MARKING GOD’S CHILDREN
JOHN 8:31-47
Introduction:
The Lord here confronts the Pharisees and the hypocrisy of their religion. He preaches the truth to them, but their pride will not let them admit the truth about themselves.
Some had believed and Jesus directs Himself to them to encourage them to “continue in my word,” in order to show themselves as His “disciples indeed.”
I. IF YOU CONTINUE IN MY WORD
John 8:31, “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;”
A. You shall know the truth, v. 32; John 6:45, “It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.”
1. Jesus becomes the God of our salvation, Psalm 25:5, “Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.”
2. He will guide us in judgment, Psalm 25:8-9,“Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. 9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.”
B. The truth shall make you free, John 8:36, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
1. Free from the bondage of sin, Romans 8:2, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”
2. Free to serve God, 1 Peter 2:16, “As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.”
II. WE ARE ABRAHAM’S CHILDREN
Matthew 3:9, “And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.”
A. We have never been in bondage, v. 33.
1. The Jews were in bondage in Egypt for 400 years, Exodus 1:13-14, “And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.”
2. They were in bondage to their own sin, Judges 2:14, “And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.”
B. “You are the servants of sin,” v. 34.
1. He is held prisoner in the cords of his own sin, Proverbs 5:22, “His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.”
2. Sin reigns in the heart of the sinner, Romans 6:12, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.”
3. Children of disobedience, Ephesians 2:2, “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:”
C. If Abraham was your father…
1. My word would find place in you, v. 37; Matthew 13:15, “For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”
2. But you cannot hear my Word, v. 43.
3. And you don’t believe my Word, vs. 45-46.
4. Because you are not of God, v. 47.
a. If you were of God you would love me, v. 42.
b. You don’t understand because you are not of God, v. 43.
c. You are of your father, the devil, v. 44.
CONCLUSION:
The conclusion the Lord shows us here is that these Jews, while religious, did not know God as their Father. They were unbelievers. That is the state of many religious folks today. They have never had a salvation experience with the Lord, but have been member of a “church” for many years.
Without salvation in Christ we are still the servants of sin and have no hope of going to heaven even though we may be a “good” person. That is why they objected to the Lord’s expression in v. 32, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” They were not free.