There have been times when I have tried to search my heart and my past to see what I may have done to foster hateful attitudes against me on the part of others. Guess what...I can't see anything that isn't normal human interaction, the same interaction others have, that no one is mad at them for.
I believe that when we are following hard after Christ, those in rebellion, interpret our words and actions differently than they do the same words and actions of those who are not born again. Often people interpret what we say and do in terms of their own attitude rather than what we meant by them. When we desire to clear things up they don't want to have the discussion, as though they have chosen to believe what they want to.
There is an automatic rejection of those who have been born again by those who are unsaved. They hate us, so their interpretation of all that we do will be twisted and skewed to make us look wrong.
Prejudice against the believer is monstrous in our world. The Devil has managed to twist the minds of those who are not saved, into deep anger, even without realizing they are doing it, they have formed their opinions of us based on their own hatred for God's principles.
Thank the Lord He warned us this would be the case. I have been chastised by believers for speaking truth, because someone got angry. The psychology of this thinking says that if someone got angry, then someone else "made them angry."
No one can make anyone else angry, we choose to be angry. We either have righteous anger or unrighteous anger. The anger of the unsaved person toward the believer is irrational at best. Because they have minds controlled by the flesh and the devil they cannot understand the ways of God. Nor do they have a desire to.
The only reason to write about this is to comfort those who may be questioning themselves thinking they may have done something wrong because the world acts as though they hate them.
Don't worry about figuring it out. If you have the Holy Spirit and He has given you peace about what you said or did, then you can leave it with Him, confident that if you do wrong in your words and actions, He will let you know. Learn how to discern between real guilt and false guilt, because the world will attempt to instil false guilt in you to silence you. If you have obeyed God, prayed about it and have peace, then dismiss any accusation against you by non-believers.
1 Peter 4:12-19
"12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;
13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.
14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
15 Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler;
16 but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.
17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
18 And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner?
19 Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right."
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