Friday, December 12, 2014
Profound differences
between the worldly majority and the kingdom minority can actually be expressed
as hatred. Scriptural synonyms for
hatred include enmity, persecution, and hostility.
And remember it all began with the curse
pronounced on the serpent after he deceived Eve in the garden.
“And I will
put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her Seed.” Genesis
3:15
The hatred is the greatest between the
ruler of the majority and the king of the kingdom, i.e. between the devil and the
Seed of the woman, Christ Himself.
Such animosity and hatred is extended to
the followers of the ruler of the world and the citizens of the kingdom and is
being accelerated during the present age.
Jesus warned His disciples of the hatred
they would face, and the reason for it.
“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. Yet because you are not of
the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” John 15:19-19
As Jesus prayed to His Father, He
reiterated the world’s hatred for His chosen.
He also stated that He would send them into the world as light.
“I have given them Your word; and the world
has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the
world…As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.” John 17:14, 18
Jesus’ chosen ones have become children of
God while the majority of mankind was/is under the influence of the wicked one.
“The
Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and
if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…” Romans 8:16-17
But on the other hand:
“…and the
whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” 1 John 5:19
John reminded the church (kingdom) that
the world did not know or understand Christ or His chosen.
“Behold
what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called
children of God! Therefore the world
does not know us, because it did not know Him…Do not marvel, my brethren, if
the world hates you.” 1 John 3:1, 13
James had a similar message to professing
Christians (hypocrites) but didn’t possess saving faith. Such were committing spiritual adultery.
“Adulterers
and adulteresses! Do you not know that
friendship with the world is enmity with God?
Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an
enemy of God.” James 4:4
Kingdom citizens should not take lightly
the granted authority of the ruler of the world.
“For
we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities…against
the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness
in heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12
The Seed of the woman, however, will
prevail and preserve His chosen.
“…for the
ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.” John 14:30
“For this
purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the
devil.” 1 John 3:8b
And in God’s precise pre-ordained timing
in the future:
“Now is the
judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” John 12:31
The
devil, who deceived them…was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the
beast and the false prophet are. And
they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Revelation 20:10
How about today?
The redeemed minority has been defined as
well as the worldly majority.
The leader of the world has
been identified as Satan and the leader of the kingdom has been identified as
Jesus Christ, the Seed of the woman.
Now the philosophy and ideology of the
present day can be examined to see which leader is being followed.
Simply stated, is America as a
nation more closely allied with the tenets of the world and its leader or the
kingdom and its leader?
Or does America even recognize the
difference between the two?
After two decades of
teaching Statistics and Economics at ORU and NSU Walt not teaches Bible at FBC
Claremore and the Claremore Veteran’s Center.
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