If fear of the LORD is the foundation of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10; Psalm 111:10) then the next step is a good reality check! The people Jesus addressed in today’s passage were in desperate need of a reality check. But, Jesus held out hope and promise to them: The truth will set you free.
They had lost sight of reality because the most compelling nature of sin is its capacity to blind you to the truth. The people were living under the yoke of the oppressive Roman occupation of their country yet they had the audacity to tell Jesus they weren’t slaves. If they couldn’t grasp that reality, was there really a hope they could see their slavery to sin and death? Jesus thought so.
The first step in a reality check is to ask God to give you eyes to see the truth. If they would have asked God to open their eyes they could have seen that just being descendants of Abraham did not automatically win them favor with God. Abraham was justified by faith and they too could only be reconciled to God by faith. Jesus was calling them to a faith that invites God to change their lives.
The people called Abraham their spiritual father, yet they wanted to murder Jesus because they didn’t like what he had to say. If Abraham was truly their spiritual father they would have lived their lives in accordance with the life of faith modeled by Abraham. Jesus confronted them with the truth; they had a father, but it wasn’t Abraham.
Times are not much different today. People call themselves Americans, and want all the benefits that citizenship entails, but don’t want to embrace the hard work that citizenship in a democracy demands. People call themselves Christians and want all the benefits that favor with God brings, but do not want to embrace the truth that faith in God is evidenced by a willingness to invite God to change our lives. God doesn’t want us to just believe in Him. God wants us to become like Him.
God had called Israel to be bearers of His light. Instead, they had become bearers of darkness.
God has called the Christian church to be bearers of His light.
This may be a good time for a reality check and ask God to give you eyes to see the truth. Are you, and your Christian community, bearers of light, or darkness?
Fear of the LORD is the foundation of wisdom.
Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.
Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom.
All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom.
Praise him forever!
Proverbs 9:10;
Psalm 111:10
What word or phrase in these verses
attracts your attention?
Reflect on that word or phrase.
What insights come to you?
How does this passage touch your life today?
19-Mar-12 John 8:48-59
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