DYING IN YOUR SINS
OR
MANY MORE BELIEVE
SUNDAY APRIL 4, 2021
Scripture To Consider:
“Then Jesus said to them [the religious leaders] again, ‘I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.’ So the Jews said, ‘Will He kill Himself, because He says, “Where I go you cannot come”?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.’”
“Then they said to Him, ‘Who are You?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.’ They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.”
“Then Jesus said to them, ‘When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.’ As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.” John 8.21-30
Something To Consider:
Three times Jesus told these religious leaders, “You will die in your sins.” It was because they chose not to believe in Jesus as God’s Son or their Messiah who came down from heaven. The writer of Hebrews 9.27 revealed, “And it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.”
In other words, our time of death has been appointed by God. Therefore, the author of Hebrews also declared in verse 28, “To those who eagerly wait for Him [Jesus] He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” How many of us are eagerly waiting for His second appearing? If so, we must not be found by Christ dying in our sins.
The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 5.6; “For when we were still without strength, in due time [in God’s appointed time] Christ died for the ungodly.” In other words, “God demonstrated His own love towards us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Thus Paul revealed in Romans 5.9; “Much more then, having now been justified by His [Jesus’] blood, we shall be saved from wrath [the wrath of God] through Him [through Jesus].” Does this cause us to rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ? And if not, why not?
Something Else To Consider:
It is inevitable that all will die. Shamefully, some have died and others will die in their sins just as many of these religious leaders of Jesus’ day. And according to Jesus and Hebrews, many have died and will die having the biblical assurance of salvation because they have believed Jesus to be nothing less than what the Word of God declares Him to be.
And if that is our understanding and proclamation, then Paul’s first words of Romans chapter 5 should give us great comfort and encouragement. “Therefore, having been justified [from past sins] by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
Therefore, Paul continued in Romans 5.3, by declaring; “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance [produces] character; and character [produces] hope.” Therefore, believing in Christ and observing His commands creates hope, character, and the ability to persevere in end time tribulation that is indeed coming!
Something More To Consider:
Jesus affirmed His death upon a cross, by stating; “When you lift up the Son of Man…” This is a reference to Jesus being lifted up and crucified on a cross. On that darkened day of history which ushered in the light of the resurrection, many unexpected events came to pass. “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.”
As Jesus spoke these words many believed in Him. And so it has been down through the centuries since. Many have chosen to willingly die in their sins, while others eagerly choose to believe in Jesus and gain eternal salvation as well as the forgiveness of their sins.
There is one last thing for us to think on before leaving this text. The Father never left Jesus alone because Jesus always did those things that pleased the Father. Can we honestly say the same of us? Are we willingly doing those things that please our Father in heaven?
A Few Final Words:
Therefore, what is it that pleases God? In Colossians 3.20, young people are instructed; “Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.” In Matthew 3.17, at the baptism of Jesus, a voice from heaven declared; “This is My beloved Son [God the Father speaking of Jesus], in whom I am well pleased.”
Jesus only did that which was well pleasing in the sight of His heavenly Father. Can the same be said of us? At the transfiguration of Jesus, a voice from the midst of an overshadowing cloud proclaimed, speaking again of Jesus; “This is My beloved Son [Jesus]. Hear Him!” Are we hearing and listening to Jesus? Or are we more listening to what the world has to say in opposition to Jesus?
The nation of Israel had been instructed by God to listen and to obey the words of Moses and Elijah. At the turning point of the New Covenant, God the Father instructed the early disciples and those who would in turn follow Jesus, to listen to and to hear the words of Jesus. And in doing so, have been and will continue to be led to believe in Jesus. The sad alternative is to die in our sins!
As leaders in training, God desires that we become more like Jesus, who was lifted up for us all. Are we willing to seek and to do the will of God over our own will? According to Jesus, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.” Therefore, let us hear Him on this glorious day that all true believers set aside as His resurrection day!
Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, thank You for allowing us as believers to be named in the fellowship of those who have chosen not to die in their sins. In Him Always, Amen!
According to Jesus 