Browse Bible Study Resources

Daily Devotions

John

John 
Day 
Day 170

What happens when there is unbelief?

Text: John 12 : 37-50

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE IS UNBELIEF?

The multitudes probably had not come to a full realization as to the significance of not believing in Jesus. Their unbelief was not a question of ignorance. Their lack of belief was of a most serious nature. Their lack of faith in Jesus involved the issue of rejection! Jesus had to solemnly warn the multitudes and the Jews concerning the consequences of rejecting Him.

“And if anyone hears My words and does not believe,
I do not judge Him; for I did not come to judge the world
but to save the world.
He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words,
has that which judges him – the word that I have spoken
will judge Him in the last day.”
John 12:47-48

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE KINDNESS OF JESUS

Jesus had preached the Gospel of salvation to the multitudes on many occasions. However, there were many who did not come to faith at all. Only kindness and understanding issued from Jesus even when hostility was evidenced! Jesus kept in mind that He had come to save the world and not judge it. Thus He did not condemn anyone for his sinful attitude towards Him. Obviously, the multitudes and the Jews had thought that Jesus was so gentle and mild-mannered, they could go on rejecting Him, and there would be no adverse consequences whatsoever.

They were wrong in their assessment. Jesus may not judge them at the present moment, but there was the final judgment to consider. Had His opponents fully comprehended what they were doing? They would have to answer to God one day. They would have to explain to God just why they had rejected the Messiah whom He had sent.

When the final reckoning came, the Jews would find that there would be many things that would testify against them. Their conscience would speak against them. Their deeds would speak against them too. Jesus mentioned yet another element! The words that they had heard from the gracious lips of Jesus would judge them! Taking advantage of the kindness and graciousness of Jesus would be a fatal mistake!

THE AUTHORITY BEHIND JESUS

Jesus had spoken with tremendous power and authority all the time. Didn’t the multitudes wonder just how He could speak with such tremendous authority and power? The signs and wonders He performed should have caused them to ponder the source of His authority. Jesus offered once again an explanation of the source of His authority.

“For I have not spoken of My own authority;
but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command,
what I should say and what I should speak.”
John 12:49

With great consistency, Jesus testified that His authority came from His Father. It was His Father who taught Him what to say. Thus when Jesus spoke, He did so with full authority from God, His Father!

THE WORDS THAT JESUS SPOKE

The Jews had obviously missed the point of the preaching of the Word. To them, the discussion of theological issues was a question of debate. It was “all academic” to them. Thus they could debate with Jesus fiercely on many subjects – the Sabbath, the Temple, the Scriptures etc.

To Jesus however, His preaching was not just academic concern. What was at stake was eternal life itself. John wrote,

“And I know that His command is everlasting life.
Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father
has told Me, so I speak.”
John 12:50

Jesus was not interested in mere academia! What He preached had eternity in full perspective. Thus He paid close attention to His Father, even as He went about teaching and preaching the Word of God! His messages were not wildly concocted. The word that He preached came from His Father directly! Thus to reject Jesus and the word that He proclaimed was tantamount to rejecting God Himself, since He was as intimately involved with His life and ministry.

John the Baptizer would be one of the strongest supporters of what Jesus had just proclaimed. He said this concerning Jesus.

“For He whom God has sent speaks the Words of God…”
John 3:34

Didn’t the words of Jesus strike the hearers as the most profound ever spoken by man? Had they not wondered about how Jesus had such skill with words? If they listened carefully, they would have realized that Jesus was indeed the Word of God Himself!

THE ISSUE OF ETERNAL LIFE

Jesus kept seizing every opportunity to proclaim and to explain the Gospel of God, because He knew what was at stake! The issue was not a trivial one. Nothing could be more important than to deal with the issue of eternal life deeply!

To lose one’s soul for all eternity was not something to be taken lightly! To lose one’s soul was to be separated from God forever! To be judged and to be found guilty before God on the Judgment Day was not a risk that anyone should consider!

Jesus had preached the Gospel of salvation and went on to perform signs and wonders to confirm that He had God’s full and complete authority to preach as He did! How could anyone go astray? How could anyone miss seeing the depth of love Jesus borne for all, young and old, Jew or Gentile!

Where do we stand insofar as faith in Jesus is concerned? Let us not make the mistake of the multitudes and the Jews when they rejected Jesus!