August 24, 2026 • 24 mins
Freedom is one of the most overused words in modern life, so when Jesus says, “The truth will set you free,” we slow down and ask what He actually means. Working through John 8:31–47, we track the difference between surface-level belief and real Christian discipleship, where a disciple abides in Jesus’ word, stands in His teaching, and grows steady in the message of salvation and forgiveness. That kind of abiding is not a slogan, it’s the pathway to confidence, clarity, and a life no longer ruled by guilt, darkness, or fear.
We also tackle the pushback Jesus receives when people lean on their physical pedigree: “We are offspring of Abraham.” The conversation exposes how easy it is to confuse religious identity with righteousness, and how self-righteousness can make us defensive when God tells the truth about our need. Jesus goes straight to the root with a hard but freeing diagnosis: everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin, and only the Son has the authority to set us free indeed.
From there, we explore what it really means to be a child of Abraham, tying John’s Gospel to key Bible passages like Genesis 15:6, Romans 2 and 9, and Galatians 3. The stakes rise as Jesus describes the spiritual warfare underneath unbelief, naming Satan as the father of lies and calling us to discernment: do we truly hear God’s words and respond with faith and obedience?
If you want a deeper Bible study on John 8, spiritual freedom, and the difference between heritage and heart-level faith, press play. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show.
Email: nathan@nathandietsche.com
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SPEAKER_00 (00:15):
Grace and peace to you.
Thank you so much for joining mefor the mysteries of God's Word.
Today we are in John chaptereight.
We are beginning at versethirty-one, which reads.
So Jesus said to the Jews whohad believed him, If you abide
(00:35):
in my word, you are truly mydisciples, and you will know the
truth, and the truth will setyou free.
They answered him, We areoffspring of Abraham, and have
never been enslaved to anyone.
How is it that you say you willbecome free?
(00:57):
As we dive into our openingthree verses for today, let us
be reminded that this is onceagain the last day of the feast
of Booths, six months beforeJesus is to be crucified.
And on this last day of thefeast, Jesus is speaking many
(01:18):
things to many people.
In the Gospel of John, chapter7, chapter 8, chapter 9, and
even part of chapter 10 are allpart of Jesus' activity on this
last day of the feast.
Here in the Gospel of John, weclearly see that this was a very
(01:38):
important day in the ministry ofJesus.
In our last discussion, Jesussaid that he was the light of
the world, and a great debatearose between him and the
Pharisees, as the Phariseestried to trap Jesus in
blasphemy, as Jesus declaredhimself as God, as the Christ,
(01:59):
and as one with the Father.
And at the end of thatdiscussion, we saw that some of
the Jews believed in him.
So now Jesus is speaking tothose Jews who had believed.
The first step in truediscipleship is to believe in
(02:20):
Jesus as the Messiah and Son ofGod.
However, as we will see, whilethese Jews saw that the truth
was in Jesus, they were stillunwilling to acknowledge it
openly or trust him.
Jesus tells them, If you abidein my word, you are truly my
(02:42):
disciples.
The second step of a truedisciple is to abide in the Word
of God.
More specifically, to abide inthe person of Jesus Christ.
To persevere in the faith is totrust in Jesus Christ and his
teaching.
(03:02):
That is the evidence of genuinefaith.
In fact, the Greek word forabide when Jesus says if you
abide in my word means to standhabitually.
We are to stand habitually inthe words of Jesus.
(03:23):
In the second epistle of John,it reads, Everyone who goes on
ahead and does not abide in theteachings of Christ does not
have God.
Whoever abides in the teachinghas both the Father and the Son.
Jesus continues to say, If youabide, you will know the truth,
(03:46):
and the truth will set you free.
That is because it is throughabiding in the words of Christ
and abiding in the person ofChrist that a genuine believer
becomes confidently grounded inthe message of salvation and
forgiveness.
The knowledge of their salvationsets them free from the bondage
(04:12):
of sin.
The knowledge of salvation setsus free from condemnation.
It sets us free from thedarkness.
It sets us free from the powerof the devil, and it sets us
free ultimately from death, thatwe might have eternal life
forever with God.
(04:35):
In verse thirty-three, theseJews became offended.
They said, We're offspring ofAbraham.
We've never been enslaved toanyone.
How can you say that we need tobe free?
Now there's some debate amongstcommentators as to who is
actually speaking here.
Are these the Jews that believedin Jesus?
(04:59):
Some say yes, because it ispossible to see and believe in
the truth without actuallyacknowledging it or trusting it.
Such belief is not saving faith,but it's like the faith of
Judas.
Judas understood that Jesus wasthe Christ, but he never openly
(05:20):
acknowledged it, nor did hetrust in Christ.
Other commentators believe thatthere's a transition back to the
Jews that did not believe.
Whichever is the case, it soonbecomes clear in our text for
today that the Jews speaking didnot trust in Jesus as their Lord
(05:44):
and Savior.
Their immediate response is yetanother argument to try and
discredit what Jesus is saying.
They are blatantly denyingJewish history, even their
current circumstances under theRoman Empire.
The Jews obviously had a longhistory of being enslaved,
(06:07):
enslaved by the Egyptians,enslaved by the Assyrians,
enslaved under the Babylonians,and then oppressed under the
Medo-Persians, the Greeks, andnow the Roman Empire.
Even as they are speaking, thereare many Jews, probably Jews
right here, that are looking fora Messiah to bring them out from
(06:31):
under this Roman oppression, tofree them so that they can once
again go back to the promisedland.
But the inference here fromthese Jews is that because they
are Abraham's physicaldescendants, they have a unique
position with God.
They're describing their falsebelief that somehow through
(06:54):
their physical ancestry ofAbraham, they are righteous.
And in their self righteousnessof the flesh, they don't trust
the Messiah that stands beforethem.
They don't see that they have aneed for God to save them from
their condemnation of sin.
Picking up in verse thirty four,Jesus answered them, Truly,
(07:17):
truly I say to you, everyone whopractices sin is a slave to sin.
The slave does not remain in thehouse forever, the Son remains
forever.
So if the Son sets you free, youwill be free indeed.
I know that you are offspring ofAbraham, yet you seek to kill
(07:40):
me, because my word finds noplace in you.
I speak of what I have seen withmy father, and you do what you
have heard from your father.
In verses thirty four throughthirty-eight, Jesus talks about
everyone who practices sin is aslave to sin.
(08:03):
This idea of practicing sin issinning habitually.
I like to think of it how adoctor will practice medicine.
It's something that's doneregularly.
Everyone who makes a practice ofsinning is unable to escape
(08:23):
those sinful patterns of conductwithout the help of Jesus.
Without Jesus Christ, everyoneis a slave to their practices of
sin.
They're a slave to their ownself righteous justifications.
And this too was the case forthese Jews, because they're
(08:47):
attempting to make themselvesrighteous and justified before
God simply by being the physicaloffspring of Abraham.
Jesus says the slave does notremain in the house forever.
The son remains forever.
(09:07):
This statement from Jesusrequires a little bit of
cultural understanding in theRoman Empire.
The Roman institution of slaverywas not like our North American
Southern slavery.
Human trafficking in the RomanEmpire was considered illegal,
(09:28):
and in Scripture it wasconsidered sinful.
You can find that in 1 Timothy110, Revelation 18, 11 through
13.
In the Roman Empire, a slave waspaid a small wage.
They could eventually buy theirway out of slavery.
Therefore, the slave would notremain in the house forever.
(09:51):
Only a natural born son wouldremain in the house forever.
And Jesus says, if the Son setsyou free, you're free indeed.
Through the Messiah, the Son ofGod, we can have forgiveness of
sin.
The Son in God's house can setus free from this bondage to
(10:15):
sin.
The sacrifice of Jesus Christ onthe cross at Calvary is
sufficient for all sin for alltime.
Through genuine faith in JesusChrist, we are set free from the
guilt of sin.
We are set free from the powerthat the law had to shame us.
(10:41):
In the freedom of God's grace,we can live a life for the Lord.
We can be free from the powerthat sin had and held over us.
In verse thirty-seven, Jesussays something interesting that
he will appear to contradict intwo verses.
(11:04):
He says, I know that you areoffspring of Abraham.
Jesus in this way is confirmingthat the Jews were physical
offspring of Abraham.
But as we will see in versethirty-nine, Jesus will say,
They are not Abraham's children,because they don't have
(11:26):
Abraham's faith.
And he begins to lay that outeven right here in verse 37,
when he says, My word finds noplace in you.
These Jews were sincerelyconfused in their thinking.
And Jesus begins to describe tothem how it is not the physical
(11:49):
descendants of Abraham that areAbraham's seed according to
God's promise, but rather it isthose who believe in the
Messiah, those who trust in thecoming Christ who is Jesus.
They are the true offspring ofAbraham.
(12:12):
I'd like to read just threeverses from Scripture to help
confirm this idea in your mind.
Romans two, twenty eight andtwenty nine says, For no one is
a Jew who is one merelyoutwardly, nor is circumcision
outward and physical, but a Jewis one inwardly, and
(12:33):
circumcision is a matter of theheart, by the Spirit, not the
letter.
His praise is not from man, butfrom God.
Romans nine six reads, but it'snot as though the word of God
has failed, for not all who aredescended from Israel belong to
(12:55):
Israel.
Finally, I'd like to read to youGalatians three seven, which
reads Know then that it is thoseof faith who are the sons of
Abraham.
Jesus reassures these Jews thathe is speaking to them what he
has seen with his father.
(13:17):
The truth that he is speakingcomes from the very presence of
God the Father, but they arerejecting this direct revelation
from God, and by rejecting thismessage, they were in fact
listening to their father, thedevil.
Picking up in verse thirty nine,they answered him, Abraham is
(13:42):
our father.
Jesus said to them, If you wereAbraham's children, you would be
doing the works Abraham did, butnow you seek to kill me.
A man who has told you the truththat I heard from God, this is
not what Abraham did.
(14:03):
You are doing the works yourfather did.
They said to him, We were notborn of sexual immorality.
We have one father, even God.
Here in verses thirty ninethrough forty one, we see what
we have been talking about.
(14:25):
These Jews again declare thatAbraham is their father.
These Jews are now on thedefensive after Jesus describes
himself following the heavenlyfather and how they are
following a different fatherbecause they want to kill him.
And their immediate reply toJesus is Abraham is our father,
(14:50):
as if to say we follow the Godof Abraham.
But Jesus plainly tells themthat they are not following the
God of Abraham.
They are not the children ofAbraham.
And the way in which Jesus saysthis declares to them that their
(15:11):
physical lineage will not grantthem salvation.
Jesus is plainly telling themthat children of Abraham are
those who believe in him as theChrist.
Abraham was known for believingin God.
Abraham was known for his faith.
(15:34):
I'd like to read just threeverses to confirm this.
Genesis fifteen six reads, andAbraham believed the Lord, and
he counted it to him asrighteousness.
Romans four three again quotesthis, saying, For what does the
scripture say?
(15:55):
Abraham believed God, and it wascounted to him as righteousness.
James two hundred twenty threealso quotes this same verse,
says the scripture was fulfilledthat says Abraham believed God,
and it was counted to him asrighteousness, and he was called
(16:16):
a friend of God.
You see, my friends, my brothersand my sisters, anyone that is a
child of Abraham will believe inJesus Christ.
For it is he that comes fromGod, and it is Christ Jesus that
speaks the very words of God.
(16:38):
Jesus continues to confrontthese Jewish leaders, telling
them they're not true childrenof Abraham because they do not
do what Abraham did.
The Jews are not believing thewords of Father God that are
coming through Jesus, andtherefore they are not children
(17:00):
of Abraham.
At this point, the Jewishleaders become incredibly upset,
and they throw an incredibleaccusation at Jesus.
They say, We were not born ofsexual immorality, we have one
Father, even God.
Now the Greek word for sexualimmorality here is pornea.
(17:23):
It's often translatedfornication.
This is yet another attempt todiscredit Jesus and to validate
themselves as the leaders of theJewish community.
This is actually a personalattack on Jesus and the events
that surrounded his birth.
(17:44):
These Jews know the story aboutMary's betrothal.
They know that Joseph was notJesus' real father.
They are implying that Jesus wasan illegitimate child, born of
sexual immorality.
Picking up in verse forty two,Jesus said to them, If God were
(18:08):
your father, you would love me,for I came from God and I am
here.
I came not of my own accord, buthe sent me.
Why do you not understand what Isay?
It is because you cannot bear tohear my word.
You are of your father thedevil, and your will is to do
(18:30):
your father's desires.
He was a murderer from thebeginning, and does not stand in
the truth, because there is notruth in him.
When he lies, he speaks out ofhis own character, for he is a
liar and the father of lies.
But because I tell the truth,you do not believe me.
(18:55):
Which one of you convicts me ofsin?
If I tell the truth, why do younot believe me?
Whoever is of God hears thewords of God.
The reason why you do not hearthem is that you are not of God.
(19:15):
In verse forty two through fortyseven, we see some very strong
words from Jesus to these Jewishleaders.
Jesus makes it clear to theseJewish leaders that they are not
of God the Father because theydon't love him.
It is clear from these words ofJesus that you cannot know and
(19:39):
love God the Father withoutknowing and loving God the Son.
The Son is the only way to theFather.
In verse forty four, Jesusplainly tells these Jewish
leaders, you are of your fatherthe devil.
This example from Jesus is anexample to us.
(20:03):
The Jews here were intent onopposing Jesus Christ.
They'd already made up theirminds.
This is the behavior of Satan.
This is a hostility toward God.
While the Jews claimed to knowGod, their conduct was the very
opposite of what they professed.
(20:27):
Jesus here describing that theywere spiritual children of the
devil brings us all the way backto Genesis three fifteen, where
God said to Satan, I will putenmity between you and the
woman, between your offspringand her offspring.
He shall bruise your head andyou shall bruise his heel.
(20:53):
In Ephesians chapter five, weare told that a son will imitate
his father.
Walk in love as Christ loved usand gave himself up for us, a
(21:13):
fragrant offering and sacrificeto God.
It was Satan that successfullybrought death into our world by
tempting Adam and Eve.
It was only one generation laterthat Cain murdered his own
brother.
The very nature of Satan is tolie, to deceive, to manipulate
(21:36):
others against God.
Satan not only does this toothers, but he does it to
himself.
Satan is self-deceived.
He's self-deceived to the pointthat his very core, his very
being, has been transformed intothe darkness of lies.
(21:59):
Jesus says that Satan is thefather of lies.
Satan believes that he can besomething he is not.
Satan is a created angel, and hehas deceived himself into
believing that he can be eternallike Yahweh.
(22:21):
The truth is found in JesusChrist, and Jesus clearly says,
Because I tell you the truth,you do not believe me.
After the Jews make thispersonal attack on the character
of Jesus, inferring that he's anillegitimate child, Jesus
plainly asks them, which one ofyou convicts me of sin?
(22:45):
Now let's be clear.
They believed he was committingblasphemy.
They believed he was sinning byhealing on the Sabbath.
And now they're accusing Jesusof being born in sin.
What Jesus is doing here isdemonstrating his perfect
(23:07):
holiness.
While the Jews remain silent,that isn't what demonstrates his
holiness.
His holiness is shown by hisassurance and his confidence in
the purity of his relationshipwith Father God.
Finally, Jesus says, Whoever isof God hears the words of God.
(23:32):
Now this Greek word for hear, itmeans to discern.
When you hear the words of Godthat come from Jesus Christ, can
you discern what God is saying?
And when you discern, do youbelieve and do you obey?
(23:53):
These Jewish leaders recognizedthat Jesus was claiming to be
the Messiah, but they did nothave genuine faith.
(24:15):
God bless you this week.
Grace and peace to you.
Thank you so much for joining mefor the mysteries of God's Word.
Today we are in John chaptereight.
We are beginning at versethirty-one, which reads.
So Jesus said to the Jews whohad believed him, If you abide
(00:35):
in my word, you are truly mydisciples, and you will know the
truth, and the truth will setyou free.
They answered him, We areoffspring of Abraham, and have
never been enslaved to anyone.
How is it that you say you willbecome free?
(00:57):
As we dive into our openingthree verses for today, let us
be reminded that this is onceagain the last day of the feast
of Booths, six months beforeJesus is to be crucified.
And on this last day of thefeast, Jesus is speaking many
(01:18):
things to many people.
In the Gospel of John, chapter7, chapter 8, chapter 9, and
even part of chapter 10 are allpart of Jesus' activity on this
last day of the feast.
Here in the Gospel of John, weclearly see that this was a very
(01:38):
important day in the ministry ofJesus.
In our last discussion, Jesussaid that he was the light of
the world, and a great debatearose between him and the
Pharisees, as the Phariseestried to trap Jesus in
blasphemy, as Jesus declaredhimself as God, as the Christ,
(01:59):
and as one with the Father.
And at the end of thatdiscussion, we saw that some of
the Jews believed in him.
So now Jesus is speaking tothose Jews who had believed.
The first step in truediscipleship is to believe in
(02:20):
Jesus as the Messiah and Son ofGod.
However, as we will see, whilethese Jews saw that the truth
was in Jesus, they were stillunwilling to acknowledge it
openly or trust him.
Jesus tells them, If you abidein my word, you are truly my
(02:42):
disciples.
The second step of a truedisciple is to abide in the Word
of God.
More specifically, to abide inthe person of Jesus Christ.
To persevere in the faith is totrust in Jesus Christ and his
teaching.
(03:02):
That is the evidence of genuinefaith.
In fact, the Greek word forabide when Jesus says if you
abide in my word means to standhabitually.
We are to stand habitually inthe words of Jesus.
(03:23):
In the second epistle of John,it reads, Everyone who goes on
ahead and does not abide in theteachings of Christ does not
have God.
Whoever abides in the teachinghas both the Father and the Son.
Jesus continues to say, If youabide, you will know the truth,
(03:46):
and the truth will set you free.
That is because it is throughabiding in the words of Christ
and abiding in the person ofChrist that a genuine believer
becomes confidently grounded inthe message of salvation and
forgiveness.
The knowledge of their salvationsets them free from the bondage
(04:12):
of sin.
The knowledge of salvation setsus free from condemnation.
It sets us free from thedarkness.
It sets us free from the powerof the devil, and it sets us
free ultimately from death, thatwe might have eternal life
forever with God.
(04:35):
In verse thirty-three, theseJews became offended.
They said, We're offspring ofAbraham.
We've never been enslaved toanyone.
How can you say that we need tobe free?
Now there's some debate amongstcommentators as to who is
actually speaking here.
Are these the Jews that believedin Jesus?
(04:59):
Some say yes, because it ispossible to see and believe in
the truth without actuallyacknowledging it or trusting it.
Such belief is not saving faith,but it's like the faith of
Judas.
Judas understood that Jesus wasthe Christ, but he never openly
(05:20):
acknowledged it, nor did hetrust in Christ.
Other commentators believe thatthere's a transition back to the
Jews that did not believe.
Whichever is the case, it soonbecomes clear in our text for
today that the Jews speaking didnot trust in Jesus as their Lord
(05:44):
and Savior.
Their immediate response is yetanother argument to try and
discredit what Jesus is saying.
They are blatantly denyingJewish history, even their
current circumstances under theRoman Empire.
The Jews obviously had a longhistory of being enslaved,
(06:07):
enslaved by the Egyptians,enslaved by the Assyrians,
enslaved under the Babylonians,and then oppressed under the
Medo-Persians, the Greeks, andnow the Roman Empire.
Even as they are speaking, thereare many Jews, probably Jews
right here, that are looking fora Messiah to bring them out from
(06:31):
under this Roman oppression, tofree them so that they can once
again go back to the promisedland.
But the inference here fromthese Jews is that because they
are Abraham's physicaldescendants, they have a unique
position with God.
They're describing their falsebelief that somehow through
(06:54):
their physical ancestry ofAbraham, they are righteous.
And in their self righteousnessof the flesh, they don't trust
the Messiah that stands beforethem.
They don't see that they have aneed for God to save them from
their condemnation of sin.
Picking up in verse thirty four,Jesus answered them, Truly,
(07:17):
truly I say to you, everyone whopractices sin is a slave to sin.
The slave does not remain in thehouse forever, the Son remains
forever.
So if the Son sets you free, youwill be free indeed.
I know that you are offspring ofAbraham, yet you seek to kill
(07:40):
me, because my word finds noplace in you.
I speak of what I have seen withmy father, and you do what you
have heard from your father.
In verses thirty four throughthirty-eight, Jesus talks about
everyone who practices sin is aslave to sin.
(08:03):
This idea of practicing sin issinning habitually.
I like to think of it how adoctor will practice medicine.
It's something that's doneregularly.
Everyone who makes a practice ofsinning is unable to escape
(08:23):
those sinful patterns of conductwithout the help of Jesus.
Without Jesus Christ, everyoneis a slave to their practices of
sin.
They're a slave to their ownself righteous justifications.
And this too was the case forthese Jews, because they're
(08:47):
attempting to make themselvesrighteous and justified before
God simply by being the physicaloffspring of Abraham.
Jesus says the slave does notremain in the house forever.
The son remains forever.
(09:07):
This statement from Jesusrequires a little bit of
cultural understanding in theRoman Empire.
The Roman institution of slaverywas not like our North American
Southern slavery.
Human trafficking in the RomanEmpire was considered illegal,
(09:28):
and in Scripture it wasconsidered sinful.
You can find that in 1 Timothy110, Revelation 18, 11 through
13.
In the Roman Empire, a slave waspaid a small wage.
They could eventually buy theirway out of slavery.
Therefore, the slave would notremain in the house forever.
(09:51):
Only a natural born son wouldremain in the house forever.
And Jesus says, if the Son setsyou free, you're free indeed.
Through the Messiah, the Son ofGod, we can have forgiveness of
sin.
The Son in God's house can setus free from this bondage to
(10:15):
sin.
The sacrifice of Jesus Christ onthe cross at Calvary is
sufficient for all sin for alltime.
Through genuine faith in JesusChrist, we are set free from the
guilt of sin.
We are set free from the powerthat the law had to shame us.
(10:41):
In the freedom of God's grace,we can live a life for the Lord.
We can be free from the powerthat sin had and held over us.
In verse thirty-seven, Jesussays something interesting that
he will appear to contradict intwo verses.
(11:04):
He says, I know that you areoffspring of Abraham.
Jesus in this way is confirmingthat the Jews were physical
offspring of Abraham.
But as we will see in versethirty-nine, Jesus will say,
They are not Abraham's children,because they don't have
(11:26):
Abraham's faith.
And he begins to lay that outeven right here in verse 37,
when he says, My word finds noplace in you.
These Jews were sincerelyconfused in their thinking.
And Jesus begins to describe tothem how it is not the physical
(11:49):
descendants of Abraham that areAbraham's seed according to
God's promise, but rather it isthose who believe in the
Messiah, those who trust in thecoming Christ who is Jesus.
They are the true offspring ofAbraham.
(12:12):
I'd like to read just threeverses from Scripture to help
confirm this idea in your mind.
Romans two, twenty eight andtwenty nine says, For no one is
a Jew who is one merelyoutwardly, nor is circumcision
outward and physical, but a Jewis one inwardly, and
(12:33):
circumcision is a matter of theheart, by the Spirit, not the
letter.
His praise is not from man, butfrom God.
Romans nine six reads, but it'snot as though the word of God
has failed, for not all who aredescended from Israel belong to
(12:55):
Israel.
Finally, I'd like to read to youGalatians three seven, which
reads Know then that it is thoseof faith who are the sons of
Abraham.
Jesus reassures these Jews thathe is speaking to them what he
has seen with his father.
(13:17):
The truth that he is speakingcomes from the very presence of
God the Father, but they arerejecting this direct revelation
from God, and by rejecting thismessage, they were in fact
listening to their father, thedevil.
Picking up in verse thirty nine,they answered him, Abraham is
(13:42):
our father.
Jesus said to them, If you wereAbraham's children, you would be
doing the works Abraham did, butnow you seek to kill me.
A man who has told you the truththat I heard from God, this is
not what Abraham did.
(14:03):
You are doing the works yourfather did.
They said to him, We were notborn of sexual immorality.
We have one father, even God.
Here in verses thirty ninethrough forty one, we see what
we have been talking about.
(14:25):
These Jews again declare thatAbraham is their father.
These Jews are now on thedefensive after Jesus describes
himself following the heavenlyfather and how they are
following a different fatherbecause they want to kill him.
And their immediate reply toJesus is Abraham is our father,
(14:50):
as if to say we follow the Godof Abraham.
But Jesus plainly tells themthat they are not following the
God of Abraham.
They are not the children ofAbraham.
And the way in which Jesus saysthis declares to them that their
(15:11):
physical lineage will not grantthem salvation.
Jesus is plainly telling themthat children of Abraham are
those who believe in him as theChrist.
Abraham was known for believingin God.
Abraham was known for his faith.
(15:34):
I'd like to read just threeverses to confirm this.
Genesis fifteen six reads, andAbraham believed the Lord, and
he counted it to him asrighteousness.
Romans four three again quotesthis, saying, For what does the
scripture say?
(15:55):
Abraham believed God, and it wascounted to him as righteousness.
James two hundred twenty threealso quotes this same verse,
says the scripture was fulfilledthat says Abraham believed God,
and it was counted to him asrighteousness, and he was called
(16:16):
a friend of God.
You see, my friends, my brothersand my sisters, anyone that is a
child of Abraham will believe inJesus Christ.
For it is he that comes fromGod, and it is Christ Jesus that
speaks the very words of God.
(16:38):
Jesus continues to confrontthese Jewish leaders, telling
them they're not true childrenof Abraham because they do not
do what Abraham did.
The Jews are not believing thewords of Father God that are
coming through Jesus, andtherefore they are not children
(17:00):
of Abraham.
At this point, the Jewishleaders become incredibly upset,
and they throw an incredibleaccusation at Jesus.
They say, We were not born ofsexual immorality, we have one
Father, even God.
Now the Greek word for sexualimmorality here is pornea.
(17:23):
It's often translatedfornication.
This is yet another attempt todiscredit Jesus and to validate
themselves as the leaders of theJewish community.
This is actually a personalattack on Jesus and the events
that surrounded his birth.
(17:44):
These Jews know the story aboutMary's betrothal.
They know that Joseph was notJesus' real father.
They are implying that Jesus wasan illegitimate child, born of
sexual immorality.
Picking up in verse forty two,Jesus said to them, If God were
(18:08):
your father, you would love me,for I came from God and I am
here.
I came not of my own accord, buthe sent me.
Why do you not understand what Isay?
It is because you cannot bear tohear my word.
You are of your father thedevil, and your will is to do
(18:30):
your father's desires.
He was a murderer from thebeginning, and does not stand in
the truth, because there is notruth in him.
When he lies, he speaks out ofhis own character, for he is a
liar and the father of lies.
But because I tell the truth,you do not believe me.
(18:55):
Which one of you convicts me ofsin?
If I tell the truth, why do younot believe me?
Whoever is of God hears thewords of God.
The reason why you do not hearthem is that you are not of God.
(19:15):
In verse forty two through fortyseven, we see some very strong
words from Jesus to these Jewishleaders.
Jesus makes it clear to theseJewish leaders that they are not
of God the Father because theydon't love him.
It is clear from these words ofJesus that you cannot know and
(19:39):
love God the Father withoutknowing and loving God the Son.
The Son is the only way to theFather.
In verse forty four, Jesusplainly tells these Jewish
leaders, you are of your fatherthe devil.
This example from Jesus is anexample to us.
(20:03):
The Jews here were intent onopposing Jesus Christ.
They'd already made up theirminds.
This is the behavior of Satan.
This is a hostility toward God.
While the Jews claimed to knowGod, their conduct was the very
opposite of what they professed.
(20:27):
Jesus here describing that theywere spiritual children of the
devil brings us all the way backto Genesis three fifteen, where
God said to Satan, I will putenmity between you and the
woman, between your offspringand her offspring.
He shall bruise your head andyou shall bruise his heel.
(20:53):
In Ephesians chapter five, weare told that a son will imitate
his father.
Walk in love as Christ loved usand gave himself up for us, a
(21:13):
fragrant offering and sacrificeto God.
It was Satan that successfullybrought death into our world by
tempting Adam and Eve.
It was only one generation laterthat Cain murdered his own
brother.
The very nature of Satan is tolie, to deceive, to manipulate
(21:36):
others against God.
Satan not only does this toothers, but he does it to
himself.
Satan is self-deceived.
He's self-deceived to the pointthat his very core, his very
being, has been transformed intothe darkness of lies.
(21:59):
Jesus says that Satan is thefather of lies.
Satan believes that he can besomething he is not.
Satan is a created angel, and hehas deceived himself into
believing that he can be eternallike Yahweh.
(22:21):
The truth is found in JesusChrist, and Jesus clearly says,
Because I tell you the truth,you do not believe me.
After the Jews make thispersonal attack on the character
of Jesus, inferring that he's anillegitimate child, Jesus
plainly asks them, which one ofyou convicts me of sin?
(22:45):
Now let's be clear.
They believed he was committingblasphemy.
They believed he was sinning byhealing on the Sabbath.
And now they're accusing Jesusof being born in sin.
What Jesus is doing here isdemonstrating his perfect
(23:07):
holiness.
While the Jews remain silent,that isn't what demonstrates his
holiness.
His holiness is shown by hisassurance and his confidence in
the purity of his relationshipwith Father God.
Finally, Jesus says, Whoever isof God hears the words of God.
(23:32):
Now this Greek word for hear, itmeans to discern.
When you hear the words of Godthat come from Jesus Christ, can
you discern what God is saying?
And when you discern, do youbelieve and do you obey?
(23:53):
These Jewish leaders recognizedthat Jesus was claiming to be
the Messiah, but they did nothave genuine faith.
(24:15):
God bless you this week.
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