Luke 12 v 8. “I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. “
We would not be human if we did not feel the hurt of rejection. But if we are to be true to Christ, then such rejection will at times be our experience.
It would be helpful to remember that the Christian is always judged by two courts. The one is the court of human society, which is dominated by the opinions of men. But in this regard we must always remember that men and women without Christ cannot see or understand the things that Christians see and understand.
Remember the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 2 v 14:
“THE MAN WITHOUT THE SPIRIT DOES NOT ACCEPT THE THINGS THAT COME FROM THE SPIRIT OF GOD, FOR THEY ARE FOOLISHNESS TO HIM AND HE CANNOT UNDERSTAND THEM, BECAUSE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED.”
The court of human opinion will always reject the Christian. They simply cannot understand us or our message and they are filled with hostility toward our Saviour.
But the Christian lives before another court. It is the court of heaven and the company of angels. Here we are at home. We understand spiritual things and our hearts are filled with light and love.
Now the point is that we must decide which courts recognition is worth having. To choose the court of heaven means that we choose to put up with the hostility and rejection of the world, such as we experience it. But to choose the court of the world means to deny Christ Himself and if we deny Christ before men here on earth, it means that we are not truly Christians after all. That in turn means that at that great and final Day we will be disowned by Christ before the angels of God, a reference to the great Heavenly assembly that is to be held when Jesus comes back.
Christians cannot help being who they are. We are the children of God. We may seek to be as peaceful as possible, but at some point the world will call us out. On that day do not be afraid, or ashamed to be a Christian. Your Father, who sees the sparrows sold in the market place, sees you.