“And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.” (John 16:3-4 KJV)
As believers in the true gospel of grace of Christ Jesus, the reality of an uphill struggle for living in this world is a thing that must not catch us by surprise. It is inherent in a world ruled by spiritual darkness. This is a fallen world - a legacy of Adam's disobedience of eating the fruit of the forbidden tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This world is hostile to anyone whose faith is in Christ Jesus. Yet, this world is loved by the Father and Lord Jesus Christ, but it defies and rejects the love of the Father and His only Son who came to bring all to His love. The disciples and us who believed are warned by the Lord, this world hates us!
We are forewarned, if the world and religious people crucified the Lord Jesus Christ, we, who by faith are the Lord's brethren (Matthew 20:10) and co-heirs (Romans 8:17) are targets too. They deeply loathe anything that ascribed to the true God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who sent His only Son to save us, because of His deep love for us. The Lord Jesus is revealing this reality to the disciples in this crucial moment that the time is eminently coming for Him to be absent from them physically. As children of God in Christ, we too are hated by the world. We must remember these Words of the Lord, always: ““If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:18-19 ESV).
Hence, as the redeemed of the Lord, born again by grace through faith in Him, let us therefore hold on to this exhortation of Apostle Paul, as he testifies: "Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him;" (2 Timothy 2:10-12 ESV).
And I say, AMEN!
Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries
When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.
Partners For Christ Ministries, INC
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477
Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.
PFC Ministries
When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.
Partners For Christ Ministries, INC
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477
Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.
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