By Mike Exton
Jesus Christ told His disciples that if the world hated & persecuted Him (they did!) then it would hate and persecute His true followers (John 15:18 & 15:20). But WHY? WHY would the world hate genuine Christians? For the same reason of course that the world hated Jesus (since true Christians are to emulate their Savior). But why did the world hate Jesus? Let’s let Jesus answer that: “The world… hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil” (John 7:7). So if we are following in Christ’s footsteps, we (just like Christ Himself) would be hated and persecuted for telling the world that its ways are evil.
Another Scripture that reminds us of our responsibility to speak out concerning the evil in this world can found in the book of Isaiah: “Cry aloud, spare not; lift up your voice like a trumpet; tell My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins” (Isaiah 58:1). Unfortunately, though, when we speak out against the wicked ways of this world, the world does not take kindly to it. As a result, they will often hate us. But take heart, the world hated Christ first! “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you” (John 15:18).
Jesus also told His followers: “WOE TO YOU when all men speak WELL of you, for so did their fathers to the FALSE prophets” (Luke 6:26). But why did people speak highly of the false prophets and not God’s true prophets? Because the FALSE prophets would tell the people what they wanted to hear. They would tell them comforting words. They would tell them that their deeds were good and pleasing to God.
The soothing words that rolled off the tongues of the false prophets were in sharp contrast to the true prophets of God, who would continually plead with the people to REPENT of their evil ways. But unfortunately people don’t like being told that their deeds are wicked; that they need to change their ways. And as a result they will hate and even persecute those who do. And this is why the true prophets in the Old Testament were hated & persecuted, and why the apostles of Christ were also hated & persecuted. And that’s exactly why Jesus Christ was hated and persecuted, and why FAITHFUL followers of Jesus today (who are following in Christ’s footsteps) would also be hated and persecuted.