Again, this devotion will build on yesterday’s. We saw yesterday, that at times we are to rebuke our brother’s and sisters when their behavior is contrary to the clear teaching of the gospel. Today in John 7:7 we see that we are also called to rebuke unbelievers. In this verse Jesus tells His brothers that the reason why the world hated Him was because He testified that it’s (the world’s) works were evil. You see, God is One. He is God over all people, even if most of those people never acknowledge His Lordship in this life. Consequently, this One Holy God has standards that He expects His creatures to meet and live up to. Because all of us are sinful rebels we hate these standards and choose to break God’s requirements in the most vile and evil ways. Jesus understood this and He rebuked the world for such evil.
We are called to do the same. We are called to tell people the “good-news”, but the first part of the “good-news” is the “bad-news” that we are evil. This must be proclaimed. No one can get saved without first realizing just how evil he or she is in his or her rebellion against God. In other words, a person has to get lost before they can get saved, and we must testify to their lostness. Are you doing that? Are you lovingly proclaiming to others their rebellion against a holy God? Here is a good way to know if you are doing that or not. Jesus said that because He made such proclamation that the “world hated Him.” Does the world “hate” you or do you find your self very much at peace and good friends with the world?
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