John 15:18-20

DISCOURSE: 1698
CONSOLATION TO THE PERSECUTED

John 15:18. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep your s also.

WELL might our Lord enjoin his Disciples to love one another; for, if they be not united in affection towards each other, they will in vain look for any love in the world. They are “as sheep in the midst of wolves:” the wolves indeed are kept from devouring now, as they have done in former times; but the disposition to devour still remains in the minds of ungodly men, and the godly are still regarded as their legitimate prey [Note: Isaiah 59:15.]. Our Lord may be considered as addressing his own immediate Disciples in the first place: but the grounds on which he teaches them to expect hatred from the world, are such as apply equally to all his people in every age; and consequently we may consider the words as addressed to all his followers.

We shall take occasion from them to consider,

I. What it is in Christians that calls forth the enmity of the world—

The reasons usually assigned are, that they are enthusiasts, and hypocrites, and disturbers of the peace of mankind: but the true reasons are those which our Lord assigns in the text, namely,

1. Their election out of the world—

[“The whole world lieth in wickedness,” all being equally alienated from God, however they may differ from each other in their moral conduct. But God has from eternity chosen a people, whom he has given to his dear Son, and whom in due time he calls by his grace, and brings out of nature’s “darkness into the marvellous light” of his Gospel. These, when called, are made sensible that they owe the change, not to any merit or power in themselves, but altogether to the effectual working of his grace: and they acknowledge thankfully their obligations to him, saying, “By the grace of God I am what I am [Note: See 2 Timothy 1:9; Romans 11:5.].”

This acknowledgment is very offensive to the world. They cannot endure to hear of the sovereignty of God: they think that God cannot choose some to be objects of his favour without being unjust to others. Though they cannot but see that God has exercised his sovereignty in every age, in the case of Abraham, for instance, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, and of the Jewish nation, and of those nations that now enjoy the light of his Gospel, yea, in the redemption of fallen man when he never provided such a remedy for the fallen angels, yet they will not allow him to do so now: and every person who ascribes his conversion to the distinguishing grace of God, they consider as actuated by consummate pride; when, in fact, the doctrine of election is the most humiliating that can be imagined, and the denial of it is the fruit of ignorance and presumption — — —
That this is a principal ground of men’s enmity against the people of God is asserted by our Lord: and it is confirmed by every part of the sacred records. Why did Cain hate Abel, but for the distinguishing favour shewn him by God [Note: Genesis 4:4; 1 John 3:12.]? In like manner Esau hated Jacob, not merely for the manner in which he had gained the blessing, but because the birthright was transferred to him. Thus Saul hated David also, because he saw that God was with him: and the Jews sought to destroy our Lord for no other reason than because he had brought to their recollection some instances wherein God had imparted to Gentiles favours which he had withheld from his own peculiar people [Note: Luke 4:25.]

2. Their separation from the world—

[When once the Christian sees the sin and danger of a carnal life, he will of necessity depart from it. He not only desires to obey the command which says, “Come out from among them and be separate,” but he perceives, that, with his new views and principles, he can no more maintain communion with the world than light can with darkness, or Christ with Belial [Note: 2 Corinthians 6:14.]. Hence he no longer walks in “the broad road that leadeth to destruction, but in the narrow path that leadeth unto life.”

This is another great occasion of offence to the ungodly world; for in departing from the pursuits and vanities of the world, the Christian does, in effect, declare the danger of those who still adhere to them; just as “Noah condemned the world” by building the ark, and Lot condemned Sodom by fleeing from it [Note: Proverbs 28:4.]. “Those who are of the world, the world will approve and love;” because their spirit and conduct have a direct tendency to justify the world in all its proceedings: but “those who, like their Lord, are not of the world,” and refuse to be conformed to its maxims and ways, will assuredly become objects of the world’s displeasure; for though their testimony be never audibly delivered, it will be seen and felt; and every effort will be made on the part of the world to bring back those who have deserted its standard and enlisted themselves under the banners of the Lord Jesus [Note: Psalms 38:20; Galatians 4:29.]

That there is, however, no cause for alarm, will appear, if we consider,

II.

What are those considerations which Christ has suggested for their support—

We confine ourselves to those mentioned in the text—

1. Our Lord himself was so treated—

[For the truth of this he appeals to his own Disciples: they had seen how justly he was characterized by the prophet, as “one whom man despised, and whom the nation abhorred [Note: Isaiah 49:7.].” They had seen how ill he had been treated, notwithstanding his unerring wisdom, his spotless piety, his unbounded benevolence.

Now, if He, our Head and Chief, was so hated by an ungodly world, how can we hope to escape their enmity? We have in him an indisputable proof, that no wisdom, no prudence, no perfection of character, can enable us to obtain the approbation of worldly men: on the contrary, the more entirely we resemble him, the more shall we be hated by his enemies.

And may we not find in this abundant consolation? If we were not so treated, we should have reason to doubt whether we were “walking as he walked:” but if we are reviled and persecuted as he was, then have we an evidence that we belong to him; and we have reason to “rejoice, inasmuch as we are partakers of his sufferings [Note: 1 Peter 4:12.].”]

2. He has forewarned us to expect no other treatment than that which he himself received—

[We might well suppose, that, if he was so treated, we should meet with similar treatment: for reason itself teaches us that the servant ought not to expect a better reception than his lord. But our Saviour himself also has told us this [Note: Matthew 10:22], and particularly calls upon us to “remember” his words. Indeed, if we only remembered what he has spoken to us, we should never be surprised at any thing that we meet with; seeing that he has so plainly forewarned us of it. He has even told us, that the persecutions we meet with shall “turn unto us for a testimony.” Being then forewarned, we should be forearmed. This was the consideration with which St. Paul endeavoured to comfort the Thessalonians, when they were startled at the greatness and multitude of his afflictions [Note: 1 Thessalonians 3:4.]: and, in truth, if the Scriptures be fulfilled in us, as they were in Christ, we may well be reconciled to whatever an ungodly world may inflict upon us.]

Address—
1.

Those who are afraid of incurring the hatred of the world—

[Doubtless the hatred of the world is not to be desired: we should rather, if it could be, that they should love us: but, if the friendship of the world be incompatible with fidelity to God [Note: James 4:4.], then may we very cheerfully forego it. If we be apprehensive of consequences, what is there to fear [Note: Isaiah 51:12.]? Man, at the utmost, can only kill the body; whereas God can kill the soul: and therefore God only and exclusively should be the object of our fear [Note: Luke 12:4.]

2. Those who have braved and borne the enmity of the world—

[Do you repent of what you have done? Has not God made up to you all that you ever suffered for his sake? Do you think that you will ever feel regret, when you come to heaven, that you suffered so much in your way thither? Are you not even ashamed that you ever for a moment accounted the cross of Christ heavy, or that you groaned under its weight? Sure I am, that “you shall receive an hundredfold even in this life, with persecutions;” and that one moment’s enjoyment of your Saviour’s presence will abundantly repay all that you endured for his sake. Be not careful then what men may do against you: only seek to cut off occasion from those who seek occasion; and determine through grace, that they “shall find no occasion against you, except concerning the law of your God.”]