I am reading in John 8:31-47. Jesus was speaking to some Jews who had apparently believed what he was teaching them. But from the context we will see that they did not believe to the point of surrendering their lives to him, and Jesus knew this about them, and so he told them, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Now they did not believe that they were enslaved to anyone, for they were the physical offspring of Abraham. So Jesus told them plainly that “everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.” Then he went on to tell them that he knew that they were Abraham’s physical descendants, and yet they sought to kill him because Jesus’ words found no place in them. So obviously their belief in him was very shallow.
And then he told them this: “I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”
They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.
“Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” (John 8:39-47 ESV)
So, Jesus’ message to those who were professing to believe him was, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples” (followers). And to abide means to comply with, to obey, to follow, to keep to, and to act in accordance with. It also means to continue in, to remain in, and to stay with. So, this isn’t just about spending time reading the Scriptures daily, but this is about living out in our daily lives what the Scriptures teach with regard to how we should live as followers of Jesus Christ. It is to obey God’s word.
Then Jesus also told them that “everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.” And that is true for us, as well, and that is taught for us in the epistles, too. But Jesus died on that cross that we might be crucified with him in death to sin and raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. We who believe in him with genuine faith, thus, are to no longer be enslaved to sin. But if sin is what we practice, then we are still in bondage, and we are not free in Christ.
But the Jews of that time to whom Jesus was speaking had this false idea that just because they were physically descended from Abraham that they were “good to go” and that God was pleased with them. So they saw no fault in themselves. And it is true today that many who have made professions of faith in Jesus Christ believe that God is now their Father, and so they believe they are in good standing with the Lord and that nothing else is required of them. But we can’t just name it and claim it. We have to live it, in practice.
So what Jesus was teaching them was the essence of the gospel message, which he also taught in other passages of Scriptures. For we can profess relationships with God/Christ all we want, but if his word does not abide in us, and if we are not in the practice of obeying his word, but sin is still what we practice, then we are not saved from our sins, and we do not have eternal life with God. For the one who practices sin is still in slavery to sin, and those who do not obey God’s word are not truly his followers.
And the apostle John gave the same message as Jesus when he stated that whoever practices righteousness is righteous, but whoever practices sinning is of the devil, for no one born of God makes a practice of sinning (1 John 3:4-10). And that was basically Jesus’ message to the Jews. He told them that their father was not Abraham, and not God, but that their father was the devil, because their will was to do their father’s (the devil’s) desires. And then he told them that whoever is of God listens to the words of God.
So, this message is for all who profess faith in Jesus Christ today. If sin is what we practice, and not righteousness, and not the commandments of the Lord under the New Covenant, we are not in fellowship with God, we do not know God, he does not know us, we are not born of God, but we are of the devil, and we will not inherit eternal life with God, regardless of what our lips profess. For not everyone who calls Jesus “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING the will of God the Father (Matthew 7:21-23).
[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-24; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]
As the Deer
By Martin J. Nystrom
Based off Psalm 42:1
As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after You
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You
You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZv3jzOTE70
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