Bible-Believing Christians
Will Be Hated
“I saw the souls of them that were beheaded
for the witness of Jesus,
and for the Word of God,
and which had not worshipped the Beast,
neither his image,
neither had received his mark upon their foreheads,
or in their hands;
And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”
(Revelation 20:4)
“Christ” is not a name … it’s His Title.
“Messiah” (in Hebrew) was translated as “Christ” in English. Messiah means “The Anointed One.” The Bible tells us the Messiah is God’s anointed King over all in Heaven and on Earth.
The Bible clearly says there is (and will be) only one Messiah.
The Bible warns the promised Messiah would be hated and despised
“He (Messiah) was despised,
and we did not esteem Him.”
(Isaiah 53:3)
“The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One,
To Him whom man despises,
To Him whom the nation abhors.”
(Isaiah 49:7)
“He (Messiah/Christ) is despised
and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.”
(Isaiah 53:3)
Jesus (Yeshua) explains WHY the World hates the Light . . .
“Again Jesus (Yeshua) spoke to them saying,
“I am the Light of the World.
Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness (sinful ways),
but will have the light of life.”
(John 8:12)
“For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come to the Light,
lest his works should be exposed.”
(John 3:20)
Then, Jesus warns believing Christians will be hated by the world . . .
“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 15:18-19)
“And Jesus prayed,
“I have given them Your word;
and the world has hated them (those Christians who love and follow the Messiah)
because they are not of the world,
just as I am not of the world.
I do not pray that You should take them out of the world,
but that You should keep them from the Evil One (Satan).”
(In the Bible, Satan is also called the “Ruler of this world”… and the “Prince of the Power of the Air”)
(John 17:14-15)
“I saw the souls of them that were beheaded
for the witness of Jesus,
and for the Word of God,
and which had not worshipped the Beast (Antichrist),
neither his image,
neither had received his mark upon their foreheads,
or in their hands;
And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”
(Revelation 20:4) The 1000 Year Millennium
A stark warning . . .
“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world,
and is himself (his soul) destroyed or lost (in Hell)?
For whoever is ashamed of Me (Jesus) and My words,
of him the Son of Man will be ashamed.”
(Luke 9:25-26)
“Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me (Jesus Christ) before men,
him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.
But he who denies Me before men
will be denied before the angels of God.”
(Luke 12:8-9)
“So it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will come forth,
separate the wicked from among the just,
and cast them into the furnace of fire.
There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
(Matt 13:49-50)
“The world” is all those who do not believe and have no real faith in Jesus, God, and the Bible and who ridicule, scoff at, or despise those who do . . .
“The world” are all those who deny Jesus as Lord and willfully reject His loving offer of forgiveness. This includes most of the people on the Earth. Jesus says He is drawing a people out of the world . . . and He also calls Satan “the Ruler of this world.”
The world is powerful. It despises the Cross.
“The World” can be seen and heard 7 days a week, 24 hours a day speaking through those mediums that entertain us, the shows we watch, the music we hear, and the things we read. The world speaks powerfully from the Media centers of Hollywood, New York, Atlanta, San Francisco, and others. It speaks loudly through many powerful leaders throughout the world. A deadly spiritual virus flows from these centers and infects all that it touches. It blinds and numbs our soul. The only inoculation against this deadly virus is through the blood on the Cross. We can open the door of our hearts and invite Jesus Christ into our lives, allowing the innocence, the goodness, the honesty, and the purity of His word and spirit to flow through our veins. He is our only protection . . .
“Do NOT love the world or the things in the world.
If anyone loves the world,
the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world —
the lust of the flesh,
the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life — (Pride … “Nobody’s going to tell me what to do!”)
is not of the Father,
but is of the world.”
(I John 2:15-16)
“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)
Now watch television, read a newspaper, read a book, listen to a network news report, or watch a movie. When you finish, think back to which character, group, or person you were told, taught, or directed to like, approve of, or feel sorry for, and then think back to the character, group, or person you were left hating, disliking, or disapproving of . . .
We find the growing hate for believing Christians is spreading quickly in America and across the world. How is the Christian portrayed in your movie, television show, book, or news broadcast? Where did they place a cross in a scene? The Bible warns that Satan, who is also called “the prince of the power of the air,” will plant seeds of hate and doubt into your mind whenever and wherever he has a chance. It works!!! Just say the words “Jesus Christ” or “born again Christian” and see how you feel inside. Has the world successfully made you feel ashamed, unwelcome, afraid, or embarrassed to be called a Christian?
We can now see the separation between believing Christians and “the world,” including the rapidly changing definition and division of “church and state,” gaining momentum every day. Events will take place that will be unjustly blamed on Christians and laws will be passed with deceptive names and titles which will come down hard, very hard on anybody who will stand firm in their faith and stand firm in their obedience to the Bible and God’s law. The mocking and ridicule of believing Christians will continue to heighten to higher levels of vehemence and frenzy until someday soon when it will take a much darker, and violent turn . . .
“Now brother will betray brother to death,
and a father his child;
and children will rise up against parents
and cause them to be put to death.
‘And you will be hated by all men for My name’s (Jesus’) sake.
But he who endures to the end shall be saved.'”
(Mark 13:12-13
There are millions of Christians today in China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Indonesia, Algeria, Egypt, India, and around the world, including women and children who are being imprisoned, murdered, tortured, raped, beaten, kidnapped, beheaded, burned alive, and sold into slavery simply for their faith in Jesus Christ, while we, our churches, the leaders of our nation, and the news networks simply watch and do nothing . . .
“I saw under the altar the souls of those
who had been slain for the Word of God
and for the testimony which they held.
And they cried with a loud voice, saying,
‘How long, O Lord, holy and true,
until You judge and avenge our blood
on those who dwell on the Earth?’
Then a white robe was given to each of them;
and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer,
until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren,
who would be killed as they were, was completed.”
(Revelation 6:9-11)
Many blessings are promised in Heaven for those who endure such treatment here on Earth and suffer or die in their faith while doing so. We know from prophecy the time draws near when millions upon millions of Christians and Jews will be slaughtered . . .
We are living in dangerous times …
Have a hard time believing in God? The above verses are clear . . .
Why? God is warning us . . .
Please remember . . .
The Kingdom of Heaven is available to every man, woman, boy, and girl in this world, no matter who they are, where they live, or what they have done. It is freely offered to any and all who will receive it. Simply learn of Jesus (Yeshua), the promised Messiah, invite Him into your life as Lord, believe He died on the Cross for all of your sins and rose from the grave (proving there is a Kingdom of Heaven … and a Hell). Learn of Him and believe in Him . . . for He was the only one who has ever loved you enough to substitute Himself for you on the Cross. He shed His blood, suffered, and died on the Cross to save you from your sins and from the utter darkness and torment of Hell, if you will accept it, believe it, and trust in it. That is why Jesus is called Savior. He now lovingly and graciously offers you life in Heaven (and we are warned it is a “take it or leave it” proposition.) We have to consciously receive it and accept it in faith. If you sincerely admit you have sinned (which means you will need a Savior to get into Heaven) and ask Jesus to come into your life and honestly try to stop doing (and saying) those things God says are wrong, you will go to Heaven … and with open arms and tears of joy He will receive all who will come to Him in faith and in love … It’s God’s Promise!!!
The only unpardonable sin is to reject God’s love and His free offer of life in the Kingdom of Heaven by rejecting Jesus Christ (Yeshua Ha’Mashiach in Hebrew) who stepped forth from Eternity (“from of old, from everlasting”… see Micah 5:2) … not to condemn the sinner, but to save the sinner (from the torment of Hell) and who willingly and lovingly shed His blood on the Cross so we can be washed clean of all our sins. The Bible warns there will be no peace in our lives until we make peace with God through His Son, Jesus, the promised Messiah. The Bible also says there will be no peace in Israel or on Earth until Jesus Christ, the Messiah returns.
“In the Beginning was the Word
and the Word was WITH God,
and the Word WAS God.
And the Word became flesh
and dwelt among us,
and we beheld His glory,
the glory as of the only begotten
of the Father …
full of grace and truth.
He was in the world,
the world was made through Him,
and the world did not know Him.
He came to His own,
and His own did not receive Him”
(Excerpted from John 1:1-14)
Prophecies: Churches will “fall away” and “depart from the faith”