“I have given them your word, and the world has hated them, because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but that you keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to the world just as I do not belong to the world. Set them apart in the truth; your word is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I set myself apart on their behalf, so that they too may be truly set apart.” John 17:14-19 NET https://bible.com/bible/107/jhn.17.14-17.NET

The word of God has been given to us for knowing God and doing His will. The doing of His will differs from that of men whose will is naturally rebellious against God and His commands. Our nature is rebellion, not obedience to God. Obedience to God, like Jesus, Who perfectly obeyed God, will make us different from those who do not love God. This difference will cause some who hate God to malign and persecute those who love God and obey His commands. Is anyone bothering you because you follow Jesus? Obedience to Jesus will make us different in values and purpose in pursuit and possessions than the pagans in the world. Those who love Jesus, like Jesus, will be clearly different from those who love the world and gratify the desires of their sinful nature. Is anyone identifying our difference and verbalizing it to us in ridicule or want for Jesus? It is not easy to recognize as followers of Jesus those who ignore the word of God and so look as much like the world as those who also ignore God’s word and despise His commands. To live like Jesus, the goal of our salvation on this earth, is to love God’s word and employ its truths in and through our lives. If the word of God by the Spirit of God is not directing our passions and purpose, perhaps we are not truly lovers of God and, therefore, do not really belong to Him.