Characteristics of the Believer

Lesson #204

With this lesson we begin the last section of chapter 12, defined by John 12:44 – 50. The words of this section are Jesus’ final public words and pertain to his coming to save the world. “And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness” (John 12:44 – 46 ESV). The last public words seem to have ended at John 12:36, which then would make this section a summary inserted by John of things spoken before. These three verses characterize the belief of the believer.

“Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me” is a way of saying belief in the Father requires belief in the Son. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 ESV) implies belief in Jesus as the only way to have access to the Father. We must believe the Father when three times he spoke from heaven testifying that Jesus was his Son, sent by him. The Father and his Son come together. You can’t have one without the other and when you believe in both of them and are born again, you receive the third person of the eternal Godhead, the Spirit who comes to eternally dwell within you.

“And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.” “If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”” (John 14:7 – 9 ESV). “[Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” (Colossians 1:15 ESV). “And [Jesus] is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3 NASB). It is clear from these verses that Jesus stands before us as a means for us to know the Father. We must study the life and person of Jesus if we are to know God. There is simply no other way as he is the only way to know and to go to the Father.

“I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” We have heard this before: “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”” (John 8:12 ESV). Jesus is light and that light provides eternal life. That light removes the darkness of spiritual death and by that light we can see and understand.

To believe in God requires that we believe in Jesus. To see Jesus allows us to know and see God. Coming to Jesus in faith opens up our heart to the light of his saving grace and transfers us from the domain of darkness into the eternal kingdom of the beloved Son. These are some things that characterize the one who believes in Jesus and is obedient to his Lordship.

Prayer

Father, Jesus is clearly the only way to God. Is it any wonder the devil works so hard to keep people from knowing Jesus and has established such an effective army to persecute those who do find him or maybe find ways to distract believers with things of the world? Father, help us to be intentional in our walk with Jesus, to be willing to pay any cost to follow him to the end. Father, have mercy on us when we don’t.