11.01.09 John 3:22-36 (NASB)
Audio Sermon: John 3:22-36
Going Deeper: Study Guide
The Final Call
Listen to these recent quote excerpts from the Globe and Mail, and try to see if you know who is saying it:
"If people are asking why, it's because I failed."
"I fully accept my share of the responsibility."
"We must learn quickly from this experience and move on.
These are the ‘famous last words’ of Stephane Dion, Liberal Party Leader after he and the Liberals lost voter support in the Federal election late last year. His party was ‘reduced to 77 seats, down from 103 won in the 2006 election. They captured only 26.2 per cent of the popular vote’ - the second worst showing the party has seen since 1867. Dion also stated that ‘he never had a chance to establish his personal image with voters because of the Conservative ads depicting him as a "dithering egghead."’ (wikipedia)
As we come to the end of chapter three of the gospel of John, we will also find John the Baptist’s last words - in context of his last appearance in this gospel - and these words are certainly of much more importance in light of eternity. John the Baptist issues his FINAL CALL to faith in Jesus Christ. In today’s passage we find that on the ‘coat tails’ of the preceding section we have the issue of faith in Christ. Nicodemus believed that he was going to heaven because of his outward morality and religion, but in reality he was not. Therefore Jesus called Nicodemus to believe in Him as God’s Son for eternal life. It is solely upon faith in Christ that brings one to be ‘born again’ - to be born from above. True spiritual transformation comes through a vital and active relationship with Jesus - and in the context of the gospel, in light of the Baptist’s life - we are sobered by a FINAL CALL. Here is what our inspired text states:
22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and [people] were coming and were being baptized-- 24 for John had not yet been thrown into prison. 25 Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John's disciples with a Jew about purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him." 27 John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven. 28 "You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, `I am not the Christ,' but, `I have been sent ahead of Him.' 29 "He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. So this joy of mine has been made full. 30 "He must increase, but I must decrease. 31 "He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 "What He has seen and heard, of that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. 33 "He who has received His testimony has set his seal to [this], that God is true. 34 "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure. 35 "The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. 36 "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."
Today we will discover THE FINAL CALL to faithfulness. We will arrive at THE FINAL CALL to Christ as we look at:
The Final Stage Of Ministry v.22-26
The Final Witness for Christ v.27-30
The Final Warning v.31-36
THE FINAL STAGE OF MINISTRY v.22-26
V.22 - While Jesus was speaking with Nicodemus, He was in Jerusalem at the time of the Passover. The city of Jerusalem is in Judea, and now Jesus and His disciples go out of the urban area, and into the rural areas of this region. Jesus spent some time with His disciples fellow-shipping and teaching them, preparing them for ministry. They also begin to baptize the people who were responding to His message. It seems that Jesus is performing the baptisms, but it was His disciples - if we look ahead a little at chapter 4 verse 2 which states - (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were). So what took place was that Jesus was baptizing people through His disciples.
v.23-24 - At this same time frame, we find that John the Baptist was also doing the same. The Baptist performed his baptisms at a place named Aenon near Salim. This area of Judea has been lost to history, but from the text we do know that it was known for the abundance of water at that location. The impact of the Baptist’s ministry was great since there was a constant flow of people coming and were being baptized.
The ministries of Jesus and John the Baptist overlap, yet they had the same message. This message was focused on repentance - both called people to ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near’ (Matt. 3:2 and 4:17). John called people to repentance in preparation for Jesus the Messiah; and Jesus called people to repent because heaven’s spiritual rule upon the hearts of believers was now a reality. Jesus picks up where John the Baptist’s ministry is coming to an end. All this takes place, as the author of this gospel - The Apostle John notes - before John the Baptist was thrown into prison. We know from the other gospels that the Baptist was put into prison - because the Baptist rebuked King Herod (Antipas) for his seduction and incestuous marriage to his niece, Herodias. In the end, through a wicked plot, Herod was obligated to murder John the Baptist by beheading him (Matt. 14:1-12; Mk. 6:14-29; Lk. 9:7-9).
v.25 - As John the Baptist’s ministry continued a problem arose. Though John’s ministry ran parallel to Jesus’ ministry, there was no conflict, but in the public’s eye there was. There was a certain unnamed Jew who debated with John’s disciples about purification - referring to ceremonial washing. The argument centered upon the purification ritual observed by the Jews. Ceremonial washing could refer to any of the Jewish purification rituals like the washing of hands, pots, cups, and pitchers. But in context of what is happening - it probably was a discussion over the value of Jesus’ and John’s baptism. Maybe the Jew was questioning the baptism’s value. Or maybe they were dealing with the issue of who’s baptism is more effective, because in the following verse - verse 26 …. Jesus’ success seems to come into the spotlight.
This is the first recorded dispute about baptism we have in Scripture. In Christian circles there seems to be an endless debate over the mode of baptism. The Presbyterians have sprinkling, the Baptist have immersion, and others usually practice one of the two, which are the primary practices. So what is the proper mode of baptism? Did you ever wonder about this? Have you ever taken a moment to think upon what the correct mode is? The answer lies in studying the Biblical use of the word baptize and baptism. These English words are transliterated from the Greek. The definition of these words means to dip, immerse, sink, or ablutions (religious ceremonial washing of the body). This briefly is how we derive our practice in this church, which is immersion (you can do more study on your own).
v.26 - states - And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him." - The disciples of John go to the Baptist. What is said from these disciples gives us a look at what was in their hearts. There was some confusion, and seeming jealousy. Perhaps they were remembering that it was John the Baptist who began this ministry of reconciliation by baptizing. They recalled that it was John that first testified about Jesus. It was he who had baptized Jesus (Matt. 3:13-17). But it seems that Jesus was now stealing the lime-light. There was such an extensive following that Jesus gained - that John’s disciples exaggerated Jesus’ ministry - all are coming to Him. This was in light of John’s dwindling ministry and following. So jealousies arose in John’s disciples. Jealousy is a temptation for all of us as we see others succeed. Yet John set for us a great example to emulate - he knew who his priority was - and the faithfulness to the Word, helped him to be unhindered in the temptation to jealousy. This is John the Baptist’s response to this temptation to jealousy - as we now look at:
THE FINAL WITNESS FOR CHRIST v.27-30
v.27 - All along John the Baptist knew his role that God had called him to be the forerunner to Christ. He submitted to God’s calling and fulfilled his ministry - this is how he kept away from jealousy. John knew that his ministry was going to be temporary and was to be eclipsed by Christ’s ministry, and he willingly let that happen. In obedience to Christ he pointed and led people to the Messiah, even if it meant that his own following was to dwindle. In his obedience to God’s will he found peace and not jealousy. He found joy and not frustration. This was John’s reply - A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven. Therefore he was thankful in all circumstances.
Yet, John’s disciples were dismayed that John would support his own followers to go to Jesus. John’s disciples missed the whole importance of this act of obedience. John totally demonstrates his humility, understanding, and trust in what God was doing. He knew that God was sovereignly in control of all these latest developments. The people following Jesus, were going to Him, because God drew them to His Son. As our church grows we will be faced with the same kind of temptation. There will be new ministries, and perhaps there will be more gifted people to lead them. So we must understand that as Christ providentially builds His church, we should allow Him to build. We should not be jealous of anyone else who is called to a ministry opportunity. Humble focus on God and His will, a focus on the abilities that God has called us to (and not beyond what He has called us to) helps us in the arena of jealousy.
v.28 - John emphatically explains his calling and role to this group that came to him- that they should know that John taught that he was not the Christ but only the one who would go before the Messiah. So it was natural that Jesus was to become more popular than himself - since John did his job faithfully.
v.29 - John furthers his point with an analogy from a wedding, and brings out the necessary attitude to be a servant of God. In the OT it was common that a wedding was used to picture God’s relationship with Israel (Is. 54:5; 62:4; Jer. 2:2, 3:20; Ezek. 16:8; Hos. 2:19). In John’s analogy the bride is representative of believing Israel. The bridegroom is Christ. John the Baptist is likened to the friend who attends the bridegroom. As John waits and points others to the Messiah - it is only when the anticipation is realized that John’s joy… has been made full. The friend was not the one who was important, but it was the one he associated with, that is the bridegroom.
John was not to be the center of attention, but Jesus was. In our day it is the same - when we attend a wedding our attention is not on the bridesmaids and groomsmen, it is on the bride and bridegroom. The real joy from the anticipation, does not come when the groomsmen are at the front of the church - or even when the bridesmaids walk down the aisle. The joy comes when the bridegroom takes his place and the bride enters into the church and enter into a covenant before God. With the entrance of Jesus Christ the Messiah, John realizes his joy. His faithful ministry is to end, and is completed with joy. A lesson to be learned for us is that Jesus is always to take first place, He is to be glorified.
v.30 - All of John the Baptist’s life was spent on being a servant to the Lord. He was born for this purpose as God called him to be the forerunner to the Messiah, Jesus Christ. As a servant John was always focused on pleasing and exalting his master. And in verse 30 we have a summary statement of his life - He must increase, but I must decrease - in other words Jesus must become greater; and John the Baptist must become less. That is Jesus Christ, out of God’s will had to be exalted, to keep on growing in greatness; whereas John was to keep on decreasing in prominence as he faithfully discharged his calling to its completion. And this is what John the Baptist faithfully submitted to in obedience. The Baptist’s life was one of humble sacrifice.
Later on when John was imprisoned this is what Jesus said of John in the Gospel of Luke - I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he (Lk. 7:28). What a statement of praise from Jesus. What about us? Are we faithful to Christ in everything? Do we seek to exalt Jesus throughout our entire life. When we appear before Christ in the future will he have a praise worthy statement for us about our service to Him as a Christian? Will Jesus find us faithful to the end?
Not only is the Baptist faithful to Christ up to and including THE FINAL STAGE OF MINISTRY, and even in his FINAL WITNESS FOR CHRIST, we find that our passage calls us to focus on faithfulness to Christ. We can be found faithful in Christ, if we take this last section of our study seriously…
THE FINAL WARNING v.31-36
v.31 - Here we begin a contrast between Jesus and John the Baptist. From the text we see that there is - He who comes from above and then there is the one who - is from the earth. Obviously the reference to the one from above is the Messiah, Jesus. Jesus is indeed above all, because He is God. Jesus has authority over His creation and us as His created ones - we are made in God’s image. Jesus’ pre-eminence is clearly brought out in this passage as it is stated twice, once at the beginning and again at the end of the verse that He is the One from above. On the other hand John the Baptist was from the earth. He was born from earthly origins, he had an earthly ministry, he was human.
v.32 - Jesus has come to earth, sent by God because He so loved the world (3:16). God does not desire to see those who reject Him perish, but He rather wants to see unbelievers allow themselves to be reconciled to Him. Yet Jesus’ testimony continues to be rejected by people. Even though Jesus gives us His witness as one that comes down from heaven, people allow themselves to be blinded to the reality. Jesus’ words are trustworthy, but people continue in unbelief. The words - no one receives His testimony - in verse 32 emphasize the reality that so many people reject Christ.
v.33 - But God does save people. God initiates salvation in people despite the overwhelming level of rejection and unbelief. Those whom God saves are able to have their eyes open to the truth and therefore become His witnesses. The Christian serves God by being living evidence that God is true. Through faith in Christ we are able to certify that God is true - He is true and reliable. We know that Christ is real, yet often we do not live lives which reflect this reality.
We come to church to worship, but when we are busy with work, school, personal enjoyments, our salvation gets push off to the side….we find it so simple to skip a Sunday here and there…we have trained our consciences in unrighteousness, and have no repentance. We know that Jesus is true and our salvation came at a great price, but we don’t really desire to grow in Him. We look at church, fellowship meetings, discipleship, teaching, ministry training, conferences, prayer meeting - and the like as an intrusion into our schedules. It all comes down to a me first attitude - the cross of Christ becomes willfully distant. Does your attitude before committing to spiritual growth say this - What can I get out of this? Does it meet my needs? But in fact we should be considering this…. Will Christ will be pleased by my participation and service. You will find that your needs will be met if you are faithful to making Christ your priority.
Too often, our salvation is in our heads (intellectual knowledge), and it does not translate into obedience to our Savior and Lord. Too many times it remains in the realm of head knowledge and we do not walk as we are truly saved. We certify that God is truthful, but if we are really truthful - if we honestly examine our gratitude, devotion and lifestyle as believers - we certify Him to be false. How can we be more alive to Christ today? What should I do as a believer saved by Christ? Is God certified true in my life? Am I a faithful ambassador for Christ? If I am to certify that God is true, that everything that Jesus witnesses to is a reality, then my life is called to respond to the upward call of Christ Jesus. How can I make Christ’s compassion for the lost known? For myself - if I stay in my comfortable office with my nose in my books, then how will people know that Christ is real, that the witness of the church is real?
Being alive to Christ is not always that easy. It has to take us out of our comfort zones. It calls us forward in life commitment to Christ. It has to wake us up away from self-dependence, and self centeredness. It calls us to risk - so that Christ must become greater - and we become less.
I have observed that this is the pattern of practice for those who are committed to Christ - those we consider spiritual giants. Ordinary people who live out their life with Christ truly as Lord and Saviour. These are the people in the church who are the most mature. They step out and act out in faithfulness, because they realize - that they have a great Saviour and a great salvation in Him. So with each act of faith they are rewarded with greater faithfulness - isn’t this part of the key to Christian maturity? If you find yourself struggling with sin, obedience to Christ, perhaps you could consider a deeper devotion to Christ - a selfless attitude towards desiring the things of His Kingdom. Make Jesus Christ who He is - Lord and Saviour.
v.34-35 - The basis for Christ’s authority lies in verse 34. It echoes what was stated back in verse 11, of this chapter. Christ’s authority is established because He is the one - whom God has sent. Jesus Christ is God’s divine revelation to us and He brings an authoritative message, because what Jesus states are the words of God. Jesus, without measure, is empowered by the Holy Spirit. This means that the Father has placed all authority, knowledge, and truth in Christ. Jesus Christ is the full revelation of God and there is nothing that Christ cannot do, that is true of His character.
This brings us back to what was laid out in chapter 1:1-18, that Jesus Christ is the only absolute and conclusive disclosure of God Himself - because Jesus Christ is God. As it states in this passage in verse 35 - The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. It is interesting to note that the tense of the word love - in the Greek (present), expresses that the Father’s love for the Son is ongoing, it is continuous - and God’s love for the Son is the reason why Jesus is empowered by the Spirit without measure.
v.36 - The whole of John’s life testimony comes down to this crucial statement - THE FINAL CALL - a statement which contrasts belief with unbelief. Look down at verse 36 - He who believes - if you have a pencil write on top of the word ‘believe,’ the words ‘continues to believe’ and put some brackets around it (Greek present tense) - He who believes in the Son has eternal life. This person by faith believes in the foundational truths about who Christ is and turns from his/her sins and embraces Christ for the forgiveness of sin, and then lives in submission and obedience of the Word of God.
Maybe your asking why does that matter? It matters because life lived apart from God is not a truly joyous life - it is a life which may bring temporal fulfillment, happiness - but not joy - but when reality hits - it is outweighed by God’s wrath against sin. It matters because if we are to find the purpose of our life, then we need God to inform us of what that is. Therefore it becomes imperative that we obey God’s loving command to humble ourselves before Christ and turn from sin and believe in the Son. It become paramount that we allow ourselves to resist being reconciled to God, by making a life changing response to the call to follow Him.
The person who believes in Christ - experiences in this life the privileges and blessings of eternal life. Look back at the words that I asked you to write above the word ‘believe’ in verse 36. The person who has eternal life possesses a belief that is a continuous pattern of his/her life. In the life which continues after physical death - he/she then will experience in its fullness - the sum total of God’s salvation - that is glorious sinless perfection in the ever-present fellowship of Christ.
Now this is the devastating contrast - the flip side of the coin - circle the word - ‘but’ in verse 36 - because this is where the all important contrast begins - but he who does not obey the Son will not see life. Once again take your pencils and write on top of the word ‘obey’ - these words - ‘does not continually obey’ (Greek present tense). This is important to understand because to disbelieve in the Son, Jesus Christ - is the same as not obeying Him. To believe in Christ is to obey Him. But those who continue to disobey and reject Christ as a life long continuous habitual pattern - a continued hardness of heart toward God and Christ - will not see life.
This life that we are talking about is the truest kind of life which all seek for, but few find and embrace. For this person, he/she will never be able to have a right relationship with their Creator. You will never know the joy of being forgiven for your sin. You will never know what true love is which comes from the Father. You will never experience faithfulness, joy and peace - yes you may feel happy, but that too will perish and in the end, leave you empty. Rejection of the Son is rejection of God, and the sinner lives under the present wrath of God - as verse 36 finishes off - but the wrath of God abides on him (you). The culmination of this wrath is eternal judgement - because God is a holy God, who hates sin, and will therefore bring sin and the sinner into judgement.
THE FINAL CALL of this passage is sobering. It is a call for all those who believe in Jesus Christ to faithfulness - to rejoice, praise and worship Him - because God has saved us from our sin, and no longer looks at us as sinners - but as His righteous children - heirs to eternal life and the riches of our heavenly inheritance. It also is a call for all those who reject Christ to obedience - to respond to God’s loving command to be back into a right relationship with Him, through Jesus Christ. It is a call to respond to God’s love by an abiding belief in the Son - by acknowledging that you are a sinner in need of a Lord and Saviour in Jesus Christ.
As we conclude - we do indeed have a wonderful Lord and Saviour who has died on the cross for our sins. God is true and He must increase, but I must decrease.
(For a full explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - click here - http://www.doihaveeternallife.blogspot.com/)
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Sunday, January 11, 2009
Sunday, January 4, 2009
John 3:16-21 The Greatest Love
04.01.09 John 3:16-21 (NASB)
Audio Sermon: John 3:16-21
Going Deeper: Study Guide
The Greatest Love
Today we are going to look at a passage which includes a Bible verse that is perhaps the best known verse in the world. The verse I am referring to is JOHN 3:16. We see placards with ‘JOHN 3:16’ in bold on TV on ‘Hockey Night In Canada’ and other sports events throughout the world, the verse appears on t- shirts, Bible tracts, and even graffiti. All kinds of people know this verse, and the reach of this verse is great - just to illustrate this point is this experience.
One time I went to visit a Christian that I know and he had - I think was a step brother named Jack. I was introduced to Jack and I found him to be a very hardened and profane man. He knew I was a pastor - but that made no difference in his manner or speech. Jack passed away not too long ago - but while he was alive he clearly lived a life apart from Christ. Through his lifestyle and words he demonstrated his rebellion against God. He showed no respect to Christ, and his people - but in the midst of my attempts to point him to Christ - he was able to quote John 3:16 word for word. But to this man JOHN 3:16 meant nothing to him - and as far as I know that to his dying moment, he chose to reject THE GREATEST LOVE.
The last time that we were in the Gospel of John we examined the preceding verses, verses 11-15. Those verses are directly linked to this passage, because they are part of the conversation that Jesus had with Nicodemus. We discovered that Jesus authoritatively claimed to be a faithful witness to the spiritual realities that He spoke about. The reason that Jesus could speak so boldly and plainly about heaven and God was due to the fact that He is God the Son. As the pre-existent and eternal Word of God, Jesus is the only one who can reveal heavenly realities to us. No one else has and can do this, except for Christ.
Having established His authority, Jesus continues and foreshadows His own death upon a cross. Jesus was to be lifted up on a cross so we may have eternal life. Those who God saves are able to believe in the saving work of Christ. As a result these believers will not face the judgement of God’s wrath - they will not perish, but have eternal life. If you remember we focused our lesson on one key question. That question was - Why Did Jesus Come To Earth? The answer is sin. People do not have eternal life because of sin.
We spent a large portion of our time - the last Lord’s day, looking at what sin is. In summary sin could be defined and pictured in this way - sin is missing the mark. Because of sin we miss God’s standard of holiness for our life. The picture is of an archer trying to hit the bull’s eye of a target, but always misses. Without belief in Christ to take away our sin we will perish…and this leads us to the continuation of this subject, as Jesus continues His dialogue with Nicodemus. Jesus says beginning at John 3:16:
16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 "But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."
In today’s passage we are going to examine THE GREATEST LOVE. We will look at the full meaning of God’s love in context to six verses. We will be able to see God’s love through these three aspects:
God’s Mercy v16
God’s Mission v17-18
God’s Mandate v19-21
These three aspects clearly mark out God’s message of salvation from our sins. The good news of Jesus Christ is unveiled by Christ Himself as He offers to us THE GREATEST LOVE.
1. GOD’S MERCY v.16
The Apostle John records for us the words of Christ in no shallow way. Jesus reveals to us that God’s love is not superficial. In fact God’s love is deep and real - and is emphasized by the word - so. Jesus expresses that God so loved the world, and because of this God…according to His self-giving nature - gave. The words loved and gave really underscore God’s Mercy. The love of God is the highest form of love that we able to comprehend - this word love in the Greek is agape - a love which is not self seeking. It is a love that God demonstrates to the pinnacle of His creation - man. A love which is offered despite our sinfulness. A love that reveals the depths of God’s mercy.
God’s love for us is realized in this way - God did not give something of little worth or value, but He gave His only begotten Son. There was nothing more important that God could give, but Jesus Christ His only Son.
Jesus’ death on a cross for our sin is never to be repeated again. There is only one way to be reconciled back to God, and not what the world around us proclaims - that all paths lead to God. No...the only way back to God is through His only begotten Son. If we think about this - it means that God salvation reveals to us that this is a one time act, because He only has one Son to die for our sins (therefore it is equally true that if one is to be saved from their sins, then it is only through God's only begotten Son - Jesus Christ).
Our salvation from our sins has been purchased at a great cost, because it cost God the sacrifice of His only Son. As we learned last time in verse 14 - Jesus Christ was ‘lifted up’ upon a cross to die for our sins. But salvation through Christ offered by God is not without condition, it is not something that every person receives. Not every single person is saved from their sins - His love is manifested to the world - all mankind - you and me. Yet there is a condition to receiving God’s love. There is a condition associated with God’s Mercy.
What is this condition? God reveals to us that this condition is that we must believe in Jesus Christ - whoever believes in Him, will be saved. We are to receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour by placing our complete faith in Jesus Christ alone. Christ calls us to give our full allegiance to Him, and to acknowledge all His claims - What are some of the truth claims that Jesus Christ makes? - He claims to be God in human flesh - and He is; He claims to be our Creator, Sovereign King and Lord over us - and He is; He claims to come and take away our sins through the sacrifice of His sinless life, upon a cross - and He did; He claims that you must trust in the historic reality of His life, death, and resurrection on the third day as foreshadowed in the OT - and these events have taken place and are verifiable; He claimed to ascend to heaven to reign over everything - and He does.
Christ also calls us to abandon sin and be obedient to His righteous ways. We are to believe in Him. Believing on Jesus’ name is the key element in receiving the revelation of our Saviour, who has come into this world. To believe in Jesus Christ’s name is more than just a ‘name’ which a person is given. Whoever believes in the name of Jesus Christ will embrace as true, the very character and person that the name is associated with. It accepts the deeds that He has done for us as I mentioned - came, died to pay for our sins, rose again for us. The person that God moves to believe, is marked by a life long belief in Christ and God - that grows. This person has a change in their mind, heart, and will towards God and His Son. This is reflected in your attitudes, character, habits, thoughts, patterns of life - which are shaped according to God’s Word. The results of true belief are abiding - it is not just a decision that was made at a certain point of time and place in your life.
Very frequently I meet a person who claims to have a relationship with God. One of those times, I met a man who said that he has a relationship with God. He believes that everything in his life God understands and will accept. He believes that he will be accepted by God into heaven (thinking he has eternal life with God) when he dies. I asked him what his basis of belief is based upon. He said, that in his heart he knows that there is a God. And the foundation of his belief was his own thoughts. And his heart impulses shaped his emotions and understandings about God. All of this together dictated his relationship with God. In other words whatever he made out God to be, was true and that became his assurance.
Did this man truly seek out God and have a saving relationship with his Creator? No. The Bible is clear on this point - Romans 3:10-12: As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." This man has no relationship with God.
This is NOT the kind of believing that Jesus is talking about in this passage. The sole means of entrance in to heaven is belief in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God’s only ordained way of salvation from our sins, for us today. The man I spoke with believed that he has a relationship with God - when I asked him about his belief in Jesus Christ, he outright rejected any necessity for any belief in Him. He felt that he did not have to have a relationship with Christ in order to have a relationship with God. This kind of believing has a deadly serious eternal consequence (it was a heretical cocktail of false doctrine).
This man and others like him, do not realize that because they have no relationship with Christ - it means that they also do not have a relationship with God. They are self deceived - because the God they envision is not the One true God - as revealed in the Bible. If this man truly accepted the one true God, then he would also accept and believe in Jesus Christ, who is God Himself - look back to John 1:1. When one rejects Jesus Christ he is in fact also rejecting God - and the implication is that he also rejects, the necessity for repentance, God’s forgiveness of sins, salvation in Christ, and eternal life.
True belief founded upon knowing Christ, is demonstrated by a continuous pattern of true life changing results. Those who truly believe in Christ and repent of sin, instantaneously enter into a relationship with the Word, Jesus Christ, who is the sole granter of the right to enter into the family of God as one of its members. It is not what you think and feel that you know - and what you feel and think that you like to believe in - this is subjective and false faith - BUT it is whom you know and in whom you believe in - and this is in Jesus Christ of the Bible - this is objective and true faith - the only kind of faith that can save. True belief in Christ comes at a personal cost - the love of sin must be forsaken, and Christ’s forgiveness must be sought out - and true spiritual change must be demonstrated in one’s life - no spiritual change = no eternal life.
For the man that I had a conversation with - he did not have a true belief which is marked by true life changing faith in Christ, brought about by the Holy Spirit. In fact if he continues in his errant subjective thinking he will have a big surprise…that he will be judged by Christ for his sins and shall perish. But we do not have to fall into the same category as that man. You can receive eternal life through God’s mercy. If He is drawing you into a relationship with Christ, then believe in Christ as your Lord and Saviour by responding to Him. We all need salvation from the power of sin and our sinful nature. We need a new nature and a conscience which is purified from guilt by Christ. As we learned last week you must be reconciled to God and as a result receive from God a new nature. A mind, heart, and will which is regenerated by the Holy Spirit to be righteous - alive to God...For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. In these 25 words we find God’s Mercy from the penalty of our sins.
Not only do we see GOD’S MERCY, but Jesus tells us of:
2. GOD’S MISSION v.17-18
In order to be faithful to the Word of God, we need to keep it in context of the following verses.
God’s Mission or purpose is laid out in verse 17. God’s character is often misunderstood. It is often distorted by unbelievers. Either they paint God as a God of love and that He overlooks all sin - that He accepts everyone without any reservations OR people paint a picture of God being a strong handed judge, who crushes and hates people. The reality is that God’s true character has both these attributes which are held in perfect balance. Yet from our passage today we see God’s Mission was not one that is to destroy the world or to crush and hate people - but - God’s Mission reveals His character. God is a loving and caring God. God loves the vilest of sinners. He loves you if you are Buddhist, Hindu, or any other cultist - holding to false systems of belief. He loves you if you are NDP, Liberal, Green party. He loves you if you are an ‘A’ student or a ‘F’ student. God loves you - not because you are lovable the way that you are which is a sinner - and certainly not for the things that you beleive (which if they are not from God's Word are offensive to Him). But He loves you because each one of you are made in His image. Man was created to worship God and to fellowship with Him and others. Yes God loves us, BUT He also is a Holy God. Therefore GOD HATES SIN. Sin so totally affects our worship of God and fellowship with Him, that it rips apart our relationship with God - that we have no relationship with God. We are hopeless and have no hope in ourselves. This is where God’s Mission is so revealing of His love for us.
What does God do then as a result of your sin? Does He say forget it, too bad, you are a sinner and you are going to pay for your sins? No. God sends His Son, Jesus Christ into the world NOT to condemn the world - but that the world might be saved through Him. Jesus comes into our world and builds a bridge leading repentant man back to God. Jesus comes and offers reconciliation through His own sacrifice - God initiates every step to bring us back into a right relationship with Him….if we submit to His loving command to come to His only begotten Son. Yes… if we respond to God’s saving grace in Jesus Christ. If we respond to God’s loving command which needs to be obeyed now. God has authority over us as His creation - so we need to submit to God’s authority and will. We can only submit to God by allowing Him to change our sinful will, so that we can turn toward Him.
We cannot blame God for who we are in light of our sin. Because God has done everything and offered up His Son to pay for all our sins. God’s Mission is to offer His love to everyone to remove the chief human problem - sin, but not everyone will accept His loving command to be saved. We all have the responsibility to respond, but not all do. The result is if we reject God’s love we are inviting His condemnation and wrath. This is the dark side of this passage, yet it is a real consequence of the decision you make in this life - for Him or against Him. Jesus says that - He who believes in Him is not judged - that is he will not be condemned. The root meaning of the word - judged, in the Greek comes from the word ‘separation’ - and in context of this verse it is of eternal separation . If we reflect back on verses 11-15 - Jesus makes this statement with authority - because He is God the Son, who has come from heaven and reveals these unalterable realities.
The reality of being condemned or being released from condemnation of our sin, lies in our belief in Christ. Those who humbly submit, obey, and follow Christ as their Lord and Saviour will be saved from their sins and from eternal separation from God. Those who choose to reject Christ as their Lord and Saviour are judged already. In this person is an ongoing attitude of permanent refusal to believe. Within this person there exists an unbelief due to a love of self and sin - more than a love for God and His holiness.
This kind of attitude is self condemning and leads to a verdict realized in the imminent future. The only way to overcome this condemnation, due to sin, is to believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God. God only has one Son - and as such He only has one way to heaven. Christianity is an exclusive reality - it is an exclusive faith. No other faiths or religious systems can save you. By believing upon God’s Son you will reap the blessings of eternal life now and in the life to come.
God offers us His loving MERCY through the sacrificial giving of His Son. God’s MISSION has been executed and we all need to respond rightly to Him. God clearly makes known to us His sole means of being saved from our sins as He now outlines:
3. GOD’S MANDATE v.19-21
God’s Mandate is clear. The verdict is decisive. Everything that has preceded this verse today is summed up in this judgment or verdict. Jesus Christ the Light has come into the world which we live in. But because people are sinners they love their sin….they love the darkness of a life of sin….they are enslaved to sin….held captive to the dominion of darkness…. ruled by the prince of darkness - Satan…and because of this bondage - Jesus states this truth - for their deeds were evil. Everyone who falls into this category hates the light…they hate Jesus Christ….they hate God…they have no true life in Him…they have no relationship with Him. Instead the love of sin drives them away from Christ to self …and to sins domination and temporal pleasures. The fact is, when a sinner comes before Christ all their evil deeds will be exposed. The book of Romans states this - chapter 1:17-25: "For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." 18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen."
The contrasting verdict is this - those who are saved by Christ - practices the truth - Christians live in the truth. A well known Bible teacher wrote this: "Trust in Christ prevents condemnation, for he takes our place and pays the penalty for sin for all who put their case in his hands. The believer in Christ as Saviour, does not come into judgment." - AT Robertson
This is true because the Christian has no fear of being in the Light - being in the all knowing and searching presence of Christ. Why? The answer is very simple - it is because they belong to Christ. Christ does not condemn those who belong to Him. Everything which is submitted to Christ in their life will be evident that it was not a mere intellectual belief, but a life changing belief in Christ. Perhaps we can distill this passage into this phrase - IT IS NOT WHAT YOU KNOW BUT WHO YOU ARE.
You can know everything about God, Christ, the Bible, but if your life has no change generated by the Holy Spirit - you are void of Christ’s salvation….you are not a believer….you cannot call yourself a Christian.
Jack Gulledge wrote this illustration in Proclaim - "There was a guy who tried to rid his house of mice. He bought a mouse trap but had no cheese. To remedy the problem, he cut out a picture of cheese from a magazine. He loaded the trap with the artificial cheese and went to bed. When he checked the mousetrap that following morning he was quite surprised to find a picture of a mouse in the trap. A counterfeit lifestyle produces artificial results!"
True saving faith is marked out by a transformed life which can only be wrought in God - only God can produce such a radical change in a person bent upon his sin nature. True saving faith is marked out repentance from sin, by true trust and commitment to Christ. It is realized by receiving a new nature controlled by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. These realized blessings of eternal life produce a heart which is alive to Christ which obeys Him as Lord and Saviour. SIN CONDEMNS JESUS SAVES.
John 3:16 is perhaps the world’s best known verse. It’s impact is far reaching if we sincerely reflect and apply it to our life. Martin Luther called John 3:16 the miniature gospel. Others have called it a love letter from God written in blood and addressed to all. The impact of our passage is clear - we are called to belief in Christ. Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:3-4).
This is the greatest message given to all of us…look down at John 3:16 once again…and follow along…as I close off with this phrase by phrase /word by word summary…
The Greatest Love - John 3:16:
(I didn't write the following, and i can't remember where it is from)
For God = The Greatest One
so loved = The Greatest measure of Love ever demonstrated
the world = The greatest sum of all people who are without hope
that He gave = The greatest act of generosity and sacrifice
His only begotten Son = The greatest unique gift, the sole object of saving faith
that whoever = The greatest invitation to you
believes = The greatest simplicity and act of humble faith
in Him = The greatest assurance
shall not = The greatest certainty
perish = The greatest eternal loss
but = The greatest life changing difference
have = The greatest possession
eternal = The greatest quality and length of time
life = The greatest gift offered to you
(For a full explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - click here - http://www.doihaveeternallife.blogspot.com/)
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Audio Sermon: John 3:16-21
Going Deeper: Study Guide
The Greatest Love
Today we are going to look at a passage which includes a Bible verse that is perhaps the best known verse in the world. The verse I am referring to is JOHN 3:16. We see placards with ‘JOHN 3:16’ in bold on TV on ‘Hockey Night In Canada’ and other sports events throughout the world, the verse appears on t- shirts, Bible tracts, and even graffiti. All kinds of people know this verse, and the reach of this verse is great - just to illustrate this point is this experience.
One time I went to visit a Christian that I know and he had - I think was a step brother named Jack. I was introduced to Jack and I found him to be a very hardened and profane man. He knew I was a pastor - but that made no difference in his manner or speech. Jack passed away not too long ago - but while he was alive he clearly lived a life apart from Christ. Through his lifestyle and words he demonstrated his rebellion against God. He showed no respect to Christ, and his people - but in the midst of my attempts to point him to Christ - he was able to quote John 3:16 word for word. But to this man JOHN 3:16 meant nothing to him - and as far as I know that to his dying moment, he chose to reject THE GREATEST LOVE.
The last time that we were in the Gospel of John we examined the preceding verses, verses 11-15. Those verses are directly linked to this passage, because they are part of the conversation that Jesus had with Nicodemus. We discovered that Jesus authoritatively claimed to be a faithful witness to the spiritual realities that He spoke about. The reason that Jesus could speak so boldly and plainly about heaven and God was due to the fact that He is God the Son. As the pre-existent and eternal Word of God, Jesus is the only one who can reveal heavenly realities to us. No one else has and can do this, except for Christ.
Having established His authority, Jesus continues and foreshadows His own death upon a cross. Jesus was to be lifted up on a cross so we may have eternal life. Those who God saves are able to believe in the saving work of Christ. As a result these believers will not face the judgement of God’s wrath - they will not perish, but have eternal life. If you remember we focused our lesson on one key question. That question was - Why Did Jesus Come To Earth? The answer is sin. People do not have eternal life because of sin.
We spent a large portion of our time - the last Lord’s day, looking at what sin is. In summary sin could be defined and pictured in this way - sin is missing the mark. Because of sin we miss God’s standard of holiness for our life. The picture is of an archer trying to hit the bull’s eye of a target, but always misses. Without belief in Christ to take away our sin we will perish…and this leads us to the continuation of this subject, as Jesus continues His dialogue with Nicodemus. Jesus says beginning at John 3:16:
16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 "But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."
In today’s passage we are going to examine THE GREATEST LOVE. We will look at the full meaning of God’s love in context to six verses. We will be able to see God’s love through these three aspects:
God’s Mercy v16
God’s Mission v17-18
God’s Mandate v19-21
These three aspects clearly mark out God’s message of salvation from our sins. The good news of Jesus Christ is unveiled by Christ Himself as He offers to us THE GREATEST LOVE.
1. GOD’S MERCY v.16
The Apostle John records for us the words of Christ in no shallow way. Jesus reveals to us that God’s love is not superficial. In fact God’s love is deep and real - and is emphasized by the word - so. Jesus expresses that God so loved the world, and because of this God…according to His self-giving nature - gave. The words loved and gave really underscore God’s Mercy. The love of God is the highest form of love that we able to comprehend - this word love in the Greek is agape - a love which is not self seeking. It is a love that God demonstrates to the pinnacle of His creation - man. A love which is offered despite our sinfulness. A love that reveals the depths of God’s mercy.
God’s love for us is realized in this way - God did not give something of little worth or value, but He gave His only begotten Son. There was nothing more important that God could give, but Jesus Christ His only Son.
Jesus’ death on a cross for our sin is never to be repeated again. There is only one way to be reconciled back to God, and not what the world around us proclaims - that all paths lead to God. No...the only way back to God is through His only begotten Son. If we think about this - it means that God salvation reveals to us that this is a one time act, because He only has one Son to die for our sins (therefore it is equally true that if one is to be saved from their sins, then it is only through God's only begotten Son - Jesus Christ).
Our salvation from our sins has been purchased at a great cost, because it cost God the sacrifice of His only Son. As we learned last time in verse 14 - Jesus Christ was ‘lifted up’ upon a cross to die for our sins. But salvation through Christ offered by God is not without condition, it is not something that every person receives. Not every single person is saved from their sins - His love is manifested to the world - all mankind - you and me. Yet there is a condition to receiving God’s love. There is a condition associated with God’s Mercy.
What is this condition? God reveals to us that this condition is that we must believe in Jesus Christ - whoever believes in Him, will be saved. We are to receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour by placing our complete faith in Jesus Christ alone. Christ calls us to give our full allegiance to Him, and to acknowledge all His claims - What are some of the truth claims that Jesus Christ makes? - He claims to be God in human flesh - and He is; He claims to be our Creator, Sovereign King and Lord over us - and He is; He claims to come and take away our sins through the sacrifice of His sinless life, upon a cross - and He did; He claims that you must trust in the historic reality of His life, death, and resurrection on the third day as foreshadowed in the OT - and these events have taken place and are verifiable; He claimed to ascend to heaven to reign over everything - and He does.
Christ also calls us to abandon sin and be obedient to His righteous ways. We are to believe in Him. Believing on Jesus’ name is the key element in receiving the revelation of our Saviour, who has come into this world. To believe in Jesus Christ’s name is more than just a ‘name’ which a person is given. Whoever believes in the name of Jesus Christ will embrace as true, the very character and person that the name is associated with. It accepts the deeds that He has done for us as I mentioned - came, died to pay for our sins, rose again for us. The person that God moves to believe, is marked by a life long belief in Christ and God - that grows. This person has a change in their mind, heart, and will towards God and His Son. This is reflected in your attitudes, character, habits, thoughts, patterns of life - which are shaped according to God’s Word. The results of true belief are abiding - it is not just a decision that was made at a certain point of time and place in your life.
Very frequently I meet a person who claims to have a relationship with God. One of those times, I met a man who said that he has a relationship with God. He believes that everything in his life God understands and will accept. He believes that he will be accepted by God into heaven (thinking he has eternal life with God) when he dies. I asked him what his basis of belief is based upon. He said, that in his heart he knows that there is a God. And the foundation of his belief was his own thoughts. And his heart impulses shaped his emotions and understandings about God. All of this together dictated his relationship with God. In other words whatever he made out God to be, was true and that became his assurance.
Did this man truly seek out God and have a saving relationship with his Creator? No. The Bible is clear on this point - Romans 3:10-12: As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." This man has no relationship with God.
This is NOT the kind of believing that Jesus is talking about in this passage. The sole means of entrance in to heaven is belief in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God’s only ordained way of salvation from our sins, for us today. The man I spoke with believed that he has a relationship with God - when I asked him about his belief in Jesus Christ, he outright rejected any necessity for any belief in Him. He felt that he did not have to have a relationship with Christ in order to have a relationship with God. This kind of believing has a deadly serious eternal consequence (it was a heretical cocktail of false doctrine).
This man and others like him, do not realize that because they have no relationship with Christ - it means that they also do not have a relationship with God. They are self deceived - because the God they envision is not the One true God - as revealed in the Bible. If this man truly accepted the one true God, then he would also accept and believe in Jesus Christ, who is God Himself - look back to John 1:1. When one rejects Jesus Christ he is in fact also rejecting God - and the implication is that he also rejects, the necessity for repentance, God’s forgiveness of sins, salvation in Christ, and eternal life.
True belief founded upon knowing Christ, is demonstrated by a continuous pattern of true life changing results. Those who truly believe in Christ and repent of sin, instantaneously enter into a relationship with the Word, Jesus Christ, who is the sole granter of the right to enter into the family of God as one of its members. It is not what you think and feel that you know - and what you feel and think that you like to believe in - this is subjective and false faith - BUT it is whom you know and in whom you believe in - and this is in Jesus Christ of the Bible - this is objective and true faith - the only kind of faith that can save. True belief in Christ comes at a personal cost - the love of sin must be forsaken, and Christ’s forgiveness must be sought out - and true spiritual change must be demonstrated in one’s life - no spiritual change = no eternal life.
For the man that I had a conversation with - he did not have a true belief which is marked by true life changing faith in Christ, brought about by the Holy Spirit. In fact if he continues in his errant subjective thinking he will have a big surprise…that he will be judged by Christ for his sins and shall perish. But we do not have to fall into the same category as that man. You can receive eternal life through God’s mercy. If He is drawing you into a relationship with Christ, then believe in Christ as your Lord and Saviour by responding to Him. We all need salvation from the power of sin and our sinful nature. We need a new nature and a conscience which is purified from guilt by Christ. As we learned last week you must be reconciled to God and as a result receive from God a new nature. A mind, heart, and will which is regenerated by the Holy Spirit to be righteous - alive to God...For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. In these 25 words we find God’s Mercy from the penalty of our sins.
Not only do we see GOD’S MERCY, but Jesus tells us of:
2. GOD’S MISSION v.17-18
In order to be faithful to the Word of God, we need to keep it in context of the following verses.
God’s Mission or purpose is laid out in verse 17. God’s character is often misunderstood. It is often distorted by unbelievers. Either they paint God as a God of love and that He overlooks all sin - that He accepts everyone without any reservations OR people paint a picture of God being a strong handed judge, who crushes and hates people. The reality is that God’s true character has both these attributes which are held in perfect balance. Yet from our passage today we see God’s Mission was not one that is to destroy the world or to crush and hate people - but - God’s Mission reveals His character. God is a loving and caring God. God loves the vilest of sinners. He loves you if you are Buddhist, Hindu, or any other cultist - holding to false systems of belief. He loves you if you are NDP, Liberal, Green party. He loves you if you are an ‘A’ student or a ‘F’ student. God loves you - not because you are lovable the way that you are which is a sinner - and certainly not for the things that you beleive (which if they are not from God's Word are offensive to Him). But He loves you because each one of you are made in His image. Man was created to worship God and to fellowship with Him and others. Yes God loves us, BUT He also is a Holy God. Therefore GOD HATES SIN. Sin so totally affects our worship of God and fellowship with Him, that it rips apart our relationship with God - that we have no relationship with God. We are hopeless and have no hope in ourselves. This is where God’s Mission is so revealing of His love for us.
What does God do then as a result of your sin? Does He say forget it, too bad, you are a sinner and you are going to pay for your sins? No. God sends His Son, Jesus Christ into the world NOT to condemn the world - but that the world might be saved through Him. Jesus comes into our world and builds a bridge leading repentant man back to God. Jesus comes and offers reconciliation through His own sacrifice - God initiates every step to bring us back into a right relationship with Him….if we submit to His loving command to come to His only begotten Son. Yes… if we respond to God’s saving grace in Jesus Christ. If we respond to God’s loving command which needs to be obeyed now. God has authority over us as His creation - so we need to submit to God’s authority and will. We can only submit to God by allowing Him to change our sinful will, so that we can turn toward Him.
We cannot blame God for who we are in light of our sin. Because God has done everything and offered up His Son to pay for all our sins. God’s Mission is to offer His love to everyone to remove the chief human problem - sin, but not everyone will accept His loving command to be saved. We all have the responsibility to respond, but not all do. The result is if we reject God’s love we are inviting His condemnation and wrath. This is the dark side of this passage, yet it is a real consequence of the decision you make in this life - for Him or against Him. Jesus says that - He who believes in Him is not judged - that is he will not be condemned. The root meaning of the word - judged, in the Greek comes from the word ‘separation’ - and in context of this verse it is of eternal separation . If we reflect back on verses 11-15 - Jesus makes this statement with authority - because He is God the Son, who has come from heaven and reveals these unalterable realities.
The reality of being condemned or being released from condemnation of our sin, lies in our belief in Christ. Those who humbly submit, obey, and follow Christ as their Lord and Saviour will be saved from their sins and from eternal separation from God. Those who choose to reject Christ as their Lord and Saviour are judged already. In this person is an ongoing attitude of permanent refusal to believe. Within this person there exists an unbelief due to a love of self and sin - more than a love for God and His holiness.
This kind of attitude is self condemning and leads to a verdict realized in the imminent future. The only way to overcome this condemnation, due to sin, is to believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God. God only has one Son - and as such He only has one way to heaven. Christianity is an exclusive reality - it is an exclusive faith. No other faiths or religious systems can save you. By believing upon God’s Son you will reap the blessings of eternal life now and in the life to come.
God offers us His loving MERCY through the sacrificial giving of His Son. God’s MISSION has been executed and we all need to respond rightly to Him. God clearly makes known to us His sole means of being saved from our sins as He now outlines:
3. GOD’S MANDATE v.19-21
God’s Mandate is clear. The verdict is decisive. Everything that has preceded this verse today is summed up in this judgment or verdict. Jesus Christ the Light has come into the world which we live in. But because people are sinners they love their sin….they love the darkness of a life of sin….they are enslaved to sin….held captive to the dominion of darkness…. ruled by the prince of darkness - Satan…and because of this bondage - Jesus states this truth - for their deeds were evil. Everyone who falls into this category hates the light…they hate Jesus Christ….they hate God…they have no true life in Him…they have no relationship with Him. Instead the love of sin drives them away from Christ to self …and to sins domination and temporal pleasures. The fact is, when a sinner comes before Christ all their evil deeds will be exposed. The book of Romans states this - chapter 1:17-25: "For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." 18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen."
The contrasting verdict is this - those who are saved by Christ - practices the truth - Christians live in the truth. A well known Bible teacher wrote this: "Trust in Christ prevents condemnation, for he takes our place and pays the penalty for sin for all who put their case in his hands. The believer in Christ as Saviour, does not come into judgment." - AT Robertson
This is true because the Christian has no fear of being in the Light - being in the all knowing and searching presence of Christ. Why? The answer is very simple - it is because they belong to Christ. Christ does not condemn those who belong to Him. Everything which is submitted to Christ in their life will be evident that it was not a mere intellectual belief, but a life changing belief in Christ. Perhaps we can distill this passage into this phrase - IT IS NOT WHAT YOU KNOW BUT WHO YOU ARE.
You can know everything about God, Christ, the Bible, but if your life has no change generated by the Holy Spirit - you are void of Christ’s salvation….you are not a believer….you cannot call yourself a Christian.
Jack Gulledge wrote this illustration in Proclaim - "There was a guy who tried to rid his house of mice. He bought a mouse trap but had no cheese. To remedy the problem, he cut out a picture of cheese from a magazine. He loaded the trap with the artificial cheese and went to bed. When he checked the mousetrap that following morning he was quite surprised to find a picture of a mouse in the trap. A counterfeit lifestyle produces artificial results!"
True saving faith is marked out by a transformed life which can only be wrought in God - only God can produce such a radical change in a person bent upon his sin nature. True saving faith is marked out repentance from sin, by true trust and commitment to Christ. It is realized by receiving a new nature controlled by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. These realized blessings of eternal life produce a heart which is alive to Christ which obeys Him as Lord and Saviour. SIN CONDEMNS JESUS SAVES.
John 3:16 is perhaps the world’s best known verse. It’s impact is far reaching if we sincerely reflect and apply it to our life. Martin Luther called John 3:16 the miniature gospel. Others have called it a love letter from God written in blood and addressed to all. The impact of our passage is clear - we are called to belief in Christ. Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:3-4).
This is the greatest message given to all of us…look down at John 3:16 once again…and follow along…as I close off with this phrase by phrase /word by word summary…
The Greatest Love - John 3:16:
(I didn't write the following, and i can't remember where it is from)
For God = The Greatest One
so loved = The Greatest measure of Love ever demonstrated
the world = The greatest sum of all people who are without hope
that He gave = The greatest act of generosity and sacrifice
His only begotten Son = The greatest unique gift, the sole object of saving faith
that whoever = The greatest invitation to you
believes = The greatest simplicity and act of humble faith
in Him = The greatest assurance
shall not = The greatest certainty
perish = The greatest eternal loss
but = The greatest life changing difference
have = The greatest possession
eternal = The greatest quality and length of time
life = The greatest gift offered to you
(For a full explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - click here - http://www.doihaveeternallife.blogspot.com/)
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Sunday, December 28, 2008
John 3:11-15 Why Did Jesus Come To Earth?
28.12.08 John 3:11-15 (NASB)
Audio Sermon: John 3:11-15 (file incomplete)
Going Deeper: Study Guide
Why Did Jesus Come To Earth?
The last time when we were in the gospel of John, we met a very well known religious man. He was a prominent teacher of God’s law named Nicodemus. We found out that despite his outward devotion and morality, his life was spiritually bankrupt. He was good man, but he was not saved from above…he was not born again….he was not going to heaven. Jesus knew this because He could see into his heart condition… it was devoid of spiritual regeneration. From Jesus’ discourse with Nicodemus we were challenged to look at our own claims to Christianity. Are we genuine believers, are we born again, through the work of the Holy Spirit? This week we continue with Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus from chapter 3, verses 11-21:
11 "Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony. 12 "If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 "No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. 14 "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.
v.11 Our passage today once again starts with the phrase - ‘Truly, truly.’ So once again something important is to be stated, and we the readers are alerted to this fact. Our passage deals with this theme - the reason why Jesus came. But it is not left just at that, but presses us further - to think about the importance of believing in Jesus Christ for eternal life.
Jesus speaks and makes this important statement - we should note that Jesus speaks using the plural ‘we’- that Jesus is part of the body of reliable witnesses to the reality that to be born again (3:7) - that is to have true spiritual life, it must come from above. God is the One who saves the sinner, and spiritual regeneration does not come through what man achieves. Despite Jesus’ authority in what He does personally know, and what He has personally seen, in respect to the working of God…..Nicodemus, and in general, the people do not accept this testimony. They chose not to believe in Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God, even though Jesus was stating objective truth.
v.12 Jesus further explains by contrasting earthly things with heavenly things. Jesus says that the things that must take place on earth - like being born again - that if Nicodemus can’t understand these fundamental issues then how can he expect to grasp the deeper issues that relate to heaven? Yet Jesus will continue in dealing with these issues.
The whole emphasis of verses 11 and 12 really focuses on the idea that unbelief in Nicodemus and the nation of Israel is the cause of ignorance. Nicodemus was a very intelligent man, but he still did not believe in Jesus’ authoritative witness, which lead to his spiritual ignorance. This emphasizes the reality that spiritual regeneration is wholly a work of God. God is the One who opens our eyes to see truth - it is not based on how smart we are.
v.13 In verse 13 Jesus states No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. Through this statement Jesus clearly states His authority in being able to make these claims of truth. No man has ever been to heaven and has come back to tell others about the things which Jesus knew and saw. Even the apostle Paul was taken into heaven and saw great things, but he was not to speak about what he saw (2 Cor. 12:1-4). So it is only through Jesus that we receive special revelation concerning spiritual heavenly realities. Jesus is the Son of Man and therefore is the One who descended from heaven.
Let’s take a little detour for a moment. There are so many different religions claiming to be the pathway to God, claiming to be the source of truth. Have you ever wondered about this? Have you ever questioned why Christianity is the only way? If you have had any questions or doubts, then we need to examine the impact of this verse. As a point of interest this verse states clearly that no one - except Jesus has special revelation from God. Despite the claims of other religions, no one but Jesus has direct access to God. Other religions’ key figures say that they have direct revelation from God, but in this verse Jesus out rightly rejects that false notion - therefore making other religions to be false systems of belief. This verse indirectly reveals who Jesus is…that He is pre-existent and that He is Deity, affirming once again the facts about His nature and character as it was done so clearly back in chapter 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
v.14, 15 Jesus now begins to give us the reason why He came to earth. Jesus turns to something that Nicodemus would have been very familiar with as a Pharisee, the Old Testament. Jesus provides Nicodemus with an analogy to illustrate His purpose in coming to our world …to earth.
Jesus looks to Numbers 21:4-9, where the Israelites are in the wilderness and are being judged for their complaining. What happened was that God sent fiery snakes in judgement of their sin. The snakes - bit the people, so that many people of Israel died (Num. 21:6). When the people confessed their sin they asked Moses to intercede to God on their behalf. As a result God asked Moses to - ‘Make a fiery [serpent], and set it on a standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live.’ (Num. 21:8). If anyone wanted to live, this was the means that God chose to heal the people. As we find out from this afternoon’s passage, this is a foreshadowing of Christ on the cross. And this is what Jesus does, He comes to our world to be lifted up, as God’s sole means of healing us from our sins. Jesus lifted up on a cross for the sins of the world, is the sole means of salvation from the penalty of sin. The people in Moses’ time made a willful decision of faith to look upon the lifted up serpent as God’s means of being saved physically from death. In essence the people through faith were looking to the Lord and trusting in His instruction - so it was not the image of the snake that saved, but it was the act of belief in the Lord. Likewise with Jesus - all those who look to Christ, who was ‘lifted up’ on the cross to pay the penalty for the sins of the world, will live spiritually and eternally.
The purpose for Christ’s death is laid out. Whoever believes will in Him - that is believes in Jesus Christ alone, will be saved from their sins and have eternal life. What is eternal life? It is the same term as everlasting life. A life that not only refers to a duration of time, but also to the quality of that life experienced. Literally eternal life means - ‘life of the age to come.’ It refers to the believers future resurrection and existence in heaven with Christ, which will be in perfect holiness and fully realized glory. Not only is eternal life something to be experienced in the future, but it is also something that believers benefit in now. Christians benefit from fellowship in Christ, the eternal Word of God - and the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit of God operating in your life. So we find from this passage the reason why Jesus came - Jesus Christ came to this darkened world from heaven as a testimony that God is working in peoples’ lives. What is God doing through Jesus Christ? He is saving people from their sin. God does this by offering forgiveness and eternal life in Christ. Jesus Christ was lifted up on a cross to die for our sins.
The basic answer to today’s key question - Why Did Jesus Come To Earth ? - is this - Jesus came to earth was to settle the issue of sin in your life.
So what is sin? Why is it so damaging to our relationship with God? Let us take some time now to examine this basic question:
What is Sin?
The use and reference to the word, "sin," is minimized in today’s society. The word itself brings to mind a negativity that is shunned and is regarded as being politically incorrect. It is a word that people do not want to deal with, yet it applies to all mankind. So what is sin? Sin may be defined as follows: Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature. What follows is a brief survey of the nature of sin and its entrance into humanity.
The Bible does not reveal the origin of evil in the universe, but focuses upon sin and its origin in man. In no sense is God the cause or agent of sin, nor does He provoke, condone, authorize, approve, or consent of it. God only permits Satan and his demons to act, yet He overrules evil which does not fit His purposes, which are always good. Sin is one-sided, for it is a contradiction of what God is, and He will never be indifferent to sin for it would go against His very nature as being completely holy. God is unable to contradict Himself.
Sin is expressed in the Bible by many words, but there are several which are significant. These words when translated from the original languages, provide us with the scope of its meaning which includes: "rebellion," "transgression," "perversion," "impiety," "missing the mark," "unrighteousness," "lawlessness," "depravity," and "evil desire." The first expression of these terms can be found in the beginning events of creation.
The entrance of sin in man is traced back to the garden of Eden when man was tempted by Satan (Gen 3:1-6). Sin was not an isolated event for Adam and Eve and limited to them only. But its consequences are apparent in their succeeding offspring and generations. It appears in each one of us. As a result of the presence of sin in man, man has a different attitude towards God.
Man’s fellowship with God is replaced with emotions of shame and fear and thus he desires to hide from Him and no longer wants to be in His presence. Gen 3:8 - states ‘They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.’
God’s attitude towards man also has been affected and now man’s sin evokes His wrath, displeasure, reproof, and condemnation. Adam and Eve are sent out of the garden (Gen 3:23). Sin also resulted in affecting the world we live in. The whole of creation is affected by sin. Gen. 3:17b-19 summarizes this reality - ‘Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life. 18 "Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field; 19 By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return.’ Instead of man having dominion over creation, the ground is cursed and man now must toil and at the end of it all will die separated from God’s blessings forever. The ultimate end result of sin is that it brings about the penalty of death. The warning was first given by God as He commanded the man not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2:17). The result of death is that it brings about fear and terror in man as he confronts its inevitability, which will culminate in eternal separation from God. The sin of Adam and Eve abounds through their children and culminates in the near destruction of mankind. As sin proliferates in the growing number of people upon the earth, God judges man by sending a worldwide Flood (Gen 6-7).
This is what God reveals to us in the Bible about the condition of people as sin permeated the earth - ‘Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually’ (Gen. 6:5). Despite the flood and the grace that was shown to Noah’s family, the sin nature continues through him, and thus to all mankind.
From Adam and Eve and this point on, man is born in a sinful state and condition. Sin permeates our innermost being and is at the core of the human soul. Jesus tells us this - ‘"But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders’ (Matt. 15:18-19).
The root cause of sin is man’s rebellion against God. Sin places man at the center of all activity and removes God from His rightful place as Creator and Lord. It affects our intellect (2 Cor 4:4), conscience (1 Tim 4:2), will (Rom 1:28), and heart (Eph 4:18). Sin is not just failure and lack on our behalf, or even a deficiency of some sort, but it is the lack of true knowledge which would include the exchange of truth for falsehood (Rom 1:25). The scope of sin would also consist of acts of omission and commission - things which God desires for us to do but we don’t - and thing s which God teaches us not to do but we do them anyway. The result of sin is that man is totally depraved (Eph 2:1-3). A Christian named Charles Ryrie explains what total depravity means:
‘Total depravity does not mean that everyone is as thoroughly depraved in his actions as he could possibly be, nor that everyone will indulge in every form of sin, nor that a person cannot appreciate and even do acts of goodness; but it does mean that the corruption of sin extends to all men and to all parts of all men so that there is nothing within the natural man that can give him merit in God’s sight.’
Sin is the violation of God’s divine command and may be pictured by a person going beyond a set boundary. The sign stating "trespassers will be prosecuted" is ignored and the person proceeds only to find that he faces a penalty for his decision. Likewise sin in our lives is marked out by disbelief, denial, and rejection of the divine truth of the Bible. It is a willful act of disobedience to God’s revealed truth. It is the absence of righteousness in one’s life and the presence of enmity towards our Creator.
Sin is also the rejection of God’s right to impose divine standards and the denial of His supremacy over mankind. By doing so God’s right to be all that He is, is denied and His Lordship diminished. Sin is the failure to live according to, and the failure to attain to the divine standard. This failure on man’s part may be pictured by an archer failing to hit the bull’s eye - we constantly miss God’s holy standard in what we do each day. The reason that this takes place is that man has intentionally transgressed God’s bounds; therefore, deviating from His will, and producing a shortcoming that ultimately ends in eternal death.
It should be noted at this point that because man’s condition at birth is in a sinful state, he cannot achieve the divine standard. Man’s life is therefore marked by his separation from God, rebellion against Him, and the chaos that ensues. Yet man lives in this state and even strives for it, and he does not acknowledge what sin really is.
The corruption of sin is delineated by the following characteristics. Sin is a lie, which began in the Garden of Eden propagated by the father of lies, Satan. Sin has man in its grip by inviting him to believe a lie. The falseness of sin is expressed through terms like seduction and deception.
Christ establishes sin’s nature stating that Satan "does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him (John 8:44)." Sin deludes, which is complete in a cunningness and craftiness which betrays man. Sin deceives us, it lures us to that which is false - false religions, self worship, nature worship. Sin also offers us the promise of much pleasure - sex, money, success - which in the end are empty and void. Sin is darkness, which covers up the truth that God is Light (1 John 1:5). It is brought forth by the prince of darkness, Satan, inspiring man to evil deeds and love of darkness and evil (John 3:19-20).
Sin is iniquity, which perverts and distorts our thoughts of God and His law (Isa 64:6). As it operates in us, sin leads to the pollution and destruction of our soul and mind. Sin is bondage, for indulgence in sin results in a captivity which tragically grips man to Satan’s dominion. Man thus rejects serving God and prefers to serve himself and Satan, only to find in the end that ‘the wages of sin is death’ (Rom 6:23). Sin is vanity, for it leaves us in confusion and emptiness.
It promises much, but returns short-lived pleasure and over our lifetime, the pleasure of sin will be outweighed by defeat and dissatisfaction. Sin leads you astray, onto paths that seemingly prosper you, but over time you will discover that you fall prey to the enemy, Satan (Isa 53:6). Sin affects our minds and causes it to think in ways that are in contradiction to God’s will (Rom. 12:2). Sin causes the body to react in physical ways - it saps our strength, causes breakdowns, brings about sickness, damages our health, brings about physical death (Ps. 32:3-4, 38:3, 1 Cor 11:30). Sin is separation, for it isolates you from a right relationship between yourself and others. Sin separates you from any form of personal relationship with God. Without God’s initiative of reconciling you back to Himself - the forgiving of your sin, you will die in this state. And when you die in this state you will realize the wages of sin - the horror and anguish of being eternally separated from God and His grace(Rev 20:15).
The results of sin are many and the Bible confronts us with the hard truths that we do not wish to deal with. Sin foremost brings about a verdict of guilty upon your soul by God, which leads to a deserved penalty - the wrath of God. The Bible makes this clear for it states, ‘The soul who sins shall die’ (Ezek. 18:20). Sin produces in you, whether you want to acknowledge it or not, a state of wickedness. This state of wickedness is propelled by evil and the end result is that you will be judged by God, and sentenced to an eternity in hell (Ps. 9:17). Sin produces an existence that is empty of hope for it brings ruin and brokeness to your life. Sin produces distortion in your view of the dangers of indulgence, and drives you away from the path that leads to God’s holiness, righteousness and true spiritual life (Matt. 7:13). Sin brings upon you a defiling influence on your life with its fruit of moral corruption. Sin corrupts you and therefore in your soul you reject God and His holiness, and you diminish the sinfulness of sin (Ps. 14:1). A known theologian wrote this - "Sin ensnares the soul . . . blinds, deludes, deceives, defiles, then destroys. If unforsaken, sin results in irretrievable ruin."
If we do not understand our own sinfulness - if we fail to see sin as God does - if we try to hide or deny the reality of the presence and impact of our sin - or if we deny responsibility for our own guilt, we cannot discover the only way that God establishes to deal with our sin - once and for all.
Until you humbly realize that your sin is utterly loathsome, you will never know God, you will never have any relationship with Him, but the only reality that you will realize one day is the terrifying consequences of eternal damnation in hell.
Next week we ask you to come back, because through God’s Word we will discover that God does not leave us in judgement due to sin….but He offers to us His only plan to rescue us from our sin. Next week we will unfold the gospel - the Good News that we can be free from the penalty of our sins - forever.
(For a full explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - click here - http://www.doihaveeternallife.blogspot.com/)
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Audio Sermon: John 3:11-15 (file incomplete)
Going Deeper: Study Guide
Why Did Jesus Come To Earth?
The last time when we were in the gospel of John, we met a very well known religious man. He was a prominent teacher of God’s law named Nicodemus. We found out that despite his outward devotion and morality, his life was spiritually bankrupt. He was good man, but he was not saved from above…he was not born again….he was not going to heaven. Jesus knew this because He could see into his heart condition… it was devoid of spiritual regeneration. From Jesus’ discourse with Nicodemus we were challenged to look at our own claims to Christianity. Are we genuine believers, are we born again, through the work of the Holy Spirit? This week we continue with Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus from chapter 3, verses 11-21:
11 "Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony. 12 "If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 "No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. 14 "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.
v.11 Our passage today once again starts with the phrase - ‘Truly, truly.’ So once again something important is to be stated, and we the readers are alerted to this fact. Our passage deals with this theme - the reason why Jesus came. But it is not left just at that, but presses us further - to think about the importance of believing in Jesus Christ for eternal life.
Jesus speaks and makes this important statement - we should note that Jesus speaks using the plural ‘we’- that Jesus is part of the body of reliable witnesses to the reality that to be born again (3:7) - that is to have true spiritual life, it must come from above. God is the One who saves the sinner, and spiritual regeneration does not come through what man achieves. Despite Jesus’ authority in what He does personally know, and what He has personally seen, in respect to the working of God…..Nicodemus, and in general, the people do not accept this testimony. They chose not to believe in Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God, even though Jesus was stating objective truth.
v.12 Jesus further explains by contrasting earthly things with heavenly things. Jesus says that the things that must take place on earth - like being born again - that if Nicodemus can’t understand these fundamental issues then how can he expect to grasp the deeper issues that relate to heaven? Yet Jesus will continue in dealing with these issues.
The whole emphasis of verses 11 and 12 really focuses on the idea that unbelief in Nicodemus and the nation of Israel is the cause of ignorance. Nicodemus was a very intelligent man, but he still did not believe in Jesus’ authoritative witness, which lead to his spiritual ignorance. This emphasizes the reality that spiritual regeneration is wholly a work of God. God is the One who opens our eyes to see truth - it is not based on how smart we are.
v.13 In verse 13 Jesus states No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. Through this statement Jesus clearly states His authority in being able to make these claims of truth. No man has ever been to heaven and has come back to tell others about the things which Jesus knew and saw. Even the apostle Paul was taken into heaven and saw great things, but he was not to speak about what he saw (2 Cor. 12:1-4). So it is only through Jesus that we receive special revelation concerning spiritual heavenly realities. Jesus is the Son of Man and therefore is the One who descended from heaven.
Let’s take a little detour for a moment. There are so many different religions claiming to be the pathway to God, claiming to be the source of truth. Have you ever wondered about this? Have you ever questioned why Christianity is the only way? If you have had any questions or doubts, then we need to examine the impact of this verse. As a point of interest this verse states clearly that no one - except Jesus has special revelation from God. Despite the claims of other religions, no one but Jesus has direct access to God. Other religions’ key figures say that they have direct revelation from God, but in this verse Jesus out rightly rejects that false notion - therefore making other religions to be false systems of belief. This verse indirectly reveals who Jesus is…that He is pre-existent and that He is Deity, affirming once again the facts about His nature and character as it was done so clearly back in chapter 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
v.14, 15 Jesus now begins to give us the reason why He came to earth. Jesus turns to something that Nicodemus would have been very familiar with as a Pharisee, the Old Testament. Jesus provides Nicodemus with an analogy to illustrate His purpose in coming to our world …to earth.
Jesus looks to Numbers 21:4-9, where the Israelites are in the wilderness and are being judged for their complaining. What happened was that God sent fiery snakes in judgement of their sin. The snakes - bit the people, so that many people of Israel died (Num. 21:6). When the people confessed their sin they asked Moses to intercede to God on their behalf. As a result God asked Moses to - ‘Make a fiery [serpent], and set it on a standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live.’ (Num. 21:8). If anyone wanted to live, this was the means that God chose to heal the people. As we find out from this afternoon’s passage, this is a foreshadowing of Christ on the cross. And this is what Jesus does, He comes to our world to be lifted up, as God’s sole means of healing us from our sins. Jesus lifted up on a cross for the sins of the world, is the sole means of salvation from the penalty of sin. The people in Moses’ time made a willful decision of faith to look upon the lifted up serpent as God’s means of being saved physically from death. In essence the people through faith were looking to the Lord and trusting in His instruction - so it was not the image of the snake that saved, but it was the act of belief in the Lord. Likewise with Jesus - all those who look to Christ, who was ‘lifted up’ on the cross to pay the penalty for the sins of the world, will live spiritually and eternally.
The purpose for Christ’s death is laid out. Whoever believes will in Him - that is believes in Jesus Christ alone, will be saved from their sins and have eternal life. What is eternal life? It is the same term as everlasting life. A life that not only refers to a duration of time, but also to the quality of that life experienced. Literally eternal life means - ‘life of the age to come.’ It refers to the believers future resurrection and existence in heaven with Christ, which will be in perfect holiness and fully realized glory. Not only is eternal life something to be experienced in the future, but it is also something that believers benefit in now. Christians benefit from fellowship in Christ, the eternal Word of God - and the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit of God operating in your life. So we find from this passage the reason why Jesus came - Jesus Christ came to this darkened world from heaven as a testimony that God is working in peoples’ lives. What is God doing through Jesus Christ? He is saving people from their sin. God does this by offering forgiveness and eternal life in Christ. Jesus Christ was lifted up on a cross to die for our sins.
The basic answer to today’s key question - Why Did Jesus Come To Earth ? - is this - Jesus came to earth was to settle the issue of sin in your life.
So what is sin? Why is it so damaging to our relationship with God? Let us take some time now to examine this basic question:
What is Sin?
The use and reference to the word, "sin," is minimized in today’s society. The word itself brings to mind a negativity that is shunned and is regarded as being politically incorrect. It is a word that people do not want to deal with, yet it applies to all mankind. So what is sin? Sin may be defined as follows: Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature. What follows is a brief survey of the nature of sin and its entrance into humanity.
The Bible does not reveal the origin of evil in the universe, but focuses upon sin and its origin in man. In no sense is God the cause or agent of sin, nor does He provoke, condone, authorize, approve, or consent of it. God only permits Satan and his demons to act, yet He overrules evil which does not fit His purposes, which are always good. Sin is one-sided, for it is a contradiction of what God is, and He will never be indifferent to sin for it would go against His very nature as being completely holy. God is unable to contradict Himself.
Sin is expressed in the Bible by many words, but there are several which are significant. These words when translated from the original languages, provide us with the scope of its meaning which includes: "rebellion," "transgression," "perversion," "impiety," "missing the mark," "unrighteousness," "lawlessness," "depravity," and "evil desire." The first expression of these terms can be found in the beginning events of creation.
The entrance of sin in man is traced back to the garden of Eden when man was tempted by Satan (Gen 3:1-6). Sin was not an isolated event for Adam and Eve and limited to them only. But its consequences are apparent in their succeeding offspring and generations. It appears in each one of us. As a result of the presence of sin in man, man has a different attitude towards God.
Man’s fellowship with God is replaced with emotions of shame and fear and thus he desires to hide from Him and no longer wants to be in His presence. Gen 3:8 - states ‘They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.’
God’s attitude towards man also has been affected and now man’s sin evokes His wrath, displeasure, reproof, and condemnation. Adam and Eve are sent out of the garden (Gen 3:23). Sin also resulted in affecting the world we live in. The whole of creation is affected by sin. Gen. 3:17b-19 summarizes this reality - ‘Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life. 18 "Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field; 19 By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return.’ Instead of man having dominion over creation, the ground is cursed and man now must toil and at the end of it all will die separated from God’s blessings forever. The ultimate end result of sin is that it brings about the penalty of death. The warning was first given by God as He commanded the man not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2:17). The result of death is that it brings about fear and terror in man as he confronts its inevitability, which will culminate in eternal separation from God. The sin of Adam and Eve abounds through their children and culminates in the near destruction of mankind. As sin proliferates in the growing number of people upon the earth, God judges man by sending a worldwide Flood (Gen 6-7).
This is what God reveals to us in the Bible about the condition of people as sin permeated the earth - ‘Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually’ (Gen. 6:5). Despite the flood and the grace that was shown to Noah’s family, the sin nature continues through him, and thus to all mankind.
From Adam and Eve and this point on, man is born in a sinful state and condition. Sin permeates our innermost being and is at the core of the human soul. Jesus tells us this - ‘"But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders’ (Matt. 15:18-19).
The root cause of sin is man’s rebellion against God. Sin places man at the center of all activity and removes God from His rightful place as Creator and Lord. It affects our intellect (2 Cor 4:4), conscience (1 Tim 4:2), will (Rom 1:28), and heart (Eph 4:18). Sin is not just failure and lack on our behalf, or even a deficiency of some sort, but it is the lack of true knowledge which would include the exchange of truth for falsehood (Rom 1:25). The scope of sin would also consist of acts of omission and commission - things which God desires for us to do but we don’t - and thing s which God teaches us not to do but we do them anyway. The result of sin is that man is totally depraved (Eph 2:1-3). A Christian named Charles Ryrie explains what total depravity means:
‘Total depravity does not mean that everyone is as thoroughly depraved in his actions as he could possibly be, nor that everyone will indulge in every form of sin, nor that a person cannot appreciate and even do acts of goodness; but it does mean that the corruption of sin extends to all men and to all parts of all men so that there is nothing within the natural man that can give him merit in God’s sight.’
Sin is the violation of God’s divine command and may be pictured by a person going beyond a set boundary. The sign stating "trespassers will be prosecuted" is ignored and the person proceeds only to find that he faces a penalty for his decision. Likewise sin in our lives is marked out by disbelief, denial, and rejection of the divine truth of the Bible. It is a willful act of disobedience to God’s revealed truth. It is the absence of righteousness in one’s life and the presence of enmity towards our Creator.
Sin is also the rejection of God’s right to impose divine standards and the denial of His supremacy over mankind. By doing so God’s right to be all that He is, is denied and His Lordship diminished. Sin is the failure to live according to, and the failure to attain to the divine standard. This failure on man’s part may be pictured by an archer failing to hit the bull’s eye - we constantly miss God’s holy standard in what we do each day. The reason that this takes place is that man has intentionally transgressed God’s bounds; therefore, deviating from His will, and producing a shortcoming that ultimately ends in eternal death.
It should be noted at this point that because man’s condition at birth is in a sinful state, he cannot achieve the divine standard. Man’s life is therefore marked by his separation from God, rebellion against Him, and the chaos that ensues. Yet man lives in this state and even strives for it, and he does not acknowledge what sin really is.
The corruption of sin is delineated by the following characteristics. Sin is a lie, which began in the Garden of Eden propagated by the father of lies, Satan. Sin has man in its grip by inviting him to believe a lie. The falseness of sin is expressed through terms like seduction and deception.
Christ establishes sin’s nature stating that Satan "does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him (John 8:44)." Sin deludes, which is complete in a cunningness and craftiness which betrays man. Sin deceives us, it lures us to that which is false - false religions, self worship, nature worship. Sin also offers us the promise of much pleasure - sex, money, success - which in the end are empty and void. Sin is darkness, which covers up the truth that God is Light (1 John 1:5). It is brought forth by the prince of darkness, Satan, inspiring man to evil deeds and love of darkness and evil (John 3:19-20).
Sin is iniquity, which perverts and distorts our thoughts of God and His law (Isa 64:6). As it operates in us, sin leads to the pollution and destruction of our soul and mind. Sin is bondage, for indulgence in sin results in a captivity which tragically grips man to Satan’s dominion. Man thus rejects serving God and prefers to serve himself and Satan, only to find in the end that ‘the wages of sin is death’ (Rom 6:23). Sin is vanity, for it leaves us in confusion and emptiness.
It promises much, but returns short-lived pleasure and over our lifetime, the pleasure of sin will be outweighed by defeat and dissatisfaction. Sin leads you astray, onto paths that seemingly prosper you, but over time you will discover that you fall prey to the enemy, Satan (Isa 53:6). Sin affects our minds and causes it to think in ways that are in contradiction to God’s will (Rom. 12:2). Sin causes the body to react in physical ways - it saps our strength, causes breakdowns, brings about sickness, damages our health, brings about physical death (Ps. 32:3-4, 38:3, 1 Cor 11:30). Sin is separation, for it isolates you from a right relationship between yourself and others. Sin separates you from any form of personal relationship with God. Without God’s initiative of reconciling you back to Himself - the forgiving of your sin, you will die in this state. And when you die in this state you will realize the wages of sin - the horror and anguish of being eternally separated from God and His grace(Rev 20:15).
The results of sin are many and the Bible confronts us with the hard truths that we do not wish to deal with. Sin foremost brings about a verdict of guilty upon your soul by God, which leads to a deserved penalty - the wrath of God. The Bible makes this clear for it states, ‘The soul who sins shall die’ (Ezek. 18:20). Sin produces in you, whether you want to acknowledge it or not, a state of wickedness. This state of wickedness is propelled by evil and the end result is that you will be judged by God, and sentenced to an eternity in hell (Ps. 9:17). Sin produces an existence that is empty of hope for it brings ruin and brokeness to your life. Sin produces distortion in your view of the dangers of indulgence, and drives you away from the path that leads to God’s holiness, righteousness and true spiritual life (Matt. 7:13). Sin brings upon you a defiling influence on your life with its fruit of moral corruption. Sin corrupts you and therefore in your soul you reject God and His holiness, and you diminish the sinfulness of sin (Ps. 14:1). A known theologian wrote this - "Sin ensnares the soul . . . blinds, deludes, deceives, defiles, then destroys. If unforsaken, sin results in irretrievable ruin."
If we do not understand our own sinfulness - if we fail to see sin as God does - if we try to hide or deny the reality of the presence and impact of our sin - or if we deny responsibility for our own guilt, we cannot discover the only way that God establishes to deal with our sin - once and for all.
Until you humbly realize that your sin is utterly loathsome, you will never know God, you will never have any relationship with Him, but the only reality that you will realize one day is the terrifying consequences of eternal damnation in hell.
Next week we ask you to come back, because through God’s Word we will discover that God does not leave us in judgement due to sin….but He offers to us His only plan to rescue us from our sin. Next week we will unfold the gospel - the Good News that we can be free from the penalty of our sins - forever.
(For a full explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - click here - http://www.doihaveeternallife.blogspot.com/)
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Sunday, December 14, 2008
John 3:1-10 Believing Believers
14.12.08 John 3:1-10 (NASB)
Audio Sermon: John 3:1-10
Going Deeper: Study Guide
Believing Believers
Here is our inspired text this day, from John 3:1 - Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; 2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God [as] a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." 3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." 4 Nicodemus ^said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?" 5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 "Do not be amazed that I said to you, `You must be born again.' 8 "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." 9 Nicodemus said to Him, "How can these things be?" 10 Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?
As we begin chapter 3 we should note that there is a direct connection of this section with Jn. 2:23-25. This is indicated by the connective word now. Last week we looked at ‘Unbelieving Believers’ - people whom Jesus knew that were not truly saved, despite their own personal claims. We looked at eight factors which neither prove or disprove that a person is saved. These factors were VISIBLE MORALITY, INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE, RELIGIOUS INVOVEMENT, ACTIVE MINISTRY, CONVICTION OF SIN, PROFESSION OF FAITH, THE FEELING OF ASSURANCE, and the TIME OF DECISION. These in and of themselves do not conclusively demonstrate true saving faith. Today’s passage connects with last weeks sermon, because in Nicodemus we see that most of the factors that neither prove or disprove that a person is saved is evidenced in Nicodemus. He is a classic example of someone who believed that he was going to heaven, but was deceived - Nicodemus at the time of his meeting with Jesus was an ‘Unbelieving Believer.’
We begin our study today, with a conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. Nicodemus was an important man. He was a Pharisee. The Pharisees were a strict religious group that were highly zealous for Mosaic ritual and religious purity. To the Mosaic law they added many traditions. The Pharisees were Jews - who were business men rather than priests and Levites. They represented orthodox religion and had a strong influence on the common people of Israel. Jesus condemned them for their outward religion and lack of true spiritual regeneration.
The Pharisee’s route to salvation was through loyalty to the law, VISIBLE MORALITY - which was nothing more than salvation by works and not true spiritual rebirth.
In addition Nicodemus was in ACTIVE MINISTRY as a ruler of the Jews. This council was the Sanhedrin, the main ruling body of the Jews in Palestine. The Sanhedrin was composed of the High Priest, chief priests, elders, and scribes and acted as Israel’s ‘supreme court’ - ruling in civil and criminal cases.
v.2 - Because of Nicodemus’ high profile, he took caution in meeting Jesus - there was a lot at stake in his career. This is why he came to Jesus by night, yet there was an interest to find out more about Jesus. The theme of darkness or night runs through out John’s gospel - and usually indicates doubt, unbelief, evil, error, and things related with the domain of Satan.
It was Nicodemus that initiated the contact with Jesus. He gave Jesus the social grace of calling Jesus - ‘Rabbi’ - placing Jesus on the same playing field as he was on. But in reality, the Sanhedrin would look upon Jesus as one of the common people - a worker, a carpenter - and not one of the theologically learned. Yet Nicodemus was quite accurate in his acknowledgment of Jesus. He also realized that Jesus had come from God as a teacher because of the miraculous signs demonstrated. Nicodemus realized that no one can do these signs that Jesus continued to do if He were not empowered by God. So he approached Jesus with an open mind - challenged - ready to receive and analyze the truth.
v.3 - Jesus’ response to Nicodemus is important. It is marked by the words Truly, truly - which was also found in 1:51. Literally translated it is ‘amen, amen’ - indicating something very important was to be stated. Jesus is going to explain to Nicodemus the relationship that he could have with the living God. Jesus is going to tell Nicodemus the necessary relationship that a person must have in order to see the kingdom of God - that is to enter into heaven as a BELIEVING BELIEVER.
Likewise what is going to be said is an important message for us too. Jesus states that a person must be born again. A person must be born again or in other words, be born from above, in order to have a true saving relationship with God. By this statement, Jesus makes it clear that the view that spiritual rebirth through personal effort and merit is way off base. Instead spiritual rebirth is solely the work of God through the Holy Spirit.
Going back to Nicodemus we must think back to whom Nicodemus was. He was a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council. So in Jesus’ statement, He has already determined that Nicodemus was not a true believer. He did not have eternal life - despite his VISIBLE MORALITY or outward ‘purity’ - his spiritual condition was bankrupt - Nicodemus was a UNBELIEVING BELIEVER.
v.4 - This fact is underlined in verse 4 when Nicodemus is puzzled and does not understand what Jesus is implying as he states - "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?" Instead Nicodemus could only think about the physical aspects of birth. He was puzzled as to how someone who was a man who was old could become a new born again. Nicodemus certainly would not think that he needed to undergo any spiritual change in his life, because of his RELIGIOUS INVOVEMENT. He would not have known like we do, what being born again means in light of New Testament revelation. He was puzzled to say the least.
v.5 - Jesus responds to clarify what He means by being born again - what it means to have genuine spiritual regeneration. If we look down at verse five - there are those words again - Truly, truly. Jesus is once again going to say something that is crucial and important. Jesus explains that being born again is of water and the Spirit. This signifies that being born again is not a physical transaction as Nicodemus thought. But this was a regeneration - a life that only can come from the kingdom of God above. Spiritual rebirth comes only through the will and working of God’s Spirit.
v.6 - Jesus further explains using a contrast - He says - That which is born of the flesh is flesh. Whenever the word flesh is used in this gospel it always refers to a finite state of being - human frailty and weakness, something that is mortal. It doesn’t refer to the ruling sin nature, as in other parts of Scripture. So Jesus is explaining that human weakness can only lead to more of the same. But if one were to be spiritually born again, then its source must stem from the Holy Spirit for - that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
v.7 - Nicodemus should not have been - amazed, and because of his INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE, should have understood what Jesus was saying, when He stated that - You must be born again. Because the Jews looked forward to the day when God would pour out His Spirit upon the nation. Nicodemus would have been very familiar with the passage from Ezekiel 36. Ezekiel 36:26-27 states - I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
v.8 - Jesus continues His response and states in verse 8 - The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit. There are two words I want to draw your attention to. These are the words ‘wind’ and the word ‘Spirit.’ In the Greek it is the same word - pneuma - we get the English word pneumatic from it. So there is a play on words that Jesus employs, in answer to Nicodemus. The wind like the Spirit of God comes and goes and we cannot see Him or know where He comes from or is going. We are able to hear the sound of the wind blowing, but we cannot comprehend its course.
Jesus uses this metaphor of the Spirit to explain to Nicodemus that the work of the Holy Spirit is not fully comprehensible to people. Everyone who is born of the Spirit appears to others as the sound of the wind. In other words people look at new believers knowing that there is something distinguishable about what has been done in this persons life, but they cannot fully comprehend how it took place. The person that is born of the Spirit or born from above, displays fruit that cannot be denied, but it is rather difficult to explain (scientifically anyway). Others can only sense that something is different….new. The Christian’s life is a testimony to the unseen reality of the work of the Holy Spirit.
v.9-10 - Nicodemus’ response to Jesus was continued misunderstanding, yet it hinted at a desire to receive the truth - How can these things be? - he says. Nicodemus was a prominent religious leader, and also an unrivaled teacher of the Jews - He was the teacher of Israel, but he still did not understand these things which Jesus spoke about. There is some irony in this exchange because the learn-ed Nicodemus who was a spiritual leader - Pharisee - was wise in earthly matters, but unlearned in spiritual matters.
So what we find through this passage is that if a person is - in Jesus’ own words - born again - then this person is a BELIEVING BELIEVER. Last week we looked at UNBELIEVING BELIEVERS and factors which neither prove or disprove that a person is a BELIEVING BELIEVER.
Now we complete the picture with the marks which do demonstrate that a person is born again - born from above. So let us look at 10…
Factors Which Do Evidence True Saving Faith
If you remember from last week in 2 Cor 13:5, there it suggests to us that we need to examine our faith. This is one of the reasons I’m going over these characters of genuine saving faith with you. It is a good exercise to examine ourselves, to see if we are in the faith. As well, it helps us in giving our conversion testimony to others, and also when we lead someone to Christ, we know how to help them examine their belief also.
The first factor that does evidence that we are a genuine Christian is:
1. REPENTANCE
There must be a turning away from sin and a turning toward God. The word "repentance," literally means "to change one’s mind." Repentance is to change one’s way of life as the result of a complete Spirit driven change of thought and attitude with regard to sin and righteousness. True conversion is turning away from sin and turning toward God. There must be a hatred of sin because God hates sin. This is not merely a verbal profession, but a total change from a life which was committed to sin and self; and now to a life of total commitment to forsake sin and a total commitment to follow Christ as a believer.
Acts 26:20 tells us of the various people groups of the New Testament times: that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.
Acts 20:21 - I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. (NIV)
If there is true repentance, your heart will be convicted of sin before a Holy God. Through the work of the Holy Spirit - out of your own heart you will profoundly realize that you are a sinner fully facing the wrath of God to come. And in response there will be a sincere and abiding repentance of sin and there will be an awareness of God’s complete forgiveness and grace through Jesus Christ.
The second Factor which does evidence true saving faith is:
2. BELIEF AND PROFESSION OF CHRIST
There must be a sound profession of belief in the crucified and resurrected Christ. The decisive factor of true Christian faith is the acceptance of the crucified and resurrected Christ, our Saviour. There are many so called saviours, but one distinguishing reality of true saving faith is the historically verifiable resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is critical to the gospel.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 - For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scripture.
Romans 10:9-10 - if you confess with your mouth Jesus [as] Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
A person must profess specifically the crucified and resurrected Christ. This is not just an intellectual ascent, a mere belief - but it is a life changing belief that affects every aspect of your life. True belief and profession of Christ results in visible spiritual fruit in your life.
The next Factor which does evidence true saving faith is:
3. GENUINE LOVE FOR GOD IN CHRIST.
There must be a deep genuine continuing love for God, and for Christ. Do you love God, Christ? Do you love God’s nature? Do you seek God through prayer and the Word? Do you seek to know and worship God? Matthew 22:37 - And He said to him, " `You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 1 Corinthians 16:22 - If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed. Maranatha.
The opposite of genuine love for God and Christ is hate and resentment against God and Christ. In addition there is no pleasure taken, in the person who does not truly love God, in knowing that God is sovereignly in control of them. Now a person may claim to love God and in fact does but the key is do they love the Christ of the Scripture? Genuine love of God in Christ is demonstrated by a life that is centered around making God’s glory known. Loving God is not out of personal convenience to receive a happy life - it is not an insurance policy for protection from eternal hell when one dies apart from Christ Genuine love for God is not self centered, seeking personal gain and fulfillment. Genuine love for God in Christ elevates God and Christ to their rightful place and reduces our high view of self. Genuine love for God and Christ is a decisive factor in evidencing true saving faith.
Not only does a true believer demonstrate Repentance, Belief and Profession of Christ, and Genuine Love for God in his or her life….but there also is…
4. OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST
In the believer’s life there must be a determined obedience to follow Christ (obedient living). Do you show strong desire to please God by willingly obeying Scriptural teachings? Do you accept correction or instruction from the Bible humbly and then respond Biblically? Do you apply Biblical commands, teaching, and principles to your life the best way you can? Luke 9:23 - And He was saying to [them] all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. Hebrews 5:9 states that Jesus - became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him (NIV)
Obedience to Christ and His Word is not an option it is commanded.
5. TRUE HUMILITY.
True saving faith will manifest genuine humility. The marks of humility are in part listed in Matthew 5: 3-6 where Jesus said: 3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
If true humility brought about by spiritual regeneration - that is being born again) is present - you will come to God fully dependent upon Him. You will not be coming to God full of yourself, but rather in self denial and lowliness of mind. God saves the humble:
James 4:6-10 states this - But He gives a greater grace. Therefore [it] says, "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
If you posses true humility, you will not come before God with all your pride and boasting of all your religious and spiritual achievements. If one is born again you will come empty handed in full dependence upon Christ.
6. CONTINUING WORSHIP
There are many who claim to be Christians yet their lives are not marked by continuing worship. If the Spirit gives birth to spirit (Jn. 3:9) then genuine saving faith will manifest itself in the desire to worship God. The indwelling Holy Spirit in a believer will drive a person who is saved to worship God. True worship is not external conformity to a habit, but it is a heart attitude of obedience to worship in spirit and truth. John 4:23-24 - 23 "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24 "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
Worship goes beyond corporate worship services on Sundays, but every moment of your life as one who is born again, is an act of worship. 1 Cor 10:31 - Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
If there is genuine saving faith there also will be a constant and consistent worship of God.
7. GOD CENTERED LOVE
When a person is born again, God will place upon our hearts the love for other believers. This love stems from the very fact that as unbelievers we love ourselves more than we love God. But when God saves us we are given His love.
1 John 4:19- 5:3 - 19 We love, because He first loved us. 20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also. 5:1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the [child] born of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.
This is the primary way that the world can recognize that we are followers of Christ. It is a testimony of the grace that we have in Jesus Christ. There must be love for others, which is an act of obedience to God.
8. SANCTIFICATION
When a person is saved by God, He begins the process of sanctification. Sanctification is the setting apart of oneself from sin and then unto holiness. Any former love of the world is being set aside and being replaced with holiness. Your love and devotion is now directed towards God and His glory. We give up the ungodly pursuits of this world and our focus shifts upward. 1 John 2:15-17 - 15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and [also] its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
Upon those who are born again is the definite and growing pull of our heavenly hope on our redeemed souls. The Christian is no longer following the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience - as it states in Ephesians 2:2.
In those who are true Christians, there must be a setting apart from the world and a putting on of personal holiness.
SPIRITUAL GROWTH
Ephesians 4:15 tells us that "…we are to grow up in all [aspects] into Him who is the head, [even] Christ. So there must be spiritual growth. There is no other way about this fact. If you do not demonstrate spiritual growth in your life then, you are not born again. And we looked at the parable of the soils last week, and briefly as we look at it again we will see this very truth.
Luke 8:15 - But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. True spiritual regeneration will produce spiritual growth, there is a crop of righteousness that will be harvested. When God saves a person, God guarantees that spiritual growth will take place. This is brought to our attention in:
Philippians 1:6 - [For I am] confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
If you are born again, you will definitely grow into a greater degree of Christ likeness. Those who are alive to Christ will grow, improve, and increase spiritually. You will move from one level of sanctification and glorification to the next, until you are complete in Christ.
We are going to look at one more area that evidences true saving faith.
10. CONSISTENT PRAYER
True believers have a personal and private prayer life with God. A mark of true saving faith is a the act of humble, submissive, and believing prayer with God, because the indwelling Holy Spirit will prompt us to do so. Ephesians 6:18 - With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints. The believer is marked by prayer in his or her life. As it reveals in Ephesians, the believer is to pray a variety of prayers; pray with frequency; pray with submission to God’s will; pray with watchfulness; pray with persistence; and to pray for one another. If one is a BELIEVING BELIEVER there must be constant prayer.
There is no question to the reality that even though we are BELIEVING BELIEVERS will there be perfection in each area mentioned above. A Christian will fail in some if not all of these areas, but the overarching pattern of our life is upward in each area. There is a consistent pattern of spiritual growth and maturity led by the indwelling Holy Spirit in each area.
Today we have looked at 10 areas that evidence true spiritual rebirth - true Christianity. There are inevitably other areas that will corroborate what has been stated today, beyond these 10 evidences. I encourage you to examine your life in light of what is stated in Scripture. Do you see the above evidences in your life? Does your life evidence: REPENTANCE, BELIEF AND PROFESSION OF CHRIST, GENUINE LOVE FOR GOD IN CHRIST, OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST, TRUE HUMILITY, CONTINUING WORSHIP, GOD CENTERED LOVE, SANCTIFICATION, SPIRITUAL GROWTH, and CONSISTENT PRAYER. All these are real evidences of a saving faith that is genuine.
When we look back to the two categories of ‘evidences’ we have examined:
Factors which are indecisive to evidence true saving faith.
Factors which do evidence true saving faith.
We will be able to determine if we are UNBELIEVING BELIEVERS or BELIEVING BELIEVERS.
If you take last weeks list - Factors which are indecisive to evidence true saving faith - they were: VISIBLE MORALITY, INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE, RELIGIOUS INVOVEMENT, ACTIVE MINISTRY, CONVICTION OF SIN, PROFESSION OF FAITH, THE FEELING OF ASSURANCE, and the TIME OF DECISION….if this list is true of you and today’s 10 ‘Factors which do evidence true saving faith’ - are not evident in your life - you need to seriously question your profession of faith.
But on the other hand if today’s 10 ‘Factors which do evidence true saving faith’ - are evident in your life - then it will go without question that last weeks list will also be true in your life too.
If you are a BELIEVING BELIEVER - a genuine Christian, there will be noticeable spiritual growth in your life. As this takes place you will become more and more like Jesus. That which is born of the Spirit will produce itself. If you are alive in Christ then you will grow, there is no other way. So as we close off today’s sermon, remember that the Bible calls all of us to examine our life in light of the Word of God.
Do you see any Biblical spiritual growth? Is your life marked by an increase in godliness, and a decrease in the frequency of sin? Is there a growing pattern of devotion to God?
(For a full explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - click here - http://www.doihaveeternallife.blogspot.com/)
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Audio Sermon: John 3:1-10
Going Deeper: Study Guide
Believing Believers
Here is our inspired text this day, from John 3:1 - Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; 2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God [as] a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." 3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." 4 Nicodemus ^said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?" 5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 "Do not be amazed that I said to you, `You must be born again.' 8 "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." 9 Nicodemus said to Him, "How can these things be?" 10 Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?
As we begin chapter 3 we should note that there is a direct connection of this section with Jn. 2:23-25. This is indicated by the connective word now. Last week we looked at ‘Unbelieving Believers’ - people whom Jesus knew that were not truly saved, despite their own personal claims. We looked at eight factors which neither prove or disprove that a person is saved. These factors were VISIBLE MORALITY, INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE, RELIGIOUS INVOVEMENT, ACTIVE MINISTRY, CONVICTION OF SIN, PROFESSION OF FAITH, THE FEELING OF ASSURANCE, and the TIME OF DECISION. These in and of themselves do not conclusively demonstrate true saving faith. Today’s passage connects with last weeks sermon, because in Nicodemus we see that most of the factors that neither prove or disprove that a person is saved is evidenced in Nicodemus. He is a classic example of someone who believed that he was going to heaven, but was deceived - Nicodemus at the time of his meeting with Jesus was an ‘Unbelieving Believer.’
We begin our study today, with a conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. Nicodemus was an important man. He was a Pharisee. The Pharisees were a strict religious group that were highly zealous for Mosaic ritual and religious purity. To the Mosaic law they added many traditions. The Pharisees were Jews - who were business men rather than priests and Levites. They represented orthodox religion and had a strong influence on the common people of Israel. Jesus condemned them for their outward religion and lack of true spiritual regeneration.
The Pharisee’s route to salvation was through loyalty to the law, VISIBLE MORALITY - which was nothing more than salvation by works and not true spiritual rebirth.
In addition Nicodemus was in ACTIVE MINISTRY as a ruler of the Jews. This council was the Sanhedrin, the main ruling body of the Jews in Palestine. The Sanhedrin was composed of the High Priest, chief priests, elders, and scribes and acted as Israel’s ‘supreme court’ - ruling in civil and criminal cases.
v.2 - Because of Nicodemus’ high profile, he took caution in meeting Jesus - there was a lot at stake in his career. This is why he came to Jesus by night, yet there was an interest to find out more about Jesus. The theme of darkness or night runs through out John’s gospel - and usually indicates doubt, unbelief, evil, error, and things related with the domain of Satan.
It was Nicodemus that initiated the contact with Jesus. He gave Jesus the social grace of calling Jesus - ‘Rabbi’ - placing Jesus on the same playing field as he was on. But in reality, the Sanhedrin would look upon Jesus as one of the common people - a worker, a carpenter - and not one of the theologically learned. Yet Nicodemus was quite accurate in his acknowledgment of Jesus. He also realized that Jesus had come from God as a teacher because of the miraculous signs demonstrated. Nicodemus realized that no one can do these signs that Jesus continued to do if He were not empowered by God. So he approached Jesus with an open mind - challenged - ready to receive and analyze the truth.
v.3 - Jesus’ response to Nicodemus is important. It is marked by the words Truly, truly - which was also found in 1:51. Literally translated it is ‘amen, amen’ - indicating something very important was to be stated. Jesus is going to explain to Nicodemus the relationship that he could have with the living God. Jesus is going to tell Nicodemus the necessary relationship that a person must have in order to see the kingdom of God - that is to enter into heaven as a BELIEVING BELIEVER.
Likewise what is going to be said is an important message for us too. Jesus states that a person must be born again. A person must be born again or in other words, be born from above, in order to have a true saving relationship with God. By this statement, Jesus makes it clear that the view that spiritual rebirth through personal effort and merit is way off base. Instead spiritual rebirth is solely the work of God through the Holy Spirit.
Going back to Nicodemus we must think back to whom Nicodemus was. He was a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council. So in Jesus’ statement, He has already determined that Nicodemus was not a true believer. He did not have eternal life - despite his VISIBLE MORALITY or outward ‘purity’ - his spiritual condition was bankrupt - Nicodemus was a UNBELIEVING BELIEVER.
v.4 - This fact is underlined in verse 4 when Nicodemus is puzzled and does not understand what Jesus is implying as he states - "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?" Instead Nicodemus could only think about the physical aspects of birth. He was puzzled as to how someone who was a man who was old could become a new born again. Nicodemus certainly would not think that he needed to undergo any spiritual change in his life, because of his RELIGIOUS INVOVEMENT. He would not have known like we do, what being born again means in light of New Testament revelation. He was puzzled to say the least.
v.5 - Jesus responds to clarify what He means by being born again - what it means to have genuine spiritual regeneration. If we look down at verse five - there are those words again - Truly, truly. Jesus is once again going to say something that is crucial and important. Jesus explains that being born again is of water and the Spirit. This signifies that being born again is not a physical transaction as Nicodemus thought. But this was a regeneration - a life that only can come from the kingdom of God above. Spiritual rebirth comes only through the will and working of God’s Spirit.
v.6 - Jesus further explains using a contrast - He says - That which is born of the flesh is flesh. Whenever the word flesh is used in this gospel it always refers to a finite state of being - human frailty and weakness, something that is mortal. It doesn’t refer to the ruling sin nature, as in other parts of Scripture. So Jesus is explaining that human weakness can only lead to more of the same. But if one were to be spiritually born again, then its source must stem from the Holy Spirit for - that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
v.7 - Nicodemus should not have been - amazed, and because of his INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE, should have understood what Jesus was saying, when He stated that - You must be born again. Because the Jews looked forward to the day when God would pour out His Spirit upon the nation. Nicodemus would have been very familiar with the passage from Ezekiel 36. Ezekiel 36:26-27 states - I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
v.8 - Jesus continues His response and states in verse 8 - The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit. There are two words I want to draw your attention to. These are the words ‘wind’ and the word ‘Spirit.’ In the Greek it is the same word - pneuma - we get the English word pneumatic from it. So there is a play on words that Jesus employs, in answer to Nicodemus. The wind like the Spirit of God comes and goes and we cannot see Him or know where He comes from or is going. We are able to hear the sound of the wind blowing, but we cannot comprehend its course.
Jesus uses this metaphor of the Spirit to explain to Nicodemus that the work of the Holy Spirit is not fully comprehensible to people. Everyone who is born of the Spirit appears to others as the sound of the wind. In other words people look at new believers knowing that there is something distinguishable about what has been done in this persons life, but they cannot fully comprehend how it took place. The person that is born of the Spirit or born from above, displays fruit that cannot be denied, but it is rather difficult to explain (scientifically anyway). Others can only sense that something is different….new. The Christian’s life is a testimony to the unseen reality of the work of the Holy Spirit.
v.9-10 - Nicodemus’ response to Jesus was continued misunderstanding, yet it hinted at a desire to receive the truth - How can these things be? - he says. Nicodemus was a prominent religious leader, and also an unrivaled teacher of the Jews - He was the teacher of Israel, but he still did not understand these things which Jesus spoke about. There is some irony in this exchange because the learn-ed Nicodemus who was a spiritual leader - Pharisee - was wise in earthly matters, but unlearned in spiritual matters.
So what we find through this passage is that if a person is - in Jesus’ own words - born again - then this person is a BELIEVING BELIEVER. Last week we looked at UNBELIEVING BELIEVERS and factors which neither prove or disprove that a person is a BELIEVING BELIEVER.
Now we complete the picture with the marks which do demonstrate that a person is born again - born from above. So let us look at 10…
Factors Which Do Evidence True Saving Faith
If you remember from last week in 2 Cor 13:5, there it suggests to us that we need to examine our faith. This is one of the reasons I’m going over these characters of genuine saving faith with you. It is a good exercise to examine ourselves, to see if we are in the faith. As well, it helps us in giving our conversion testimony to others, and also when we lead someone to Christ, we know how to help them examine their belief also.
The first factor that does evidence that we are a genuine Christian is:
1. REPENTANCE
There must be a turning away from sin and a turning toward God. The word "repentance," literally means "to change one’s mind." Repentance is to change one’s way of life as the result of a complete Spirit driven change of thought and attitude with regard to sin and righteousness. True conversion is turning away from sin and turning toward God. There must be a hatred of sin because God hates sin. This is not merely a verbal profession, but a total change from a life which was committed to sin and self; and now to a life of total commitment to forsake sin and a total commitment to follow Christ as a believer.
Acts 26:20 tells us of the various people groups of the New Testament times: that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.
Acts 20:21 - I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. (NIV)
If there is true repentance, your heart will be convicted of sin before a Holy God. Through the work of the Holy Spirit - out of your own heart you will profoundly realize that you are a sinner fully facing the wrath of God to come. And in response there will be a sincere and abiding repentance of sin and there will be an awareness of God’s complete forgiveness and grace through Jesus Christ.
The second Factor which does evidence true saving faith is:
2. BELIEF AND PROFESSION OF CHRIST
There must be a sound profession of belief in the crucified and resurrected Christ. The decisive factor of true Christian faith is the acceptance of the crucified and resurrected Christ, our Saviour. There are many so called saviours, but one distinguishing reality of true saving faith is the historically verifiable resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is critical to the gospel.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 - For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scripture.
Romans 10:9-10 - if you confess with your mouth Jesus [as] Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
A person must profess specifically the crucified and resurrected Christ. This is not just an intellectual ascent, a mere belief - but it is a life changing belief that affects every aspect of your life. True belief and profession of Christ results in visible spiritual fruit in your life.
The next Factor which does evidence true saving faith is:
3. GENUINE LOVE FOR GOD IN CHRIST.
There must be a deep genuine continuing love for God, and for Christ. Do you love God, Christ? Do you love God’s nature? Do you seek God through prayer and the Word? Do you seek to know and worship God? Matthew 22:37 - And He said to him, " `You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 1 Corinthians 16:22 - If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed. Maranatha.
The opposite of genuine love for God and Christ is hate and resentment against God and Christ. In addition there is no pleasure taken, in the person who does not truly love God, in knowing that God is sovereignly in control of them. Now a person may claim to love God and in fact does but the key is do they love the Christ of the Scripture? Genuine love of God in Christ is demonstrated by a life that is centered around making God’s glory known. Loving God is not out of personal convenience to receive a happy life - it is not an insurance policy for protection from eternal hell when one dies apart from Christ Genuine love for God is not self centered, seeking personal gain and fulfillment. Genuine love for God in Christ elevates God and Christ to their rightful place and reduces our high view of self. Genuine love for God and Christ is a decisive factor in evidencing true saving faith.
Not only does a true believer demonstrate Repentance, Belief and Profession of Christ, and Genuine Love for God in his or her life….but there also is…
4. OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST
In the believer’s life there must be a determined obedience to follow Christ (obedient living). Do you show strong desire to please God by willingly obeying Scriptural teachings? Do you accept correction or instruction from the Bible humbly and then respond Biblically? Do you apply Biblical commands, teaching, and principles to your life the best way you can? Luke 9:23 - And He was saying to [them] all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. Hebrews 5:9 states that Jesus - became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him (NIV)
Obedience to Christ and His Word is not an option it is commanded.
5. TRUE HUMILITY.
True saving faith will manifest genuine humility. The marks of humility are in part listed in Matthew 5: 3-6 where Jesus said: 3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
If true humility brought about by spiritual regeneration - that is being born again) is present - you will come to God fully dependent upon Him. You will not be coming to God full of yourself, but rather in self denial and lowliness of mind. God saves the humble:
James 4:6-10 states this - But He gives a greater grace. Therefore [it] says, "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
If you posses true humility, you will not come before God with all your pride and boasting of all your religious and spiritual achievements. If one is born again you will come empty handed in full dependence upon Christ.
6. CONTINUING WORSHIP
There are many who claim to be Christians yet their lives are not marked by continuing worship. If the Spirit gives birth to spirit (Jn. 3:9) then genuine saving faith will manifest itself in the desire to worship God. The indwelling Holy Spirit in a believer will drive a person who is saved to worship God. True worship is not external conformity to a habit, but it is a heart attitude of obedience to worship in spirit and truth. John 4:23-24 - 23 "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24 "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
Worship goes beyond corporate worship services on Sundays, but every moment of your life as one who is born again, is an act of worship. 1 Cor 10:31 - Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
If there is genuine saving faith there also will be a constant and consistent worship of God.
7. GOD CENTERED LOVE
When a person is born again, God will place upon our hearts the love for other believers. This love stems from the very fact that as unbelievers we love ourselves more than we love God. But when God saves us we are given His love.
1 John 4:19- 5:3 - 19 We love, because He first loved us. 20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also. 5:1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the [child] born of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.
This is the primary way that the world can recognize that we are followers of Christ. It is a testimony of the grace that we have in Jesus Christ. There must be love for others, which is an act of obedience to God.
8. SANCTIFICATION
When a person is saved by God, He begins the process of sanctification. Sanctification is the setting apart of oneself from sin and then unto holiness. Any former love of the world is being set aside and being replaced with holiness. Your love and devotion is now directed towards God and His glory. We give up the ungodly pursuits of this world and our focus shifts upward. 1 John 2:15-17 - 15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and [also] its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
Upon those who are born again is the definite and growing pull of our heavenly hope on our redeemed souls. The Christian is no longer following the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience - as it states in Ephesians 2:2.
In those who are true Christians, there must be a setting apart from the world and a putting on of personal holiness.
SPIRITUAL GROWTH
Ephesians 4:15 tells us that "…we are to grow up in all [aspects] into Him who is the head, [even] Christ. So there must be spiritual growth. There is no other way about this fact. If you do not demonstrate spiritual growth in your life then, you are not born again. And we looked at the parable of the soils last week, and briefly as we look at it again we will see this very truth.
Luke 8:15 - But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. True spiritual regeneration will produce spiritual growth, there is a crop of righteousness that will be harvested. When God saves a person, God guarantees that spiritual growth will take place. This is brought to our attention in:
Philippians 1:6 - [For I am] confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
If you are born again, you will definitely grow into a greater degree of Christ likeness. Those who are alive to Christ will grow, improve, and increase spiritually. You will move from one level of sanctification and glorification to the next, until you are complete in Christ.
We are going to look at one more area that evidences true saving faith.
10. CONSISTENT PRAYER
True believers have a personal and private prayer life with God. A mark of true saving faith is a the act of humble, submissive, and believing prayer with God, because the indwelling Holy Spirit will prompt us to do so. Ephesians 6:18 - With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints. The believer is marked by prayer in his or her life. As it reveals in Ephesians, the believer is to pray a variety of prayers; pray with frequency; pray with submission to God’s will; pray with watchfulness; pray with persistence; and to pray for one another. If one is a BELIEVING BELIEVER there must be constant prayer.
There is no question to the reality that even though we are BELIEVING BELIEVERS will there be perfection in each area mentioned above. A Christian will fail in some if not all of these areas, but the overarching pattern of our life is upward in each area. There is a consistent pattern of spiritual growth and maturity led by the indwelling Holy Spirit in each area.
Today we have looked at 10 areas that evidence true spiritual rebirth - true Christianity. There are inevitably other areas that will corroborate what has been stated today, beyond these 10 evidences. I encourage you to examine your life in light of what is stated in Scripture. Do you see the above evidences in your life? Does your life evidence: REPENTANCE, BELIEF AND PROFESSION OF CHRIST, GENUINE LOVE FOR GOD IN CHRIST, OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST, TRUE HUMILITY, CONTINUING WORSHIP, GOD CENTERED LOVE, SANCTIFICATION, SPIRITUAL GROWTH, and CONSISTENT PRAYER. All these are real evidences of a saving faith that is genuine.
When we look back to the two categories of ‘evidences’ we have examined:
Factors which are indecisive to evidence true saving faith.
Factors which do evidence true saving faith.
We will be able to determine if we are UNBELIEVING BELIEVERS or BELIEVING BELIEVERS.
If you take last weeks list - Factors which are indecisive to evidence true saving faith - they were: VISIBLE MORALITY, INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE, RELIGIOUS INVOVEMENT, ACTIVE MINISTRY, CONVICTION OF SIN, PROFESSION OF FAITH, THE FEELING OF ASSURANCE, and the TIME OF DECISION….if this list is true of you and today’s 10 ‘Factors which do evidence true saving faith’ - are not evident in your life - you need to seriously question your profession of faith.
But on the other hand if today’s 10 ‘Factors which do evidence true saving faith’ - are evident in your life - then it will go without question that last weeks list will also be true in your life too.
If you are a BELIEVING BELIEVER - a genuine Christian, there will be noticeable spiritual growth in your life. As this takes place you will become more and more like Jesus. That which is born of the Spirit will produce itself. If you are alive in Christ then you will grow, there is no other way. So as we close off today’s sermon, remember that the Bible calls all of us to examine our life in light of the Word of God.
Do you see any Biblical spiritual growth? Is your life marked by an increase in godliness, and a decrease in the frequency of sin? Is there a growing pattern of devotion to God?
(For a full explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - click here - http://www.doihaveeternallife.blogspot.com/)
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Sunday, December 7, 2008
John 2:23-25 Unbelieving Believers
07.12.08 John 2:23-25 (NASB)
Audio Sermon File: John 2:23-25
Going Deeper: Study Guide
Unbeleiving Believers
For nearly 2000 years there has been a crisis in Christianity. As it was in Jesus’ day, people are confused as to what it means to be a Christian. We find people in all levels of culture, and in every social strata claiming to be Christians. Even recognized and established cults, make the same claim that they are Christians. Ideas of Christianity are as broad as the colour spectrum of a rainbow. These people believe that they have a good chance at getting to heaven when they die because they simply call themselves Christians.
The Gospel of John in 2:23-25 reveals this to us:
23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.
Last Sunday we found Jesus in Jerusalem as He cleansed the temple. Jesus did so in order to pave the way for true worship for both Jew and Gentile. Today as we continue in the Gospel of John, chapter 2 in verse 23 - Jesus is still in Jerusalem at the Passover. Now many people during the feast witnessed the signs which Jesus was doing - and the text states this - that these people believed in His name. So there was apparently a certain level of belief in Jesus, due to the signs that began at Cana. Through these signs, people got a glimpse that in Jesus, was more than meets the eye. What was this belief?
Today we are going to look at different aspects of belief found in the UNBELIEVING and in BELIEVERS - manifestations which do not necessarily demonstrate true belief and in next week’s sermon - those traits that do demonstrate true belief.
As our church goes from door to door in this neighbourhood - we often get this response to our question - do you think you will go to heaven when you die? And most people give the answer that they think they will - or at least have a chance of getting into heaven….and they may not even call themselves a Christian. What is the basis for their thinking and belief? Something more disturbing is the fact that a number of people who sat in a church pew today - are clinging to a faith that does not save. They do have a faith…. but not have THE faith which will save them from God’s wrath against sin. These people are what I would call - UNBELIEVING BELIEVERS.
In one of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians he challenges his opponents in this way: 2 Corinthians 13:5 - Test yourselves [to see] if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?
In light of today’s passage, we are cautioned about our own belief. Therefore it is wise to test ourselves in this regard.
Continuing in our text in verse 24 - Those who believed in His name - that is believed in Jesus, viewed themselves as believers. But Jesus had a different assessment of these persons. This is Jesus’ assessment - But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them. Why did Jesus not entrust Himself to these people who believed in Him? John gives us the answer - for He knew all men.
The word - knew, in this verse is the Greek word which expresses personal and experiential knowledge. The last time we saw this specific word used was at the end of chapter 1, in Jesus knowing everything about Nathanael. In chapter 2 verse 24 Jesus knew everything about these people’s belief.
Once again, in Jesus’ response we see aspects of Christ’s nature of Deity at work, that He is all knowing and all seeing. Jesus Christ super-naturally is able to see into the hearts of all men. Jesus did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man. Jesus didn’t need man’s instruction about false belief because, Jesus already knows that man is a sinner.
So you may ask what kind of belief did these people have? In the context of the passage and in analyzing the word - believed, we can come to a definitive conclusion. The word believed - has the Greek tense (aorist) which indicates that the believing is attained, but does not progress. It is a one-time event. Therefore they did believe - but this kind of belief, was an intellectual ascent to the signs displayed - and to the person who was the source of them. But it was not the kind of belief which goes beyond the external - the kind of deeper belief which is necessary for true salvation - genuine saving faith. It was not a true belief which is marked by true life changing faith in Christ, brought about by the Holy Spirit. Therefore Jesus was not entrusting Himself to them - because Jesus knew that they were still dead in their trespasses and sins. In summary - this can be said - ‘just because you say you are a believer doesn’t mean that you are a believer.’
Do we claim to be a Christian? Do we feel that we will be going to heaven? Is there any evidence which underwrites your statements? It is important for us to test ourselves as it states in 2 Cor. 13:5 - "Test yourselves [to see] if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!" Our faith needs to be tested. If we do this then we may recognize if we have been deceiving ourselves or not, in regards to our salvation. A sober examination and testing against the following evidences of true faith, will lead you to an answer to our key question - ‘ARE YOU SAVED?’
Is there a way to test ourselves as to true saving faith? Yes there is. The standard for all saving faith is found in God’s Word - the Bible. And after having put yourself to the test it is our hope that you find yourself saved by God’s grace.
From Scripture we will see that there are two categories of ‘evidences’ -
a. Factors which are indecisive to evidence true saving faith.
b. Factors which do evidence true saving faith.
What I am presenting is based upon an article by my former pastor (John MacArthur), which is in my study Bible. We will begin with the:
Factors which are Indecisive to Evidence True Saving Faith
These are factors which neither prove nor disprove true saving faith. We will examine eight factors:
1. VISIBLE MORALITY - a person who may appear to live a moral life does not give us any indication of a saving faith in Christ. We can see the outward behaviour but we can not see the heart condition. These people in their relationships with others can be very moral, honest, dependable, and even very religious. They can be kind and loving to others, and generally grateful.
Despite these outward traits many of these people know nothing of sincere love for God. Outwardly they are moral but inwardly they have no sincere love for God and do not live for His glory. Whatever good works that are done in the end are done apart from God, because they do not have any saving relationship with God. The Bible gives us examples of this in Matt. 19:16-21:
16 And someone came to Him and said, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?" 17 And He said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is [only] One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." 18 [Then] he ^said to Him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; 19 Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 20 The young man ^said to Him, "All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?" 21 Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go [and] sell your possessions and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
In this passage we find a young man who is self-righteous. He kept all the commandments which Jesus mentioned here, "all these things I have kept" he claimed. In other words, he claimed that he had kept the Law. He was trying to obtain eternal life on his own merits. He did not recognize his sinfulness and that he could not keep God’s perfect law. That’s why Jesus told him to sell all his possessions, for Jesus knew that the commandment for covetousness was what the young man could not keep. If you follow down to verse 22 - the young man went away sorrowful because he knew he could not keep God’s law, yet he did not recognize his sin either, thus he went away sad.
In Matt 23:27-28 we find the scribes and Pharisees:
27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28 "So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
They were the ones who knew God’s law well, they were in the position of authority, yet they were legalistic, because they added human traditions to God’s Word. On the outside, they were moral and righteous, doing all that the law and the traditions dictated, yet on the inside, they were hypocrites who did not obey God’s law and added to it, which burdened those they taught. The whole of ch. 23 of Matt. dealt with the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees.
The young man, scribes, and Pharisees focused on visible morality, but it doesn’t necessarily mean salvation. People can ‘clean up their act’ through self reformation, but this is not the same as regeneration. So reformation or visible morality in itself is not an evidence of true saving faith.
Another factor we examine is:
2. INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE. It is very possible to have intellectual ascent and knowledge concerning the truth about God, yet be unsaved. Knowledge of the truth of God’s Word is necessary for salvation, and if one is saved then visible morality would be a fruit of this. But neither of these two alone translate into true saving faith.
James 2:19 - You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.
This passage tells us that the demons know God, and that they believe and shudder.
But we do know that they do not posses nor ever will be saved. They know the truth about God, that there is one God, yet this is not a proof of saving faith, for they hate the truth and they hate God. People can know about God and all that He is. They can know all about Jesus, who He is and what He did to save people from their sins, but still turn their backs on Him. People can even witness the Spirit of God working in other people by imparting salvation and spiritual change in these lives, yet they themselves will not honour God.
Rom 1:21 - For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. This passage tells us that those who are unsaved know God, yet they do not honour Him as God. There are many people who know the Scriptures yet their eternal destination is hell, because they turn away and reject Christ. A person cannot be saved apart from the knowledge of the truth, but having INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE alone does not save.
A third factor which is indecisive in evidencing true saving faith is:
3. RELIGIOUS INVOLVEMENT. Being involved in the life of a religious organization like church, does not prove or disprove one who possess true faith. In the parable of the talents - Matt 25:14-30 we have an illustration which underscores the tragedy of missed opportunity:
14 "For [it is] just like a man [about] to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. 15 "To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. 16 "Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. 17 "In the same manner the one who [had received] the two [talents] gained two more. 18 "But he who received the one [talent] went away, and dug [a hole] in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 "Now after a long time the master of those slaves ^came and ^settled accounts with them. 20 "The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, `Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.' 21 "His master said to him, `Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' 22 "Also the one who [had received] the two talents came up and said, `Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.' 23 "His master said to him, `Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' 24 "And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, `Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no [seed]. 25 `And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.' 26 "But his master answered and said to him, `You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no [seed]. 27 `Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my [money] back with interest. 28 `Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.' 29 "For to everyone who has, [more] shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. 30 "Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
We should note that all three slaves have the same master who portrays Christ. The slaves are professing believers, for they all call Him Master. Each slave was given different levels of responsibility or opportunity, represented here by the talents. Note that this parable has nothing to do with the stewardship of one’s natural ability or gifts. Talents here is a measure of weight, in other words money, gold or silver. The slaves were each given a different amount of money. The amount represents different responsibility given to them by Christ, as believers they are to serve Christ until His return. Faithfulness is what Christ demands of them, notice the two faithful slaves received the same reward, though they were given different number of talents. The reward is to enter into the joy of the Master.
The parable suggests that all who are faithful will be fruitful to some degree. The fruitless person is unmasked as a hypocrite and utterly destroyed. This fruitless slave is not a genuine believer, even though he called Christ his master, he had no true knowledge of Christ and his life does not produce any fruit.
A person may attend church regularly, but this is no proof that this person is truly saved. Religious involvement or attending church does not necessarily indicate if one is saved or not. Like in the parable there are those who go to church and are true believers. And there are those who go to church and are not, like the man with one talent …in the end when Christ returns He will receive those who are true believers and reject those that that are not believers. It is difficult to tell simply by the act of attending church - or in other words RELIGIOUS INVOLVEMENT if a person is a true believer.
Next we examine:
4. ACTIVE MINISTRY. A person may be very active in serving and ministering at a church, yet this is also no proof of saving faith. The Bible gives us many examples of people in this category. Balaam, fits in this category, he was a prophet who spoke truths from God, but in the end we know that he was a false prophet (Deut. 23:3-6). Then there is Saul of Tarsus, who believed that he was serving God by killing Christians, before the Lord saved him and he was renamed Paul. Judas was one of the 12 disciples and even did public ministry as a disciple, but turned out to be an apostate.
Matt 7:21-23 states this - "Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven [will enter]. 22 "Many will say to Me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'
Jesus spoke about certain people who were involved with ACTIVE MINISTRY, but Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, for he knew all men. Jesus said He never knew them…which is a stinging call for one to - Test yourselves [to see] if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!
Being involved with ministry, serving in the church, does not prove that one is a Christian or not. Matt. 7:21-23 deals with works which unbelievers tried to pass off as being done in the Lord’s name. But from this passage we know that they were not true works of righteousness for Jesus says `I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'
What was done in Jesus’ name were really acts of lawlessness - that is -rebellious works stemming from unbelief, because these people had no saving relationship with Christ. Heb. 11:6 - states - And without faith it is impossible to please [Him]. Jesus does not suggest that it is good works that count toward salvation, but He is saying that true faith will not fail to produce the fruit of good works.
Another area we examine is:
5. CONVICTION OR FEAR OF SIN.
Most people have convictions or fear of sin, they know and would even admit that they have done something unrighteous. There are numerous people in our world who are filled with guilt. These people would even perhaps admit that they are not following God’s standard. They feel badly about their sin. They are convicted of sin in their lives just as it was with Felix in Acts 24:25 - But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, "Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you."
In Acts 24, Paul was engaged in a discussion with Felix, the governor of Judea at the time. Paul was talking about righteousness, self-control, and judgment with Felix and Felix became frightened. The reason for Felix’s fear was that he had lured another man’s wife - Drusilla, to be his own. This was now Felix’s third wife. As Paul talked about righteousness and self-control, Felix knew that he had none of these and he was fearful of the judgment which he faced. So he quickly dismissed Paul and over time Felix’s conviction of sin diminished, as did the opportunity to repent.
In Acts 8:21-24 we find a man named Simon:
21 "You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22 "Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 "For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity." 24 But Simon answered and said, "Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me."
Simon was a sorcerer who had professed faith in Christ, and was even baptized (8:9-24). Yet in the context of the passage we find that Simon wanted the same authority as the apostles, and he offered them money to get that power. Peter rebuked him and Simon was fearful of perishing. Simon was convicted of his sin, yet he was unwilling to repent and seek forgiveness, because his profession of Christ was false (I will show you why he was a UNBELIEVING BELIEVER later in our last point). He was only trying to escape the consequence of his sin of wanting power for his own gain.
Therefore being in and of itself - conviction of sin or fearing sin does not prove if one is saved. Many people know that they are sinners but they do not act in response to that conviction. The Holy Spirit and our consciences alert us to sin, righteousness, and even judgment, but this is a conviction that is meaningless because - there is no true repentance. What there is, is only the desire to be released from the consequences of sin.
People may confess their sins and abandon the sins which create a guilty feeling in them. They acknowledge that they are not living in a right way and want to change. So they change their ways externally, but there is no internal regeneration, so they still fall short of genuine saving faith. This is the kind of conviction that the demons experience, as they tremble, but they love sin more than God - so they are not saved.
Like Felix or Simon who were only fearful of the consequence of their wrong doings, many people know that they are sinners but they do not act in response to that conviction - they failed to repent of their sin, and ask for forgiveness from God. Therefore, even if there is a CONVICTION OR FEAR OF SIN, without repentance, a person does not have saving faith.
The sixth area of examination relates to the:
6. PROFESSION OF FAITH. There are many people that when asked will state that they are Christians. If we were to ask more questions of them, in regards to their profession we could discover they have a false profession. An examination of the pattern of their life would also indicate this too.
Mark 4:3-6 - "Listen [to this]! Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4 as he was sowing, some [seed] fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 "Other [seed] fell on the rocky [ground] where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil. 6 "And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
Jesus interprets this part of the parable in verse 16-17:
16 "In a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky [places], who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; 17 and they have no [firm] root in themselves, but are [only] temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away.
In the parable of the soils we find people who hear the word of God and received it with joy, yet after a while they fall away and produce no fruit. These passages are talking about people who professed Christ, without truly following Him as their Lord in their life. It is only a mere profession, there is no submission or obedience in following Christ. So when trials come and temptations arise, they stop following Christ, because they do not have saving faith.
Therefore, even if a person professes to be a believer, it is not evidence that he is truly saved. Man cannot see the into his own heart or anyone else’s heart, yet God is able to look deep into a man’s heart. Many people today claim to be believers but just by making that claim, it does not prove that you are a genuine believer. As in the parable those who wrongly profess faith, in times of trouble and in the test of time will fall away because they really were not believers. The PROFESSION OF FAITH is not trustworthy in determining true saving faith.
The seventh area of examination turns to:
7. THE FEELING OF ASSURANCE. Many people have the feeling that they are saved. Yet this is no guarantee that a person is indeed saved. In Matthew chapter 23 - Jesus condemns the Pharisees for their own belief that they were saved.
Here is a sample of Jesus’ assessment of them:
23:1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2 saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; 3 therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say [things] and do not do [them].
13 "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.
15 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28 "So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Jesus’ assessment of the Pharisees was that their faith - was merely outwardly religious and pious, and any unfounded feelings of assurance were brought to light as Jesus rebukes them for their unyielding and fruitless hearts. Today you hear people make this kind of claim - ‘I am a Christian because I feel and think that I am one.’ This kind of thinking is deficient reasoning. If merely thinking that you are a Christian, makes you a Christian, then anyone could simply, yet erroneously, believe that they are a Christian. This is one of one of Satan’s tactics. Satan deceives people to think this way, so that they are detracted from thinking about one’s eternal condemnation. They are lured into thinking they are saved when in fact they know nothing about God’s call to salvation. They believe that they will be going to heaven, that God won’t condemn them, because they feel good about themselves. They are OK and feel assurance - but they have a subjective assurance, which is not based upon the Word of God. THE FEELING OF ASSURANCE doesn’t either prove or disprove that one is truly saved.
A final factor which is indecisive in evidencing true saving faith is a:
8. TIME OF DECISION
Some people point to the time when they filled in a commitment card, walked down an aisle, raised their hand in response to a message, or the time they prayed a prayer. These people might even be able to pinpoint the exact time, date, and circumstances when this happened - but in and of itself does not mean anything. They may have even been baptized, and joined a church, but never experienced genuine saving faith. True salvation is not demonstrated by a past moment.
If we go back to Simon in Acts 8:13, it states that - Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.
The text states that Simon - believed - the tense of the word believed in Greek (aorist) is the same as in our passage in John 2:23, which indicates that the believing is attained, but does not progress. It is a one-time event. From what we learned about Simon earlier, we knew that his belief was not genuine, but a matter of personal gain. His faith was not in the name of Jesus Christ but in desiring the power for the signs & wonders which were performed.
When we look back at the parable of the soils we find that there are people who encounter a TIME OF DECISION for Christ at a certain point in their life. But later on they fall away, because they were never saved (Mk. 4:16-17 - parable of the soils). It was not that they lost their salvation (which we will demonstrate that it can’t happen - later in this gospel) - but that they never had it in the first place. Just as it is was with Simon - we see that a person can make a decision, and may even be able to recall the exact time that this took place; but still it may not be conclusive evidence of genuine saving faith.
When we look at VISIBLE MORALITY, INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE, RELIGIOUS INVOVEMENT, ACTIVE MINISTRY, CONVICTION OF SIN, PROFESSION OF FAITH, THE FEELING OF ASSURANCE, and the TIME OF DECISION - we have discovered that these factors, do not either prove nor disprove one’s faith. They in and of themselves do not necessarily demonstrate genuine saving faith. In light of unbelief Christ desires true belief. A belief that leads to repentance demonstrated by the on going fruit of true belief - which is evidenced by receiving a new nature which produces a change in heart and the increasing measure of true obedience to the Lord.
Jesus in today’s passage found in chapter 2 of John, finds those who believed, but Jesus never entrusted Himself to them. Jesus knew their hearts. When Jesus examined them they were found to be UNBELIEVING BELIEVERS. The marks of genuine saving faith were not present. So you may be asking - what are the proofs for authentic true Christianity? Does God’s Word give us any clues? Yes the Bible makes it clear that there are a number of Biblical criteria for determining if one is truly saved or not. You will have to wait until the next Lord’s Day when these distinguishing marks will be examined.
(For a full explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - click here - http://www.doihaveeternallife.blogspot.com/)
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Audio Sermon File: John 2:23-25
Going Deeper: Study Guide
Unbeleiving Believers
For nearly 2000 years there has been a crisis in Christianity. As it was in Jesus’ day, people are confused as to what it means to be a Christian. We find people in all levels of culture, and in every social strata claiming to be Christians. Even recognized and established cults, make the same claim that they are Christians. Ideas of Christianity are as broad as the colour spectrum of a rainbow. These people believe that they have a good chance at getting to heaven when they die because they simply call themselves Christians.
The Gospel of John in 2:23-25 reveals this to us:
23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.
Last Sunday we found Jesus in Jerusalem as He cleansed the temple. Jesus did so in order to pave the way for true worship for both Jew and Gentile. Today as we continue in the Gospel of John, chapter 2 in verse 23 - Jesus is still in Jerusalem at the Passover. Now many people during the feast witnessed the signs which Jesus was doing - and the text states this - that these people believed in His name. So there was apparently a certain level of belief in Jesus, due to the signs that began at Cana. Through these signs, people got a glimpse that in Jesus, was more than meets the eye. What was this belief?
Today we are going to look at different aspects of belief found in the UNBELIEVING and in BELIEVERS - manifestations which do not necessarily demonstrate true belief and in next week’s sermon - those traits that do demonstrate true belief.
As our church goes from door to door in this neighbourhood - we often get this response to our question - do you think you will go to heaven when you die? And most people give the answer that they think they will - or at least have a chance of getting into heaven….and they may not even call themselves a Christian. What is the basis for their thinking and belief? Something more disturbing is the fact that a number of people who sat in a church pew today - are clinging to a faith that does not save. They do have a faith…. but not have THE faith which will save them from God’s wrath against sin. These people are what I would call - UNBELIEVING BELIEVERS.
In one of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians he challenges his opponents in this way: 2 Corinthians 13:5 - Test yourselves [to see] if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?
In light of today’s passage, we are cautioned about our own belief. Therefore it is wise to test ourselves in this regard.
Continuing in our text in verse 24 - Those who believed in His name - that is believed in Jesus, viewed themselves as believers. But Jesus had a different assessment of these persons. This is Jesus’ assessment - But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them. Why did Jesus not entrust Himself to these people who believed in Him? John gives us the answer - for He knew all men.
The word - knew, in this verse is the Greek word which expresses personal and experiential knowledge. The last time we saw this specific word used was at the end of chapter 1, in Jesus knowing everything about Nathanael. In chapter 2 verse 24 Jesus knew everything about these people’s belief.
Once again, in Jesus’ response we see aspects of Christ’s nature of Deity at work, that He is all knowing and all seeing. Jesus Christ super-naturally is able to see into the hearts of all men. Jesus did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man. Jesus didn’t need man’s instruction about false belief because, Jesus already knows that man is a sinner.
So you may ask what kind of belief did these people have? In the context of the passage and in analyzing the word - believed, we can come to a definitive conclusion. The word believed - has the Greek tense (aorist) which indicates that the believing is attained, but does not progress. It is a one-time event. Therefore they did believe - but this kind of belief, was an intellectual ascent to the signs displayed - and to the person who was the source of them. But it was not the kind of belief which goes beyond the external - the kind of deeper belief which is necessary for true salvation - genuine saving faith. It was not a true belief which is marked by true life changing faith in Christ, brought about by the Holy Spirit. Therefore Jesus was not entrusting Himself to them - because Jesus knew that they were still dead in their trespasses and sins. In summary - this can be said - ‘just because you say you are a believer doesn’t mean that you are a believer.’
Do we claim to be a Christian? Do we feel that we will be going to heaven? Is there any evidence which underwrites your statements? It is important for us to test ourselves as it states in 2 Cor. 13:5 - "Test yourselves [to see] if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!" Our faith needs to be tested. If we do this then we may recognize if we have been deceiving ourselves or not, in regards to our salvation. A sober examination and testing against the following evidences of true faith, will lead you to an answer to our key question - ‘ARE YOU SAVED?’
Is there a way to test ourselves as to true saving faith? Yes there is. The standard for all saving faith is found in God’s Word - the Bible. And after having put yourself to the test it is our hope that you find yourself saved by God’s grace.
From Scripture we will see that there are two categories of ‘evidences’ -
a. Factors which are indecisive to evidence true saving faith.
b. Factors which do evidence true saving faith.
What I am presenting is based upon an article by my former pastor (John MacArthur), which is in my study Bible. We will begin with the:
Factors which are Indecisive to Evidence True Saving Faith
These are factors which neither prove nor disprove true saving faith. We will examine eight factors:
1. VISIBLE MORALITY - a person who may appear to live a moral life does not give us any indication of a saving faith in Christ. We can see the outward behaviour but we can not see the heart condition. These people in their relationships with others can be very moral, honest, dependable, and even very religious. They can be kind and loving to others, and generally grateful.
Despite these outward traits many of these people know nothing of sincere love for God. Outwardly they are moral but inwardly they have no sincere love for God and do not live for His glory. Whatever good works that are done in the end are done apart from God, because they do not have any saving relationship with God. The Bible gives us examples of this in Matt. 19:16-21:
16 And someone came to Him and said, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?" 17 And He said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is [only] One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." 18 [Then] he ^said to Him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; 19 Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 20 The young man ^said to Him, "All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?" 21 Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go [and] sell your possessions and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
In this passage we find a young man who is self-righteous. He kept all the commandments which Jesus mentioned here, "all these things I have kept" he claimed. In other words, he claimed that he had kept the Law. He was trying to obtain eternal life on his own merits. He did not recognize his sinfulness and that he could not keep God’s perfect law. That’s why Jesus told him to sell all his possessions, for Jesus knew that the commandment for covetousness was what the young man could not keep. If you follow down to verse 22 - the young man went away sorrowful because he knew he could not keep God’s law, yet he did not recognize his sin either, thus he went away sad.
In Matt 23:27-28 we find the scribes and Pharisees:
27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28 "So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
They were the ones who knew God’s law well, they were in the position of authority, yet they were legalistic, because they added human traditions to God’s Word. On the outside, they were moral and righteous, doing all that the law and the traditions dictated, yet on the inside, they were hypocrites who did not obey God’s law and added to it, which burdened those they taught. The whole of ch. 23 of Matt. dealt with the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees.
The young man, scribes, and Pharisees focused on visible morality, but it doesn’t necessarily mean salvation. People can ‘clean up their act’ through self reformation, but this is not the same as regeneration. So reformation or visible morality in itself is not an evidence of true saving faith.
Another factor we examine is:
2. INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE. It is very possible to have intellectual ascent and knowledge concerning the truth about God, yet be unsaved. Knowledge of the truth of God’s Word is necessary for salvation, and if one is saved then visible morality would be a fruit of this. But neither of these two alone translate into true saving faith.
James 2:19 - You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.
This passage tells us that the demons know God, and that they believe and shudder.
But we do know that they do not posses nor ever will be saved. They know the truth about God, that there is one God, yet this is not a proof of saving faith, for they hate the truth and they hate God. People can know about God and all that He is. They can know all about Jesus, who He is and what He did to save people from their sins, but still turn their backs on Him. People can even witness the Spirit of God working in other people by imparting salvation and spiritual change in these lives, yet they themselves will not honour God.
Rom 1:21 - For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. This passage tells us that those who are unsaved know God, yet they do not honour Him as God. There are many people who know the Scriptures yet their eternal destination is hell, because they turn away and reject Christ. A person cannot be saved apart from the knowledge of the truth, but having INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE alone does not save.
A third factor which is indecisive in evidencing true saving faith is:
3. RELIGIOUS INVOLVEMENT. Being involved in the life of a religious organization like church, does not prove or disprove one who possess true faith. In the parable of the talents - Matt 25:14-30 we have an illustration which underscores the tragedy of missed opportunity:
14 "For [it is] just like a man [about] to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. 15 "To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. 16 "Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. 17 "In the same manner the one who [had received] the two [talents] gained two more. 18 "But he who received the one [talent] went away, and dug [a hole] in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 "Now after a long time the master of those slaves ^came and ^settled accounts with them. 20 "The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, `Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.' 21 "His master said to him, `Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' 22 "Also the one who [had received] the two talents came up and said, `Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.' 23 "His master said to him, `Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' 24 "And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, `Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no [seed]. 25 `And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.' 26 "But his master answered and said to him, `You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no [seed]. 27 `Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my [money] back with interest. 28 `Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.' 29 "For to everyone who has, [more] shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. 30 "Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
We should note that all three slaves have the same master who portrays Christ. The slaves are professing believers, for they all call Him Master. Each slave was given different levels of responsibility or opportunity, represented here by the talents. Note that this parable has nothing to do with the stewardship of one’s natural ability or gifts. Talents here is a measure of weight, in other words money, gold or silver. The slaves were each given a different amount of money. The amount represents different responsibility given to them by Christ, as believers they are to serve Christ until His return. Faithfulness is what Christ demands of them, notice the two faithful slaves received the same reward, though they were given different number of talents. The reward is to enter into the joy of the Master.
The parable suggests that all who are faithful will be fruitful to some degree. The fruitless person is unmasked as a hypocrite and utterly destroyed. This fruitless slave is not a genuine believer, even though he called Christ his master, he had no true knowledge of Christ and his life does not produce any fruit.
A person may attend church regularly, but this is no proof that this person is truly saved. Religious involvement or attending church does not necessarily indicate if one is saved or not. Like in the parable there are those who go to church and are true believers. And there are those who go to church and are not, like the man with one talent …in the end when Christ returns He will receive those who are true believers and reject those that that are not believers. It is difficult to tell simply by the act of attending church - or in other words RELIGIOUS INVOLVEMENT if a person is a true believer.
Next we examine:
4. ACTIVE MINISTRY. A person may be very active in serving and ministering at a church, yet this is also no proof of saving faith. The Bible gives us many examples of people in this category. Balaam, fits in this category, he was a prophet who spoke truths from God, but in the end we know that he was a false prophet (Deut. 23:3-6). Then there is Saul of Tarsus, who believed that he was serving God by killing Christians, before the Lord saved him and he was renamed Paul. Judas was one of the 12 disciples and even did public ministry as a disciple, but turned out to be an apostate.
Matt 7:21-23 states this - "Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven [will enter]. 22 "Many will say to Me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'
Jesus spoke about certain people who were involved with ACTIVE MINISTRY, but Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, for he knew all men. Jesus said He never knew them…which is a stinging call for one to - Test yourselves [to see] if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!
Being involved with ministry, serving in the church, does not prove that one is a Christian or not. Matt. 7:21-23 deals with works which unbelievers tried to pass off as being done in the Lord’s name. But from this passage we know that they were not true works of righteousness for Jesus says `I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'
What was done in Jesus’ name were really acts of lawlessness - that is -rebellious works stemming from unbelief, because these people had no saving relationship with Christ. Heb. 11:6 - states - And without faith it is impossible to please [Him]. Jesus does not suggest that it is good works that count toward salvation, but He is saying that true faith will not fail to produce the fruit of good works.
Another area we examine is:
5. CONVICTION OR FEAR OF SIN.
Most people have convictions or fear of sin, they know and would even admit that they have done something unrighteous. There are numerous people in our world who are filled with guilt. These people would even perhaps admit that they are not following God’s standard. They feel badly about their sin. They are convicted of sin in their lives just as it was with Felix in Acts 24:25 - But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, "Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you."
In Acts 24, Paul was engaged in a discussion with Felix, the governor of Judea at the time. Paul was talking about righteousness, self-control, and judgment with Felix and Felix became frightened. The reason for Felix’s fear was that he had lured another man’s wife - Drusilla, to be his own. This was now Felix’s third wife. As Paul talked about righteousness and self-control, Felix knew that he had none of these and he was fearful of the judgment which he faced. So he quickly dismissed Paul and over time Felix’s conviction of sin diminished, as did the opportunity to repent.
In Acts 8:21-24 we find a man named Simon:
21 "You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22 "Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 "For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity." 24 But Simon answered and said, "Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me."
Simon was a sorcerer who had professed faith in Christ, and was even baptized (8:9-24). Yet in the context of the passage we find that Simon wanted the same authority as the apostles, and he offered them money to get that power. Peter rebuked him and Simon was fearful of perishing. Simon was convicted of his sin, yet he was unwilling to repent and seek forgiveness, because his profession of Christ was false (I will show you why he was a UNBELIEVING BELIEVER later in our last point). He was only trying to escape the consequence of his sin of wanting power for his own gain.
Therefore being in and of itself - conviction of sin or fearing sin does not prove if one is saved. Many people know that they are sinners but they do not act in response to that conviction. The Holy Spirit and our consciences alert us to sin, righteousness, and even judgment, but this is a conviction that is meaningless because - there is no true repentance. What there is, is only the desire to be released from the consequences of sin.
People may confess their sins and abandon the sins which create a guilty feeling in them. They acknowledge that they are not living in a right way and want to change. So they change their ways externally, but there is no internal regeneration, so they still fall short of genuine saving faith. This is the kind of conviction that the demons experience, as they tremble, but they love sin more than God - so they are not saved.
Like Felix or Simon who were only fearful of the consequence of their wrong doings, many people know that they are sinners but they do not act in response to that conviction - they failed to repent of their sin, and ask for forgiveness from God. Therefore, even if there is a CONVICTION OR FEAR OF SIN, without repentance, a person does not have saving faith.
The sixth area of examination relates to the:
6. PROFESSION OF FAITH. There are many people that when asked will state that they are Christians. If we were to ask more questions of them, in regards to their profession we could discover they have a false profession. An examination of the pattern of their life would also indicate this too.
Mark 4:3-6 - "Listen [to this]! Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4 as he was sowing, some [seed] fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 "Other [seed] fell on the rocky [ground] where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil. 6 "And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
Jesus interprets this part of the parable in verse 16-17:
16 "In a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky [places], who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; 17 and they have no [firm] root in themselves, but are [only] temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away.
In the parable of the soils we find people who hear the word of God and received it with joy, yet after a while they fall away and produce no fruit. These passages are talking about people who professed Christ, without truly following Him as their Lord in their life. It is only a mere profession, there is no submission or obedience in following Christ. So when trials come and temptations arise, they stop following Christ, because they do not have saving faith.
Therefore, even if a person professes to be a believer, it is not evidence that he is truly saved. Man cannot see the into his own heart or anyone else’s heart, yet God is able to look deep into a man’s heart. Many people today claim to be believers but just by making that claim, it does not prove that you are a genuine believer. As in the parable those who wrongly profess faith, in times of trouble and in the test of time will fall away because they really were not believers. The PROFESSION OF FAITH is not trustworthy in determining true saving faith.
The seventh area of examination turns to:
7. THE FEELING OF ASSURANCE. Many people have the feeling that they are saved. Yet this is no guarantee that a person is indeed saved. In Matthew chapter 23 - Jesus condemns the Pharisees for their own belief that they were saved.
Here is a sample of Jesus’ assessment of them:
23:1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2 saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; 3 therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say [things] and do not do [them].
13 "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.
15 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28 "So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Jesus’ assessment of the Pharisees was that their faith - was merely outwardly religious and pious, and any unfounded feelings of assurance were brought to light as Jesus rebukes them for their unyielding and fruitless hearts. Today you hear people make this kind of claim - ‘I am a Christian because I feel and think that I am one.’ This kind of thinking is deficient reasoning. If merely thinking that you are a Christian, makes you a Christian, then anyone could simply, yet erroneously, believe that they are a Christian. This is one of one of Satan’s tactics. Satan deceives people to think this way, so that they are detracted from thinking about one’s eternal condemnation. They are lured into thinking they are saved when in fact they know nothing about God’s call to salvation. They believe that they will be going to heaven, that God won’t condemn them, because they feel good about themselves. They are OK and feel assurance - but they have a subjective assurance, which is not based upon the Word of God. THE FEELING OF ASSURANCE doesn’t either prove or disprove that one is truly saved.
A final factor which is indecisive in evidencing true saving faith is a:
8. TIME OF DECISION
Some people point to the time when they filled in a commitment card, walked down an aisle, raised their hand in response to a message, or the time they prayed a prayer. These people might even be able to pinpoint the exact time, date, and circumstances when this happened - but in and of itself does not mean anything. They may have even been baptized, and joined a church, but never experienced genuine saving faith. True salvation is not demonstrated by a past moment.
If we go back to Simon in Acts 8:13, it states that - Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.
The text states that Simon - believed - the tense of the word believed in Greek (aorist) is the same as in our passage in John 2:23, which indicates that the believing is attained, but does not progress. It is a one-time event. From what we learned about Simon earlier, we knew that his belief was not genuine, but a matter of personal gain. His faith was not in the name of Jesus Christ but in desiring the power for the signs & wonders which were performed.
When we look back at the parable of the soils we find that there are people who encounter a TIME OF DECISION for Christ at a certain point in their life. But later on they fall away, because they were never saved (Mk. 4:16-17 - parable of the soils). It was not that they lost their salvation (which we will demonstrate that it can’t happen - later in this gospel) - but that they never had it in the first place. Just as it is was with Simon - we see that a person can make a decision, and may even be able to recall the exact time that this took place; but still it may not be conclusive evidence of genuine saving faith.
When we look at VISIBLE MORALITY, INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE, RELIGIOUS INVOVEMENT, ACTIVE MINISTRY, CONVICTION OF SIN, PROFESSION OF FAITH, THE FEELING OF ASSURANCE, and the TIME OF DECISION - we have discovered that these factors, do not either prove nor disprove one’s faith. They in and of themselves do not necessarily demonstrate genuine saving faith. In light of unbelief Christ desires true belief. A belief that leads to repentance demonstrated by the on going fruit of true belief - which is evidenced by receiving a new nature which produces a change in heart and the increasing measure of true obedience to the Lord.
Jesus in today’s passage found in chapter 2 of John, finds those who believed, but Jesus never entrusted Himself to them. Jesus knew their hearts. When Jesus examined them they were found to be UNBELIEVING BELIEVERS. The marks of genuine saving faith were not present. So you may be asking - what are the proofs for authentic true Christianity? Does God’s Word give us any clues? Yes the Bible makes it clear that there are a number of Biblical criteria for determining if one is truly saved or not. You will have to wait until the next Lord’s Day when these distinguishing marks will be examined.
(For a full explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - click here - http://www.doihaveeternallife.blogspot.com/)
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