The World Is Not A True Believer's Friend

“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me. They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin. Anyone who hates me also hates my Father. If I hadn’t done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be guilty. But as it is, they have seen everything I did, yet they still hate me and my Father. This fulfills what is written in their Scriptures: ‘They hated me without cause.’ [John 15.18-25] 

Seven years ago today, I wrote the article The World - Not My Friend. I would like to dig a bit deeper today...

Let's focus on verse 19:

The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. [John 15.19]

Seven years ago, I was just really beginning to recognize what I believe today is the great deception in the Church: idolatry. 

Mind you, idolatry is not idolatry to the world because the world does not have God. The world's systems of caring for itself are only idols to God's covenant people once they have vowed faith in God alone through Jesus Christ. In other words, man's industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology are all admittedly quite brilliant designs for man without God. However, when any man called by God's grace is chosen by his reciprocal response of faith (giving up his own way, taking up his cross, and following Jesus), that man lives thereafter as a distinct child of God - no longer part of the world.

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]

The alleged "Jesus-believing child of God" who refuses to give up the world and its systems lives in contradiction to the very faith they claim. For today's "Church" and its leaders to teach otherwise is false religion. The ire ignited by these words is the very hate Jesus predicted above and, it is evident in the world and all who embrace and defend the world: 

The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. [John 15.19]

What's worse, the alleged "Jesus-believing child of God" consequently enjoys none of the faith benefits described in Hebrews 11 - they neither live by faith nor die by faith (refusing to turn to the world by turning away from God). They are, in fact, children of hell who have effectively rejected the faith that could save them and deliver them (whether like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego or like the martyr Stephen).

The world and the "Church" both applaud the alleged "Jesus-believing child of God" who relies on the systems of the world (alarmingly, the world credits "science" and the Church credits "God"). As should be expected, the world hates and ridicules the "Jesus-believing child of God" who categorically rejects the world's solutions of finance, insurance, medicine and technology (as this author proposes). However, it is totally unbiblical and uncharacteristic for the "Church" to ridicule the "Jesus-believing child of God" who rejects these worldly man-made idol-solutions... and yet, that is exactly what happens.

Haters will hate, but it will only be idol-defying-world-giving-up-fearless-of-death-miracle-working-Jesus-followers-faith that inspires hatred. Otherwise, it is simply "to each his own" with the world and the Church dwelling together in symbiotic peace (oddly while the world profits from the Church's idolatry).

The world is not a true believer's friend.

Father, may the hatred of the world be incited by these words today revealing the distinction between the world and true believers in Christ. May all who read this test every word by Your Word - by Jesus - for their validity. May these words challenge every would-be believer in Jesus (myself included) to give up their own way, take up their cross, and follow Jesus. So be it.