CHAPLAIN’S PAGE – “The World against Christ”
After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for He would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought kill Him.– (John 7:1)
Although Jesus was surrounded by enemies, this never stopped Him from pursuing His ministry. A common cry these days is that He could have had no idea how difficult it is in these days of political correctness. How that we may be arrested for quoting certain Biblical texts which may offend some sections of the community?
Not only was Jesus in constant conflict with the authorities, but we must never forget that Paul, Peter and Silas were arrested and beaten. To openly express our faith through the centuries has never been easy. Do we have the courage and conviction? Today, we live in the time of great divide, where only those things which can stand, will stand.
But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap.- (Malachi 3:2)
All the prophecies relating to the time of the end of the age are in agreement that it would be a time of great testing for the elect.
Now the Jewish feast of tabernacles was at hand.
His brethren therefore said unto Him, depart hence, and go into Judea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For there is no man that doeth anything in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. For neither did His brethren believe in Him. – (John 7:2-5)
The brothers of Jesus had no understanding of the purpose of His life and ministry. They may not have known that He was only their half brother. In any event it is quite usual not to take one’s own family too seriously. They may have accepted His role as a teacher and Rabbi (Matthew 23:8) but other than that they certainly did not accept His Divine origin. Jesus Himself summed it up perfectly in Matthew 13:57-58.
And they were offended in Him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in His own country, and in His own house. And He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
His brothers suggestion was that He should make a public exhibition of Himself so that He would be famous, and then no doubt they would share in His great popularity. When we examine the public ministry of Jesus, apart from the few times that He spoke to the multitudes, His ministry was mostly secretive. For example, after healing a leper, He instructed him ‘See thou tell no man’ (Matthew 8:4). Again, after restoring the sight of a blind man ‘See that no man know it.’
It was not Our Lord’s wish that His miracles of healing should be generally known. That would have given His enemies more ammunition to fire at Him. Also, the crowds would have followed Him for the wrong reasons.
The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. – (John 7:7)
This is a key text which reveals the reason for so much that is going on at the present time. We need to remember that Jesus here was talking to His brothers who did not believe in Him, thus He said to them ‘the world cannot hate you’. However, in John 15:18, Jesus said ‘If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you’.
These two texts appear to be contradictory, however, the answer is quite straightforward. In verse 18, Jesus was talking to His disciples who were believers, but in chapter 7 He was speaking to His unbelieving brothers. The world hated the disciples because of their belief in Christ.
This principle applied not only to the disciples, but to all Christians throughout the age. Once we understand this, it explains so much which would otherwise remain a mystery.
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. – (John 15:19)
Because Christ’s brothers were of the world, the world accepted them. The disciples were not of the world, and the world rejected them. Christ and His own are hated because they testify against it. Our Lord was making it abundantly clear that Christians would have to endure persecutions until His return.
Now we must face a hard truth. The Christ haters are now gathering their forces in our own Israel lands. In days gone by we faced dangers of many kinds, but we faced them as Christians, consequently the Lord made our cause His own. Today, because of our unbelief, we have allowed the enemy into our lands. The strangers among us have the upper hand, and they have the protection of the law.
The realisation that we have arrived at such a dramatic time in our history should drive us even deeper into God’s wonderful Word. It is there, and only there, that we find the answers that wiIl satisfy and strengthen us through these final days of Satanic activity.
If we keep quiet about our faith because we are offended by Christ, (Matthew 11:6) we need have no fear from the world. In these final days of apostasy it takes courage to stand and be counted. The time for being a lukewarm Christian has long passed. (Revelation 3:16)
Christ is today looking for those who believe in Him with all their heart, mind, and soul, and will boldly proclaim His truth. May the Lord give us this courage. §
