Spiritual Food for Women

John 9:11-14

11 He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.”

12 Then they said to him, “Where is He?” He said, “I do not know.”

13 They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. 

14 Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.

“A Man Called Jesus Told Me…” 

The man who was formerly blind proceeds to answer the question posed to him in verse 10, “How were your eyes opened?” The man tells them exactly how it happened. It is a very simple explanation. He says, paraphrasing, “A Man named Jesus anointed my eyes with clay and told me to go wash in the pool of Siloam. I did what He told me to do, and now I can see.” Then the people want to know where Jesus was, and the man does not know. Jesus didn’t wait for the man to go to the pool or help him get to the pool. Jesus had places to go. He told the man what to do and went on his way. Now comes the fun part. They take the man to the Pharisees. Why do they take the man to the Pharisees? We see why in verse 14. It was the Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and healed the man. Making clay or mud was a violation of Jewish tradition, but not a violation of the law of Moses. Jesus had broken their made-up rules about what not to do on the Sabbath. This is the second time Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. (John 5:9) 

Now we see why Jesus made the clay. He was proving another point. The Pharisees tried to bind their traditions on people as if they were laws. Traditions should not have been enforced on people as if they were laws/commandments. This can carry over to the church today. We have traditions such as the order of worship. Do we have bible class and then worship, or vice versa? Do we have the sermon first and then the Lord’s Supper, or can we switch that? These are traditions. They don’t matter. Do we have a Sunday night service, or a second service earlier in the day? Do we have a second service at all? We have “worship, bible class, worship” at our congregation on Sunday morning, and we don’t have an evening service. Do we have a Wednesday night bible study, or can it be another night? Is Wednesday night a commandment or a tradition? Well…..

Wednesday night is a tradition, but if our hearts are right, and we are under the leadership of the elders who deem it necessary, then we should be there, right? I’m not arguing that. We should want to be there. And I love Wednesday night bible study. It recharges me for the rest of the work week. And I believe God wants us there, feeding ourselves with His Word, and being uplifted by our siblings in Christ, to help us throughout our week. At Smartt, we have it on Tuesday night during the week of Thanksgiving, as a convenience for people who are traveling and such. Are we wrong for changing it for the convenience of our members? No, not at all. Let’s not blur the lines of tradition and commandment. 

Now, let’s look back at the simplicity of the blind man’s answer in verse 11, and get the biggest takeaway from these verses. Wasn’t it simple how the man explained how he was healed? “A Man named Jesus put clay on my eyes and told me to go wash in the pool of Siloam. So I went and washed, and now I can see.” What if someone asked us how we are spiritually healed from sin? How were you saved/healed from your sins? Well, a Man named Jesus told me if I repented and was baptized (immersed in water), then I would be spiritually healed/saved. So… I repented of my past sins, and was baptized, and now I’m saved, spiritually healed, and free of sin. Doesn’t that sound simple? It really is that simple. Jesus told me what to do, and I did it. That is all we have to do, my friends. “A Man called Jesus told me…” Obeying His Word brings healing to our souls. Do we want to be truly healed?

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 9:7-10

7 And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

8 Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”

9 Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.” He said, “I am he.”

10 Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”

“Wash in the Pool to be Physically Healed”  “Be Baptized in Water to be Spiritually Healed”…What is the Difference?”

Jesus has just anointed the blind man’s eyes with clay that he made from His own saliva and dirt. The blind man was located near the Temple Mount. In verse 7, He then tells the man to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. The pool of Siloam was near the southeast corner of the city, and was roughly a half-mile from where the blind man was when Jesus anointed his eyes. It also involved traveling down a steep hill of about 350 feet. Now, to you and me, that might not be such a difficult task. But, just imagine a blind man trying to get to the pool on his own. I wonder… did he beg people for help along the way? 

Verse 7 also tells us that the word “Siloam” is translated as “Sent”. I have read this many times and didn’t realize the significance that the name of the pool held. Jesus was “sent” by God to endure rejection, hardship, and being crucified to save the world from sin. Jesus “sent” this man to the pool to wash and be healed. This was a sign of Jesus’ identity as the Messiah. The One whom God “sent” to set us free from the bondage of sin, “sent” the blind man to the pool to be set free from the bondage of a lifetime of blindness. Beautiful, right? 

In verses 8 and 9, we see that the people are divided on the identity of the man. Someone said, “Isn’t that the blind man who sat and begged?” One said, “Yes, it is him.” Another said, “No, it can’t be him. It is someone who looks like him.” All the while, the man was saying, “Yes, I am him. I was that blind man, but now I see.” Can’t you just hear people arguing with him? “There is no way that you can suddenly see after all these years!” Finally, in verse 10, they asked, “Well, how then… how is it that you can see when you were born blind?” 

So… what are the lessons from these verses? The first lesson that I see is that following Jesus is not always an easy path. I believe Jesus didn’t make it easy on this man to make a point to us today. Jesus knew that we would be reading and writing about the healing of this blind man today. And He wanted to teach us a lesson. Following Jesus shouldn’t be easy all the time. If it is easy, then we aren’t doing something right. If we are truly following Jesus, then we will suffer persecution in some form. In today’s time, it most likely won’t be physical persecution, although it could be. It will most likely be mental/emotional persecution. We might lose friends, even family, over following Jesus. But our reward in heaven will far outweigh all the hardships that we go through here on earth. The blind man was probably wandering around trying to figure out which way to go to get to the pool. Maybe, hopefully, someone helped him get to the pool, but we don’t know that. Maybe some people were laughing at him and making fun of him. People can be cruel. Isn’t that how our lives are sometimes? Don’t we sometimes lose our way? Do we have times when we don’t know which way to turn? Don’t we sometimes get ridiculed and made fun of for following Jesus?

The second lesson I see is that we have to DO what Jesus says. Why didn’t Jesus just say, “You’re healed!” and go on about His way? If this man wanted physical healing, he had to obey Jesus and DO what Jesus told him to do. It is the same with us today. If we want to be saved from our sins and have spiritual healing, then we have to DO what Jesus tells us to do. Jesus told this man to go and wash. He had to walk a half-mile and 350 feet downhill with clay on his eyes to do this, but guess what? He did it, and he was set free from his physical blindness. Jesus has told us that we have to be baptized in water to wash our sins away and be healed from our spiritual blindness. Tell me, what is the difference between Jesus telling the blind man to go and wash in the pool, and telling us to be baptized for the remission of our sins? The answer is there is no difference at all. If Jesus says to do it, then what is the issue? If we had a terrible physical ailment or disease and Jesus told us that we had to go to Riverfront Park in McMinnville, Tennessee, and wash in the river to be healed, would we do it? Of course, we would. If we lived 3000 miles away, we would get there. What is the difference between obeying Jesus to be physically healed and obeying Jesus to be spiritually healed? There is no difference, except that our eternal soul depends on it. “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” This is Mark 16:16 from the mouth of Jesus Himself. 

So… following Jesus won’t always be easy, but it will be so worth it at the end of this life. Living like the world is the easy way. Going through the motions of being a Christian is no different than living like the world. It’s easy to never take a real stand against sin. It’s easy to just sit on a pew, but a real commitment? Now that is a challenge. The blind man had a hard journey to the pool to be healed. Jesus wants us to see that following Him will not always be easy, but if we do, a reward beyond our imaginations is coming one day. Jesus said in John 15:18-19, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” Jesus says, “No worries, they hated me first. We are in this together.” I wouldn’t have it any other way. Jesus also told the man what to do to be healed. There were stipulations. He tells us what to do to be healed. Just like the blind man, He expects us to do something too. We have to obey Him. He is our King. If Jesus were an earthly King, would we obey Him? If He were standing in front of us right now saying, “If you believe and are baptized you will be saved,” would we believe Him? What if Peter were standing here today, and we asked Him, “what do we do?” And he told us to “Repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins…” (Acts 2:38), would we do what the 3000 did on Pentecost? Please consider the true purpose for baptism, and reach out if you need help. I love your soul, and want to help you. 

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 9:3-6

3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 

4 I (ESV says we) must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 

5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.

“Work While it is Day…For the Night is Coming”

What sin has this man committed? This is what the disciples asked Jesus as they walked past the poor blind man who was sitting by the gate. Jesus sets His disciples straight immediately by saying in verse 3, paraphrasing, “This man is not suffering because of any sin that he or his parents committed.” Can you imagine how our lives would be if God punished our children and us for every sin that we committed? We would all be in pitiful shape, would we not? Or, what if we lived a faithful Christian life, but our parents did not? Would we be punished because our parents didn’t follow God? Ezekiel 18:20 clears this up, “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.” Deuteronomy 24:16 also says that fathers will not be put to death for their children, nor children for their fathers, but everyone will be put to death for their own sin. Jeremiah 31:30 says that every person will die in his/her own sin. Every person is responsible for himself/herself. 

Why do we have pain and suffering? There are many reasons why pain and suffering occur. Satan is at work, wreaking havoc in this world. He takes pleasure in causing pain and suffering in hopes that it will cause people to blame God. If that happens, then Satan can control their lives. Look at how Satan caused suffering in the case of Job. Satan even used Job’s wife to try to get Job to forsake God when she told Job to “curse God and die”. (Job 2:9) Sometimes pain and suffering happen because we are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sometimes we are in the path of others’ free will, and their bad choices cause us pain and suffering. And sometimes, we bring it on ourselves with the choices we make. None of this is God’s fault. We just have to remember that this life is not going to last forever, and if we are faithful to God, we will live in an eternal home with no worries, no pain, no suffering, and no tears. 

In verse 3, Jesus reveals a higher purpose for this man’s suffering. Jesus says, paraphrasing, “This is an opportunity for the works of God to be glorified.” This does not mean that God caused it to happen so He could be glorified. This would not go along with Romans 2:11, where Paul says that “there is no partiality with God”. God doesn’t point to me and cause me to suffer, and then point to you and cause something good to happen to you. Things in our lives just simply play out the way they play out. This is God’s plan. However, because of this blind man’s suffering, Jesus says that God’s power can be shown. When I go through suffering, my mindset should be this…..how can what I am going through glorify God? How can I grow closer to God through this suffering? This is a hard one. It is hard to lose a loved one. It is hard to get that diagnosis that we prayed so hard not to get, or for our loved one not to get. Life is hard. But, let’s ponder Paul’s God-breathed words in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Did you catch that? Paul pleaded with God to be healed of whatever this “thorn in the flesh” was, but it wasn’t meant to be taken from him. What did Paul say? Paraphrasing, he said, “I know there is a reason why I have this ailment. God knows me better than I know myself. Maybe I need this to keep me grounded so I will not grow conceited. Maybe I need this to draw me closer to God. Whatever the reason, God’s grace is sufficient for me. God’s strength is shown in my weakness. When I am at my weakest physically/mentally/emotionally, is when I am actually at my strongest spiritually.” Why? Because we lean on God when we are at our weakest. This is how God is glorified. He is glorified more and more as we grow stronger in the faith. 

In verses 4 and 5, Jesus says, paraphrasing, “I must work the works of God while it is day, while I have the chance. The night is coming, and at that time it will be too late, and no one will be working. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Jesus only has a short time to fulfill His mission while He is on earth. He uses day and night as a metaphor to show that there is only so much time left for Him to do the works of God. Daylight refers to Jesus’ time on earth. Night refers to the time when He ascends back to the Father. There are only so many hours of daylight to get work done. When the night comes, no one can work. Most translations, including the ESV, use the word “we” in place of “I” in verse 4, inferring that the disciples had an earthly mission as well. Jesus was the light who lit up the world with the truth, and He had limited time on earth to share it with as many as He could while He was here. He commissioned His twelve disciples to help Him while He was here, and carry the truth forward after He went back to be with His Father.

Who is the light of the world now? Well, Jesus is still the light of the world, but how do lost people see Jesus? They see it in us. Jesus’ light is supposed to shine through us as He tells us in Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” What is the underlying message for us? We don’t have much time. As Jesus said, the end of the day is coming, and then it will be night, and no one will be able to work. This has a two-fold meaning to me. First, I can apply this to my own life. Lord willing, I have a few more years of my life left to shine Jesus’ light to people around me, and help them see the truth. The hours in my day are waning. Sooner or later, my night is coming, and my work here will be done. Am I feeling the urgency? Second, as the Lord’s church, we only have a short time to shine the light of Jesus to the world before Jesus comes back a second time. At that point, the day is over, the night has come, and our work is done. Do we feel the urgency? 

In verse 6, we see Jesus spit on the ground, make clay out of the dirt and saliva, and put the mixture on the blind man’s eyes. Now, let’s go back to verse 5, where Jesus says he is the light of the world. The last time Jesus said this was back in John 8:12 during the Feast of Tabernacles, which commemorated the pillar of fire that God led the children of Israel with while they were in the desert. Now, He is saying it in the presence of this blind man who has lived in darkness his entire life. Jesus was about to light this man’s life up. Can you imagine how wonderful this sign was? To witness this man see things he had never seen in his entire life, the sunrise and sunset, newborn babies, children playing, flowers in the springtime, the perfect blue sky, a clear, starry night, a rainbow, or butterflies, to name a few. This is exactly what the light of Jesus does for people who are in spiritual darkness their whole lives. When we come out of spiritual darkness, we see the spiritual blessings only found in Christ: forgiveness, redemption, grace, hope, peace, joy, a new spiritual family, and a coming reward. What a sign! Now, why did Jesus spit on the ground, make clay, and put it on the man’s eyes? Couldn’t He have just told the man to see without doing all of that? Of course He could have! But Jesus did everything for a reason, and there is a lesson in everything He did. Until the next post! 

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 8:58-9:2

58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 

2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

How could Jesus have seen Abraham? This is the question that the Jews posed in verse 57. Then, Jesus dropped a bomb on them in verse 58 when He said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” Paraphrasing, Jesus said, “I am telling you that I was here before Abraham. I am the I AM.” “I AM” is what God called Himself when He talked to Moses from the burning bush. God told Moses that he would be the one to deliver His people out of Egyptian bondage. “Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them? And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” (Exodus 3:13-14). So Jesus was saying He was God with His statement in verse 58. The Jews knew what He meant by this statement, because they knew the scriptures. This statement pushed them over the edge, as they saw it as blasphemy, and they began to pick up stones to throw at Jesus. According to Leviticus 24:16, the penalty for blasphemy was death by stoning. Of course, this penalty would have been imposed after the person was found guilty, sort of like when a person goes to trial today. They wouldn’t have all just picked up stones and started throwing them at someone without them being found guilty first. But this was what these people were going to do to Jesus. They didn’t even consider all the things that He had already said and done that proved He was the “I AM”. They didn’t consider all the witnesses that He gave in chapter 5. They didn’t consider all the miracles and signs that He had performed. No, they were just going to pick up stones and start throwing them. No judge……no trial…..nothing. It says that Jesus hid Himself, left the temple through the middle of them, and passed by them. How did Jesus get away? It just says He hid Himself. Did He turn invisible? Did He suddenly disguise Himself? I’m not sure. But, it wasn’t His time yet, and Jesus would only give His life on His terms, at the time of His Father’s perfect will and no sooner. No one would be in control of when Jesus would give His life for the sins of the world except for Him and His Father.

At the beginning of chapter 9, as Jesus passed by the people who were about to stone Him, He noticed a blind man who had been blind from birth. In verse 2, Jesus’ disciples asked Him a question, “Teacher, did this man or his parents sin? Is that why he was born blind?” The disciples didn’t sound very compassionate, did they? They don’t say, “Oh, look at this poor man who has been blind his whole life. Teacher, what can we do to help him?” Wouldn’t that be the correct reaction to have upon seeing this poor man? But no, they want to know what he or his family did to deserve being born blind. If the disciples’ way of thinking were true, wouldn’t everyone be blind, since everyone has sinned? Remember when Bildad assumed that Job’s children must have sinned for them to all be killed? (Job 8:3-7) This was a common way of thinking among the Jews. They may have gotten this idea from Exodus 34:7, where it says that God would “visit the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and fourth generations”. This verse means that the consequences of sin can extend to future generations. It doesn’t mean that a person will be struck blind because of a sin that his father committed. It is talking about the consequences to future generations when parents don’t follow God. If I don’t follow God, then my children will grow up and more than likely not follow God. Then, my children’s children probably won’t follow God either, and on it goes. It is a vicious cycle. 

I wasn’t perfect as a parent, but I tried my best to raise my children to be faithful, even if I sometimes wasn’t being faithful behind the scenes at times. Even when my heart wasn’t right, I knew that I wanted theirs to be right. I knew better. Even when I didn’t love myself enough to get myself together, I never wanted them to know that. I know now that God knew my heart and knew that I would eventually get myself somewhat together. I’m so grateful and relieved that my two grown children are Christians and are married to Christians. I pray they stay faithful. I pray they are better, more grounded Christians than I was at their ages. I pray they continue to grow in the Lord. I pray for my grandchildren to grow up to be faithful Christians, and so on for generations to come. That is my prayer. 

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 8:54-57

54 Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. 

55 Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. 

56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”

57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”

“Honoring Myself Means Nothing”

Do we really receive any honor if we seek honor for ourselves? Jesus answers that question for all of us in verse 54. Jesus says that it is not true honor if He honors Himself. Honoring ourselves is nothing. Jesus lived His life to honor His Father, as should we. God honors His Son because He does His will. Jesus honors God, and God honors Jesus. God will honor us someday when we pass into eternity, if we have honored Him with our lives to the best of our ability. Then Jesus says at the end of verse 54, paraphrasing, “It is My Father who honors me. You say that He is your God, yet you dishonor Me of whom My Father gives honor.” How can they say that God is their God, but not honor the One whom He sent to save them? It makes no sense. 

What about me? Do I seek honor for myself? Or do I seek to honor God with my life? God is the only reason that I have any of my talents or abilities anyway. Everything that I do should be for His glory and honor. Do I want attention for myself? Or do I seek to draw attention to Jesus with my life? Being a Christian means “presenting our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God.” (Romans 12:1) Can I honestly say that my life is a living sacrifice? To say that, I believe there has to be less of me shining forth……and more of Him shining forth.

In verse 55, Jesus says, paraphrasing, “You say that My Father is your God, yet you don’t know Him at all. But I know Him. If I say that I don’t know Him, then I would be a liar, just like you are a liar for saying that you do know Him. I do know Him, though, and I keep His word.” Jesus had called the devil a liar in John 8:44. Since children follow the example of their fathers, He called them liars like their father, the devil, in verse 55. He also called them murderers like their father, the devil, because they wanted to kill Him. (John 8:44) They are most definitely proving who their father truly is. Back in John 8:39, these Jews had claimed that Abraham was their father. In verse 56, Jesus told them that Abraham was happy and rejoiced to see the day that He came to earth. He said that Abraham saw the day that Jesus came, and was glad. So, it sounds like Jesus is saying that Abraham isn’t actually dead. The Jews respond to this by saying, paraphrasing, “How have you seen Abraham when you aren’t even 50 years old? Abraham died before you were even born.” But Jesus had seen Abraham, because Abraham was alive and well. His body may have died, but his soul was eternally alive. These people have claimed that God is their Father, yet they plot to murder, and they lie. They claimed that Abraham is their father, yet they didn’t rejoice at the coming of the Messiah the way that Jesus said that Abraham did. We all know who their father is, and it is not Abraham or God. 

What about me? I am a Christian, right? What does that actually mean? When these Jewish leaders during Jesus’ time claimed that they were children of Abraham and children of God, Jesus told them they were liars. Am I a liar? Do I label myself as a Christian, but then do whatever I want to do? Being a Christian should not be just a label. It should be my entire life. Is it? My life is supposed to revolve around Christ. Does it? Will Christ call me a liar when I stand before Him on judgment day? Let’s all keep this promise from Jesus in mind as we proudly and humbly wear the name Christian, “Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.” (John 8:51) What a wonderful promise!!

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 8:50-53

50 And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 

51 Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”

52 Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’

53 Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?”

The Only Glory That Truly Matters

Jesus did not seek glory for Himself, but He would receive glory from the only ONE who matters…His Father. Why would Jesus come to earth in the way that He did if He were seeking glory for Himself? He had all the glory in heaven with the Father. There was certainly no glory in the life of Jesus. He was born in a stable. He was a carpenter’s son. He was not of any earthly royalty. He was from Nazareth, which was a place not well spoken of. Remember Nathaniel’s statement when he found out where Jesus was from? “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46) He had nowhere of His own to lay His head during His ministry. (Matthew 8:20, Luke 9:58) His life was the life of a servant. Jesus didn’t care about the praise and approval of others. He only cared about the approval of His Father. Jesus knew that God would seek glory for Him. All Jesus cared about was doing His Father’s will, and by doing that, He would receive glory from God. Jesus gave God all glory while He was on earth, and God gave Jesus glory for doing His will. God would also prove that Jesus was right, and these people who were dishonoring Him were wrong. God would be the judge of those people who refused to believe in His Son. At that point, Jesus’ words would be justified. Jesus had no reason to defend Himself as He had done nothing wrong. God would defend Him and bring judgment on those who didn’t believe Him.

In verse 51, Jesus said something that gives all of His followers so much hope and comfort. It should have given the Jews hope and comfort, but it did nothing but make them angrier and more obstinate. Jesus said that anyone who follows Him (keeps His word) would never taste death. Jesus was, of course, talking about spiritual death, not physical death. In verse 52, the Jews said, paraphrasing, “Now we know that you have a demon, because that is crazy! Abraham and all the prophets are dead. How can you say that anyone who keeps your word will not die? Are you greater than Abraham and the prophets who are already dead? Who do you think you are?” Jesus was again being misunderstood. He had been misunderstood so many times. But, even if He had explained what He meant to them a thousand times, they still wouldn’t have accepted it. They didn’t want to accept that Jesus was the Messiah, and nothing was going to change their minds. 

Here are some questions for myself from these verses. Who do I seek glory from? Do I seek glory from other people or from God? Do I do things for the approval of others, or am I satisfied with God’s approval only? Do I accept what God’s word says without question? With no doubts? Jesus only needed the glory and approval of His Father… no one else. God gave Jesus glory for doing His will and justified Him before the people who rejected Him. If we strive to follow Jesus in all that we do, then we will be children of God, and sisters and brothers of Jesus. Jesus will justify us before God on that great and terrible day, and God will give us glory for doing His will when He welcomes us into our heavenly home. 

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 8:46-49

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)