There’s a beauty innate to the Chinese language.

Aside from the (almost) comical origins to most Chinese words, which can easily be summarized by “lol it looked like that”, I think the dual meanings that Chinese words often hold lend it an elegance that is not afforded to the comparatively brutish Germanic-based English. While English puns may seem rich in complexity, Chinese wordplay can offer the same depth whilst managing to pursue such double entendres in emotional contexts outside of the humorous limerick we English-speaking folk sneer puns with. It seems to me that, to avoid hyperbole, Chinese tends to be greatly overlooked by the Singaporean youth of today (myself included), even as it holds a wealth of poetic potential.

Wah. So much buildup, for what exactly?

Valid question. I was reading the gospel of John in the CUVS [Chinese Union Version (Simplified)] translation (thanks AC <3) of the Bible, when my eyes ran past this verse.

John 15:18

世 人 若 恨 你 们 ， 你 们 知 道 （ 或 作 ： 该 知 道 ） ， 恨 你 们 以 先 已 经 恨 我 了

I’m not sure what it was about this particular verse that struck a chord within me today. I’ve seen it multiple times when reading John in other English translations, and I can quickly reference this verse when mentioning why the gospel is so counter-cultural. Yet, it appears that unconsciously, the use of the word “hate” in daily chatter has somewhat normalized its meaning for me. Likely due to my poor Chinese, upon seeing the word “恨” in the CUVS translation, the weight of Christ’s warning bore upon me with a freshness that I haven’t experienced a while.

I’m going to put the chunk of verses that I read below for easier reference, both in writing this, and for you to gain context for what I’m talking about.

John 15:18-25

If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.

As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.

If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father as well.

If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’

Notice what Jesus is saying here.

NOT that the world ‘might’ hate you on the off chance that you lack tact when sharing the gospel, or that you are too scriptural. NOT that the world ‘might’ hate you if you’re born in a country that persecutes Christians.

It’s a concluding statement, pronounced by the son of the living God.

It’s a verse that even now, I can point to when people want to talk about persecution, but I doubt I’ve ever considered what terrible end this entails.

In much of my time in NS so far, and even over the past few years since I have been by grace, regenerated, it does not seem that I have gone through much persecution, let alone hate for my faith. Further examination reveals that this is much to do with how I have presented myself to others. Despite claiming to be a Christian, I rarely have the urgency I should when sharing the gospel with non-believers, I fail to catch up with those growing in their faith like me, and in many many ways, I am a bad testimony.

Just one look at the fruit of the spirit that the regenerated heart should bear a resemblance to affirms that I have very few of these. I am impatient, rude, proud, grumbling, and speak more than I ought and rarely about divine things that honor Him, ultimately not giving praise to Him as I say Christians should. On every account, I am a hypocrite living in contradiction with what I say I believe. While I claim to be a Christian, I live as if God never gave me a law to obey in NS. In all rights, I am worse than those who don’t believe in God and live like it, because at least they’re epistemologically consistent.

I know that God is real, and I know of His great love and His righteous wrath and the coming judgement, yet some days in NS, it seems I can go by a whole day without as much considering His all sustaining grace that holds up the firmament, maintains reality and gives life to all creatures.

And here, I’m called to be prepared to be hated by the world.

I don’t deserve this grace He has shown me. I should have been destroyed long ago, for I was born into sin, and in sin I delighted. Many times, even after being saved by His grace and mercy in 2019, I saw the deceitfulness that the sinful world offered, and contemplated, yet eventually chose it over the Father’s perfect love.

More than that, Jesus also emphasizes the world doesn’t just hate you because you’re disagreeable (which to clarify here; Christians shouldn’t seek to make conflict and create havoc at every opportune moment, though we must stand firm in our faith and the authority of the bible and the Father over all, knowing that we are not friends of this world).

Rather, Jesus is making it clear that the world “hates you” because of the difference in our identity, seen in the preceding sentence “as it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world”, which is “why the world hates you.”

Logically, “if they persecuted” Christ, then the world will similarly “persecute you”.

Still, to be a disciple of Christ, to serve Him, being hated by the world is the tip of the iceberg.

Luke 14:25-27

Now large crowds were going along with Him, and He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”

In other words, even for the flawed, somewhat ‘pure’ (to the extent that I can use this word to characterize the inherently sinful nature that perverts every human intent) love that we have for our parents and friends, Christ brings us this warning. At any moment, we must be ready to cast all these things aside, to have a love for the Father and Son that is infinitely greater than all earthly relationships and possessions.

When I consider the unexpected, beautiful relationships that I have been given on this earth, I know I deserve none of the good that the people around me show me, and it sometimes fills my heart to the point that it feels like it will burst. I want to hold those around me tightly, and not let go, because I love them so dearly and worry that things will change, and these treasured memories I have with them will fade.

But eventually, these memories will melt away.

I know people are fragile, and I lack the tact and selflessness to see them for who they are. I am worried and afraid that in my foolishness and brashness, I will hurt those I love beyond repair. More than this, I fear the march of time that holds no mercy, and cares not for age, religion, gender or race. I want the relationships I have with others to last forever, not only in my mind, but in my experiences.

But I know this can’t be.

People change, I lack wisdom, the future is unpredictable, and life is fleeting.

Out of all this, Christ calls me to lay down all my relationships at His feet, and submit to His authority.

He has given me all that I have, that I may be His servant as He died in love, on that wretched cross, the full wrath of the Father poured out upon the son of infinite worth, for my sins.

He has provided for me in every season, such that I cannot complain of any need or want that has not been satisfied. He has sustained me, and my life is His, not for my own sake.

Above that, He has died for me, that I may inherit eternal life, and find a joy everlasting that my earthly frame struggles to comprehend, and often is overwhelmed by the sheer immensity of the Father’s great love for scum like me.

There is a lot for me to learn, as a Christian, and as a Son. Daily, I need to orient myself to look to Christ, who is the author and perfecter of my faith, that I may seek His glory alone. I need to learn to be a better child of the most High God, for knowing that positions me well to be disciplined for my good, and won’t the Father whip his children into shape out of love and kindness?

In this, I take heart. By His grace, He will teach me to become a better son to my earthly parents, a better companion to my friends, a better husband to my spouse, a better father to my children, a better comforter and counselor to those around me, and a better instrument to serve Him, the broken vessel of grace that I am.

All of life is for Christ.

It’s so simple for me to say, even now. It was my whatsapp status at a point of time. Yet, it contains a great, startling mystery that I continually struggle to behold.

In time, I will learn how to live this gospel. Not only to absorb it, but to understand and apply it in my daily walk with the Father, that I may mature into a biblical manhood, with a burning desire for His kingdom’s purposes.

We really do believe a radical gospel. But it is only radical because of how opposed to the world’s standards every part of the beautiful process of justification, sanctification and glorification is.

Truly, praise the Father, praise the Son, praise the Spirit. All honor and glory be given to Him alone, for He is the good master and Father, who gives good things to those who love Him. Praise God, for He is infinitely worthy of all things.

That’s all I have to share for today, so I’ll end this here. Thanks for reading.

Soli Deo gloria.