I once did a series on popular and unpopular promises. Below is an unpopular promise that may make some reach for the "Bible Highliter".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. (Joh_8:24)
Generally speaking, God's promises are "popular" with many people. When most of the Lord's promises are read or taught, people are delighted.
Promises like these are so often received with favor, because they are so encouraging. They are embraced with approval, because they are so comforting. On the other hand, some of God's promises are definitely "unpopular" with certain segments of humanity. This type of promise is scorned or rejected, because of its convicting or sobering character. Nevertheless, these promises that are not always well-received have great importance in God's plan.
One such promise is given two-fold in our present verse. "You will die in your sins... you will die in your sins." In a tolerant world that wants to deny the reality of sin and its consequences, this is an unpopular promise. Yet, the promise is true nonetheless. Sin brings spiritual death. From the beginning, this has been the case. "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, 'Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die' " (Gen_2:16-17)
It was also repeated by the apostles in the early church. "For the wages of sin is death" (Rom_6:23). Since everyone has sinned, this warning by promise that Jesus gave applies to us all. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom_3:23).
To escape the inevitable consequences of sin, one must trust in Jesus as the promised, divine Savior. "If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." This statement ("I am He") hints of Jesus' deity. Shortly thereafter, He openly declares that he is God, the Son. "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM" (Joh_8:58). Here, Jesus applies to Himself the same name that God revealed to Moses.
Thus, this important promise by Jesus warns that only faith in Him as the divine Savior will deliver a person from the certain consequences of sin.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I thank You for this important warning given by promise. I am delighted to have yielded to its truth and certainty. I rejoice that my sins are forgiven. Use me to pass on this promise to others who need to respond to it, in Jesus name, Amen.
4 comments:
"I AM". What powerful words! Praise God that He is, was and is to come. How intriguing it is the the popular promises are made to hearten and console the true believer yet the unpopular ones are warnings of what is to come. If you truly believe He is who He says He is, repentance and faith are the sum of your of actions. And how amazing and body chilling is it to see Jesus apply the same name to Himself that God revealed to Moses centries before! What a Mighty God we serve!
I am thinking some about the context of the verse in John. Jesus was talking with the Pharisees. From my understanding, the Pharisees were working under the assumption that they were "in". They were doing everything right. They were believing everything right. They were absolutely certain that they would be going to heaven. Jesus begins John 8 by forgiving a woman caught in adultery. He then enters into a long dialogue with the Pharisees. The Pharisees needed to understand that they were just like everyone else -- full of sin. They also needed to know that just like everyone else, they would die because of their sin. They didn't believe either of these things. Jesus is making clear to them that when it comes to sin and its consequences, they are no different than the woman at the beginning of the chapter. They are in the same boat. And, just like the woman, the only thing that could save them from this is the mercy and grace of Jesus.
The focus in the passage seems to be that the self-righteous, absolutely certain, supposed arbiters of God's truth understand that they, too, are sinners. In reading the passage this way, it becomes a word to me -- not a word to people who are "out there." What is the word to me: Jason, you are a sinner who can only be saved by trusting in the merciful love of Jesus. In knowing this, I can be free to love people like the woman at the beginning of chapter 8, rather than judge them as being outside the realm of God's grace.
Strong word JB. Don't have much time to add to, but this is a start. Love ya heart Ross! The comic is great too!
Jason,
This is true - he was talking to the Pharisees.
My communication is not far off from the original context either...
After all my call to BE Like The Bereans is to
THE CHURCH.
This message is especially meant for those of us who -self righteously- think we're "in" but do not act as if we really understand our sinful state of depravity and need of a savior.
As Paul said "are we not to judge those inside"?? The woman caught in the act of adultery would technically be outside (as you pointed out).
Post a Comment