Who Is The Believer Of John 3:16

This was part of a conversation Jesus was having with a man named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, who came to Jesus by night confessing that Jesus had to be a teacher from God because of the miracles he had been doing. "No one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." (John 3:2 NKJV) The reader would do well to open his Bible to John 3, and if you have a red-letter edition all the better. You can readily see this conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus runs from John 3:1-21.

John 3:16 has given comfort to many, self included, as it should. It clearly teaches, for it clearly states, that the believer in Jesus will have eternal life. But, unfortunately, this is a verse that has been isolated not only from the rest of the teaching of the New Testament but even ripped from its immediate context and thus made to mean what men desire it to mean versus what it teaches when taken in context.

Who is this person who will have everlasting life? Who is this believer? Is it not the same person who will see the kingdom of heaven if he is "born again" in verse 3 and who will enter the kingdom of God if he is "born of water and the Spirit" in verse 5? Most certainly! It is all the same conversation directed at the same man, the man Nicodemus.

The believer of John 3:16 is the man who is born again (verse 3), the man who is born of water and the Spirit (verse 5). If this is not the same man, the man of John 3:16 and the man of John 3:3,5, then we have Jesus contradicting himself and teaching one is going to be saved one way in the earlier verses and another way in the later verse, all in the same conversation with the same man. Surely, all can see Jesus is talking about the same person.

This makes the believer of John 3:16, the one who will be saved, a baptized person. The person who is born again, born of water and the Spirit, is the person who, led by the Spirit, came to a belief so strong as to lead him to be baptized (which is the water of John 3:5). As Jesus taught elsewhere, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:16 NKJV)

Who is the person who does not believe? It is the person who will not be baptized. He is the person who does not believe Jesus when he said, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved." He is the person who does not believe one must be born again of water and the Spirit. Of the Spirit, often yes, he believes that, but does not believe water is necessary.

One cannot be a believer in Jesus while not believing what Jesus says. You do not believe Jesus if part of his word is no good to you and you reject it. The believer in Jesus is the man who takes Jesus at his word -- yes, all his word. In this very same chapter there is another verse confirming this very thing. Note John 3:36, "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." (NKJV) The phrase "does not believe the Son" means just that -- does not believe what Jesus says. That man shall not be saved. That man does not believe in Jesus even though he may proclaim his faith day and night.

The phrase "does not believe the Son" is in some translations translated differently, by the words "does not obey the Son" or similar words (ASV of 1901, NAS versions, ESV, NLT, NRSV, and others). Why? The Greek behind both translations is the word "apeitheo." Vincent says in his word studies the Greek ought to be translated "More correctly, as Rev., obeyeth not. Disbelief is regarded in its active manifestation, disobedience."

Thayer, famous for his Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, says this word means "to not allow one's self to be persuaded." Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words says it means, "to refuse to be persuaded, to refuse belief, to be disobedient." (page 311) Adam Clarke, the well-known Bible commentator, says the person being spoken of in this verse is "The person who will not be persuaded, in consequence, does not believe; and, not having believed, he cannot obey." This seems to be the consensus meaning of the Greek. It is a person who does not believe and thus cannot obey because of his unbelief. One can see then how either translation would be acceptable, "does not believe" as in the NKJV, or "does not obey" as in the NAS and ESV.

So, what do we learn from John 3:36? Simple! To believe in the Son for salvation (as per John 3:16) means one believes the Son enough to be persuaded by him to obey what he says. So we see again, looking at it from the perspective of another verse in the same chapter, that it is he who is "born of water and the Spirit" (John 3:5 NKJV) who will "enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5 NKJV), for that is the man who is persuaded enough by the words of Jesus to obey him because he believes him. This is the man who believes in Him so that he should not perish but have everlasting life, the man who has eternal life in John 3:16.

It is not the man who merely gives mental assent. It is a believer who acts, who obeys.

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Work Out Your Own Salvation

 As I was thinking about doing an article on this famous passage from the book of Philippians (Phil. 2:12-13) I first did a little Google research to see if anyone else had done so and if so to see what they were saying. I did find a couple of authors whose work I took a look at. It seemed to me like both had worked themselves almost into a frenzy trying to deny what the passage clearly states: a person must work out his/her own salvation. One denied the Greek was correctly translated and made his argument on that basis.

Let me quote the Philippians passage to you so we will have it before us and know what it says.

"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure." (Phil. 2:12-13 NKJV)

Is this a correct translation of the Greek text? It is according to the American Standard Version of 1901, the English Standard Version, the Holman Christian Standard, the Christian Standard, the International Standard Version, the New International Version, the King James, the New King James, the New American Standard, the New American Standard Update, the NET, and the Revised Standard Version. There were a vast number of Greek scholars behind those translations so I think the question as to whether or not the text has been correctly translated has been answered. An argument based on the idea of an error in translation holds no water.

The other man I was reading after based his argument on verse 13, "for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure." (NKJV) His idea seemed to be that it is not us working out our salvation but rather God; it is God working, him moving us. Well, as the kids would say, "Duh!" How does that negate us working out our own salvation?

Of course, God is working in us to work, to will to do his will, and to do his pleasure. That is the way it works and always has. How does he do it? He does it through his word. We hear his word and it moves us to obey. The Spirit of God gave the word, there is power in the word of God (Heb. 4:12), the word is the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17), it is the tool the Spirit uses to move us.

Take the word of God away and there is no work of faith for faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Rom. 10:17), there is no obedience for there is nothing to obey without the word, there is no works of righteousness ("all your commandments are righteousness"--Psalm 119:172 NKJV), there is no man who works righteousness (obeys God's commands). Man is to walk uprightly and work righteousness (Psalm 15:2) if he is to abide in the tabernacle of the Lord according to the Psalmist.

To say that a man is to work righteousness, which means only that he is to obey God's commands, is a vast cry from saying that man is saved by works or that he is working his way to heaven or trying to get there by works apart from grace. Man has his choice. He can either work righteousness or he can work unrighteousness and he will do one or the other as there is no third option. A man is either going to try and obey (try to be righteous) or else he is going to be disobedient (unrighteous). It is an either-or matter.

Which of these two men do you think will get to heaven? Which is going down the difficult way Jesus spoke of that leads to life? "Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Matt. 7:14 NKJV) Is it the man who is unconcerned about righteousness or the man who is very concerned about it? It is easy to be a sinner; it is difficult to live a holy, righteous life, an obedient life.

Let us take a look at the larger context of our passage (Phil. 2:12-13) starting in Philippians 2:8 where the text is speaking of Jesus and says, "And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." (NKJV) The next verse, verse 9, starts with the word "therefore" meaning it ties back to verse 8, "Therefore (because of this act of obedience by Jesus--DS) God also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name." (Phil. 2:9 NKJV)

But now note how verse 12, the first verse of our text (Phil. 2:12-13) begins. It begins with our word "therefore" again meaning all of this has been tied in together, thus the broader context within which Philippians 2:12-13 is found. Jesus was obedient to death (verse 8). Paul says the Philippians "have always obeyed" (Philippians 2:12). His admonition then, taken in context, to "work out your own salvation" is an admonition to continue to obey God's commands in his absence as they always had in his presence. And that is what Jesus had always done – obey God's commands.

But one must remember this was a choice they could make--to do or not to do. God was working in them toward this end (via his word) but the admonition has no meaning if God was forcing them to do it. That is the position they put themselves in who say we are not under any obligation to work out our own salvation--when they say salvation is totally in God's hands and man has no role to play in it. The admonition of Paul in our passage is meaningless if it is all left up to God.

God's word can never be destroyed. James' statement in James 2:24 will stand for eternity. "You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only." (NKJV) That has always been true and always will be. Man has things he must do if he is to be saved. The responsibility is not all on God and God alone. If all of the responsibility was on God and a person was lost it would be God's fault.

"He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him." (Heb. 5:9 NKJV) Obedience is to righteousness. (Rom. 6:16) Jesus says we will be judged by his word (John 12:48). Are there any commandments in his word? "He who does not love me does not keep my words." (John 14:24 NKJV) Can you go to heaven not loving Jesus? "If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed." (1 Cor. 16:22 NKJV) "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments." (1 John 5:3 NKJV)

Peter in quoting Moses' prophecy regarding Christ in Acts 3 says in verse 23, "And it shall come to pass that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people." (NKJV) That makes it clear to me. "Utterly destroyed" are the words. Who will be utterly destroyed--those who will not hear, meaning heed or obey, his words. Remember the entire New Testament is the words of Jesus for Jesus himself said of the Holy Spirit who inspired men to write, "He will not speak on his own authority … he will glorify me, for he will take of what is mine and declare it to you." (John 16:13-14 NKJV)

How men can say we are not to work out our own salvation I simply do not understand. Obedience does matter and you cannot go to heaven without it. However, you can be "utterly destroyed" from among the people without it.

For those convinced that what I have said makes us work our way to heaven, hear Jesus. "So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.'" (Luke 17:10 NKJV) If you are an unprofitable servant then certainly you are saved by grace for if you are unprofitable you are also unworthy.

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Born of Water and of the Spirit: The New Birth

Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:3, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God" (NASU) and then a couple of verses later expounds upon his statement when he says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:5 NASU)

This passage has troubled people over the years. What does it mean to be born of water and the Spirit? The real problem lies not in the difficulty of the passage but rather with those who are unwilling to accept the obvious import of the passage.

People often fail to understand Bible passages not because they are difficult but rather due to prejudice, closed minds. While I want to discuss the entire phrase "born of water and the Spirit," I first want to give you an example of what I am talking about as it relates to the passage we will be discussing. One very well-known Bible scholar who is also an author, and one I might add who has profited me in some of the things he has written, said of this passage that water here could not mean water.

In his mind, this was such a settled fact that there was no reason to even think about giving a reason for making such a statement, and he did not give one. The mind is closed to the thought. It is not worthy of consideration, for it is simply not possible for water to mean water in this passage. It has to mean something else.

Let us now deal with the passage and make it as simple as it really is. I begin by saying that it is essential to come to a correct understanding, as our eternal lives depend on it. Jesus says if we are not "born of water and the Spirit," we cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

I need not tell you that salvation is in God's kingdom, not outside it. It is essential to get into the kingdom of God if we hope to be saved. We are either in the domain of darkness or in the kingdom of God. There is no middle ground; it is an either-or proposition; we are either in or we are out.

Paul speaking to Christians says, "For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son." (Col. 1:13 NASU) Whether we are in the domain of darkness or in Christ's kingdom depends on whether or not we have met his qualifications for being in his kingdom.

I know this is hard for us to sometimes accept, for we know people we would consider good people who are not Christians. They are moral people; they are honest; they work hard; they treat us well, and it is hard to see how God could reject them. It is hard for us to accept that they are in the domain of darkness.

They are like Cornelius in Acts 10, a man of whom nothing but good was spoken of. The Scriptures say of him that he was "a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually." (Acts 10:2 NASU) But I remind the reader that Cornelius, to be saved, had to hear, believe, and obey the gospel for salvation.

If he was already saved, in the state he was in, why bother Peter? Why does Peter need to travel to Caesarea, in view of the fact that it is a waste of his time to preach to Cornelius if Cornelius, a good man, is already saved? He was not saved. Peter later reported to the brethren back in Jerusalem about this matter saying, "He (Cornelius—DS) reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, 'Send to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here; and he will speak words (the gospel--DS) to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.'" (Acts 11:13-14 NASU)

When a man obeys the gospel, it is an act of submission to God's will. We will either submit to his will or our own. When we refuse to submit to his will, no matter how good we are in other areas of life, how can it be truly said that we are godly? By our refusal to obey the gospel, we are saying we do not need God, Jesus did not need to die for me (his death was a waste, I did not need it), and I am not a sinner. The very fact that we refuse to obey the gospel, a command of God, proves in itself that we are in rebellion, in sin.

This being the case, how is one born of water and the Spirit, which is the equivalent of hearing, believing, and obeying the gospel? I say first of all that this is a single birth rather than two separate ones. How do I know? Because Jesus tells us so, just two verses before this verse, for he says in John 3:3, "unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." (NASU) How many times does Jesus say a man is born again? Once! If we make these two births, one of water and the other of the Spirit, then we have one more birth than Jesus requires. One is born again, not twice, but once.

What is the role of the Spirit? Jesus says in John 6:44-45, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, 'AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me." (NASU)

How is one taught of God? The answer is through the teachings of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, found in our day in the pages of the New Testament. Hear Jesus, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life." (John 6:63 NASU) So it is clearly seen that words do make a difference in bringing about spiritual life; the words of the Spirit bring life.

Peter says we have "been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God." (1 Peter 1:23 NASU) God's word is living. James says, "In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth." (James 1:18 NASU) God's word produces life in those who believe and accept it. James, "brought us forth" in this passage, is a reference to how the process of being born again comes about, by the "word of truth."

The Spirit works in bringing about the new birth in a man or woman by means of the word of God in the pages of the New Testament. In the parable of the sower (or soils if you prefer), as found in Luke 8, Jesus said "the seed is the word of God." (Luke 8:11) As it is sown in the hearts of people, it bears fruit, not in all but in those willing to hear and accept it. Four types of soil are mentioned in the parable, but only one type brought forth fruit. Jesus, in speaking of that soil, says "the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance." (Luke 8:15 NASU)

When one accepts the word of God and allows it to work in his life, having an honest and good heart, faith develops and leads the man to repentance, changing him within in his inner being, his spirit. He now believes differently, has different goals and aspirations, and wants to live a different life. When this occurs, the first prerequisite for the new birth has been met. However, Jesus also says in John 3:5 that one must be born not only of the Spirit but also of water if he is to enter into the kingdom of God.

Here is where multitudes have come up short. They fail to accept baptism. Needless to say, water is a reference to baptism. However, lest I be like the man who says water is not water but offers no proof, I need to prove my statement.

First of all, Jesus taught that baptism was essential when he gave the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20). He says, "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved…" (Mark 16:16 NASU). He does not say "he who has believed and has not been baptized shall be saved," even though many want to read it that way. The baptism of the Great Commission was in water and thus was essential for salvation.

But let us look at some other passages that, relating to the new birth, are even clearer. "Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life." (Rom. 6:4 NASU) When do we walk in newness of life (born again, the new birth)? When we have been baptized.

Take a look at 2 Cor. 5:17, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." (NASU) A new creature equals a new birth. The Bible tells us how to enter Christ. "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." (Gal. 3:27 NASU) Now, what does it take to get into Christ—baptism. Paul says we are "baptized into Christ." Then we are the new creature.

Where is salvation? Peter says, "there is salvation in no one else" (Acts 4:12 NASU), speaking of Jesus. Paul says, "For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory." (2 Tim. 2:10 NASU) Getting into Christ Jesus is thus essential.

One is a new creature upon entering into Christ (born again). One enters Christ by the act of baptism, having been baptized as a result of the consequences of the Spirit working in his life. "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body." (1 Cor. 12:13 NASU) That body into which we are baptized is the body of Christ, the body where one finds salvation, "He Himself being the Savior of the body." (Eph. 5:23 NASU)

Let us take a look at a couple of passages that teach just what Jesus taught about the new birth in John 3, but which are often overlooked. Paul says in Titus 3:5 (NASU), "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit."

God's mercy, his grace, saves us, but how? By the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit. This is just another way of saying exactly what Jesus said in John 3:5 regarding being born of water and the Spirit. The washing of regeneration is baptism.

In another parallel passage Paul says in Eph. 5:25-26 regarding Jesus and the church (the church being his spiritual body, the body he saves, Eph. 1:22-23), "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word." (NASU) Yes, water is water in John 3:5, and not something else, and Jesus says his word "gives life" (John 6:63 NAS) and that his words "are spirit" (John 6:63 NAS).

If this passage does not clarify what it means to be born of water and the Spirit, I am not sure I know what it would take. How are we cleansed; how are we born again; how are we saved? By the washing of water (baptism—DS) with the word (the Spirit using the word as his tool to change us in our spirit).

Thus, the new birth, what it means to be born again, to be born of water and the Spirit, is not that difficult and could be easily understood if we had open minds.

However, like the Jews of old, we often have too much at stake to allow us to see the truth. We have family that has passed on, and we cannot allow water to mean baptism, for we think that would condemn them. We cannot allow water to mean water, for if we were to accept that, it would make demands on us to comply, which might alienate friends and family who do not believe baptism is essential. The sacrifice is too great; we will not allow it. We will not allow water to be baptism. It has to mean something else.

Will not God condemn us for our hardness of heart when he has made a thing as clear as this, yet we refuse to accept it? When we prefer spiritual blindness rather than light, what do we think he will say to us in the Day of Judgment?

But now to make the application personal, the question for us all is what will we do in the face of the truth? Do we accept it or deny it? Do we act on it, or do we remain passive and do nothing? What will you say to Jesus on the last day?

"If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word." (Jesus—John 14:23 NASU)

I do think it would be appropriate to comment before closing to any who hold back from obeying Jesus in the new birth because of a loved one who passed on without going through that birth. Here are some points to consider. (1) Jesus teaches we must love him above father, mother, son, or daughter (Matt. 10:37). (2) If a loved one failed to get to heaven do you think you would be doing them a favor by joining them? Is that what they would want? Read Luke 16:19-31. The rich man in this account did not want his five brothers joining him. (3) Finally, why not leave judgment up to God? "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Gen. 18:25 NKJV)

Note: Underlining in verses quoted was by me to emphasize certain statements and was not in the original quoted texts.

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Finding Truth

 How can one find and know the truth of Christianity that comes from God in a world that is divided over that truth to the extent that today we have thousands and thousands of denominations because they cannot agree with one another over what that truth is? Many no longer think it is possible to know the truth in any absolute sense. It is just a matter of individual opinion is a common thought. Consequently, it is not unusual to hear sentiments like as long as you believe in Jesus and are sincere that is all that matters and any church will do, just find the church of your choice.

It is easy enough for the sincere seeker after truth to just throw up his/her hands in despair and give up but the Bible makes it clear that truth can be known and that it does matter what one believes and obeys. Jesus said, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32 NKJV) Abiding in the word of Jesus is thus essential to (1) being a disciple of Jesus and (2) to knowing the truth. It is also essential to salvation for Jesus said, "If anyone keeps My word he shall never see death." (John 8:51 NKJV)

All the words in our New Testament are the words of Jesus, not just the red letter words. The word Jesus spoke and gave to man was God the Father's. Jesus himself said so. "He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me." (John 14:24 NKJV) John the Baptist was speaking of Jesus when he said, "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure." (John 3:34 NKJV)

Jesus made other statements to this effect as follows: "The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority." (John 14:10 NKJV) "I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him." (John 8:26 NKJV) "As My Father taught Me, I speak these things." (John 8:28 NKJV) "You seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God." (John 8:40 NKJV) "But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me … He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God." (John 8:45-47 NKJV) In his prayer in John 17 he says, "I have given to them the words which You have given Me." (John 17:8 NKJV) That which Jesus spoke and taught came from God the Father.

When Jesus had ascended back to heaven the Holy Spirit was given to the apostles and prophets but the Spirit himself did not initiate new teaching but merely took of what was Jesus' and gave it to man. This is clearly taught in John 16:12-15 where we have Jesus speaking and saying, "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you." (NKJV)

Jesus still had many things to say but he would not be saying those things now while still in the physical body but they would be spoken by the Holy Spirit who was going to take "what is Mine and declare it to you." When Jesus said in John 14:18, in speaking to the twelve, "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you" (NKJV) he was speaking of coming to them via means of the Holy Spirit (read the statement in context—John 14:16-20). This is the very thing he did on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 when the apostles were baptized in the Holy Spirit.

The New Testament is God's word; it is Jesus' word; it is the Holy Spirit's word. Paul declares that he received what he preached by revelation of Jesus. "But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ." (Gal. 1:11-12 NKJV) At the same time he made clear that the words he spoke were from the Holy Spirit. "These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual." (1 Cor. 2:13 NKJV) Just 3 verses later he says, "We have the mind of Christ." (1 Cor. 2:16 NKJV) To have the Holy Spirit is the same as to have the mind of Christ which is the same as to have "the Spirit who is from God" (1 Cor. 2:12 NKJV) which John the Baptist told us earlier God gave Jesus "without measure." (John 3:34 NKJV)

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Tim. 3:16-17 NKJV) It is God's word which is truth for Jesus said in prayer to the Father, "Your word is truth." (John 17:17 NKJV) It is that which makes free from sin (see John 8:31-32 quoted in the second paragraph of this article). It is that by which we shall be judged for Jesus said, "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day." (John 12:48 NKJV)

Jesus has defined love of God and what that means when he said, via the Holy Spirit speaking through the apostle John, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments." (1 John 5:3 NKJV) He again says, "This is love, that we walk according to His commandments." (2 John 6 NKJV) We find similar statements in the Gospel of John where Jesus speaks directly. "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me." (John 14:21 NKJV) "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word." (John 14:23 NKJV) Jesus is "the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him." (Heb. 5:9 NKJV) To obey Jesus one must obey the truth, the word of God, the words of Jesus whether spoken directly by him or indirectly by means of the Holy Spirit speaking through the apostles and the New Testament prophets.

Now it is time to make an application as it applies to the subject of finding truth in divided Christendom. Where can truth be found? The answer is simple--in the words of Jesus which is the New Testament, all of it. But, it is often said we cannot agree on it. We disagree with how passages are to be understood. True, we do, but one must understand that truth is truth.

If you and I are reading the same passage and you say it teaches one thing, and I say it teaches another, that is not going to affect the truth of the passage one way or another; it will not change the truth one iota. You may be wrong; I may be wrong; we both may be wrong; but, make no mistake about it, there is truth in the passage to be discovered.

There is no such thing as a separate truth for you and a separate truth for me out of the same passage. At least one of us has to be in error and maybe both of us. God will judge us by his word (John 12:48) which requires a correct understanding of it if a man is going to believe it and obey it. We are foolhardy when we go off and say in our hearts that you see it one way and I see it another and we are content to leave it at that as if it doesn't matter.

It is a direct command of God to, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth." (2 Tim. 2:15 NAS) If we fail to do that--accurately handle the word of truth--then we simply become another blind leader of the blind which Jesus says will end up with both falling into the ditch. It means disaster.

I say this without reservation; most people never learn the truth because they never study the truth. They are far, far away from being diligent about personal Bible study and being a workman at doing it. They may know well what it means to be a diligent workman studying a college course but they have never put forth that kind of effort into Bible study. They do not like to read or study the Bible, they find it boring or they would rather do other things.

Peter said that Paul wrote some things hard to understand "which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures" (2 Peter 3:16 NKJV) so scripture can be twisted and turned to teach what it does not teach but again to do so means destruction. One must educate himself not in what men say the scriptures teach but in the exact wording of scripture so he knows for himself what it teaches. The Bereans "searched the scriptures daily." (Acts 17:11 NKJV)

How many people today are almost solely dependent on their preacher for their religious instruction? If their preacher was a blind leader how would they know it no more than they study for themselves? One is going to have to want to go to heaven if they are going to get there. Studying, serious study, is a part of that. One comes to understand the scriptures correctly the same way one comes to understand any other academic subject, by study. It was God who said, "Come now, and let us reason together." (Isa. 1:18 NKJV) You have to know what he said before you can reason on it.

Jesus taught that a man can know the truth but there was a stipulation--"if anyone wants to do his will." (John 7:17 NKJV) Here is the whole verse with Jesus being the speaker, "If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority." (John 7:17 NKJV) Many New Testament doctrines are rejected today because men do not want to do God's will.

One of the most prevalent is that of marriage, divorce, and remarriage for causes other than that given in Matt. 19:9--the cause of fornication (sexual immorality in most modern-day translations). A divorce and remarriage for any other reason is adultery. Likewise some religious groups today want to legalize in their religious body homosexuality, that is to declare a practicing homosexual a faithful Christian. Others desire to place women in positions of authority over men in the church. Is the Bible unclear on these subjects?

Hear the New Testament on the subjects of adultery and homosexuality, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Cor. 6:9-10 ESV) As for women in leadership roles in the church over men Paul said, "Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence." (1 Tim. 2:11-12 NKJV)

What is the point? One cannot know the truth unless he wants to do God's will just as Jesus said in John 7:17. Jesus said the same thing using other words in Mark 4:24, "Then He said to them, 'Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.'" (NKJV) If one is not willing to obey the truth, use it, what makes him think he is going to learn the truth?

Such a man will read a passage of scripture in a different way than will a man who is willing to accept and obey what is said. He will justify himself by twisting the scriptures and declare his twisting to be the real truth. Because he does not like what he hears and does not want to obey it he declares he hears something in the passage that an honest man would never hear.

In a similar vein all those religious bodies who declare themselves to be Christian but are willing to step outside the bounds of scripture for justification and authority are merely seeking to set up the commandments of men as equal to the word of God. There are today all kinds of governing bodies that make rules and regulations, laws and commandments, for their faithful just by the vote of those elected or appointed delegates to their various conventions, etc. At least the Catholics are honest enough to admit that they do not derive their authority solely from the Bible. Some of the denominations ought to fess up too, just as many of them as have national conventions or governing bodies that set their doctrines.

If one needs reminding of what God said about teaching the doctrines of men then here is the reminder, "'In vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'" (Matt. 15:9 NKJV) The problem was, "'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.'" (Matt. 15:8 NKJV) No single man or group of men has the right to make a single law for God. We live in the kingdom of God and kings rule in kingdoms. The church is not a democracy where we vote on what we will believe and practice.

Finally, tradition plays an awfully big role in leading people away from the truth. Jesus, in speaking to the Pharisees and scribes, said, "For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men." (Mark 7:8 NKJV) Again, "He said to them, 'All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.'" (Mark 7:9 NKJV) Does anyone think that kind of thing came to an end at the end of the first century?

The key to detecting this today within a group is the phrase, "you reject the commandment of God." One can see the commandments of God by reading the New Testament. When one or more of those commandments are no longer being followed by a religious body that ought to tell you something about them and a good place to start looking is at their traditions and how they are ruled.

If I was to tell you all you needed to know the truth was your New Testament you might find that hilarious in view of all the conflicting beliefs that men who claim to follow it have come up with. Yet, if I was to tell you the truth could be found somewhere else I would be in conflict with what God has said and would find myself fighting against God. The truth is found in your New Testament, because it is the word of Jesus, but it takes a good and honest heart to find it and accept it. The real test of whether or not a man or woman has found the truth is found in 1 John.

"Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, 'I know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him." (1 John 2:3-5 NKJV)

Are you doing that? The congregation or church of which you are a member, are they doing that or have they rejected some of God's commandments and set up some of their own traditions? Read your New Testament and you decide. I hope you are able to do that with a good and honest heart but be careful for God has said, "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?" (Jer. 17:9 NKJV)

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