Hated by the world…but eternally loved by God!
Jesus continued to counsel His disciples – “’These things I command you, that you love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.’” (John 15: 17-19) The world we live in is a “fallen” world. Mankind was created to have fellowship with God, but man rebelled against God. Satan brought about man’s fall.
Satan was created as an angel; a cherubim (Ezek. 1: 5). He fell because of his pride – “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’” (Isaiah 14: 12-14) Satan is the ruler of this present world. Scripture warns – “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” (1 Peter 5: 8-9) Satan’s world system is based upon the evil principles of force, greed, selfishness, ambition, and sinful pleasure. He is the “prince of the power of the air” – “And you he made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.” (Eph. 2: 1-3) He is the head of a “vast host of demons”. He has the power of death – “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He (Jesus) Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (Heb. 2: 14-15) Although Satan hates those who have trusted Jesus Christ for their salvation, ultimately he has been overcome – “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned – (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5: 12-19)
No doubt, this fallen world – Satan’s world, hates Christians. Many today are persecuted and martyred for their faith. The following links illustrate the reality of the persecuted believers in the world today. Satan may destroy our bodies, but he cannot take away our eternal life through Jesus Christ!
https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/world-watch-list/
http://www.chinaaid.org/2018/01/bomb-destroys-persecuted-church.html
https://aclj.org/persecuted-church
https://www.mnnonline.org/news/christian-persecution-rise-reveals-2018-world-watch-list/
