So far in this chapter, Jesus has described the two most important relationships that his disciples will have to deal with in the present age, and how to maneuver them. Disciples abide in Christ first of all, and love one another second of all. These two relationships define what being a Christian is. But now Jesus introduces the third crucial relationship: our relationship with the world. And this one is a little more prickly.
The tragic truth is that the normal, natural way of the world is to be in blatant rebellion against God. God has commanded an ethic of humble love and wise righteousness; the world prefers to operate in self-exalting sensuality and hatred. And so the fact that we choose to walk in God’s way means we are misfits among our mutuals. Worse yet, the world can’t stand our radical godliness and makes us out to be enemies. But here’s Jesus’ point: don’t be shocked by that! It’s no fun to lose friends, but bear in mind that we are simply receiving the brunt of their rejection of Jesus. So don’t be rattled by it—if anything, rejoice in the opportunity to suffer with our Savior.
Be wary also of this: one of our enemy’s favorite tactics nowadays is to downplay just how bad rejecting Jesus is. It’s not outright warfare; it’s subtle manipulation. But Jesus makes it clear that since he is the clearest possible revelation of Almighty God amongst us, The world no longer has any excuse for not obeying the Lord. Rejecting Jesus is not a small, relativistic matter, as some would claim it is; rather it is outright hatred of God. Don’t give in to the trend of normalizing rejection of the Christ!
Though we still live in the world, Jesus has called us out of it, to belong instead to him. The world is right about one thing: we’re outsiders. But it’s actually freeing to realize we don’t have to put too much stock in this temporary land we inhabit. We must not compromise and assimilate, but we are also not supposed to isolate completely, or try to fight a culture war and bring back the world’s former days. Rather we are to live in the margins of society, dangling between this temporary dwelling place and our eternal, heavenly home. This world may hate us, but keep your chin up; after all, this is not where we ultimately belong.
