Posts tagged: grace Archivehttps://pype.dev/tags/grace/archive/atom.xml2025-10-28T06:36:22ZAll posts with the tag "grace"Nic Paynemarkata-goReflection - John 15:19https://pype.dev/reflection-john-15-19/2025-10-28T06:36:22Z2025-10-28T06:36:22Z!!! note "Spurgeon"<div class="admonition note">
<p class="admonition-title">Spurgeon</p>
<p>If Jesus undertook to bring me to glory, and if the Father promised that he
would give me to the Son to be a part of the infinite reward of the travail of
his soul; then, my soul, till God himself shall be unfaithful, till Jesus shall
cease to be the truth, thou art safe.</p>
</div>
<div class="admonition note">
<p class="admonition-title">John 15:19</p>
<p>If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are
not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, for this reason the world
hates you.</p>
</div>
<h2 id="the-world"><span class="heading-wear-glyph">The World</span> <a href="#the-world" class="heading-anchor">#</a></h2>
<p>“Not of this world” was a clothing brand when I was a kid that made emo-styled
clothing so edgy teens could be reminded to live a moral life. This was at
least how I took the phrase “Not of this world” for most of my life…</p>
<p>The phrase shouldn’t be trivialized. But as it was to me (not to blame that
clothing brand) it turned one of the most freeing truths about Yahweh’s
sovereignty into a list of do’s and don’t’s. It actually moralizes Jesus in
pretty much the same way anyone does who brings him up when it’s convenient for
their political argument.</p>
<p>That irony is actually <a href="/kind/" class="glossary-term" title="kind - kubernetes in docker" data-hover-title="kind">kind</a> of funny to me right now… Jesus explicitly tells
his disciples that they are not of this world, because God has chosen them (see
<a href="/helkyo-what-is-it-for-god-to-draw-man-to-him/" class="wikilink" data-title="Helkyo - What is it for God to draw man to him?" data-description="In John 6 there is a curious phrase about how the Father initiates the process of Salvation in the hearts of men." data-date="2025-10-27" data-preview="In John 6 there is a curious phrase about how the Father initiates the process of Salvation in the hearts of men.">Helkyo - What is it for God to draw man to him?</a> for some thoughts on it). And
here we go, doing exactly what the world would otherwise do with his teaching.</p>
<h2 id="reflection"><span class="heading-wear-glyph">Reflection</span> <a href="#reflection" class="heading-anchor">#</a></h2>
<p>I almost feel like my reflections have all been the same thing in recent
weeks… The freedom offered by Jesus to those chosen from before the beginning
of time is beautiful. It’s beautiful because that freedom, which is actually
freedom to follow Jesus, is what leads to human flourishing. Not necessarily
the fastest technological advancements (but according to the story of Genesis 6
and the Watchers, technology can enable humans to do much more harm than good),
but the most-human life we can live is one in community with God and his
people.</p>
<p>The highest calling of man is to glorify God and honor him - and of course that
calling is only actually achievable by those he calls. It has nothing to do
with why he calls them, <strong>no one</strong> in God’s family can claim to have earned
their place. That’s the beauty. And for Christians, that ought to drive us to
interact with non-believers perhaps differently…</p>
<p>Too many Christians do I know who have Christian-expectations for
non-Christians… I have been to plenty of small groups where a topic becomes
the ridiculous level of debauchery celebrated in the public square. My fellow
Christian brothers may rightly point out evil and wickedness but often it’s
paired with disappointment… To that I always say “why?”.</p>
<div class="admonition danger">
<p class="admonition-title">Danger</p>
<p>What other expectation is there of a godless community than godless behavior?</p>
</div>
<p>It’s precisely because the Father chose the believers and gives them to Jesus
that they/we should live how humans were designed to live - in accordance with
Yahweh’s kingship of the world. In submitting to Yahweh, by his own election,
the world (which celebrates debauchery) will inevitably hate the believer.
The believer should also come to hate the debauchery. But nowhere in this
logical line of thinking here do I see reason to be disappointed or surprised
in the world… once again, if the Father has not chosen you <strong>out of it</strong> then
<strong>what else would any believer expect?</strong></p>
<p>So what about me? Reflections aren’t meant for focusing on “them”… So, Jesus
says that I’m “not of this world” and that the world will hate me. I’ve
certainly faced anger and hatred over my faith, but what else would I expect?!
However, I don’t think that Jesus means here that we should strive to be hated by
the world, or that being hated is confirmation that we’re doing things right.
No, it’s not about behavior - it’s about reality. The reality that the
believer has, that I have, been chosen.</p>
<p>To that reality I echo Spurgeon’s words</p>
<blockquote>
<p>If Jesus undertook to bring me to glory, and if the Father promised that he would give me to the Son to be a part of the infinite reward of the travail of his soul; then, my soul, till God himself shall be unfaithful, till Jesus shall cease to be the truth, thou art safe.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>My soul, thou art safe.</p>
Nic Paynehttps://pype.dev