2Ti 3:10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
2Ti 3:11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
The common thought and feeling of man is that no one desires to be hated by others. The man himself desires to be celebrated, regardless If he is a introvert, and doesn’t like all the attention, he too desires not to be hated by others, even those that all feel that the world is against them so to speak, they do not desire to be hated by anyone. But when looking at God’s word of truth, those that desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution, and that is persecution for Christ’s sake, not our own affairs of this life type of persecution. And what the verses mentioned above, is that there are those who desire to live godly, but what this means is those that desire to live in the likeness of Christ, and to live as we walk in the doctrine which is according to godliness. And that doctrine consists of having the Spiritual mind of Christ and this selfless heart of our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Joh 7:7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
Luk 6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.
And as we see, the Lord taught His apostles that if they are going to walk in his likeness, they must understand that the world hates the Lord, and as the scriptures say, they hated him “without a cause.” But they had their own cause in which they hated Him, their flesh became offended by His words, He testified truth unto the darkness of this world, and they rejected it. The Lord testified that the good of man today is actually the evil of darkness as men try to pass that off for the light of the truth of God. And so, the Lord taught His Apostles that the outward man will get offended by the truth of God, because the truth is contrary unto the flesh of man. Man’s flesh desires to have its lust fulfilled day by day and man does not like to have others correct their way of living their lives. And the obvious thought is that the Lord was trying to tell the little Flock how to live a ‘goodly’ life, and how to just ‘fit in’ with this world in love, when in fact, He was given unto them His life, and why they ought to live, and when they live in His likeness, the world will in fact hate them too.
Joh 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
And so, we too are taught that this world despises ‘godliness,’ and what is “the good” in God’s sight. Paul says in 2nd Timothy chapter 3:3, that there are those who are, “despisers of those that are good.” And it is the “natural man” (the common men of this world who are ‘fathered’ by this world and also conformed to this world) that views the Spiritual things of God, and godliness as “foolish.” And once the Saints in Christ begin to live their lives unto the Lord, and desire to live “after the Spirit,” and not “after the flesh,” we will be no longer in this world’s identity, and no longer in a “condemnation” from the “life of Christ,” but we as “debtors” unto Him will walk, and live, and serve as those who are the “called according to His purpose.” But we too ought to generate a ‘godly hatred’ for the ungodly things of this world, and as the verses say below, our Lord also ‘hated’ the ‘thing’ concerning Saints going after another doctrine. And we are told to “abhor that which is evil” in God’s sight and be “simple concerning evil.” These evil things are beloved by this world and concern the ‘religious’ men of this world who preach the “doctrines of devils.”
2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Notice in Revelation 2:15 the Lord mentions that his hatred is kindled by the men teaching this doctrine. He also warned the Little Flock about the “leaven of the Pharisees.” And today, our being a “living sacrifice” irritates the natural man, because we are no longer ‘with’ them, or conformed unto the system of their things. And when we “come out from among them,” and “be separate,” we will now walk unto the Father in godliness as sons and daughters, and those in whom we came out from among will no longer count us as their ‘brethren,’ but an enemy, and a threat to their peace, and their way of living, they will accuse the godly Saint of trying to ‘change their lives too.’ And this is because of a ‘fear of losing their lifestyle,’ and ‘loves of their lives.’ And as Paul mentions in Romans chapter 12, those who desire to be a living sacrifice, they will have an “enemy.” This is why we are given the doctrine in how we are to respond unto those who would count us as their enemy in verses 14-21. And our response is a response of selfless love and godliness unto those who not only despises us, but first hated our Lord Jesus Christ whether they actually know that their ‘service’ unto this world has caused the “enmity” between them, and God, and as the Lord says in Matthew chapter 6:24, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
Rev 2:15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
Rom 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
Rom 16:19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.
Rod Jones