Hating all to follow Jesus?

This is very extreme language wouldn’t you agree? This is antithetical to what Jesus and the Bible commands, that we are to love one another – even our enemies. So, why in the world would Jesus demand that we must be willing to hate those most precious to us to be his disciple?

On the surface this demand seems awfully discouraging, but I have learned and continue to learn that Jesus is perfect in all his ways. So even if he says something that admittedly offends my sense of ethics, there is perfect wisdom attached to his statement(s).

In Luke 14:26-27 we read, “If any comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

The word hate is the Greek word miseo. Most common meaning of the word is to be malicious with unjustified feelings of evil toward someone. In relation to our text it means to prefer one thing or someone over another – it does not mean to have ill malicious feelings toward someone. Jesus is not commanding us to literally hate our loved ones, or ourselves. But he is warning us of the cost of true discipleship.

Our love and desire to follow him must be so supreme, that all other relationships must be hated by comparison, or once again held to a far lesser degree than the relationship to follow Jesus our savior.

Let’s view some other passages that echo this same important reality.

In Luke 9:57-62 we read, As they were going along the road someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

In Matthew 10:34-39 we read, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. And he who loves son and daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he who does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.

In Matthew 16:24-26 we read, Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever desires to lose his life will find it. For what profit to the man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

These four passages above clearly reveal to us that we must be willing to forsake all for Jesus – even to the expense of our families, and even our own lives. Why do we have to pay such a tremendous cost to follow Christ? Well, it is simple. Because he paid the ultimate cost to purchase us, his life on the cross for the remission of our sins (Heb 9:22). It’s only fair and loving that we MUST be willing give our lives for him and the gospel. Jesus made it very clear that if we are unwilling to do this, then we cannot be his disciple; that we are unfit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62).

No one has a problem calling Jesus their savior, but a lot of people have a problem with Jesus as their Lord. What that means is he is our master. That means we have no rights of our own. We must do what he commands which of course we will never do perfectly, but we must do faithfully.

Jesus in the verses above gives us all a reality check. We must ask ourselves, “Are we really willing to give all we have for the excellency that is in Jesus Christ?” Or are we playing church with no intent of ever living a crucified life because its dreary, boring, cramps our style and robs us of some superficial joy in this life?

Once we realize that the Christian life is not about us and what we want, but it is about what God demands of us as believers and ambassadors for him, we will be on the path to true practical holiness and sanctification. The Christian life has never been about self-representation, but rather God-representation. Make this the year that you are willing to lose the world and gain your soul, not gain the world and lose your soul (Matt 16:24).

Listen the wisdom of the apostle Paul, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil 1:21).

Philippians 1:29 Paul says, “For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake.”

Let’s be honest, we all have too much garbage in our lives that makes us ineffective for the kingdom of God. We are nowhere near our potential in Christ. It’s time for true repentance and renewal so that we can begin afresh in our relationship with Christ. Let’s sow to the Spirit instead of to our corrupt flesh (Gal 6:8).

The writer is determined to be more bold and fearless for the kingdom of God for we all are running out of time before Jesus returns for his church. I lovingly present this challenge to all who profess to be believers. Trust me, God knows who truly belong to him (II Tim 2:19).

Let’s get busy. The world is dying all around us. A soul is a terrible thing to waste.

“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all things we be added to you” (Matt 6:33).