The John 8 Conundrum

In John 8:31, Jesus addresses those who have believed in Him. By the end of the chapter, these same folks are ready to kill Him. What happened between verse 31 and verse 59? More to the point, how can someone who believes in Christ want to kill Him?. It seems totally irrational.

Maybe part of the problem is in the wide, expansive use of the word "believe". In Greek, as well as in English, the phrase can range from the merely factual (I believe the sky is blue) to the philosophical (I believe time heals all wounds) to the theological (I believe that Jesus died for my sins to placate a holy, righteously-wrathful God and present me as a faultless, adopted son). 

Since the term "believe" runs the gamut, perhaps John's goal was not to confound us with a belief to heresy free-fall.  Perhaps instead he was revealing to us at least one variety of inauthentic faith. The followers in v31 claimed faith. Yet as Jesus presses on their religious system(s), what emerges? The system(s) are more important and are to be defended more passionately than Jesus is. And, as with all idolatry, in the end only one can win. In John 8 the Jews' dependence on their Abrahamic heritage as their means of salvation wins over their belief in Christ.

So the question for us is this: What kind of belief in Jesus do we have? If none, then the place to start is with your standing before God. How can you face a perfectly holy and righteous and just God who can't even look on sin? How can you possibly make yourself right with God when every act, even the good ones, just dig yourself deeper in the hole? Read the book of John. Read the book of Ephesians. And as the Holy Spirit presses on you with all the weight and guilt and shame, take all of that and lay it on Jesus and trust, really trust, life dependingly trust that Jesus died so that you could live.

But, what if your belief is more like what is found in John 8 (or John 6, or the book of Galatians)? In one sense, the answer is the same. You need to see first how bad your offense before God really is. He is not just a grandpa who's upset because you forgot to mow his lawn. The depth of our treason and rebellion and humiliation is beyond what we could conceive. And simply acknowledging a few Biblical truths will not appease Him. Only a complete payment for the crimes you have committed will satisfy Him. An earthly judge cannot wink at a crime and be viewed as a good and fair judge. How much more a perfect, heavenly judge? So, if your faith is simply in a person named Jesus who lets you do whatever you want and in the end is bound to forgive you because you "believe", plead for mercy and trust, really trust, life dependingly trust that His death will cover your sins and that His life will become yours. Ask God to send His Spirit so that you may know who Jesus really is (read Hebrews) and how to grow to be more like Him.

And, if your faith encompasses all of these things? Praise God! He has given you a very precious gift! Do not take it for granted and do not assume that everyone who says they believe has a deep and abiding faith. Rest fully and completely in the promises of Romans 8 and ask God, seriously ask God, how He wants to you to spend the new life that He has given you for the glory and exaltation of His Son.

To God Alone be the Glory!