14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
14 I have given them Your word;
Jesus faithfully taught what the Father designated to Him to deliver to the apostles. This was His gift to the apostles. His concern was divine viewpoint, whereas the world was oriented to human viewpoint. These are two radically different approaches to belief systems.
and the world has hated them [the apostles]
The satanic worldview hated the apostles. Its antipathy toward them was because the apostles did not conform to their belief system. This would put the apostles in danger because the world hates exposure to its fake conviction about what is true.
because they are not of [source] the world,
The word “of” carries the idea of source. The assumption of the apostles about what was true and the presupposition of the world about how to come to truth were radically different. Never shall the twain meet. The apostles were not from the source of the world; they derived their belief by revelation. This had implication on how differently they viewed the world.
These two approaches to truth were poles apart. They could not be merged or mingled. These belief systems began from entirely different presuppositions about reality and the means to come to ultimate truth.
just as I am not of the world.
Jesus was on an entirely different wavelength than the world system (Jn 8:23; He 7:26).
PRINCIPLE:
Light will bring shadows.
APPLICATION:
The world system stands in opposition to the Word of God. It hates divine revelation. Its values run counter to everything that the world values today.
This world is not our home. We are strangers and pilgrims here. Our belief system and orientation about reality is from divine viewpoint, not human viewpoint. Therefore, our lifestyle and values conflict with those who hold to human viewpoint. Christians have a different nature and a distinct affiliation.
Christians are not to be different for the sake of being different. We are different because we operate on a different worldview, a divine perspective of reality, and a different value system.
