“If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin. The one who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no other man did, they would have no sin: but now they have both seen and hated both Me and My Father. But this comes to pass, that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without a cause.’” – John 15:22-25
Jesus’ words bring great accountability for they are Truth, from start to finish, including His parables. Jesus didn’t have to make up stories to make His points because “no lie is of the Truth.” His words were also spoken at the perfect time (“A word spoken in season, how good it is!”), and with the perfect attitudes, always “speaking the truth in love” for His hearers.
Jesus’ miracles also bring accountability for they proved His Sonship. Today, some people still hope that miracles will “prove” Jesus’ power and cause the skeptics to believe. But that wasn’t the case – then or now. Jesus said, “If they will not hear Moses and the prophets (the historical accounts of the Bible), neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.” And He was right. For after raising Lazarus from the dead, the wicked rulers only plotted to kill him again! Then Jesus Himself arose, and was seen by over 500 at one time, for over 40 days, and they still wouldn’t believe – because all the evidence in the world won’t cure willful blindness.
When Jesus returns, He will find one of two things – hearts in which His Words “dwell richly,” or hearts where He will say, “You hate Me because My words have no place in you.” He will find people either experiencing the greatest miracle of all - salvation, bringing transformation into "Christlikeness by His Spirit" - or those “who have no changes.”
To being “hated without a cause,” Jesus responded by “loving without a cause” … “Being justified freely (lit: without a cause) by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” He has given us every cause to love Him back with all our hearts.
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