Hate or Love?

It is past-time for those who call themselves "Christians".  Jesus warned those dabbled in following Him of the cost---  

As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:57-62 ESV)

He also made it clear that those that did follow would be hated for His name's sake. 

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians a couple of important truths we will need to remember:

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1 Corinthians 1:18-25 ESV)

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. (1 Corinthians 2:14, 15 ESV)

What we see in this is that the truth if the Word of God, and in particular- the Gospel- will be opposed by those who "are perishing", that us -those who are who are spiritually lost.  

Further, if the Word of God is objectionable (this includes the inconvenient parts that some want to conveniently ignore or brush away with moral relativism), it is because you are missing the Holy Spirit who is promised to all born-again believers/disciples/followers of Christ.  Don't let the word of discouragement or name calling distract you from the truth - that sharing the Truth of God's Word, warning others of the destruction they are barreling towards - is a sincere act of love, not hate!

We cannot take the opposition (or flat-out hate from those accusing us of hate) personally, because it is God and His Word they hate and reject. It's then we must discern if we are casting "pearls before swine" (Matthew 7:6).  At that point, all that's left is to pray for them. But never give up standing for the truth!

Either way - STAND.  Are you ashamed of the Gospel?  Acts 20:27 - don't shrink from proclaiming the whole counsel of God!

If the local church you are connected to compromises the Word of God - "shrinking" from the inconvenient parts of the Word, and they will not repent - it is time to find a church that refuses to compromise.

And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.  Joshua 24:15