Identify Yourself By Your Response To The Word
John 8:47
He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
Thought:
In the airport, the agent asks the traveler for proof of identity. His feelings, background, and confidence are not enough. He must show something that verifies who he is.
Jesus does something similar in John 8. The religious leaders claim to be children of Abraham and children of God. But Jesus does not accept their claim just because they say it. He points to proof: their response to the Word of God. He says, in effect, “Your refusal to hear and receive My words shows that you are not of God.”
This is a heavy truth, but it is also very loving. Jesus is not trying to insult them. He is exposing their real condition so they might see their need and be saved. Identity before God is not based on family, church attendance, feelings, moral efforts, or spiritual ministry titles. It is revealed in the heart’s reception of His Word and toward Christ Himself.
For the believer, this is both a test and a comfort. It is a test because we must ask, Do I receive the Word, especially when it confronts me? Does it lead me to repentance and obedience? Or do I only accept the parts that fit my opinions and desires?
It is also a comfort that believers can struggle, resist at first, and even go through seasons of dullness, but deep down, they cannot be at peace while rejecting God’s Word. The Spirit within them draws them back. They find that they cannot abandon the Word. This ongoing hearing and returning is proof that they are truly “of God.”
Today, let this verse call you to an honest self-examination. Do not identify yourself only by what you claim, but by how you respond to the Scriptures. If you see hardness and resistance, run to Christ for mercy and a new heart. If you see a growing desire to hear, trust, and obey, give thanks. That is God’s work in you.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I come to You openly and honestly. I do not want to trust in empty claims about myself. Search my heart by Your Word. Where I have resisted You, forgive me. Where I have excused my sin, correct me. I ask that my life would show that I am truly of God by the way I hear and obey Your voice in Scripture. Keep me from pride and from hardening my heart. Let my identity be found in belonging to You and receiving Your Word. In Jesus name, Amen.
He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
Thought:
In the airport, the agent asks the traveler for proof of identity. His feelings, background, and confidence are not enough. He must show something that verifies who he is.
Jesus does something similar in John 8. The religious leaders claim to be children of Abraham and children of God. But Jesus does not accept their claim just because they say it. He points to proof: their response to the Word of God. He says, in effect, “Your refusal to hear and receive My words shows that you are not of God.”
This is a heavy truth, but it is also very loving. Jesus is not trying to insult them. He is exposing their real condition so they might see their need and be saved. Identity before God is not based on family, church attendance, feelings, moral efforts, or spiritual ministry titles. It is revealed in the heart’s reception of His Word and toward Christ Himself.
For the believer, this is both a test and a comfort. It is a test because we must ask, Do I receive the Word, especially when it confronts me? Does it lead me to repentance and obedience? Or do I only accept the parts that fit my opinions and desires?
It is also a comfort that believers can struggle, resist at first, and even go through seasons of dullness, but deep down, they cannot be at peace while rejecting God’s Word. The Spirit within them draws them back. They find that they cannot abandon the Word. This ongoing hearing and returning is proof that they are truly “of God.”
Today, let this verse call you to an honest self-examination. Do not identify yourself only by what you claim, but by how you respond to the Scriptures. If you see hardness and resistance, run to Christ for mercy and a new heart. If you see a growing desire to hear, trust, and obey, give thanks. That is God’s work in you.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I come to You openly and honestly. I do not want to trust in empty claims about myself. Search my heart by Your Word. Where I have resisted You, forgive me. Where I have excused my sin, correct me. I ask that my life would show that I am truly of God by the way I hear and obey Your voice in Scripture. Keep me from pride and from hardening my heart. Let my identity be found in belonging to You and receiving Your Word. In Jesus name, Amen.
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