Whose Word Do YOU Believe? John 5:38-40

Text:  “To the Law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them."

Isaiah 8:20.

Good morning, well established Christian!  Not for you some wavering on sinking sands of ’religious’ belief.  You are not ‘…tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive…’.  You are, praise God, standing firmly on the Rock of Salvation in Christ Alone, and what’s more, you have God’s own Word to prove it!  Hallelujah!  Praise God for such Scripturally informed, and totally committed Christians!  (Ephesians 4:14)

The people that the Lord Jesus was speaking to in today’s selected verses from John’s Gospel above were being rebuked by the Master for their faithless unbelief.

“And ye (the unbelieving Jews who sought to kill Jesus in verse 18) have not His Word abiding in you; for Whom He hath sent, Him ye believe not.” (John 5:38)

These people were the most RELIGIOUS people in the Jewish society of the day; outwardly they seemed to practice what they said they believed RELIGIOUSLY!  Yet, the Lord is rebuking them for their total unbelief in Himself as the well-heralded coming Messiah! 

Religion is the curse of modern societies today in this 21^st Century!

True Christians preach Christ, and Him Crucified, as the only way of Eternal Salvation for the souls of genuinely repentant sinners.

“Jesus saith…, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.  If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also; and from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him.”  (John 14:6-7)

In other words, Christ is saying:  ‘I am the only means of your soul’s Salvation, for I alone can redeem you from your sins.  If you are truly looking for God My Father, then look at Me, for this is the only face of the Lord God you shall see this side of Eternity.’  (See the preceding Bible Lesson: Seeking the Face of God)

The religious Pharisees and leaders of the day revered the written scrolls of Holy Scripture, treated the physical scrolls of Scripture as objects of utter devotion.  Yet, had not one iota of true God-given faith to believe what was written therein! God’s Word did not ’abide’ in their hearts through true faith.

They had the ‘fig leaves’ of religion, but no saving faith.

“And ye have not His Word abiding in you; for Whom He hath sent, Him ye believe not.”  (John 5:38)

Can you identify this same trait within what is, foolishly, called Christendom today?  Can you see with your own eyes many ‘…in the shadowy branches…’ of Christ’s church, who are totally sold out on their strict form of RELIGIOUS ENTERTAINMENT, yet will not believe nor practice Christian and Biblical principles?  I do, and the sight sickens my regenerate heart.  (See the Bible Lesson ‘Beware! Fowl Birds Roosting’ on our website)

“Know this also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection (homosexual), truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent (lacking self-restraint sexually), fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady (affecting the brain; intoxicating; inflamed; rash; violent; exciting Chambers Dictionary p.739); high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a FORM of godliness, but denying the power thereof; FROM SUCH TURN AWAY.”   (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

Today, in this 21^st Century, we are continually bombarded with whipped up religion ‘roosting’ under the auspices of what is loosely defined as Christianity.  Professing Christians - those who seldom read their Bibles in most cases - seem to be ever looking for a new showman; a big ‘movement’ ministry; a circus of psycho-babble entertainment to attend and, inevitably, financially support.  How pathetic!  What faithlessness!  What a SICK church we have  world-wide today.  Take heed, established Christian!

“…Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.  See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise.”  (Ephesians 5:14-15)

Christ was here rebuking the faithless Jews of his day, as you and I should be rebuking all faithless Christians today - in His Name and for His sake.  Let us arise and do so - all religious charlatans must be openly denounced.

Thought:  ‘Let all things be done decently and in order…’ in the Church!  (1 Corinthians 14:40)