19,20).
Telling men they are evil will always cause men to hate you (1 Kings 22:7-8). If you tell men (that is the wicked unbelieving man/woman) that what they are doing is sin, they will hate you (again man loves darkness rather than light (John 3:19). But even if you say nothing about things like that, they will hate you when you tell them that they are so evil they need a Savior. Of course, if you never tell them that, the world will love you (John 15:19), especially if you join them in their evil. There’s nothing sinners like more than other sinners (John 7:7).
The good news is that in the middle of the worlds hatred of Jesus and His people (us) Jesus leaves us in this world to proclaim His glory (1 Peter 2:9). But how can we bear witness in the face of such a hostile world? Jesus shows that we can do so only through the Spirit of truth.
(John 15:26)…..“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me….”
No matter how the world feels about you and I, our duty is to proclaim the Lord Jesus Christ until He returns for us. Never cease to proclaim His gospel which has the power to save people…….remember it may be costly to do so but you have the Lord in you.