Witness in the Face of Hostility

22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’
26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.
John 15:22-27
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Witness in the Face of Hostility
Jesus speaks soberly about the world’s hatred, a hostility that grows sharper when His Word exposes sin. Such hostility leaves people “without excuse,” for the Light has shone clearly. Yet Jesus does not leave His disciples to bear witness alone. He promises the Helper, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father and testifies to the Son. This promise anchors us in the theology of the cross. The world’s rejection does not signal Christ’s absence but reveals His path. Our Lord was hated first, crucified by those who could not tolerate His truth. But from that cross comes forgiveness, life, and the Spirit who strengthens our confession. When hostility rises, we do not rely on our resolve but on the Spirit’s steadfast witness. In Him we are given courage to speak Christ’s mercy, even when the world would rather remain silent.