The apostle John wrote how Jesus prayed to His Father God, “now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to you. Holy Father, keep through your own name those whom you have given me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name: those that you gave me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now come I to you; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves”, and in chapter seventeen and verse fourteen of his book John shared how Jesus prayed to His Heavenly Father God about His disciples, “I have given them your word” where we read:
I have given them your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
The verse reads, “I have given them your word;” John began with the words, “I have given them” which means “I, Jesus, granted, bestowed, furnished and supplied to them, His disciples” “your word” or “God the Heavenly Father's speech, concepts, ideas, decrees and mandate”. John shared how Jesus referred to Himself providing His Heavenly Father God's “decrees and mandate”.
The verse continues, “and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” John added the words, “and the world has hated them” or “and the earth with the people within it have detested them, the disciples of Jesus”, “because they are not of the world” which means “since and on account that they, Jesus' disciples, do not exist as belonging to the earth and it's inhabitants”, “even as I am not of the world” or “in the same manner and likeness that I, Jesus, do not exist as belonging to the earth and it's inhabitants”. John shared how Jesus told His Heavenly Father that the “earth and it's inhabitants” detested His disciples since they were not of the “earth” in the same manner He was not of the “earth”.
When we think through John's words in this verse, we learn not only that Jesus provided His disciples with the “word” of God His Heavenly Father, but also the response from the “world” to His disciples was “detestation and hatred”. The disciples of Jesus became “not of the world” when they aligned themselves with Jesus in the same way He was “not of the world” because He aligned Himself with God. In other words, Jesus and His disciples knew the world was not their “true everlasting habitation”. God's plan of salvation through His Son Jesus was eternal, and every person will face “death” that ends their time on earth. God desires to live eternally with everyone who will yield their life to His Son Jesus. When they do, they will be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life with Him.
Next time John shares how Jesus prays to His Heavenly Father God about His disciples saying, “I pray not that you should take them out of the world”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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