The World Hates You
The World is Against Us
As Christians, we must come to terms with the reality that the world hates us. This is not something new or surprising, but rather a truth that Jesus himself warned us about. In John 15:18-19, Jesus says, "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."
The world, which is under the control of Satan and opposed to God, will naturally be hostile towards those who follow Christ. This is not because of anything we have done, but simply because we have chosen to align ourselves with the Kingdom of God rather than the kingdom of this world.
The Three Temptations of the World
The world, in its attempts to lure us away from God, offers three primary temptations: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17). These temptations are not new, but have been around since the Garden of Eden when Satan tempted Eve with the same three things.
The Lust of the Flesh
The lust of the flesh refers to any desire of our physical bodies, such as the desire for food, drink, instant gratification, control, or domination over others. The world celebrates and encourages the indulgence of these fleshly desires, but as followers of Christ, we are called to deny ourselves and submit our bodies to God's will.
The Lust of the Eyes
The lust of the eyes encompasses greed, envy, jealousy, and discontentment. The world constantly bombards us with images and messages that stir up these desires, tempting us to covet what others have or to be restless and unsatisfied with our own lives.
The Pride of Life
The pride of life is the human desire to go our own way, to rebel against authority, and to think we know better than those who have come before us. The world celebrates this kind of independent, self-reliant attitude, but as Christians, we are called to humble ourselves and submit to God's will.
Called to Be Different
As followers of Christ, we are called to be different from the world. We are to be "set apart" and "holy," living lives that reflect the love and grace of Jesus rather than conforming to the values and practices of the world (Romans 12:1-2).
This means that we may face persecution and hatred from the world, just as Jesus did. But we must be willing to embrace this, knowing that it is a sign that we are truly living for Christ and not for the approval of the world. As Jesus said, "If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:20).
The world may hate us, but we must not let that deter us from living for Christ. Instead, we must be willing to stand firm in our faith, allowing the love and grace of Jesus to shine brightly through us, even in the face of opposition. Only then can we truly fulfill our calling to be "salt and light" in a world that is desperately in need of the transforming power of the gospel.
As Christians, we must come to terms with the reality that the world hates us. This is not something new or surprising, but rather a truth that Jesus himself warned us about. In John 15:18-19, Jesus says, "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."
The world, which is under the control of Satan and opposed to God, will naturally be hostile towards those who follow Christ. This is not because of anything we have done, but simply because we have chosen to align ourselves with the Kingdom of God rather than the kingdom of this world.
The Three Temptations of the World
The world, in its attempts to lure us away from God, offers three primary temptations: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17). These temptations are not new, but have been around since the Garden of Eden when Satan tempted Eve with the same three things.
The Lust of the Flesh
The lust of the flesh refers to any desire of our physical bodies, such as the desire for food, drink, instant gratification, control, or domination over others. The world celebrates and encourages the indulgence of these fleshly desires, but as followers of Christ, we are called to deny ourselves and submit our bodies to God's will.
The Lust of the Eyes
The lust of the eyes encompasses greed, envy, jealousy, and discontentment. The world constantly bombards us with images and messages that stir up these desires, tempting us to covet what others have or to be restless and unsatisfied with our own lives.
The Pride of Life
The pride of life is the human desire to go our own way, to rebel against authority, and to think we know better than those who have come before us. The world celebrates this kind of independent, self-reliant attitude, but as Christians, we are called to humble ourselves and submit to God's will.
Called to Be Different
As followers of Christ, we are called to be different from the world. We are to be "set apart" and "holy," living lives that reflect the love and grace of Jesus rather than conforming to the values and practices of the world (Romans 12:1-2).
This means that we may face persecution and hatred from the world, just as Jesus did. But we must be willing to embrace this, knowing that it is a sign that we are truly living for Christ and not for the approval of the world. As Jesus said, "If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:20).
The world may hate us, but we must not let that deter us from living for Christ. Instead, we must be willing to stand firm in our faith, allowing the love and grace of Jesus to shine brightly through us, even in the face of opposition. Only then can we truly fulfill our calling to be "salt and light" in a world that is desperately in need of the transforming power of the gospel.
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