The World Hates, But the Lord Loves

# Lesson 256 The World Hates, But the Lord Loves

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." - John 15:18

John was one of the first five disciples of Jesus Christ. Jesus gave him the nickname "Son of Thunder" (Mark 3:17), which seemed to suggest that his nature was zealous and hot-tempered. His attempt to forbid outsiders from using the name of Christ to cast out demons (Mark 9:38) and his desire to call down fire from heaven to destroy the Samaritans (Luke 9:54) truly demonstrated his fiery temperament. He was one of the three closest disciples to Jesus and was known to be the closest to Him. Five times he is called "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20). John particularly emphasizes the divinity of Jesus Christ. His Gospel consists largely of Jesus' teachings and conversations. It records the words Jesus spoke rather than the deeds He performed.

From chapter 13 to 17 includes the commandments and teachings of Jesus before He suffered and was crucified on the cross. In chapter 15, verses 18 through 27, Jesus reminds His disciples about "the hatred of the world" toward Him and toward those who follow Him. Since the world hates Jesus, they will also hate His people; and Jesus said, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first" (John 15:18). The ancients had a saying: "Love someone and you love the way they walk; hate someone and you hate all their relatives." Love is powerful, but hatred is equally powerful. When people hate one another, that hatred does not remain with just one person but spreads to others, even though those others may have done nothing to deserve it. Similarly with Jesus' words, He tells us that the world will hate us because they have hated Him, and that hatred spreads to those who love Him! We are part of God's household, so those who oppose Him will hate us. Today, the "hatred" toward Jesus and His people continues to occur—such as bans on prayer in schools; some places ban the Gospel, such as in Quang Binh, Vietnam. In marriage, when a wedding takes place and most of the family are unbelievers, they force you to bow to ancestors when greeting the bride, and if you refuse to bow, you face strong opposition!

Jesus tells us why the world hates us, or why those who believe in Christ are hated: it is because we do not belong to the world, we do not live according to the world's ways, we do not do and think as they do. He says, "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" (15:19). One cause of hatred is misunderstanding. The world does not understand that Jesus came to teach them that they have sin; He says, "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin. ... If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these works, and yet they have hated both me and my Father" (John 15:22, 24). And when the world knows they have sin, they hate Jesus; He says, "...They hated me without reason" (15:25b).

While we remain in this world, we must remember Jesus' reminder in John 15:18, that the world will hate us because we do not follow their path. We must prepare our spirit, mind, and soul so that we are not discouraged by this hatred. Jesus promised His disciples the Comforter—the Holy Spirit—to help them and us when we face persecution from the world: "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me" (15:26). Our responsibility is to testify about Jesus, about His Gospel of salvation: "And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning" (15:27). Furthermore, we rely on the name of Jesus, His power and strength to overcome the persecution of people: "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid; What can mortal man do to me?" (Psalm 56:3-4); "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God" (Psalm 20:7). May the Lord strengthen us to overcome all persecution and jealousy from the world; help us to always trust in His protection, so that we may stand firm and follow the Lord with all our hearts, live to glorify His name, be the salt of the earth and the light of the world; so that the world may come to know His eternal love and open their hearts to seek Him! Amen!

Assured in what we hope to see, Cannot be shaken by the world, Because His Word is certain sure, The Holy Spirit guides us near! We stay awake and press ahead, With all our strength, with hearts complete, Against the powers below the earth, The Savior's power, we humbly seek!

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