If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.
The world in this context does not refer simply to creation, which is good, and remains fundamentally good even after the fall. It refers ways both conscious and unconscious that human society is in the grip of the power of darkness, under the authority of the evil one. This is why Jesus called the devil the "ruler of this world" (see John 12:31). It was in this sense that James wrote that "friendship with the world is enmity with God" (see James 4:4). It was also in this sense that John the Evangelist would later warn against the love of the world:
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever (see First John 2:15-17).
We would perhaps like to imagine that we are surrounded by neutral ground rather than living in enemy controlled territory. We don't like to imagine a world in the grip of the evil one, the strong man whose possessions, by which we mean souls, were securely held until Jesus came with still greater strength to set us free (see Matthew 12:29). However, the realism of the Biblical world view compels us to realize that we are surrounded by people who are not as free as they appear. They are made to serve their passions and addictions, but without receiving any of the satisfaction these things promise. People thus enslaved are not our enemies. It is rather the principalities and powers controlling them behind the scenes against which we fight.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (see Ephesians 6:12).
Jesus said "I have chosen you out of the world" and therefore empowered us to live free from the domination of the powers of darkness. Those set free by Jesus himself would therefore be truly free (see John 8:36). Do we recognize that Jesus has done this for each of us individually? How precarious was our position and how grateful we should be for the mercy he showed us.
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son (see Colossians 1:13).
We are told to expect the hatred of those who remain enslaved to the world that is still under the dominion of Satan. Why does Jesus insist that we prepare ourselves to face this reality? It seems to be so that it does not present an obstacle when we ourselves take up the mission of Jesus. We are not greater than our master. This means that we must live in service of those themselves still under the power of the world, as he did, prepared to wash their feet, even knowing that we will often be rejected and hated as a consequence. Jesus "came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him" (see John 1:11). In spite of this rejection Jesus continued to love even those who would ultimately condemn him to die as a criminal. Jesus wants us to be prepared for opposition, not to fight it, but so that we remain ready to love in spite of it.
If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
If we live lives of fidelity to Jesus we may well face persecution. Systems of this world seem to be colluding to make that prospect increasingly likely. Let us not fear, for Jesus told us in advance that this would happen. If we are permitted to walk in the footsteps of the master may we give thanks and seek his strength to do so. Let us remember that no matter what sort of opposition we face it is fundamentally from people who "know not what they do" (see Luke 23:34). These are not our enemies. If we see them that way we might choose to avoid them and thereby escape negative consequences such as persecution. Rather, these are the very people to whom we must bring the Good News, to whom we must offer the freedom, the gift of Jesus himself, with which we have been so blessed.
Paul did not let opposition or hardship deter him from his mission. Indeed, these were to him, if anything, bragging rights. Like Paul, we may not always be successful in our attempts to evangelize. Our own plans must always be malleable, ready to give way to new direction given by the Holy Spirit himself.
they tried to go on into Bithynia,
but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them
Paul was so committed to the Gospel that he ever returned to Lystra where the crowds had turned on him and stoned him. This was the heart of someone who did not love the world, but who loved those in its grip with all he had. Paul, pray for us, that we might follow your example!
No comments:
Post a Comment