DISLIKED, HATED, ABHORRED
Matthew [MKJV]
5:1-16 And [Jesus] seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain. And when
He had sat down, His disciples came to Him. And He opened His mouth and taught
them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit! For theirs is the kingdom of
Heaven. Blessed are they that mourn! For they shall be comforted. Blessed are
the meek! For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they who hunger and
thirst after righteousness! For they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful!
For they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart! For they shall see God. Blessed
are the peacemakers! For they shall be called the sons of God. Blessed are they
who have been persecuted for righteousness sake! For theirs is the kingdom of
Heaven. Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall
say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice and be
exceedingly glad, for your reward in Heaven is great. For so they persecuted
the prophets who were before you. You are the salt of the earth, but if the
salt loses its savor, with what shall it be salted? It is no longer good for
anything, but to be thrown out and to be trodden underfoot by men. You are the
light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men
light a lamp and put it under the grain-measure, but on a lampstand. And it
gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that
they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.
John 15:18-21
[Jesus explained] 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. But because
you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the
world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, The servant is not
greater than his master. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute
you. If they have kept My saying, they will also keep yours. But all these
things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who
sent Me.
There are those
that dislike Christians. Then there are those that invest much more weighty emotion.
The reasons given, if articulated at all, are numerous. Certain wretched aspects
of Christian history, personal experience, supposed preservation of
independence, and more. For others that respect believers the categories are no
different. The experience or interpretation is.
Indeed the
followers of Christ should earnestly contend for the faith, but do so without
being emotionally contemptible in manner that discounts love and grace.
(Jude1:2-3)
For faithful
believers maligned and discouraged how can love and grace prevail? Peter asked
the same question of the Lord. By a forgiving attitude sans it’s-all-about-me listings.
(Mt.18:21-22)
Though not aware
of stumbling in this area this is my morning thoughts . . . but then the day
has just begun.
EBB4 Monday, June
04, 2018
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