You Will Die In Your Sins Unless

Lesson #142

With this lesson we will cover John 8:23 – 25. Jesus continues his conversation with the Pharisees: “He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.”” (John 8:23 ESV). Jesus shows patience with the Pharisees and explains to them why they do not receive his testimony. He implies that they dislike the kingdom of God because they are from below or belonging to the natural world. As a result, their thinking or their wisdom is earthly, unspiritual, demonic and is accompanied with jealousy and selfish ambition, from which comes disorder and every vile practice (James 3:15 – 16). The natural human mind is unable to understand the Gospel because that requires heavenly wisdom. Jesus is not of this world; he is from above, from his Father and they are unable to understand that with their natural minds.

Jesus continues: “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins” (John 8:24 ESV). In John 8:21, Jesus told them they would die in their “sin” while here he uses the word “sins”. In verse 21 Jesus used sin to include all their sins and so the meaning is the same. Each one of us is born into this world with a mortal disease with an addiction to continue to sin. Like any addict who is enslaved to their particular substance, their path leads to death unless somehow they can change directions by breaking their enslavement. Jesus then explains how that is possible; unless they believe that “I am he” [they] will die in [their] sin. Jesus and only Jesus is the solution to their dilemma. The “I am he” that Jesus uses to describe himself means Messiah or Son of God; the Christ. This idea of God veiled in a body of flesh is a concept that most people are unable to accept or believe in. The Pharisees are an example of this.

The Pharisees “. . . said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning”” (John 8:25 ESV). It is clear that the Pharisees and Jesus are at an impasse because they ask again who he was. Jesus responds by repeating what he has already told them. There is more in the phrase “from the beginning”, that Jesus uses, than meets the eye. The general consensus is that it implies that he did not arise suddenly, but existed in eternity past and was promised to appear publicly in the future.

Prayer

Father, it is easy to read these three verses and not see the application to us the reader. Unless we believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, veiled in a human body and surrender to him as our Lord and Savior, we will die in our sin. Father, without you touching one’s heart, that one would act no differently than the Pharisees. Father, thank you for giving me understanding and the desire to come to Jesus in belief.