The World Hates You

Whilst any persecution we presently face in our own land may be relatively minor compared with what Christian believers face in other countries, the reason for it remains the same: "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you," said Jesus. The world hates us because we no longer 'belong' to the world, but to Christ. We do not fit in with the world, and Jesus does not encourage us to try and fit in. Instead, he prepares us for the persecution which will come our way and he provides for us by sending the Spirit to us so that we might not fade and fall away in the face of opposition. As Chapter 16 ends, "In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."