Spiritual Food for Women

John 8:46-49

46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 

47 He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”

48 Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.

Aren’t You a Samaritan? Don’t You have a Demon?

“What sin have you convicted Me of? Why won’t you believe me? I’m telling you the truth?” Jesus says in verse 46. Then Jesus answers His own question in verse 47, paraphrasing, “I’ll tell you why you don’t believe Me. You don’t want to listen to Me, because you do not belong to God. You think you do, but you don’t. God is not your father. Only people who belong to God are willing to listen to God’s words.” In verse 48, the Jews react harshly to Jesus’ words by asking Him, “Aren’t we correct in saying that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” By saying that Jesus was a Samaritan, they were saying that He was an outcast and was looked down on with contempt. The Jews hated the Samaritans, so they were basically saying they hated Jesus. They also said that Jesus had a demon, implying that His words were from Satan instead of God. So, in their minds, these Jews chose the two worst things they could think of to call the Son of God: a Samaritan and a follower of Satan. Wow. 

In verse 49, Jesus said, paraphrasing, “I do not have a demon. I am here to honor My Father, yet you dishonor Me because I honor My Father.” There are two things about this statement by Jesus that stick out to me. First of all, He didn’t address the fact that they called Him a Samaritan, but addressed the demon part. He said that He didn’t have a demon. This is because being called a Samaritan was not a derogatory thing in the eyes of Jesus, even though it was to the Jews. Jesus had already talked with the Samaritan woman at the well. He had already been to the city and stayed with the Samaritans for two days so that He and His disciples could continue teaching them. Jesus loved the people of Samaria and was not ashamed to be associated with them. Jesus loves all people from every nation, as should we who are His disciples. God is “no respecter of persons” when it comes to a person’s race or ethnicity. We should be this way as well. (Romans 2:11) Second of all, Jesus used the personal possessive adjective, “My” when referring to the Father, instead of using the plural possessive adjective “our”, which means He doesn’t consider His Father to be their father. Jesus has only ever shone honor to His Father. He has always given His Father the glory in everything He has done, yet these Jews continue to dishonor and disrespect Him because of the honor that He shows His Father. The way that these Jews have spoken to Jesus is so hurtful and disgraceful. I wonder if some of these same Jews will be some of the ones who are “cut to their heart” on Pentecost when Peter preached the first gospel sermon (Acts 2:37). I wonder if some of these Jews were a part of the 3000 who were baptized for the remission of their sins that day (Acts 2:41). Did some of these Jews who spoke so blasphemously to Jesus here in these verses, later become disciples of Jesus? It’s very possible. If Paul could, then anyone could, right?

In the previous few verses, Jesus had laid out the terms of what it takes to be a child of God. If we are children of God, then we must be disciples of Jesus. What makes us true disciples of Jesus? Being raised in the church of Christ doesn’t make us true disciples. Showing up for church services on Sundays and even Wednesdays doesn’t make us true disciples. Taking the Lord’s Supper doesn’t make us true disciples if we aren’t invested in the reason we are taking it. Repenting doesn’t make us true disciples if we don’t really turn away from the world. Being baptized doesn’t even make us true disciples if we don’t rise up out of that watery grave, leave our sin behind,  and continue to grow as Christians. We are not disciples of Jesus if we don’t walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). It is a commitment that I haven’t taken seriously in the past. It is a commitment that I fall short in every day. But, it is a commitment that I am striving to keep, because it is the most important commitment that I have ever made…more important than my commitment to my husband, my children, my grandchildren, my parents, my friends, my career…more important than any other commitment in this world!! Without a full commitment to Jesus, I am not His true disciple. If I am not His true disciple, then I am not a child of God. Now, don’t get me wrong, all these things that I have listed above, such as attending services, repenting, being baptized, and taking the Lord’s Supper, are commanded by Jesus, and must be obeyed. All of the above are acts of obedience that are part of the transformation that our entire life has to undergo if we are going to be true disciples. We can’t be selfish with any part of our life… our money, our time, our material things, etc. We have to be willing to give it all up for Jesus if we are true disciples. Jesus knows that we have earthly commitments to our families, our employers, and our friends. Fulfilling our commitments here on earth is a part of being a disciple of Jesus. We are to be trustworthy, reliable, honest, generous, and selfless. We just can’t ever let anyone or anything become more important than our commitment to Jesus. At that point, those people or things become idols. If God is my Father, then I will listen to Jesus. I will hang on His every Word. Do I hang on the words of Jesus? Do His words live in me continually? Do I base every decision that I make on the words of Jesus? Am I a true disciple of Jesus?

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

John 8:42-45

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 

43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 

44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 

45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.

Who is the Enemy of Truth? How Do We Recognize Him?

“We have one Father—God.” This is the claim that the Jews made in John 8:41. Jesus then gives them some reasons why God cannot be their Father. In verse 42, Jesus says, paraphrasing, “If God is really your Father, then you would love Me, because I came from God. I didn’t come on My own, but I came because God sent Me.”  For my consideration: If I love God, then I will love and obey Jesus. This leads to some questions for myself. Do I love Jesus more than anyone or anything in this world? More than my husband? My children? My grandchildren? Do I enjoy being with Jesus? In His Word? With His church? What do I hold as most dear?“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:37). Do I obey Jesus? “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). 

In verse 43, Jesus asks, paraphrasing, “Why do you not want to understand what I am saying? I’ll tell you why… because you don’t want to listen and accept My Word as the truth.” For my consideration: If God is my Father, then I will want to understand God’s will for me. I will want to know the absolute truth. It was the will of God that Christ came to earth and spoke the truth. Jesus was revealing the truth to them, but they rejected it. It’s almost as if they were saying, “If this Jesus guy is the will of God, then I don’t want any part of it.” Do I understand God’s will for my life? Do I want to know the truth? Do I accept His will? Will I accept the pure truth? 

Then, in 44 comes the cold, hard truth. Jesus says, paraphrasing, “Your father is the devil, and you want to do what he wants you to do. The devil has always been a murderer. He is a deceiver and does not stand in the truth. In fact, he has no truth in him at all. Everything your father, the devil, says is a lie. He is the father of lies.” This had to hit these Jews hard, because all this time they had thought that they were God’s chosen ones… the elite ones. However, because these people refused to acknowledge who Jesus was, believe in Him, and accept God’s will, they were just like their father. Who is their father? Jesus said their father was the devil. They were just like their father, the devil. The truth was not in them. For my consideration: If God is really my Father, then my will has to match up with His will. So question…..Do I conform my will to the Father’s will? Or do I try to manipulate God’s will to suit my own agenda? Following my own will equals following Satan. 

Then in verse 45, Jesus says, paraphrasing, “Because your father is the devil, you are incapable of believing the truth, and what I say is the truth.” For my consideration: If God is my Father, then I will believe His Word, because His Word is truth. If I am caught up in the world, then I am blind to the truth. If I am blind to the truth, then God is not my Father. Sadly, if God is not my Father, then there is only one other option…Satan. Satan is my father until I am willing to open my eyes to the truth. Until then, I will stay in the darkness and continue to believe the lies of my father, the devil. Scary thought, right? It sounds like a horror movie. And friends, I was in that horror movie for a long time. It is also scary that Satan is called a roaring lion and an angel of light. That’s confusing, right? Sometimes Satan is easy to spot, like a dangerous roaring lion. But sometimes, he is not so easy to spot. He is so very deceptive. We can think that God is our Father, but in reality, we might be following Satan disguised as an angel. So, the question… who is truly my Father? I, myself, want my Creator, the One who made me and sent His Son to die for me, to be my Father. So, how can I be sure that I am following the real Jesus, and not Satan in disguise? Well, I have to get in His Word daily. And I need good sound uplifting, but biblical, preaching that convicts my heart, not just motivational fluff with no real spiritual food. I don’t need someone telling me that I’m right with God when I’m not. I don’t need someone telling me that my sin is ok with God when it most certainly is not. That is how I can recognize the real Jesus. He doesn’t tell me just what I want to hear, as Satan does. Jesus never glossed over anyone’s sin. He loved the woman caught in adultery, and he forgave her, but what else did He say to her? He said, “Go and sin no more” (John 8:1-11).

Everything we need to know about Him and how to follow Him is in His Word. There is only One way to heaven, and we can know that One way by opening the pages of His Word. Everything we need to know is there. Maybe you need some help figuring it all out. The world is a confusing place with a lot of conflicting ideas about salvation and worship out there. Do some digging in the Word, or reach out for help if you have questions. Please don’t hesitate. There are so many in the Lord’s church who would love to help you find and learn the truth, including me. 

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

John 8:38-41

38 I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.”

39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 

40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 

41 You do the deeds of your father.” Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.”

“You Say You are Abraham’s Children…And You are Seeking to Kill Me? Really?”

What do you notice about the word “father” in verse 38? In the NKJV that I am using, the first “Father” begins with a capital letter, while the second “father” begins with a lowercase letter. Jesus says that He speaks what He has SEEN with HIS Father. Jesus has seen THE Father, while the Jews that He is speaking to have not. They have only heard the Father through the scriptures. Jesus belongs to His Father, and the Jews belong to their father, which is not God. Is Jesus saying that their father is Satan? I believe that is exactly what He is saying, especially after we read the next verse. In verse 39, the Jews reply to Jesus with the statement, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus shoots this down with these words in verses 39-40, paraphrasing, “If you were the children of Abraham, then you would act like Abraham. You plan to kill Me after I have told you the truth from God. Abraham never acted like this.” Don’t children normally act like their parents? They usually follow their parents’ or mentors’ example. Jesus emulated His Father. But the Jews were not emulating Abraham. Abraham did not try to kill the Son of God. Abraham tried to obey God in everything He did. He made mistakes, but He was faithful to God. We read about Abraham’s faithfulness to God as he is immortalized in the great chapter of faith in Hebrews 11. “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” (Hebrews 11:8-10) “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.” (Hebrews 11:17-19) Were these Jews following or emulating the man portrayed in these verses? Absolutely not! So, God was not their father. Abraham was not their father. So, who was Jesus saying their father was? At the beginning of verse 41, Jesus says something that tells us without a shadow of a doubt to whom these Jews belong. He says, “You do the deeds of your father.” By “deeds”, He means their desire to kill Him. Someone who would try to kill the Son of God would be the spawn of Satan, wouldn’t he? The people did not receive Jesus’ words well at all, and grasped at a straw in verse 41. They said, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.” They were implying that Jesus was born of fornication, because of the controversy surrounding Mary’s pregnancy. It was also another statement about the purity of their lineage to Abraham, and that this lineage connects them to their one Father, which is God. It was a terrible statement made by these people about the Son of God. In today’s language, here was what they said, “At least we weren’t born in fornication like you.” Wow, just wow! Did they really just say that disrespectful comment to Jesus, and then say that God was their Father in the same breath?

We will be faced with resistance and even ridicule at times when we present the truth to people outside of Christ today. Jesus said we would be hated because He was hated. How will we handle it? Well, we look for opportunities to share the gospel, and we speak the truth with kindness and love, no matter what. 

We can also learn a couple of lessons in what not to do from the Jews. We need to live what we teach. If we aren’t living out the truth, then no one is going to listen to us, including the children God has entrusted us to raise. Another lesson we can learn is humility. We need to be humble enough to admit when we are wrong, because we all make mistakes. The Jews would never admit to making a mistake or misunderstanding something. I’m reminded of Apollos, who was preaching the baptism of John because that was all he knew. No one can teach what they haven’t been taught. Aquila and Priscilla heard him speaking, pulled him aside, and taught him the truth of the gospel, which included the baptism for the remission of sins. Apollos, who was very intelligent and an eloquent speaker, was humble and allowed himself to be taught by these two tentmakers. What an example for us! 

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

John  8:34-37

34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 

35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 

36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

37 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.

“Am I a Slave to Sin or a Daughter of God?” 

Why do people in the world claim that they are free? They believe they are free, because Satan has convinced them that they can do whatever they want to do, say whatever they want to say, and live however they want to live. This is what the world tells people today…”You do you!” That phrase has people fooled into thinking they are free. Satan has deceived them into believing that doing what makes their flesh happy is true freedom. Are they in a physical prison? No, their physical bodies are free. They can do whatever they want in their physical bodies. What they don’t realize is that they are in spiritual bondage. The Jews to whom Jesus is speaking don’t understand the bondage that they are in. But Jesus tells them in verse 34, paraphrasing, “Truly, if you commit sin, then you are a slave to sin.” The Jews back then, along with people outside of Christ today, are slaves to sin, Satan, and the world. The Jews thought that because they were Abraham’s descendants, they were automatically following God and would be in heaven someday, but in reality, they were slaves to sin. The sad part is that most people today don’t realize it. When someone outside of Christ dies a physical death or when Jesus comes back the second time, whichever comes first, their souls will not be free to go where they want to go. Every person will want to be with God when his/her life is over. They certainly won’t want the alternative. It won’t matter whether they believed in and followed God or not while in their physical bodies. They will ultimately fall on their knees and beg God to save them. At that moment, they will realize they were never really free when they were physically alive. They will realize that they were slaves to the sin that they loved, and then they will realize the sad truth… that they will be enslaved for eternity in a place that no one would ever in a million years choose to be. It is not something that I like to think about or write about. I don’t like to think about people I care about being lost. But it is a reality that I have to face. This is why it is so important that we spread the Word and try to teach as many people as we can. If we believe and obey Jesus, then we are free. What does this mean? It means that we are free from the bondage of sin. It means that we no longer serve our own fleshly desires. We serve Jesus and live for His purpose. If we are truly His disciples, then we won’t want to be involved in those sinful behaviors anymore. Will we mess up sometimes? Yes, most definitely, but Jesus’ blood will continually cleanse us of those “mess ups” if we are truly penitent. What if we sin and don’t realize that we have sinned? Jesus knows our hearts, and He will cleanse us of those sins as well. Now, that is freedom! If our allegiance is to Jesus in our physical lives, then He will advocate for us before God on judgment day, and He will tell God these words, “Yes, Father, she is mine”, or “Yes, Father, he is mine.” God will not argue with Jesus, because the Father and the Son are in complete agreement in their judgment. It will be a done deal for us. Then our souls are free for eternity. On judgment day, there will only be two situations for us to be in. We will be allowed the freedom to go to the place where we want to be, with God, or we will be enslaved in a place where we don’t want to be, with the devil and his angels…..separated from God forever. It is ultimately our choice. 

In verse 35, Jesus makes a wonderful comparison to illustrate the point He is trying to make. He says, paraphrasing, “Slaves are not members of a household/family. They are property and can be sold at any time. Sons and daughters are permanent members of a household, and can never be taken away from the family.” In the spiritual sense, this means that slaves of sin are not members of the family of God. They are the property of Satan. Satan owns them and cares nothing about their well-being. He only wants pain and suffering for them. If we believe and obey Jesus, then we are children and heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Jesus, because we are in the family of God (Romans 8:17). 

In verse 36, Jesus confirms His authority to make us free. He says, paraphrasing, “If I (the Son) make you free, then you truly will be free.” Jesus refers to Himself as the Son… the one and only Son of God. If He says you are free from sin, then you are, and no one else can change that. The only person who can change our status as a child of God is us, if we make a conscious decision to stop following Jesus. 

In verse 37, Jesus says, paraphrasing, “I realize that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you are trying to kill Me, the Son of God. Your actions contradict everything Abraham stood for, and prove that My words and teachings are not in You.” How can they claim to be God’s chosen people and heirs to the promises of God, yet plot to kill God’s son? How can they claim to be “of God” because of their heritage, and reject the words of Jesus? The answer is they aren’t God’s chosen people. They aren’t heirs to the spiritual promises of God. Their heritage has nothing to do with their salvation, just as ours doesn’t. Listening to and following God’s Son is what salvation is all about now, and these Jews are missing this point. How many people today are missing the point of what salvation is all about? It is about belief in and obedience to Jesus. It is about abiding in the words of Jesus. The Jews of Jesus’ time were hypocritical by calling themselves God’s chosen people and the descendants of Abraham, all the while plotting to kill the Son of God. 

Question for myself: Am I hypocritical? Do I say that I follow Jesus, but crucify Him all over again by putting my worldly desires ahead of Him? Am I abiding in Jesus?

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

John 8:30-33

30 As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 

32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”

“Will We Accept the Truth and Be Set Free?”

After Jesus spoke the words in the previous verses, verse 30 says that many of the people believed in Him. But did they truly believe? Did they fully understand? We will see the answer to that in the coming verses as Jesus challenges them to fully believe and trust in Him. In verse 31, Jesus tells the Jews who claim to believe in Him that if they abide in His word, they are truly His disciples. The Greek word for “abide” is meno, which is translated as “continue”, “dwell”,  or “remain”. It means we are supposed to continually live our lives according to His word. We stay in it. We walk in it. We don’t let anything take us away from following Jesus’ words. Colossians 3:16 tells us to, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” The word “dwell” in this verse is translated differently than the word abide in John 8:31, but the implication is the same. The word “dwell” in Colossians 3:16 is enoikeo and means “to dwell in and influence him for good”. Isn’t this what Jesus means by “abide in My word”? We are to let His word abide in us and influence us to do good. As His word influences us to do good, we will teach and admonish others by our example, which influences them to do good. It is a cycle… a beautiful cycle. Colossians 3:16 is also one of the verses that we use to advocate for the use of only singing in our worship services. We are to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly through the hymns that we sing to teach and admonish each other. This carries over into our everyday life. Letting the word of Christ dwell in us richly should be seen in everything we do or say. Do the words of Christ abide in me? Do they dwell richly in me and show in everything that I do? In worship? In everyday life? How do we abide in the words of Christ? In order to do this, I have to be a student of the Word. I can’t just open it every so often, or open it when I’m feeling down. I have to be a student daily in some form or fashion. It looks different for everyone. Everyone doesn’t study the same way. We each have to find our own way of abiding in His Word that works for us. My main way of studying is writing about things as I study. Some days we may have more time than other days, and that is ok. God understands. But He won’t understand if we continually put worldly things ahead of being in His Word. A disciple of Christ consumes the Word to feed his/her soul, because he/she understands that humans can’t live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God. (Deuteronomy 8:3 quoted by Jesus to combat Satan in Matthew 4:4) We may live physically, but we will die spiritually without it. This all refers back to Jesus being the bread of eternal life, and telling us we need to eat His flesh and drink His blood. (John 6:48-54) 

In verse 32, Jesus says that if we abide in His word, then we can know the truth. If we are true disciples, then we will follow the path that Jesus has laid out in His Word, and we won’t veer off that path. Jesus is the Light, and He will guide us in the way that we need to go. He is the Living Water that continually refreshes us with the truth as we travel that lighted path through this world of darkness and suffering. He is the Bread of Life that sustains us with the truth through every hardship that we face. Is it easy to find the truth? Well…..I believe it can be as hard as we want to make it. It does take digging to understand the truth. God expects us to work at it. The main thing that we have to have is the desire to know the truth. The truth may be harder to accept than it is to find. If we aren’t in a saved condition, we may not want to learn that we are lost. If we were raised in a denomination, we may not want to learn that what we have been taught was not the truth. But, Jesus says that we can know THE truth. How many truths did Jesus say we can know? Just one, right? We’ve all heard this statement, “I’m just living my truth”. Everyone can’t have their own individual truth. Jesus says there is only one truth. We can’t make up our own. It is sad how many people believe that they are right with God, but are not. The scriptures predicted that this would happen. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 says, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” We have a choice between “sound doctrine” or “our own desires”, ”the truth” or “fables”. Which will it be? 

Then Jesus says something that confuses the ones who claim to believe in Him. He says that they can know the truth and truth will make them free. The people don’t realize that they are in any kind of bondage, so they don’t understand this statement. They say in verse 33, paraphrasing, “Bondage from what? We are Abraham’s descendants, and we are not and have never been slaves to anyone. Why do you say that we will be free when we are already free?” They are referring to their physical lineage and being in physical bondage. We know what Jesus is referring to, though. He is referring to spiritual slavery… slavery to sin. Slavery to sin is the worst kind of bondage imaginable because it leads to spiritual death and an eternity separated from God. Are we slaves or are we free? Are we looking for the truth or listening to fables? Are we abiding in the words of Christ or the world? If we are abiding in the Words of Christ, then we are free. Nothing is more comforting and fulfilling than abiding in Christ. 

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

John 8:26-29

26 I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.”

27 They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.

28 Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. 

29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”

“When You Lift Me Up, Then You Will Know…”

Jesus made it clear in verse 26 that He has been given the authority to judge them. He says He has “many things to say and judge” concerning them. God, who sent Jesus to the world, only speaks and judges in truth. Jesus, who was God in the flesh, only speaks and judges in truth. Jesus only speaks what He has heard from the Father. However, these people remain spiritually blind to the truth. They still don’t understand that the phrase “He who sent Me” is referring to the Father. But how could they not know that by now? Jesus said in John 5:36, “But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.” Did they not remember Jesus saying this? And again in John 8:16, He said, “And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me.” How could they not know? The answer is they didn’t want to know. They refused to believe. 

In verse 28, Jesus said, paraphrasing, “You may not know Me now, but you will know Me. When I am lifted up, you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing on my own. I only speak what My Father has taught Me to say.” Where have we heard this language about being “lifted up” before? We heard Jesus say this back in John 3:14 when He was speaking to Nicodemus. He said, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up…” He went on to tell Nicodemus the next two verses that whoever believes in Him will not perish and will have everlasting life (John 3:15-16). When Jesus spoke of being lifted up, we know He was referring to His crucifixion on the cross. This moment, along with His resurrection, was when Jesus’ full glory would be revealed to everyone. The cross was “the moment”……that glorious, but at the same time, devastating moment that Jesus became the sacrifice for the sins of every person in the world…..past, present, and future. That glory continued on that third day, when He was resurrected from the dead to conquer death and Satan for all of us. Jesus said, “Destroy this temple (His body), and in three days I will raise it up.” (John 2:19) I wonder… were some of the ones who actually heard Him say this able to connect the dots when they witnessed Him on the cross? Were some of them witnesses to Him after He resurrected? The crucifixion of Jesus is the single most important event in not only religious history but also secular history. It defines time as we know it. Everything either happened before Jesus’ birth (BC) or after His death on the cross (AD). How anyone can deny the importance of this event is beyond me. 

Then Jesus told them the reason behind everything He does. Here are His words in verse 29, paraphrasing, “The Father who sent Me is always with Me. The Father never leaves me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to Him.” How beautiful! Jesus was ALWAYS pleasing to God, and God was always with Him. What about us? Are we pleasing to God? Well… we certainly are not pleasing to Him on our own, or He would not have needed to send Jesus. Romans 8:8 says, “So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” We fail when it comes to pleasing God. Every one of us was once separated from God before we obeyed the gospel. If we aren’t faithful after we obey the gospel, then we can become separated from God once again. Jesus is the deciding factor. We are separated from God without Jesus. If we believe in and obey Jesus, we are pleasing to God and are not separated from Him. Pleasing God should be our ultimate goal in life. Many times, we choose pleasing ourselves over pleasing God. When we do this, we are not only tearing our relationship with God down, but we are tearing the church down as well, by not setting an example for our fellow members. When we put others’ needs ahead of our own, we are pleasing God. People are watching us… younger Christians, new converts, and weaker Christians. Non-Christians are watching us as well. Why would they want to be a part of the church if it’s every man for himself? Romans 15:1-2 says this, “We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.” There are many verses where we are told that our aim should be to please God. 2 Corinthians 5:9 says, “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.” Wherever we are, let’s work to be pleasing to God. Right after Paul told the church at Galatia twice in Galatians 1:8-9 that anyone who preached any other gospel other than what they had preached to them would be accursed, he asked these questions and made a profound statement. He said in Galatians 1:10, “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” We can’t be servants of Christ and try to please ourselves or other people to the detriment of our faith. We cannot please another person if what we are doing to please them puts Jesus in a lower position on our priority list. It takes discernment to figure out what is pleasing to God. Ephesians 5:8-10 says this, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.” We have to figure out or discern what is acceptable or pleasing to God. The parentheses in this verse really stick out to me. How do we please God? With goodness, righteousness, and truth! How do we know what is good, righteous, and true? We study God’s Word. What choices will I make in my life to be pleasing to God? Will I put myself first, or will I put God first? Am I willing to put others first to be pleasing to God? Or will I be a people pleaser and let God fall down a rung on the ladder of priorities? Jesus was ALWAYS pleasing to God. Because of Him, we can be pleasing to God. Without Him, we would have no hope and no way to please our Creator. 

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

John 8:22-25

22 So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?”

23 And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 

24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

25 Then they said to Him, “Who are You?” And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning.

“Believe in Me or Die in Your Sins”

“Will He kill Himself? Is that why we cannot go where He goes?” The Jews believed that anyone who committed suicide would definitely not go to heaven, and would automatically go to Hades. They were certain that they were going to heaven, so, in their minds, Jesus had to be going to Hades. Jesus knows exactly what they are thinking, so He reversed the order. In verse 23, He said, paraphrasing, “It is you who are from Hades (beneath). It is I who am from heaven (above). You belong to the world. I don’t belong to the world. I may be in the world right now, but I don’t belong to it.” Then Jesus told them why they couldn’t go where He was going. It was because they were “of this world”, or they belonged to the world. Satan was/is the god of this world, so if they belonged to the world, then they belonged to Satan, who is from “beneath” or Hades. Instead of going where Jesus was going, which was “above” or heaven, they would go where Satan was, which is “beneath” or in Hades. What about me? We can’t belong to both Jesus and the world. Let’s ask ourselves some questions. What consumes my thoughts? What do I spend most of my time on? Where and what is my treasure? I can’t love the world and still expect God to bless me with eternal life with Him and His Son. 

In verse 24, Jesus again tells them, paraphrasing, “Since you are from beneath, and are of this world, you will die in your sins, because if you don’t believe I am HE, then you will die in your sins.” Jesus placed special emphasis on the statement, “you will die in your sins,” by repeating it twice! There is also a special emphasis on the word “He”. When Jesus uses the word “He”, He was connecting Himself to the prophecy in Isaiah 43:10-13 where the phrase “I am He” is used twice. It reads, “You are My witnesses,” says the Lord, “And My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no savior. I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, and there was no foreign god among you; therefore you are My witnesses,” says the Lord, “that I am God. Indeed before the day was, I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?” Jesus wanted them to believe that He was the one that they had learned about in the Scriptures. Jesus is “HE”. “HE” is GOD. These Jews had to believe that Jesus was the fulfillment of everything that the prophecy in Isaiah 43:10-13 claimed, or they would die in their sins. They had to believe that there was no other Savior besides Jesus, just as Isaiah says. That last part of Isaiah 43:13 is powerful. It reads, “there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?” The answer to that question is “no one”. No one will reverse the work that God has done. No one will reverse the work that Jesus has done in saving our souls. No amount of unbelief, plotting, scheming, or testing by these Jews would reverse who Jesus was or what His purpose was for being on earth. The plan was and is set. Nothing God decides can be reversed or changed by humans. Our only hope of not dying in our sins is our belief in and obedience to Jesus. Nothing will ever change about that! Do we put our hope in worldly things or ideas? Do we worry too much about our physical, material, or financial hopes and dreams rather than our spiritual hope? Where is our hope found?

In verse 25, after all Jesus has said and done up to this point, the Jews dared to ask Him, “Who are you?” Jesus simply answered, paraphrasing, “I am just who I have been saying that I am from the beginning.” The tone with which the question, “who are you?”, was asked was more than likely a sarcastic tone with a disrespectful underlying meaning like, “Who do you think you are to tell us, the Jews, how to live? How dare you tell us that we will die in our sins if we don’t believe in you?” Sooooo disrespectful and defiant! If they would only open their eyes! Don’t we feel that way about the world today? If only they could see who Jesus is! If only they would open their eyes to the truth! But, like the Jews back in the day, they don’t want to be told what to do, or they have too much pride to admit they are wrong. They want to live life on their own terms. I am so thankful for Jesus’ patience in my life, because I lived that way for a long time. I know I have certainly required a lot of patience from Him over the span of my life. Where would I be without Jesus? I shudder to think about the answer to that question. 

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

John 8:18-21

18 I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.”

19 Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.”

20 These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.

21 Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.”

“The Choice…Jesus or the World: Without Jesus, We Will Die in Our Sin”

Jesus told His accusers once again that He is His own witness, and His Father who sent Him is also His witness. How do these people respond? They ask where His Father is, to which Jesus tells them in verse 19 that they would know His Father if they knew Him. The only way to know God is through Jesus Christ. By rejecting Jesus, these people are rejecting God. God and Jesus are a package deal. Verse 20 says that Jesus was teaching in the treasury of the temple. Again, we see God’s timetable. No one was able to lay hands on Jesus, because His hour had not yet come. The timing had to be perfectly in line with God’s plan, as is everything in our lives, even today. 

In verse 21, Jesus repeats something that He said earlier in John 7:33-34, where He said, “I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me. You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come.” However, in verse 21, He adds another mic drop statement to this. He said that He is going away, and they will seek Him, but where He goes, they cannot come. Why can’t they come? And this is the mic-drop! Because they are still in their sins, and they will ultimately die in their sins! So, it is possible to seek Jesus, but still die in our sins. There are many people who are seeking Jesus today, or at least they think they are seeking Him. But, they aren’t willing to give up their sinful lifestyles to be in heaven with Him someday. We can’t seek Jesus and live like the world. We might seek Him, but we will never find Him unless we first die to sin. These Pharisees and scribes didn’t want to humble themselves before Jesus and accept Him as God’s Son. They were being prideful and arrogant instead of being meek and humble. This is sin. They are puffed up and think that they are better than everyone else. Again, this is sin. They may even believe they are without sin because of who they are. One more time, this way of thinking is sin. Many have fooled themselves into thinking that because they say they love Jesus, they will be fine on judgment day. But what did Jesus ask in Luke 6:46? “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” And what does He say in John 14:15? “If you love me, keep my commandments.” We have to love Jesus instead of the world…..not equal with or more than the world…..instead of the world. If the love of the world is in us at all, then the love of Jesus is not in us. (1 John 2:15-17) I can’t serve two masters, or else I will love one and hate the other. (Matthew 6:24) This verse specifically mentions money, but it can mean anything that we are trying to be devoted to along with God. It could be money, possessions, status, sinful activities, people, etc. It can be anything. Jesus doesn’t want to share my heart with anyone or anything. If Jesus is the sole resident in my heart, then I will be the sister in Christ, wife, mom, grandma, daughter, niece, friend, teacher, etc. that I need to be. The love of Jesus will mold me into the person I need to be for all these roles in my life. Where does my loyalty lie? With the world or with My Savior?

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

John 8:14-17

14 Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. 

15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 

16 And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. 

17 It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true.

“My Witness is True…My Judgment is True”

The Pharisees and scribes would not budge in their unbelief in Jesus. They were stubborn and spoke lies about Him. They said in verse 13 that because Jesus was His own witness to whether He was speaking the truth, His witness wasn’t true. This was a lie because Jesus had already listed His witnesses in chapter 5, and it was a fourfold witness. So, does Jesus list those witnesses again for clarification? No, He doesn’t! Because He knows their hearts, and knows they have already made their minds up. They were not going to believe in Him! So, Jesus says this in verse 14, paraphrasing, “Even if I am My own witness, which I’m not, My witness of Myself is true. It is true, because I say that it is true. I know where I am from. I am from the Father. I know where I am going. I’m going back to the Father. But you don’t know any of this, because you refuse to believe.” Jesus is God’s Son, and He doesn’t have to prove who He is to these people. Jesus’ Words are God’s Words. That is all the proof that anyone should need. Since Jesus’ Words match up with God’s Words, then God is Jesus’ witness, which He had already stated in chapter 5.

Then in verses 15 and 16, Jesus brings up the subject of judgment again. He says, paraphrasing, “You judge according to the flesh. You judge people by where they come from, how they dress, how educated they are, what their occupation is, who their parents are, etc. None of that matters at all. I never judge anyone by any of these worldly things. I judge people by the condition of their hearts/minds. And when I do judge a person, My judgment is true, because I know the person’s heart/mind. And, I don’t judge any person alone, because My Father is always with Me, and we are always in agreement in our judgment.” Jesus and the Father are of one mind in power, in truth, and in judgment. They are 100% on the same page in everything. Hasn’t Jesus spoken about judgment before? It is the same song, second verse. Back in John 5:30, Jesus said, He does nothing on His own. His judgment is just because His will is to do the will of the Father. Jesus’ judgment is based on the Father’s will. Then in John 7:24, Jesus tells them not to “judge by appearances”, but to “judge with righteous judgment”. Isn’t it like talking to a brick wall with these people? How many times does Jesus repeat Himself to these people? Jesus then reminds them in verse 16 that in the old law, the testimony of two men is true. (Deuteronomy 17:6) What Jesus means is that He has the testimony of two, Himself and the Father, and that is all that He needs. What more do these people need?

Question for myself: Do I judge by appearances? I can’t read thoughts, so I can’t know the condition of a person’s heart.  But, I also can’t just assume the condition of a person’s heart based on the person’s outward appearance, where they are from, who their family is, or any of that superficial surface-level knowledge. I should assume the best about a person, not the worst. Am I saying that we just throw caution to the wind and possibly put ourselves in physical danger? No, we have to be cautious, because we are not mind-readers. But I don’t need to let a person’s appearance lead me to think that they are any less worthy than I am of salvation, because the truth is, not a single one of us is worthy, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift to the world… the gift of Jesus (2 Corinthians 9:15). 

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

John 8:10-13

10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”

11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

13 The Pharisees therefore said to Him, “You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.”

“Go and Sin No More…I AM the Light of the World”

One by one, the adulterous woman’s accusers walked away after Jesus convicted their hearts of sin. They knew they hadn’t gone about this in the right way. They knew their motives were not pure. Their sin was just as bad as the woman’s sin that they had brought before Jesus. In verse 9, as the Pharisees and scribes walked away, Jesus was again bent over writing in the dirt. In verse 10, Jesus stood up and saw the woman alone, and asked her where her accusers were. “Has no one condemned you?” Jesus asked her. Jesus addressed her as “woman”, which was another word for “miss” or “ma’am” back during that time. If someone addressed us as “woman” today, we would probably take offense and think the person was being disrespectful, but that wasn’t the case back then. The woman replied, “No one, Lord.” And then Jesus says some powerful words that resonate with us today. I can picture Him saying this to me! Can you picture Him saying this to you? “Neither do I condemn you.” That, my sisters and friends, was/is hope…..for this woman…..for me…..for you, and for everyone! Jesus was God in the flesh. He had the power to forgive sins while He was on earth. This woman was guilty of sin, just as we all are. We know that God hates sin and cannot tolerate it. We know that there can be no sin in heaven. God would have no one in heaven with Him if He hadn’t sent Jesus to forgive our sins. Let that sink in. We are all in the same boat. Jesus is our Advocate…our Intercessor, who stands between God and us, and forgives us so that we will be acceptable to God. Jesus cleanses our filthy robes so that they will be white when we stand before God on judgment day. 1 John 2:1-2 says this, “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” 

Does this mean that we can willfully sin, and Jesus will forgive us no matter what? Do we have a free pass to sin? Let’s listen to Jesus’ next few words to the woman in verse 11. After He said, “Neither do I condemn you……”, He then spoke five profound words that so many today want to overlook. He said, “Go and sin no more.” That doesn’t sound like a free pass to me. He forgave her, but in the same breath told her not to be involved in sinful behavior anymore. Look back at 1 John 2:1. It says, “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin.” John is basically saying, “You need to try your best not to commit sin.” And Jesus knows if we are truly trying to stay pure. In Romans 6:1, Paul is adamant about this very thing. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should”… what? Walk however we want to walk? No…..we are to ”walk in newness of life.” Again, in Romans 6:15, Paul emphasizes this again by saying, “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!” What Paul is saying is that we cannot use and abuse God’s grace. According to Titus 2:11-14, God’s grace should teach us or train us in how to live. Listen to the beauty of God’s grace in these verses, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:11-14) Because of what God has done for me, I should make it my top priority to live the way God wants me. Jesus showed grace to this adulterous woman. Now, she is expected to live her life for Jesus, and “sin no more” to the very best of her ability. Who else did Jesus tell to “sin no more”? He told the man that He healed at the pool of Bethesda to “sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” In my own words, Jesus is saying, “Do your best to sin no more, or the worst thing imaginable will happen to you. You will lose your soul for eternity.” And the man’s 38 years of sickness would seem like nothing compared to being lost for eternity. 

In verse 12, Jesus changes gears a bit and begins talking to the people again. It is odd that in verse 9, it says that Jesus was alone with the woman, but in verse 12, He is suddenly talking to a group of people again. This may be why this account of Jesus and the woman seems out of place. But it is all God’s Word, and that is all that matters to me. In verse 12, Jesus makes His second “I am” statement, “I am the light of the world”. The first “I am” statement was “I am the bread of life” in John 6:35. This “I am” statement that Jesus makes in verse 12 is symbolic in the same way that Jesus’ statement in John 7:37, where He says, “If anyone thirsts, let Him come to me and drink,” is symbolic.  The Feast of Tabernacles had the water ritual during the day to symbolize God’s provision of water to His people in the desert. At night, there was a lamp lighting ceremony that symbolized the pillar of fire that God led His people with at night when they were in the wilderness. This happened every night during the 8 days of the feast. Each night, the people would take torches to four huge candelabras in the temple court. The entire city was lit up each night as this ceremony went on. So, this leads Jesus, the Master Teacher, to make this statement, “I am the light of the world”. By calling Himself this, He is saying that He is God. Psalm 27:1 says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?” Isaiah 60:19 says that, “the Lord will be your everlasting light”. Only God gives light. God created light on the first day of creation by simply speaking the words, “Let there be light”. And now Jesus of Nazareth is claiming that He is THE light! Next, He says, “He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” Here is the parallel. The Israelites needed God’s pillar of fire to see in the wilderness at night. If anyone had walked away from that pillar of fire and walked off into the darkness, they would have been lost. Each person had to stay within the light which God provided for them. Those people back then had the light of God as long as they walked in the path of light that God’s pillar of fire provided. If we follow Jesus, then we have His light within us. But we have to stay on the path of Jesus’ light. We can’t say we are followers of Jesus, but walk off into the darkness of sin whenever we feel the urge. Sometimes we have to fight to keep the light of Jesus within us. Satan will try his best to snuff it out. We can’t see clearly anything in life without the light of Jesus inside us. Everything about our view is distorted when we are in the darkness of the world. And… we can’t have it both ways. I can’t have the light of Jesus and still try to hang on to the sinful parts of the world. I can’t go back and forth between light and darkness. It just doesn’t work that way. 

In verse 13, the Pharisees continue to reject Jesus, saying that He is bearing witness of Himself, and His witness is not true. So basically, they are calling the Son of God a liar. They don’t want to accept Him, so they come up with a reason to discredit Him. In my own words, they are saying, “You are saying this about Yourself; we can’t know that any of it is true without more witnesses. You are your only witness.” What more do these people want? Jesus gave His witnesses in John 5:31-40. John the baptist was the first witness that He named. Then, he said that His “works” or miracles bore witness to who He was. Next, He said that God Himself bore witness to who He was. This happened when Jesus was baptized, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove, and God said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17) And finally, the Old Testament Scriptures bore witness to who He was. Jesus had plenty of proof of who He was, but it didn’t matter because these Jewish leaders, Pharisees, and scribes had their minds made up. They were too prideful and stubborn to admit that they might be wrong about Jesus. Similarly, some people today have the same problem accepting God’s Word as truth. Jesus is the Word, and the Word is from God, and the Word is God (John 1:1). God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit-filled Word are equal and ONE. If we reject one part of God’s Word, then we are rejecting Jesus, and we are rejecting God. 

Questions for all of us from these verses: Am I staying in the light of Jesus? Or am I venturing off into the darkness at times? Am I trying to have it both ways? Am I willing to admit when I am wrong and humble myself before Jesus? Am I accepting everything in God’s Word as truth? 

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)