1 John 3:13
[13] Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
I like the fact that this is a small verse with so much to say. John begins by saying, “marvel not”. In plain Georgia language, that means do not be surprised. Does it ever surprise you to see what surprises many Christians today? This verse has one of those kind of surprises in it.
John is speaking to saved people, and tells them not to be surprised if the world hates Christians. This makes perfectly good sense, seeing that the world is the enemy of God. The Bible teaches this in James, chapter four. So, if the world is the enemy of our Heavenly Father, then it only stands to reason, that it will be the enemy of our Father’s children. They hated his son, and willingly put him to death. He told us that the world would hate us, just as it hated him. This should come as no surprise, but I will share something with you that will surprise you.
In spite of what the Bible says, and what they did to Jesus, some believers today still try to win the world’s favor. Some believers try to mix the world with Christianity, hoping the world will learn to love them. Compromising our doctrines, convictions and testimony will not make us popular in the world, it will only make us ineffective.
Paul said that if we live a godly life, they will not only hate us, but will persecute us. If we love the world, then our love for God diminishes, and we find ourselves on the wrong side. We are on the enemy’s side. My friend do not be bothered by what the world says or thinks about you. Be a light in a dark world. Shine for Jesus and hold strong your beliefs. When others compromise, take note that the world doesn’t treat them fairly, and God doesn’t treat them better. I never want to trade the favor of God for a false love of the world. Do not be surprised, just be steadfast.