Knowledge Increases Guilt

Lesson #253

In our last lesson we were warned that our association with Jesus may result is some difficult times for us. It is often said that the safest place to be is in the center of God’s will. In view of this warning we might want to rethink this as God’s will may place us in a very difficult situation to do some work for him. Jesus was in the center of God’s will when he died on the cross for our sin and for some, being in the center of God’s will may also result in their death as they defend their faith in the face of intense persecution. Western Christians may think that being safe, secure and comfortable is God’s plan for them, but it may not be. Such living, I believe, has allowed our culture to infiltrate the church thus causing us to be ineffective in maintaining a standard of holiness and righteousness in our nation.

In this lesson we will look at the next two verses: “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also” (John 15:22 – 23 ESV). Jesus the Son of God came in the flesh as Jesus and declared God’s will and made known his requirements. By his arguments and his miracles, he demonstrated that he was the Messiah they were waiting for, but it was by this evidence that those who reject him stand guilty.

“If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin” does not mean they would have been cleared of all sin, because that is not true. This sin which Jesus speaks of here is their rejection of this evidence that he is the Son of God, the Messiah. Had Jesus not spoken of this to them, they would not have known and thus not have been guilty. There is a relationship between our guilt and the amount of knowledge we have about something. Consider the following: “And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more” (Luke 12:47 – 48 ESV). We have been entrusted with so much, but we lack the desire or willingness to do the work God has assigned to us. This may result in horrible shame for us when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ at the end of our life on earth. Like those who heard Jesus and had no excuse for their disobedience, neither will we.

To show them that this was no slight crime, Jesus reminds them that a rejection of himself is also a rejection of God. Such is the union between them, that no one can hate the one without also hating the other. You cannot come to the Father without coming by way of the Son (John 14:6).

Prayer

Father, in view of this lesson one might think it would be best not to have knowledge of the Scriptures if increased knowledge increases our guilt, but by ignoring the Scriptures we may fall short of doing the work God assigned to us and thus face judgment on that account. We have been given the command to “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Father, we need to know the word of truth and live it out if we want to stand approved before you. Doing this will set us apart from those of the world and will probably result in some discomfort that we must be willing to live with.