“The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it. But you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.”
John 15:19 (NLT)
Jesus spoke these words to prepare His disciples for what would follow His departure. He wanted them to understand that rejection would not be a sign of failure—it would be confirmation of their new allegiance. The world hated Him first, not because He was cruel or wrong, but because He did not belong to its system.
Jesus makes it plain: if we were aligned with the world’s values, we would be embraced by it. But salvation is a rescue. We are chosen out of the world and transferred into the Kingdom of God. These two kingdoms operate by entirely different rules, and allegiance to one guarantees conflict with the other.
This does not remove us from the world. We are still here to love, serve, and shine the light of Christ. But we are no longer called to adopt its values or seek its approval. Persecution is not the goal—but it is often the evidence of obedience.
If our faith never costs us anything, it’s worth asking whether we’ve truly stepped out of the world’s system or are still trying to belong to both. Jesus did not save us so we could blend in. He saved us so we could live free—held securely in His light.