Wednesday, 24 March 2010

Possible to Hate the World and Still Love People

by Jesse-John Jabore

Recently, I found myself in conversation with the Lord, or maybe it is better referred to as a ‘meditation of the heart’ moment. As I attempt to relate the essence of the ‘thing’ I recall the words, ‘Come now and let us reason together’ – the first line of Isaiah 1:18.

In my somewhat ‘pastorally jaded state’, the Spirit of the Lord spoke to me these words –“It’s possible to hate the world and still love people”. This made some sense to me initially as we are ‘in the world, but not of it’ and ‘aliens and pilgrims etc’. Admittedly, at the time I was especially over the ‘carnal carry on’ that is propagated through the media, especially the electronic element. Anyway, soon after someone said the words (it may have been my wife Belle as it’s her favourite scripture) - ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.’ John 3:16.

Immediately the reality of the words ‘God SO LOVED THE WORLD’ impacted me to the very core of my being. It occurred to me that I had been in communion with the living God being reasoned with on a profound truth. Not that I’m someone so special, just that the fullness of truth was hidden from me on the matter. Even more it was the desire of a loving Father to comfort and counsel a son – such is His way, His Holy Spirit.

(As an aside, I ironically related the words to a friend ‘it’s possible to love the world and still hate people’ instead of ‘it’s possible to hate the world and still love people’ yet, this in its own way is a confronting truth.)

I suppose a key point to make from this (dealing with a possible contradiction) is settled, at least for me, in the epistle of 1 John Chapter 2 verse 15 through 17. ‘Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any one loves the world, the love of the Father is not in them. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away and the lusts thereof; but those who do the will of God abide forever’. This could be thus interpreted that God indeed loves the world but not the flawed aspects of man, a result of the fall. The fallen state was lovingly delivered the death knell once and for ALL on Calvary – praise Jesus!

My prayer and hope is that the above is pleasing to you Papa.

Onwards and upwards Christian soldiers empowered by His sweet, sweet love.