The World Cannot Hate You

Jesus made a startling statement to His brothers that reveals a fundamental truth about genuine faith and its relationship to the world system. Let's unpack what this means for us today.

John 7:7 "The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify of it that its deeds are evil."

This verse should stop us in our tracks. Jesus tells His brothers, "The world cannot hate you, but it hates me." Why? Because He testifies that the world's deeds are evil.

Here's the uncomfortable truth: if you're a Christian living with conviction, you will not be liked by the world. That's not because we're trying to be offensive—it's a promise from God. The Jesus of the Bible is categorically opposed to the worldly system in which we live.

The world is not going to like it when you live for Jesus Christ. They're not going to like it when you oppose the way they live.

But here's what we need to understand about Jesus's motivation. He's not testifying that the world's deeds are evil as an end in itself—it's as the means to an end. When people understand the evil of what they're doing, they'll turn to Jesus Christ as Savior. We're not here just to cry out against the world; we're crying out against sin so people will repent and come to Jesus Christ to be cleansed.

One of the great hallmarks of unbelief is that you are like the world and liked by the world. When you see a pastor where no one says anything bad about him in the public sphere, he's probably not preaching with any level of conviction.

John 15:18 backs this up: "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you." The world always hates to have its evil exposed. But we expose it not to condemn but to point people toward the only One who can cleanse them from that evil.

This creates a tension for us. We want to be winsome and loving, but we also must be faithful to truth. Love doesn't mean we avoid difficult conversations—love means we care enough about people's eternal destiny to speak truth even when it's uncomfortable.

Are you so concerned about being liked that you've compromised your witness? Are you more focused on fitting in than standing out for Christ? The world's approval should never be our goal. Our goal is God's approval and people's salvation.

The world cannot hate nominal Christians because nominal Christians pose no threat to the world's system. They blend in. They go along to get along. But when you live with biblical conviction, when you speak truth in love, when you refuse to compromise—the world will take notice.

And that's exactly where God wants you.

Stay dialed in.