Jesus is Essential
John 8:37–40: “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.” They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.
When Abraham heard the truth, although he lived in an idolatrous, pagan world, he responded with obedience. That was his distinguishing mark. He heard the truth, took it to himself, and became obedient. But the Jews who confronted Jesus were doing no such thing.
They were trying to kill the bearer of truth. They were not spiritual descendants of Abraham. The point is, we may be the descendants of a godly line, but that fact will not bring us eternal life. Have we received Christ for ourselves, and how are we conducting our lives? 1
Walking with Jesus
Obedience is one of the obvious birth marks of a Christian. How many people see that birthmark on you? Is your obedience only shown to a few close friends or is it a lifestyle that can be observed by all people, at all times?
Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Luke 3:8
Your obedience is the outward evidence that His Word has an inward home.
Praying
Lord, please help me to feast upon You and Your word each day.
1. Hughes, R. K. (1999). John: that you may believe. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
