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To: The CVC Team

1 John 3:1 (NASB95) — 1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason, the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

Have you ever wondered why the world seems to hate the church? We hear of the persecution going on around the world. We turn on our televisions and hear the media hurl insults at those who would align with Christ. We even see our own government seem to support the disdain toward anything labeled Christian. 1 John 3:1 gives us the reason for all the hostility. “The world does not know (to grasp intellectually) us, because it did not know (to grasp intellectually) Him.” Jesus Christ warned His disciples about this reality in the Gospel of John.

John 15:18–21 (NASB95) — 18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. 20 “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 “But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.

Considering what Christ has told us; we should expect nothing less than the total disdain of this world. However, the second truth found in 1 John 3:1 is our hope in all this mess. We are assured that the Father has bestowed upon us such a great love that He calls us His children. For those of us who have children, this analogy provides a vivid picture of our relationship with God. As much as we love our own children, God loves us more. He loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die for us. Moreover, this is the reason that the world hates us. If the world rejects Christ, it is certainly going to reject us.

So, what does all this mean for you and me?

 Romans 8:31 (NASB95) — 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

I know that some of you are going through a season of trial currently. No matter what this world throws at you, remember that God loves you more than you can even image. And He is for us, no matter what! So, cry out to Him in your time of need as the Psalmist did many years ago.

Psalm 121:1–2 (KJV) — 1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

Lift your eyes and see the Lord on high fighting for you!

God bless all of you and I hope to see you all very soon.

Stephen