We all face tests—driver tests, medical tests, school tests. Some tests have greater consequences than others, even determining one's freedom.
As Jesus traveled throughout the countryside, he drew mixed reviews that spanned a wide spectrum.1
I. The Steps to Discipleship (John 8:31)
they have taken. Look again at...
Have you ever encountered someone who ridiculed your faith, who scoffed at what you believe? It may have been a general comment, not directed at you in particular but at people of faith in general.15 In any case, responding to a challenge of your faith generally calls for something other than silence on your part, preferably one or more of the three steps Paul recommends.
In Jesus' message to religious leaders who have become his followers, he confirms that they have made the right choice, and he tells them to maintain the steps to discipleship they have taken. He then confirms for them...
II. The Steps to Freedom (John 8:32)
they have already begun. Look again at...
Students, especially graduate students, if they hope to make it through their program, often develop survival skills, ways of dealing with the mountain of material teachers expect them to master. For the final exam in one of my courses, the only clue the instructor offered was that there would be six essay questions, from which we were to choose and answer four. Given that the majority of our grade was riding on this exam, six of us pooled our collective powers of prophecy and came up with what we thought were the six most likely questions he would ask. Then each of us wrote the answer to one of them, distributing copies to others in the group, and those answers became our study notes for the exam. We did not know what questions the teacher would ask. We were just guessing. On the day of reckoning, he distributed the exam, and there were six simultaneous sighs of relief. We had correctly guessed five of the six questions. My only regret was that we developed this winning strategy...for the final exam of the final course of our degree program.
Thankfully, God does not make us guess what will be on the final exam of life. He has made clear that it will be about truth, and the apostle John deals with the concept of truth more than any other New Testament writer, both how to recognize it and how to receive it.
Much of what Jesus said, he introduced with the words, "I tell you the truth," to affirm the trustworthy nature of his pronouncements, several of which pertained to a disciple's future hope.21
Jesus also said in.22
A person's eternal fate, however, is not all he should consider before moving into that realm. Returning to the exam analogy, just as there is often a difference between a passing grade and a premium grade, between satisfactory performance and superior performance, so there is a difference in what you, as a disciple of Jesus, can expect after your final evaluation.23
In Jesus' continued address to religious leaders who have become his followers, he confirms that they are on the right course, and he tells them to pursue further the steps to freedom they have taken.
Discipleship and freedom seem to be contradictory terms, not what one can pursue simultaneously.
A mental institution picks two of its most reformed patients each year and questions them. If the patients answer correctly, they are free to leave. One year, Patty and Mike were the lucky ones. The doctor questioned Patty first, while Mike waited outside. "Patty, if I poke out one of your eyes, what will happen?" Patty answered immediately, "I would be half blind." "What would happen if I poked out the other eye?" "I would be completely blind," Patty said confidently, knowing that she had just earned her freedom. The doctor sent her out while he completed the release form.
In the waiting room, Patty told Mike the questions and the answers. The doctor called in Mike and asked, "If I cut off your ear?" "I would be half blind," he said, remembering to answer as Patty had told him. The doctor looked perplexed but asked the other question. "What would happen if I cut off your other ear?" "I would be completely blind," Mike answered with a smile, as if he knew he had passed. When the doctor asked what his reasoning was, Mike said, matter-of-factly... "My hat would fall down over my eyes."Some tests have greater consequences than others, even determining one's freedom, which Jesus states is important in discussing Discipleship and Freedom.
As Jesus traveled throughout the countryside, he drew mixed reviews that spanned a wide spectrum.1
- At one end of the spectrum were those who disliked him, often challenging him in public, and who sought to marginalize him, even eliminate him, like some of the religious leaders.2
- In the middle of the spectrum were those largely neutral toward him, who found him entertaining but not necessarily convincing, although some attempted to exploit him for political advantage.
- At the other end of the spectrum were those who believed his message and supported his ministry, those who were his disciples, including some of the religious leaders.
John 7:1 ...Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life.... 5 ...even his own brothers did not believe in him.... 12 Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, "He is a good man." Others replied, "No, he deceives the people." 13 But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews.... 30 At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come. 31 Still, many in the crowd put their faith in him. They said, "When the Christ comes, will he do more miraculous signs than this man?" 32 [Some of t]he Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and th[os]e Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.... 40 On hearing his words, some of the people said, "Surely this man is the Prophet." 41 Others said, "He is the Christ." Still others asked, "How can the Christ come from Galilee? 43 Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. 44 Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.The dispute about Jesus may have been especially disturbing for those in that third group, people who were supportive of Jesus, and their presence in his audience may be why, in chapter 8, he attempts to dispel their confusion by telling them about two concepts we might not ordinarily see as compatible: discipleship, which entails following another person's lead, and freedom, which we sometimes think means pursuing our own way. Look ahead to...
John 8:31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."Christians often assume the entire religious establishment opposed Jesus, especially given his frequent run-in with leaders from the two main parties: the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Some of those leaders, though, supported Jesus, even some on the Sanhedrin, the ruling council.6 Here, in John 8, Jesus addresses members of the establishment who are also his followers.7 They had been through the discussion, disagreement, debate, and division over Jesus, whether or not he is the person he purports to be.8
- His supporters believe that he must be from God because, as Nicodemus said, "[N]o one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with you" (3:2b).
- His detractors argue that he cannot be from God because of certain disqualifying factors, and they have mounted a relentless campaign against him, charging that...9
- He has desecrated the Sabbath (by healing) and has encouraged someone else to do the same (by carrying a load).
John 5:10 ... the Jews said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat." ... 16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews persecuted him.
- He has made the outrageous claim to be the son of God, even to be equal with God.10
John 5:18b ...he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
- He has not produced the requisite evidence for his having God's authority, refusing to provide the proof religious leaders requested.11
John 6:30 ..."What miraculous sign... will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?"
- He is also ineligible to represent God, because he is from Galilee, 'the wrong side of the tracks.12
To those who were part of the religious establishment and had become disciples of Jesus, these mounting arguments against him may have seemed compelling, especially coming from their colleagues. Nevertheless, in v. 31, Jesus confirms that these followers have made the right choice, and he tells them to hold the course, to maintain...John 7:41b ...How can the Christ come from Galilee? 42 Does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from David's family and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?
I. The Steps to Discipleship (John 8:31)
they have taken. Look again at...
John 8:31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples."Here, we see that discipleship is quite simple. There is no extensive application procedure or lengthy waiting period. The only requirements are...
A. You must have faith in Jesus.13a step these religious leaders have already taken, and...
B. You must be obedient to Jesus.14Discipleship is that simple. The toughest part may be remaining steadfast despite the objections others raise, which is the challenge these religious leaders face. How can they maintain their commitment to Jesus given the mounting criticism of Jesus among their own colleagues?
Have you ever encountered someone who ridiculed your faith, who scoffed at what you believe? It may have been a general comment, not directed at you in particular but at people of faith in general.15 In any case, responding to a challenge of your faith generally calls for something other than silence on your part, preferably one or more of the three steps Paul recommends.
- The first response when someone challenges your faith is that you must be stable and hold your ground. At no time should you retreat or compromise what you believe for the sake of expediency or harmony. It may not be appropriate to argue your faith at every opportunity, but it is never appropriate to surrender your faith. Paul's exhortation in his first letter to the church at Corinth is...16
1 Cor 15:58a-b ...stand firm. Let nothing move you.
You must be stable.
- The second response when someone challenges your faith is that you must be available if the opportunity arises for you to testify about it. This will require some preparation and forethought on your part, not that you can have a ready answer for every question or objection someone might raise, but you can and should know enough about what and why you believe to justify that to someone else. Paul's exhortation in his letter to the church at Colosse is...17
Col 4:6b ...know how to answer everyone.
...not everything but everyone. If God opens an opportunity to testify, you must be available.
- The third response when someone challenges your faith is that you must be capable, able to be a forceful advocate for what you believe and actually gain ground. People have all sorts of notions about God and the Bible, many of which are patently false and will not stand up to careful scrutiny. For example, I was speaking with a minister from a liberal denomination, who was explaining his church's accepting and affirming position on homosexuality. It would have been easy enough to shift the conversation to a less controversial topic, but I had to challenge such an unscriptural view, and when I spoke about the clarity of God's position on the matter (Manuel 2002), he had no response. Likewise, you must not allow false notions about God and the Bible to go unanswered but be able to advance your position, even conquer new territory by convincing someone about the truth. This is Paul's example, which he relates in his second letter to the church at Corinth.18
2 Cor 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
This will require some study on your part to be clear about what God has revealed in His word. You may not have an answer for every issue that arises, and you may have to say, "Let me look into that," but do not avoid a discussion just because it is difficult.19 You must be capable.What challenges to your faith have you encountered? ...It is important that your answer be more than silence, that you gauge your response properly to whatever arises, showing yourself to be stable, available, or capable in support of what you believe. As a disciple of Jesus, you should not avoid challenges to your faith but accept and address them.
In Jesus' message to religious leaders who have become his followers, he confirms that they have made the right choice, and he tells them to maintain the steps to discipleship they have taken. He then confirms for them...
II. The Steps to Freedom (John 8:32)
they have already begun. Look again at...
John 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.Here, we see that freedom is also quite simple. It does not derive from a particular form of government. So, living under an oppressive regime, like Roman rule, is not a prohibiting factor or even an inhibiting factor. The only requirements are...
A. You must be a disciple of Jesus....a step these religious leaders have already taken, and...
B. You must accept the truth from Jesus....which he indicates is well within their reach. If these are the only requirements, to know the savior and to know the truth, then freedom is also quite simple.20 What about the truth? Is that simple too? ...One aspect of it is, the truth we need to know in the end.
Students, especially graduate students, if they hope to make it through their program, often develop survival skills, ways of dealing with the mountain of material teachers expect them to master. For the final exam in one of my courses, the only clue the instructor offered was that there would be six essay questions, from which we were to choose and answer four. Given that the majority of our grade was riding on this exam, six of us pooled our collective powers of prophecy and came up with what we thought were the six most likely questions he would ask. Then each of us wrote the answer to one of them, distributing copies to others in the group, and those answers became our study notes for the exam. We did not know what questions the teacher would ask. We were just guessing. On the day of reckoning, he distributed the exam, and there were six simultaneous sighs of relief. We had correctly guessed five of the six questions. My only regret was that we developed this winning strategy...for the final exam of the final course of our degree program.
Thankfully, God does not make us guess what will be on the final exam of life. He has made clear that it will be about truth, and the apostle John deals with the concept of truth more than any other New Testament writer, both how to recognize it and how to receive it.
Much of what Jesus said, he introduced with the words, "I tell you the truth," to affirm the trustworthy nature of his pronouncements, several of which pertained to a disciple's future hope.21
John 5:24 I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me... has crossed over from death to life.
John 8:51 I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.How does one cross over "from death to life"? How can he "never see death"?
Jesus also said in.22
John 14:6a ...I am the way and the truth and the life.As a follower of Jesus, someone who believes him and believes in him, this is your future. You have access to the truth. Moreover, you "crossed over from death to life," and you "will never see death."
A person's eternal fate, however, is not all he should consider before moving into that realm. Returning to the exam analogy, just as there is often a difference between a passing grade and a premium grade, between satisfactory performance and superior performance, so there is a difference in what you, as a disciple of Jesus, can expect after your final evaluation.23
- The requirement for the passing grade of eternal life, is faith, the effortless acceptance of God's pardon.24 Jesus said...
John 5:24 ...whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned [for his sin]; he has crossed over from death to life.
John 11:25b He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26a and whoever...believes in me will never die.
Again, the requirement for the passing grade of eternal life, is faith, the effortless acceptance of God's pardon.
- The requirement for the premium grade of extensive reward, is faithfulness, the rigorous obedience to God's precepts. Jesus said...25
Matt 5:19b ...whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matt 16:27 For the Son of Man...will reward each person according to what he has done.
Again, the requirement for the premium grade of extensive reward, is faithfulness, the rigorous obedience to God's precepts.Unlike my instructor, God does not hide the truth of what will be on the final exam of life, what the basis for your grade will be. So, what are you doing with that information? Are you using it to prepare for that exam, or are you coasting to the end of the course, just glad to know that a passing grade assures you a place in heaven? As a disciple of Jesus, you should not settle for the minimum God offers (which will certainly be wonderful) but strive for the maximum God offers (which will be even more wonderful)? If you do that, you will have no regrets when you finally meet Him.
In Jesus' continued address to religious leaders who have become his followers, he confirms that they are on the right course, and he tells them to pursue further the steps to freedom they have taken.
Discipleship and freedom seem to be contradictory terms, not what one can pursue simultaneously.
- Discipleship is being dependent on someone else's direction.
- Freedom is being independent of someone else's direction.
Be all that you can be. Become a disciple of Jesus.
As his disciple, this is your great potential, if you heed the advice here. Maintain the steps to discipleship and the steps to freedom you have taken, because they will work to your ultimate advantage.
For the Bibliography and the Endnotes see the pdf here.
After Jesus' words about his truth and freedom in Jn. 8:31-32, the Jews who hear him answer that they have always been free (8:33), misunderstanding his freedom as political freedom. Jesus replies that they are actually slaves of sin; his freedom is freedom from sin (8:34-36). The result is not progress on the "right course," but increasing slander and plotting against him, including murder (8:37-59). These Jews fail, not only in faithfulness, but also in faith.
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