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This is the most frustrating part of dealng with such bigoted believers . . . they not only exhibit the most obnoxious and hateful of attitudes toward others . . . but they also elevate it in their minds as some sort of saintly righteousness in the eyes of God. They refuse to see that it is their obnoxiousness that is hated . . . not belief in Jesus. . . . still can't rep ya!
Yes it is the most frustrating part of dealing with them. They think they interpret the scriptures by and through the Holy Spirit , but the proof that they don't is, there is nothing they say that resembles anything of the divine nature and character of God.
If the world hates just you for walking in His love then what Jesus said is being fulfilled.(And no love isn't pointing out someone elses's faults)
If the world hates you because you are a judgemental religious bigot who is always talking about sin and how wonderful you are because you keep the commandments, and cannot identify with people and where they are at , then you are reaping what you sow.
QUOTE=Donna Kupp;11237521]Jesus said this to his disciples:
"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me." John 15:18-21
This reward is promised to those who are hated for Christ's sake:
"Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets." Luke 6:22-23
According to John, it is easy to discern the children of God and the children of the devil:
"In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you." 1 John
3:10-13
Donna Kupp
"Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets." Luke 6:26
[/quote]
Well if these passages of scripture were not true, I would start to wonder...
I have always been a very likeable person, always had many people wanting
to befriend me, since I sold out for Christ Jesus, it's been slim pickings these days, and a lot of these who withold due affections are some of those in the assembly (places of worship) which makes me wonder often about those who
withold what is due as brethren are not truly "wolves" and tares..
I have actually been cast aside by family members and some of those that I worship with more than those in the "world", so are my family members of the world?, go figure, I'll just say , it seems that way.
I can say this though, that it is a light and darkness thing", darkness cannot hang around those who are of light, and vice versa.
I found that someof those professing to be Christians have mistreated me, actually have been misinformed or maybe the light exposes the darkness in their hearts. All I can say is Lord have mercy, I see what Joseph went through when his brothers hated him and sold him into slavery
Jesus was right when he forewarned us of these things that are coming upon
us in these evil days.
I, and many others, are hated by "the world" because we a NOT believers in God and Jesus. Yes it is true. We are despised by most of America. (I don't know about other countries). Christians have more respect and "love" for the worst sinners than they do for the best atheists! So where does that leave us? Are we saved cause we're hated?
Well if these passages of scripture were not true, I would start to wonder...
I have always been a very likeable person, always had many people wanting
to befriend me, since I sold out for Christ Jesus, it's been slim pickings these days, and a lot of these who withold due affections are some of those in the assembly (places of worship) which makes me wonder often about those who
withold what is due as brethren are not truly "wolves" and tares..
I have actually been cast aside by family members and some of those that I worship with more than those in the "world", so are my family members of the world?, go figure, I'll just say , it seems that way.
I can say this though, that it is a light and darkness thing", darkness cannot hang around those who are of light, and vice versa.
I found that someof those professing to be Christians have mistreated me, actually have been misinformed or maybe the light exposes the darkness in their hearts. All I can say is Lord have mercy, I see what Joseph went through when his brothers hated him and sold him into slavery
Jesus was right when he forewarned us of these things that are coming upon
us in these evil days.[/quote]
I agree. It is good that Jesus told this disciples up-front to count the cost of following Him. Otherwise, we would constantly be looking for the reason why we are rejected. The reason is this:
"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." John 3:19-21
The comforting thing is this - that we have brothers and sisters who do "walk in the light" and we have fellowship with them and God!
" ... God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 2:5-7
Joseph was rejected and persecuted --but God was with him! The life of Joseph has always been an inspiration to me. I hope that you will read my post in the recent Nazarene thread. (A few days ago here on City-Data) When we consider the life of a nazir with its blessings, it is well worth any suffering that we must endure --and we have the promise that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to endure.
I, and many others, are hated by "the world" because we a NOT believers in God and Jesus. Yes it is true. We are despised by most of America. (I don't know about other countries). Christians have more respect and "love" for the worst sinners than they do for the best atheists! So where does that leave us? Are we saved cause we're hated?
Hello DaniMae,
I'm sure that this must be very confusing to you. Just let me say this: a genuine Christian has a character of great worth --that is why there are so many counterfeits. A true Christian will follow these instructions:
"As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." Galatians 6:10
The Creator of the heavens and the earth gives us faith and draws us to Jesus so that our sins can be forgiven and we can become part of a new family of brothers and sisters. (All of us start that way.) Here are two questions that changed my life:
1. Donna, do you really want to know the truth? (I thought: "Yes! Why would I want to believe a lie?"
2. Donna, will you obey the truth --no matter what the cost: I sincerely said: "Yes!"
My life has never been the same since that day; I am a new person.
Lots of times people come to God when they are in trouble and need help, forgiveness and mercy. (See Psalm 107) In every generation, people have given thanks to the Lord for his goodness and mercy.
Since you are reading and writing on a Christian Forum, chances are that you are being drawn to Jesus, too. If so, how would you answer the two questions?
I'm sure that this must be very confusing to you. Just let me say this: a genuine Christian has a character of great worth --that is why there are so many counterfeits. A true Christian will follow these instructions:
"As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." Galatians 6:10
The Creator of the heavens and the earth gives us faith and draws us to Jesus so that our sins can be forgiven and we can become part of a new family of brothers and sisters. (All of us start that way.) Here are two questions that changed my life:
1. Donna, do you really want to know the truth? (I thought: "Yes! Why would I want to believe a lie?"
2. Donna, will you obey the truth --no matter what the cost: I sincerely said: "Yes!"
My life has never been the same since that day; I am a new person.
Lots of times people come to God when they are in trouble and need help, forgiveness and mercy. (See Psalm 107) In every generation, people have given thanks to the Lord for his goodness and mercy.
Since you are reading and writing on a Christian Forum, chances are that you are being drawn to Jesus, too. If so, how would you answer the two questions?
Donna Kupp
Oh no Donna. Quite the opposite! I came across City Data years ago when I was looking for information on certain scriptures. (the ones Pentecostals use to make women wear skirts). I am not drawn to Jesus at all. I sat in church for years trying to "get it". I never got it. I have a lot of contempt for Christianity. I post here as a form of personal therapy. And for fun! I like coming here. You start to feel like the others here are actual friends. So the answer to your 2 questions...no and no.
Actually, the world would not really hate you for keeping God's command to love. Why would they even care what you believe? Really, think about this...
Jesus said the WORLD would hate you. WHY would the WORLD hate you?
What is the WORLD? Could it be:
Again, the devil *took Him to a very high mountain and *showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, "All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me."
We know that Jesus did not submit to any authority on earth. In fact they had no authority over Him. His Kingdom was not of this world:
Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm."
His kingdom is Light, not darkness. His kingdom could not be of this world. Therefore, our kingdom is not of this world, which means we cannot submit to the kingdoms of this world.
Again, I submit the history of the early Christians. When the Romans came by with their caravans, seeking the people to pay homage to Cesaer as Lord. When the Christians did not do this, they were beheaded or imprisoned and put to death later.
The world they lived in hated them. But we are not talking of the world as the earth. We are talking of the world as the kingdoms of the world.
If a group of Christians decided they were not going to submit to ANY unjust laws in the United States, they would be labeled a cult, and made to be an enemy of the state.
So, this is what He is talking about, as far as I believe. Of course, i may be wrong.
The world refers to the Cosmic system by which Satan rules this world. Cosmos Diabolicus. It's the system of thought and beliefs that Satan introduces into the world through a number of ways. Education, music, art, literature, science, philosophy, religion, can all be used by Satan to introduce deception into the world for the purpose of turning man away from God. I did not just say that all of these things are evil. I said that they can be evil. Well, all religion IS evil, as it is a Satanic counterfeit to Christianity. But education may or may not be evil, depending on what and why something is being taught. For instance, education promoting homosexualty, is evil.
The more a believer grows spiritually, the more pressure he is under from Satan and the fallen angels, and the cosmic system, because this is the issue in the spiritual warfare we are involved in. It is Satan's intention to neutralize the spiritual impact of the believer who is growing spiritually. It is written in James 4:4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Do you give priority to anything in your life above God? If you only have enough time in a day to either study the word of God, or to _____fill in the blank, do you choose to fill in the blank? If you do, you have just chosen friendship with the world over God. But if you choose to study the word of God, then you come under attack by the world.
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Come to think of it Donna....
...the newer model...
So the answer to your 2 questions...no and no.
