August 31, 2024

Passage Read: John 9-10
Meditation Verse: 10:10

Thought

The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy, but Jesus came to bring life to His sheep. Yet not all will believe Him and receive life. Not all are His sheep. Earlier He said He came into the world for judgment, because He is divisive: people either believe in Him or they reject Him. He is a rock of stumbling and a stone of offence. He came to bring life, but many reject His right to rule and to command. Many refuse to believe and obey Him, even though He offers eternal life. The thief's only purpose is to destroy, and that thief can refer to Satan or to any false teacher who cares only about himself. The false teacher only cares about lining his pockets, such that he will actively turn people away from the true Jesus in order to maintain benefit from the sheep. But Jesus and those who serve Him, speak the truth to men, and that reveals who belongs to Jesus and who doesn't. The truth about Jesus and the true Jesus force men to choose and to reveal where they stand. The false teacher looks more noble to men because he does everything he can to hold onto people, to bring more people in, but Jesus looks bad to men because He causes men to stumble and reject Him. He causes men to choose, and because of that, many choose to reject Him and perish. Jesus sets conditions and standards that offend men, but the false teachers lower standards and requirements so that more can come in. It all seems so backwards! The killer attracts people, the Savior repulses people.

Application

The desire to save people cannot justify compromising God's Word or requirements. Though preaching the truth about Jesus and God's righteous standards infuriates many, I cannot give in to temptation to soften God's stance, as if to save more people. They are not saved if they don't come to God according to His requirements. They are, rather, deceived and doomed to destruction. That makes me one who cares more about myself and being accepted by others, than one who truly cares about the salvation of others. Though it seems to make me an enemy to people, though it seems to make me one who drives people from God, I have to speak God's truth. And the miracle is that some will choose to believe in Jesus and be changed.