Hated & Persecuted

I was reading in John 15, about Jesus commanding us to love one another, obey Him and abide in Him… all good stuff right?  Then He goes on to explain “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.” and then “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you;” I guess I always assumed the world was outside, and when He says “they” I thought it’d be those that don’t know God…

But lately I’ve been evaluating my life and history, and I’ve come to see I can’t remember one time being hated or persecuted by a non-christian.  I can only think of the multiple blows by other “christians” towards me and the church… People have taken time to slander, name-defame, gossip, lie, judge, condemn, reject, and criticize me… and it’s come from people who confess to be beleivers in Christ.

As this evidently is becoming more and more common amungst ‘Christians,’ I get saddened for our future.  I think evil has taken an alternate tactic and tried to mess up believers in Jesus by getting within the camp, undetected, to turn one against his brother.  I fear that we’ve forgotten the commandment to love one another, and think it’s our job to condemn our brother instead.

Every scripture I can find concerning this points to adressing sin IN ORDER TO LOVE & RESTORE, to “cover a multitude of sins” or “that he may turn and have life” or “that God may get glory.”  I’m a big fan of taking sin seriously, and I’m never going to advocate for anarchy… but have we forgotten grace and love for each other?  Brothers and sisters…?  God, help me love and extend grace where needed, comitt to my brother and sister, and honor you in how I live.

~ by benlenz on October 8, 2008.