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Hated Because of Him
Can anyone explain why it is the tendency of people to belittle, berate, mock, criticize and even condemn those who call themselves Christians, and who do good or at least try to do good?
They did this to Jesus. I suspect they did it to people long before Jesus, and for sure it continues today. People who do good things should be held in high esteem, yet for some reason, others look hard to find fault or they invent fault if they can't find any. They call us bigots, annoying, stupid and some voice a genuine hate and disdain.
I'm only guessing, but it probably has something to do with jealousy. I believe this happens for several reasons. Here are 10 opinions:
1. We are not part of their world. (John 15:19, 1 Peter 2:9, James 4:4) You would think this would not offend them, after all, why should they care? But I think it actually does offend them.
2. We love God's word, where we find truth. (John 8:32, Rom 1:18, Gal 4:16) Truth is not what they want to hear, it goes against how they desire to live.
3. We have God. (Rom 8:9) For sure, that is something to envy! Problem is, they can have Him too if they wanted.
4. We have chosen to follow Jesus. (John 15:21, Matt 10:22)
Again, why do they care what we do?...why would this upset them?...but it does.
5. Some actually profess that they hate God, therefore, they must hate us. We used this verse earlier this week Rom 1:29-30. They invent new ways to be evil in their rebellion, and they like it.
6. They mistake our love for them as something just the opposite. We love them and want them to know God as we do, but they see our attempt to show them that love as offensive and intrusive. God's message shows them a need to accept His discipline and repent. People feel threatened anytime someone tries to mingle in their private lives.
7. We love walking in the light. (1 John 1:7-9, John 3:19-21, Matt 5:14-15) Why they care, I don't know, but because we refuse to walk with them in darkness, they are offended.
8. I believe scripture supports the concept that they are content where they are doing what they want to do. Luke 14:27-28 says if we want to follow Him, we must count the cost and undertake a daily discipline. We also have to give up our lives (Matt 16:25-26) in surrender to Him.
9. They have lived for Satan to the point he has blinded them. Again, this is not opinion. Scripture says so. (2 Cor 4:4, Eph 2:2). It's not that they can't see the truth of the Gospel, but they "can't see" because they have chosen to allow Satan to blind them by serving him with their lives. (2 Thes 2:11-12)
10. Finally, I think they are offended by us because we refuse to promote their godless agenda(s) (1 Peter 4:4, Eph 5:8, Matt 16:25-26). They may call us 'holier-than-thou' or 'hypocrites' because they claim we think we are better. We know we are not better, as we all sin and fall short of God's glory, but we are better off, because we took God up on His offer of grace, while they have chosen to reject it.
People don't like to be portrayed as bad or evil, and when someone comes along that is genuinely good, it must make them feel bad, which they interpret as making them look bad. Their carnal response is retaliation toward the one who does good. Maybe the offense people feel is a result of their own guilt. So they call us stupid, they call us near-sighted, they call us bigoted and accuse us of hate. Again, I don't know what it is that triggers this response in them, but it's real whatever it is. Even though there is nothing about us that actually physically threatens them in their lifestyle, they consider our message a threat. Probably because deep down inside, they actually do know God's desire for them, as Rom 1:32 would suggest. (also see John 7:7, Eph 5:11)
An unknown author once said, "If they are throwing rocks at you, you must be doing something right"! Someone else once said, "You will be hated by everyone because of me..." (Matt 10:22) That someone was Jesus Christ, who also said, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." (John 15:18). It is not just a few haters either, Jesus said we will be hated by "everyone!" Bottom line, for whatever reasons they choose to hate Jesus, they choose to hate us too, when our attempt to show them love is anything but hate!
If those we have referenced above, those same people who the Bible likewise identifies in so many passages, if they only knew that we truly do love them, and if they could truly understand that God loves them, and if they could truly understand that He wants to save them, perhaps they could view us differently. For certain, if they truly understood, they could see God differently. Our prayer, our aim, our goal is to help them see. Lord help us to do so!
