JOHN

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John Chapter 8

John 8:1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.

Imagine sitting down and listening to the greatest teacher in all human history? No wonder those people at one place continued with Him for three days without food so that the savior had to feed them. To be in the presence of God Himself who came in the flesh, must have been tremendous.

John 8:3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

The Pharisees certainly must have known of Jesus' compassion on sinners so they wanted to catch Him breaking one of the commandments against adultery since they couldn't find anything else to accuse Him of. This is legalism, religion without compassion and missing the spirit of the law or the intent. It's so easy to get into this. When we are made perfect in love, we can have compassion and do the works of Christ but still keep ourselves from the sin that is in the world. Jesus doesn't condone adultery but delivers the woman from it and forgives.

John 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

They probably were some of the ones that had committed adultery with this poor woman. It wasn't until Jesus came into the world that we see the attitude toward women begin to change. Men use to condemn women for the same things they did themselves. At one time adultery was considered wrong for women but men were not held accountable unless they committed adultery with someone else's wife. Women were given no exceptions. Jesus holds men and women accountable and even puts the greater burden on the man that is head of the household.

John 8:10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

Jesus did not excuse the woman's sin but tells her to go and sin no more. The greatest message to her was that He (Jesus) did not condemn her. Her sins were forgiven and put from her. The same is true of all who come to Jesus. We can become free from the condemnation of sin but we are to go and sin no more because we now have the spirit of God within us to help us lose our desire to sin.

John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

If we do not want to walk in darkness, we follow Jesus. What does it mean to follow Him? Does it meant to start a church and ignore the words of Jesus and make up our own rules and regulations that pertain to the salvation of mankind? Does it mean to eat, drink and follow every word that proceeds from Jesus? To follow someone means to hold to their doctrine and teaching, not replace them with our own doctrine and teaching.

The bible says

1Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

If a priest, prophet, pastor or saint becomes our mediator, we are not following the teaching of Jesus Christ. It is okay to have a problem and ask a friend to help you pray for an answer but it is quite another to go to pastor so and so and have them petition God on your behalf while you go about your own business. We should never allow someone else to do our praying for us or seeking God for us if we are in our right minds to pray and seek God for ourselves.

To have a prophet or priest seek God on our behalf was the way before Jesus died and resurrected. He came that all who believe in Him could come to God as individuals and as groups of people who diligently seek Him. Isn't that great that we can pray and worship God anywhere and any time without going to a certain place or having to depend on a human mediator?

We don't have to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, a holy shrine or any other place. God seeks us to worship Him in spirit and in truth. All of us are equal in the sight of God and we are not to puff up one above another and have church hierarchy that is above ordinary people.

I'm not greater than you and you are not greater than me. Billy Graham is not greater than me and the Pope is not greater than Billy Graham. We are all the same and Jesus is the one that is to be exalted and lifted up in worship and praise, not man.

John 8:13 The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.
14 Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.
15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.
16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.

If they Pharisees would have looked at Jesus with the right motive they would have seen the fruits of the spirit and the law of love in operation. They were looking at Him for the sole purpose of finding fault and discrediting Him. They put from their hearts any idea that He just might be right.

John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Love means more than just hugging someone and telling them that you love them. Love is action. Love cares when they are hurting, love cares when they are hungry, love cares when they are in trouble. If one can be in error and you can love them anyway, that is the great but greater still is to go to them in the spirit of meekness and gentleness and teach them the right way.

Using threats and force is not showing love. If any refuse correction, you leave them to God and go about your business but yet with love and not resentment. This is a true disciple of Jesus Christ. We cannot force conversion on any soul. Only Jesus can save a soul and cause one to be born again by the spirit. We can't force that on anyone.

John 8:17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.
18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.

To reject Jesus is to reject the Father. We can't get to God without Jesus. If we could then Jesus would not have had to die for sins. Jesus was God in the flesh. Without Him there is no salvation. This is so hard for many to understand yet it is so simple.

You go to a strange place with many twists and turns. You can't find your way out without a guide that knows where every twist and turn leads. The guide comes to your rescue. He says there is only one way out, follow him. If you decide to try another way, you will wander around days on end without finding your way out.

Jesus is the only way to be saved and inherit eternal life.

John 8:20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.
21 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.

If we don't believe in this good and only way, we will die in our sins and cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven.

John 8:22 Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.
23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.

If we do not believe, we are of the world and will usually hate those that live by the spirit. The flesh has always persecuted those that walk in the spirit.

The Pharisees had a fleshly religion of man so they persecuted those that lived by the spirit and brought the message of repentance and being born of the spirit.

False teachers crept into the early church and led them into the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which many believe was the practice of separating the clergy from the laity and lording over people instead of feeding them the word of God. They get this from the meaning of the word itself. To conquer, suppress or control the laity (common people). I sort of lean toward this explanation because when the separation between clergy and laity really began to become common practice, the church crept into serious error. The church leaders didn't rely on the Holy Spirit's guidance but took control themselves.

People began to lose sight of the actual truth and had to trust in the clergy for guidance. If they had even one who was unfaithful to the word of God, we lose a whole generation of people in that particular church. No one is to lord over people becoming a mediator in place of Christ. Man-made religion is trusting in the flesh as opposed to walking in the spirit. Even if the clergy or minister claims to walk in the spirit but doesn't encourage His congregation of people to do the same and have their own individual relationship with God, it is a manmade religion.

Many came to understand this by the printing of the bible in a language they could read. A deeper study of the word caused the Protestant Reformation. Then after the Protestant Reformation came and went, they began to get cold and formal. They became people of the flesh and persecuted those that desired to worship God in spirit and in truth. The flesh persecuted those that walk in the spirit. Many of us start out great but when we get away from the word and lose our love for the brethren and for the Lord, we persecute those that rise up and start seeking the Lord and walking in the spirit and the word.

So we have the first church being persecuted by the unbelieving religious hierarchy of the Pharisees, then they were persecuted by pagan Rome. We then have the church start the practice of the Nicolaitans and become powerful by uniting church and state. Then when some wanted to return to the bible as the authority, instead of church authority, then those that practiced church authority persecuted the dissenters or those who wanted to give the bible to the laity. Actually there should not have been a laity or a clergy but just believers.

Then the next group began the practice of the Nicolaitans and persecuted those that wanted to live by the scriptures. Sola Scriptura. When we return to religion of the flesh instead of walking in the spirit we persecute those that are different. Those persecuted by the established protestant religions came to the United States and persecuted the ones that were different from them. Then those turned around at the beginning of the twentieth century and persecuted the Pentecostals. We never learn.

Some of the Pentecostals began to speak badly of the newer Charismatics. I believe the Charismatics are those that came out of other denominations and began to receive and practice the gifts of the Holy Spirit that the Pentcostals believed in. So we have to be very careful here also that we don't do the same thing to someone else. Correction is one thing but being judgmental and mean spirited is another. As long as we walk in the spirit and not in the flesh, we will do okay. Depend on the Holy Spirit always for the correct understanding of scripture. Prayer and study constantly seeking His guidance is vital for a powerful church. Walk in love. We don't have to sing the same songs or use the same methods. Some preach loud and emotional. That is fine. Some are more quiet and controlled. That is fine. Preaching style does not necessarily show the anointing of the Spirit. It's what they say that counts.

Let us be careful not to false accuse and lose our compassion. I know we have to correct false doctrine and heretics but we must not do it in they same way the did it in the past. The bible says to correct in the spirit of meekness, not holier than thou. We have to watch this clergy, laity error also. We are all the same. Pastors are to gently lead, teach and preach. They are not to be lords over the flock but to keep Jesus Christ as the head of the church. No human being is to take the place of Jesus and exalt himself above a group of believers.

John 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

If any do not believe that Jesus is HE. He simply means the one God sent to save us from sins. He is the one and there is no other way to be saved. Without accepting the death of Jesus for our sins and His resurrection from the dead, we can't possibly be saved from sin. One has to believe these things to be saved.

If someone offered us a thousand dollars, it wouldn't do us any good unless we believed the person and accepted his offer. We would have to go and get the thousand dollars. If they sent a check to us by mail and we did not put it in the bank and cash the check, it would profit us nothing. We can believe that we have a check but if we don't take action it doesn't profit.

When we believe in Jesus, we believe in what He says to us, we believe in His atonement for our sins and we believe to the point of being willing to turn away from our sins.

John 8:25 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.
26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.
27 They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.

Many still did not understand that Jesus came to bring a message of salvation from God the Father.

John 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

Another proof that Jesus knew the type of death He was facing yet He preached the truth and obeyed the Father until the end.

John 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

God is the one who made the way for our salvation. Jesus could have backed down but He loved us enough to go along with His Father's plan for the saving of our souls from the condemnation of sin.

John 8:30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

Here is a big IF. If we continue in the word, then are we His disciples. We are not saved once and then we go our own ways and forget the one who saved us.

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

If we continue in the word, we shall know the truth. People get into error when they depart from the word. Church history shows how this happens. If we substitute the doctrines and teachings of man instead of the God either by adding to the word or taking from the word, we will depart from the truth.

John 8:33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

Bondage to sin is worse than bondage in prison.

John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
35 And the servant abideth not in the house forever: but the Son abideth ever.
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Jesus doesn't just forgive our sins, He makes us free from sin. Through the power of the Holy Spirit one can live without sin. We don't have to sin a little bit each day. We are no longer to be sinners after Jesus saves us. That doesn't mean we can't sin or do not sin but it means that there is power available to choose to not sin any longer. If we sin, 1 John 1:9, gives us a way out of that sin.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

What a beautiful thought. To be cleansed of sin.

John 8:37 I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

Not just these religious Jews but people in other religions, even so called Christian religions have killed those who bring the word of God that established religions have gotten away from. If one knows the word in truth and has the love of God within them shed in their hearts by the Holy Spirit, they do not have to feel threatened by opposition. If we truly trust in God and know what we believe, opposition will not catch us off balance and cause us to hate, desire to put someone to death or bring in us a root of bitterness. This is sometimes not easy but we must remember the right way to bring correction.

Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Some of the people in the Middle Ages forgot this exhortation. They fit the description of these verses.

Matthew 24:48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49 And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Forgetting about the sudden return of Jesus Christ literally, is one step that leads people to stop looking for Him and start looking to find fault with the brethren instead. Looking inward instead of looking outward reaching souls for the Kingdom of God is another way to get into error. Yet we do have heretics and trouble makers that we have to deal with.

If a heretic or one who preaches false doctrine does not repent, we have to leave them to God. We can't harm a hair on anyone's head. Jesus said that we are to be wise as serpents but harmless as doves. We must warn, pray, strive for truth and contend for the faith originally preached to us but we must be as Peter said:

1Peter 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock.
Jesus said:

Look how different parts of the word compliment each other and feel our souls.

Matthew 23:9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Why have so many forgotten these words? I would venture to guess that it is because some desire to control other believers and do not trust God enough to do what they try to do in His place. We are to preach, teach, love, serve, show kindness and help but we are not to lord over, rule or control anyone. True conversions cannot be forced, it is a work of the Holy Spirit.

John 8:38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.

Abraham did fail a few times but his heart was perfect in that his motives were pure in the sight of God. He wanted to obey God, he desired to know God and walk in truth. Notice that God remembers Abraham's faithfulness and does not mention any faults. That is what happens to us when we believe in Jesus. It is counted for righteousness just like Abraham's faith was counted for righteousness. He believed God enough to leave his kinfolk and go to a strange land that God led him to. Our sins are forgiven and forgotten by God. They are no longer held against us when we come to Christ.

When we fail as Christians, we need to turn around go right back to God and keep on seeking Him and seeking to walk in His word.

John 8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

Those that love God in truth will love Jesus. I also believe that those of us who believe in Jesus and walk in the word will love those that are our brothers and sisters in the Lord.

John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Love one another as Christ loves us is so important to make the rest of the scriptures flow through us and bring forth fruit. This does not mean we have a license to sin but love is motive on which all other scripture should be centered around.

John 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Satan was a murderer from the beginning. If we bite and devour one another, put to death dissenters, and hate those that oppose us, are we not like Satan rather than Jesus? We have to be very careful not to lie either for we see who is the father of lies.

John 8:45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

I believe these words of Jesus. The bible now has been around for quite a while. It has been tried and survived the test of time. I believe it is the very word of God. Those who are casting doubt upon the word as being authentic need to take heed that they are not becoming like the church of Sardis who has a name that they live (like a name of a denomination or local church) but they are really dead. They no longer acknowledge the bible as the word, some deny the name of Jesus (this could mean deny His deity).

Sardis just may represent dying Protestant churches that are ready to die. Many of them deny the power of the Holy Spirit. Unbelief is certain death of any church. A church which once believed and is casting doubt upon the very foundation of our faith, will die. People either will quit going to church or go somewhere where there is some sign of life.

Jesus tells us the truth yet some do not believe it.

John 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

No one who saw Jesus' life and what He did daily, could possibly accuse Him of any sin. The closest thing they could find is to accuse Him for healing on the Sabbath Day.

John 8:47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

This is another test of a true believer from a false one. True believers not only will love one another and love God but they will believe and live by the word of God. If we claim to be a Christian and ignore the word, we are not really believers. Believe means to listen, heed and live by the word of God. If we do not live by the word, we are not really believers.

John 8:48 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?
49 Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honor my Father, and ye do dishonor me.
50 And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.
51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.

This is the hope of all who believe. If we keep what Jesus says, we will not die. The minute our soul leaves our body, it goes to be with the Lord. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. The body will be resurrected but it is actually the only thing that will die. The real us will not die but will be alive in heaven or in hell to await final judgment.

John 8:52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.
53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?
54 Jesus answered, If I honor myself, my honor is nothing: it is my Father that honoreth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:
55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
In another place Jesus said that:

This should make any believer rejoice for when our body dies, we are not really dead but more alive than ever.

Matthew 22:31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are not really dead as we think of death but their souls are with God and are awaiting the day when their bodies are resurrected.

I know Abraham saw the coming of Jesus by faith but I believe he was in heaven when Jesus walked the earth and knew all about it. Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus on the mount so Abraham surely must have known about all that was going on at the time. We know from scripture that Moses died also yet he was alive when Jesus was here in the flesh.

John 8:57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

This is another proof that Jesus existed before He came to earth to be born of a woman. Jesus is God in the flesh. He is the second person of the Godhead, the Son of God.

To those that say Jesus never called Himself the Son of God, yes He did. Saying I AM is the same as saying He is God or the Son of God.

Revelation 2:18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;
John 8:59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

When Jesus claimed to have seen Abraham, that was too much for those that were fault finding. They were angered that He claimed to be the Son of God. Yet this shows those that believe exactly who Jesus really was would remain believers. He had to be telling the truth, for why would anyone give himself over to a death by crucifixion for a lie? Jesus knew way ahead of time the way He would die.

There was really no excuse for unbelief in that day for these reasons:

The prophets prophesied of this day. His birth, His sufferings, His bearing of our sins, His wounds, His resurrection, and His return when He sets up His kingdom and brings judgment upon the earth.
The miracles Jesus did to heal the sick, raise the dead in a few cases and feed the hungry. No one ever did these things in Israel before.
His teachings were not the words of a deceiver. He taught as one with authority.
His love and compassion on sinners, on non-Jews and the poor.
Everything He said came to pass and will come to pass if it has not already.

The moment we start to believe, God sends us the Holy Spirit to witness to us that these words are true. DC