The Haters

John 15:25

"But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled.: They hated me without a cause."

In letter of First John we are counseled that "God is love." We must be careful when it comes to defining love. The "love of God" cannot be defined in worldly terms and philosophy, which is where many go astray in their attempts to understand and define love from a worldly perspective. We must also understand that it's impossible for anyone who has not been born-again, who has not had the love of God placed in their hearts via a supernatural transformation, cannot love with the love of God.  Lost people are incapable of loving as love is defined by the Word of God. Jesus Christ was, is, and always will be God, and if "God is love," then Jesus Christ was the essence of pure love in the flesh -- yet, He tells us with His own lips that they "hated him without cause."

Why did they hate Him?  Because He loved loved them, and because He loved them, He confronted them with the truth. The philosophy of many today is that Jesus walked around tolerating sin, never becoming angry, never pointed out sin, and never made men uncomfortable. They have conjured up a Jesus in their own minds which appeases them, justifies their actions, and refuses to hold them accountable.  They have conjured up a Jesus in their own minds who would never condemn sin, much less suggest that an eternal hell awaits those who reject the truth. Jesus said, "The world hates me because I testify about it, that its works are evil."  Did you get that, did you read that, can you hear that?  Jesus testified that man's works were evil. We should also be reminded that Jesus calls His own to "count the cost," to "take up the cross and follow Him."  This is where the Christian will bring down the wrath and hatred of the world upon his head -- by following the true Christ of Scripture, which is lacking in much of professed Christendom today.

Jesus warned His disciples as to how the world would view and treat them. He said, "men will hate you." He went on to say, "you are not of the world, therefore the world hates you." No, it's not those who truly love God and are sworn to follow Jesus Christ who are "haters," it's the world who hates the true Christ of Scripture that hate those who have truly been born-again and have Christ dwelling in their hearts.  It's the world who doesn't wish to have their sin, their condemnation, and their wickedness exposed, who are defined by Christ as the real haters.  In reality, it's those who accuse God's people of being haters, judgmental, and bigoted whom God defines, sees, and in the end will judge as the haters of Himself, of His Kingdom, and of His people. The world hated Christ with such venomous hatred that they spit on Him, mocked Him, ridiculed Him, beat Him, scourged Him, called Him a bastard, and then crucified Him with contempt.  In doing so, they exposed themselves as true haters of the love of God.