John 8:39-47 – Getting Direct
Up to this point, Jesus has been speaking in a way that the believers have been able to understand and in a way that the unbelievers have not. Of course he has also been speaking about spiritual blindness and light, slavery and freedom, so this kind of speaking makes perfect sense. However, in today’s passage, Jesus begins to speak very directly to those who are blind. Lines are drawn. Jesus corrects the unbelieving Jews’ misunderstanding about who their father is. He tells them that God is NOT their Father. And, that Abraham is NOT their father. God and Abraham are the fathers of those who believe. Instead, the unbelieving Jews are told that their father is the devil! The devil is the chief of all liars (there is no truth in him) and has been a murderer from the beginning.
There is a vacuum of truth inside of all unbelievers. They cannot discern truth. What should be right is considered to be wrong and what is wrong is considered to be right. This is why they wanted to kill Jesus.
It is why the world is the way it is still today.
When we watch the news and hear about the latest court cases or the latest organization calling sin “righteousness,” we should remember that the world does not spiritually discern truth. They do not have enlightened eyes to see the truth…they are of their father the devil. We need to pray and ask God to open their eyes and be faithful ourselves to proclaim the truth. Only after someone receives the Son can they begin to accurately discern the truth.
