Should we be respected by the world or hated by it?

probably we are all familiar with this saying,


and probably many of us have thought of this, and approved ourselves, when we've caught some kind of flak for standing up for what is right - either for the name of Christ, or for some moral principle.
going further - some of us even have the attitude that if in any way the world disapproves of us, it is evidence that we are 'in the right.' so much so in some cases, that a person will say, anything the world respects, we should respect the opposite, as though having the respect of the world is a sure sign that we are in the wrong. some people seek the disapproval of the world, citing 'woe to you when all men speak well of you' and thinking, we are doing what is right if & only if we find little to no approval for what we teach and do.

however..

speaking of qualifications for elders, Paul writes that such a man must have a good report among the world. that an elder should be someone who has respect among those outside the church.


how do we reconcile these -- what kind of life is it that a man or woman may live, such that the world hates us for Christ's sake, but respects and approves of us for the sake of that life & manner of living?

Whatever belongs sto the world will hate us…...…….

Having a good reputation would amount to not having anything to be faulted for……...so it does not mean those who know your rep will like you.

The world hates believers, especially when we justify their hatred for us. Pastors should not do this. People love people as they love ice cream. But when you taste like medicine things go awry. Worldly churches and "Christians" are no different.

I approve and disapprove of the opening post - can ya help me make up my mind?

Try tossing a coin.

What type of coin?

Whether or not the world approves or disapproves, here is what God expects:

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world (Titus 2:11,12).

Maybe one with two tails or two heads.

The saints will eventually be hated in the world, and also the religion of Islam, but many others will oppose the world and they will be put down.

God warns us of the new age movement.

Interpretation of the Bible, the occult, evolution, people are still evolving to be greater and spiritual provided by the New Age Christ.

The time will come the world will want to hear the Bible according to the new age movement.

Russia and America will start cooperating, Republican and Democrat will start cooperating, for it is time to start bringing the world together.

But other nations leaders know what is going on.

Asia has no problem with the new age movement, and Europe is going along with it.

They need to influence the people.

The Arab governments will come together, but later on after the New Age Christ pushes the new age movement in the world before he claims to be God, the people in the Arab nations will rebel, but they do not care they have the modern day weapons for anybody that will oppose them.

And when the New Age Christ claims to be God then they will go against the Christians.

For the New Age Christ is against all religions, and their practices, that does not include evolution is religion, and they will get rid of the religions for people will evolve to be greater and spiritual, and their gods, and practices do not matter.

Controlled conflict brings about controlled change.

They will appear as being at odds but are working together, and then will come together and the people will think it is best to do that, but they were working together towards this plan.

The stimulus plan to give 1200 dollars a month is a part of a basic income for people's needs, and now there is a bill for 2000 dollars a month for 6 months to 12 months.

America will not go to Marshal Law, and still want to appear as a decent government to the world that cares about her people, for however America operates will reflect what she wants for the world, and the people in the world would not trust her if she went to Marshal Law for they would not want the world to operate that way.

For America is the key to cause the nations to come together, and why the nations came together.

The operation of America will be the operation of the world with a communist theme, not too strict, not too soft, but acceptable to the world.

The operation of America will transfer to the world.

The stimulus plan of basic income will transfer to the world.

Which everybody will receive money for their needs.

This will greatly impact the world where many people in the world will want to be onboard with the nations coming together for they will have their needs met, and prosper in hospital care, and the other benefits that America offers their nation.

America will look like the saviors of the world, and the vaccine will probably come out of America reaching out to the world further causing America to look like the saviors of the world.

Which they want to use nanotechnology for the vaccine, which there is nanotech patches that cover the skin to alleviate pain, but they are waiting for the right time to come out with the vaccination.

Johnson and Johnson is working on producing 1 billion doses of the vaccine which they can pump out massive amounts to the world, and have the money to do so.

And the American government, and people of the new age movement plan in America and the world do not care about money, and will spend every last dime they have if that is what it takes to cause the New Age Christ kingdom to come about.

America does not care if they are in debt, and do not care about how much money they have to shell out at this time, and America will print money to help the people as much as it takes.

For they believe when they evolve to be greater and spiritual money does not matter for they do not need it for they do not have to eat, and are looking past the material world.

And companies like Walmart, and McDonald's, and all those big companies that are around America, and in the world, are probably part of the plan and will give all their money to the universal basic income to help the people with their needs, as well as rich people in Europe, and Asia.

For they are looking for the kingdom to come, and do not care about money.

And all that money that is being spent in big companies like Walmart, to supply their needs will probably go back to the money pool to be given out to supply their needs.

And when the nations come together it could be that there is only one main store like Walmart, and narrowed down in stores that are part of the plan to keep the money flowing back and forth to the people, to the money pool, to the people, without the companies caring about profits but only their needs.

For they care about the kingdom to come, and they need the people to accept the New Age Christ, for the people are more than the people with the seemingly power, and they do not want them to rebel on a world wide level.

Also God told us the new age movement is of seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils, so the devil is relating to them how to go about this and wants to deceive people, so they will want the people to accept the New Age Christ.

And small businesses will have their needs taken care of it so they will not lack.

America's stimulus plan is laying the concept of a basic income that will eventually transfer to the world, and will be a big motivator as to why the nations came together for the people will be for it because there is so many people in the world that need their needs met, and the hospital care will transfer over too.

America will not go to Marshal Law like some people think, but they want to start off on a good foot, and appear as they have good intentions for the world, and that they will prosper.

And when the nations come together it will run smooth for a while, and people will prosper, but then it will get more stricter and stricter, and more rules enforced, and will stir up the world against Islam, and Islam will be stirred up, and because they are hindering their religion from being spread in the world.

And then Islam and the world will clash which is what America wanted all along, and they will be put down.

And then the world will accept the New Age Christ, and he will stir up the world against Christianity, and they will prevail against them.

And then Jesus will get His saints, and then come back with the saints, and defeat the world.

The operation of America will become the operation of the world with a soft communism at the start, but then will get worse, but they have the modern day weapons on their side to take down anyone that opposes them.

The inner circle of the occult puts out an outer circle, the new age movement, a lighter version of the inner circle, to cause the people to start thinking about the occult, and to harness the power of nature, the efforts of people to become physically and spiritually better, and cause them to start lusting more for power through nature.

The outer circle will say peace, and love, and harmony for the world, and care about the environment.

But the inner circle will tear the world apart to get what they want, and spend as much money as it takes to cause their kingdom to come about.

And when the New Age Christ claims to be God the outer circle became the inner circle, and the beast kingdom will come about.

Christians will be hated by the world, but Islam will be hated by the world too, and Islam will fall before Christianity, but for Christians that is only physical, and only until Jesus comes back to defeat the world.

We will be hated by the world, but should we be respected by the world or hated by it.

What is Christianity doing for the world for peace, and prosperity, and they are appearing hypocritical to the world, and caring about money, and material things, and not loving, which the world has set up United Nations, United Religions, to try to have peace on earth, and America wanting peace for the world, but not based on Christianity, and many in the world is looking at Christianity as not the solution for the world, although they still help but not to the liking of many people in the world, and they feel the world is being a better help than Christianity.

So the world will start turning away from Christianity, and when the Christians do not go along with their new age movement agenda for peace in the world the Christians will be viewed as selfish, against their plan for peace, terrorists, and the world will eventually hate them to where they attack them.

It isn't us who the world should respect.
The world should respect Jesus.

The world is a big place full of diverse cultures. Therefore, respect is arbitrary. Some cultures include among their number those members of a faith that requires their daughter be killed after she was raped to restore the family honor/respect.

Best advice, respect yourself, love God. You'll be OK.
Haters are going to hate regardless. That's their issue.

Those who hate the truth will hate us when we represent that truth to them. At the same time, we should behave in such a way to earn the common respect of others by demonstration of our character (the fruit of the Spirit), integrity, honesty, humility, and competence in our chosen field. The world might hate Jesus in us, but we should not give them any other reason to dismiss us.

Really good topic for discussion. It is my firm belief that respect is something that is earned not entitled.
I mean plenty of Christians think that because people have attacked them or said they were in the wrong they are actually in the right but this isn't always the case. Just because we are hated sometimes doesn't mean it isn't deserving, we are still human and can sometimes go way overboard and be flat out rude and judgmental.
I am sure plenty of people here have always known that one person who takes things way to far and there are Christians out there who do just that and are completely rude and judgmental believing they are in the right and if they are hated even by other Christians then it is a good thing.

But respect is something that is to earned not expected whether your Christian or not

Amen!

This is an excellent topic.

I wish to ask a question pertaining to it.

Has anyone, without the people around you knowing that you believe in God, stated you are different from them?

I was with a buddy of mine and we stopped for red bulls at a gas station. He went in first while I was fueling up before I entered the premises myself. He purchased his drink and whatever else and headed back to the vehicle. I was directly behind him in line. As he exited the building, the 2 employees said to one another, he sure has attitude. By the time I got to the counter, they had concluded he must have been gay. This got my attention. So I asked, what about him gives you the sense he has attitude? And they both looked at me really funny and just said, he is different. I said, that is called the Holy Spirit. They said, the what................I will stop the story there:

My point is, they could sense what was inside my buddy was not inside of them. But instead of finding it as something they wanted, they made fun of him. That tells me, if we do end up going through the "Tribulation," those sinners who accept the "Mark," will sense who we are by the Spirit of God living within us. It makes me rejoice when I see scripture come alive in first hand experience.

I've seen a lot of Christians wear there beliefs as a badge of honor or a license to judge. But this is not what the ops scriptures are referring to.
We are called to be servants, to be kind, giving, transparent, humble. Many find these attributes as a weakness and try to take advantage of them. Then it's time to be meek.

There are some who want us to partake of sinful deeds, or put us in a position to disobey our Lord in one way or another to keep there friendship or company. Fair weather friends farewell.

Then there are some that love chaos, evil minded, self absorbed, self righteousness that seem to hate anything good.
We are called to love them twice as much😏😏😏

Jesus said because they hated him they will hate us. Sad to think the world rejects forgiveness, love , peace, order, hope,.

Yes actually pretty much anyone who spends time with me says this. I am a kind hearted and giving person, people are not used to this and so when they see this about me they notice a difference between me and other people. They assume it is just who I am but God is the one who made me this way.

In fact a little story for you. I was at walmart getting my medicine and was waiting in line to pay for my stuff when an old man comes to ask the cashier a question. The first two things I noticed about him were his entire body looked as if it had been severely scarred and burned from many years ago he had clearly been through something horrible but the second thing I noticed about him was he was so filled with life.
He had this supernatural joy we always hear about, it was as if life itself radiated from him. I still have never met anyone like him but if you want to talk about people noticing the holy spirit trust me this man had it.

You know what I always greatly admired about Jesus? he is the king of kings, the Lord almighty the alpha and omega creator of all things and yet even knwoing his ranking he lowered himself to the role of a servant as if he was not anything special at all. That kind of humility just amazes me and it is the very same kind I hope to have one day. I mean we are called kings and queens royal priests and cherished by the king we hold a high rank in his kingdom so that makes it all the more beautiful if we also take on the heart and role of a meek humble servant even knowing where we stand.

Respect may not be given to us but the respect we show and give to others we give to him as well. respect is indeed earned not entitled but respect is also a gift that we can give freely and in doing so it is a gift that keeps on giving. People notice this about us even if it is only for a minute or so they can see there something different