Living the Truth: Redefining Spiritual Identity

Introduction

This morning our study of the John 8 brings us to the following text.

John 8:37–47 KJV 1900

37 I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. 38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. 39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. 41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. 46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? 47 He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

This entire chapter has been a running dialogue between Christ and the Jews, particularly the religious leaders known as the Pharisees. In our text this morning, the subject of Abraham rises to the forefront. The Jews claim Abraham and God as their fathers, yet their actions tell a completely different story.

Here is a question for you this morning.

How do you know who you belong to? Is it your family name, your reputation, or something deeper that defines you? Have you ever wondered if you’re banking on the wrong thing to feel close to God?

Maybe it is something more than just family. Perhaps it’s your family’s faith, your church attendance, or even your baptism - but what if none of that’s enough? Today, we’re digging into a deep need we all have: to know who we really are in God’s eyes, not just who we think we are because of where we come from.

Here’s the truth: our true spiritual identity isn’t tied to our lineage or status - it’s forged by living out God’s truth daily.

This morning, I pray that you will walk away seeing past the labels you might be leaning on, and start aligning your life with God’s reality, proving whose child you are by what you do.

So, let’s begin at the same place Jesus does - He looks at these people who claim Abraham as their father and says, “Hold on, it’s not that simple.” Our first stop this morning is this truth...

Our Lives Are Not Defined by Lineage and Status

Look again our text and note these verses.

John 8:37 KJV 1900

37 I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

John 8:39 KJV 1900

39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

John 8:41 KJV 1900

41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.

As you can see, the Jews were insistent about Abraham being their father. Abraham wasn’t just any ancestor. He was the starting point. It was with Abraham that God not only called out to leave his own country and family, but God promised to make him a great nation if he would. More importantly, it was with Abraham that God initiated His covenant with Israel. We see this covenant fleshed out in Genesis 15 and 17. In those chapters, God pledges land, descendants, and a special relationship, which was sealed with the sign of circumcision. For the Jews, even in the day of Christ and still today, Abraham’s fatherhood went beyond biological. It was the foundation of their entire existence as a people set apart by God. When Jesus comes on the scene, centuries of history - the exodus from Egypt, the exile in Babylon, and the return to Jerusalem - reinforced this: they were Abraham’s seed, heirs to God’s promise to him.

Thus, when they said, “Abraham is our father,” it was not casual name-dropping. It was a claim of divine election. A claim no other nation or people could make. They saw themselves automatically as “children of heaven” because of that lineage. For them, God’s commitment to Abraham meant God was committed to them, no matter what. They thought their heritage guaranteed their standing.

It is at this point, that Christ flips the script. Everything that Christ taught threatened their identity.

Even in this passage, He strips away their identity in Abraham.

He begins by acknowledging they were biological descendants of Abraham - “I know that ye are Abraham’s seed.” (v. 37) Yet, in a much deeper and spiritual way, they might be physically descended from Abraham, but they were in no way like Abraham spiritually. Their actions did not match their identity. Note that they sought to kill Christ; His word (God’s Word) had no place in them, and their deeds reflected a different father, namely Satan. Each of these indictments was like a gut punch. You see, they were not just proud of their ancestry but banking on Abraham for their spiritual security. Christ's words became more than just insults. They were heresy for they unraveled the framework they had built their lives. If Abraham’s blood isn’t enough, what is?

ILLUSTRATION

Think about it this way. Suppose you were born into a family that owned a company or business! Growing up in that family, you became used to seeing your family name on the sign. However, just because it is a family business with your last name on the sign doesn’t guarantee that you will get to run the family business as an adult. No, you have to show up and do the work. Having the same last name as the business does not mean the business will always be successful. For it to succeed, you have to back up the family name with blood and sweat.

In a similar way, Jesus was relaying to the Jews that being part of His kingdom and family was not about family names or lineage.

John 1:13 says it’s 'not of blood,' but of believing in Him. No, it was much deeper than that. They needed to realize that accepting Him as God and seeing Him as their Savior was the only way into Heaven, as He declared in John 14:6, 'No man cometh unto the Father, but by me.' Being born of Abraham’s seed was not enough—Romans 9:8 reminds us that 'the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God.' They might have the family name, but they needed the same faith of Abraham, who by faith obeyed God (Hebrews 11:8), a faith that accepted Christ as God in the flesh (John 1:14) who came to redeem them from their sins, as Colossians 1:14 promises through His blood.

That is the application for you and me this morning. God is saying to you this morning that you must stop relying on your past - your churchgoing family, good reputation, good works, or even your baptism. The simple question that must be answered is this. Have you personally accepted Christ as Savior?

After dismantling the Jews' confidence in their lineage by showing them that Abraham’s blood in their veins isn’t the golden ticket they thought it was, he moves on. He pushes even deeper, pointing them, and us, toward something far more essential. If it’s not about where we come from, then what is it about? This brings us to the second truth this morning.

Our Lives MUST Align with Divine Truth

Read with me John 8:42-44

John 8:42–44 KJV 1900

42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Now, jump down to John 8:47

John 8:47 KJV 1900

47 He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

Christ now draws a stark distinction that aligns with the truth of God’s Word. Their actions, even though they claimed to be of God, did not reflect their allegiance to Abraham. Instead, they were more indicative of their true spiritual father, Satan. Remember these so-called men of Abraham and God were already threatening to kill Jesus, the very Son of God. Later, at the end of this chapter, they attempt to do just that by picking up stones to stone Him. Everything they have said and done, the lies, hatred, and thoughts of murder, revealed the truth. If you are going to claim to be of God, your actions must back up your claim. The actions of these me were screaming something more fundamental.

All of us are born into this world already tainted by sin and under Satan’s control—Romans 5:12 says sin entered through one man, and Ephesians 2:2 calls Satan the 'prince of the power of the air' ruling over us by nature. These men, like so many today, thought they were okay because they were born as Jews and as Abraham’s children, but Matthew 3:9 warns, 'Think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father.' However, they were not okay. They needed Christ, just as many need Christ today, for Acts 4:12 declares there’s 'none other name under heaven whereby we must be saved.' That was the point of His coming. He came offering Himself to Israel first, as He said in Matthew 15:24, 'I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel,' and then to the rest of the world, as Romans 1:16 affirms, 'to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.' Yet, on the day He went to the cross, He died that day for all men’s sins—1 John 2:2 says He’s the propitiation 'for the sins of the whole world.’

This is the heart of the story. True life doesn’t begin until we admit Christ is God and that He is the only way into Heaven.

It is not about lineage, family, or even how religious a person might be. It all comes down to this one fundamental thing. Will you admit that you are living in sin’s darkness? Will you admit that you are your father’s child? By that, I mean to acknowledge that you are under Satan’s control.

Will you then accept that Christ is the Light of the Word to dispel that darkness?

He is the one who came to rescue you. He is the one who sacrificed Himself for your sin. Even now, He asks if you will align your life with His reality. It is only when you make that decision that your life will truly reflect the things of God. The believer acts with love, truthfulness, and obedience, not the unbeliever.

Illustration

Imagine a radio in your car. You get only static and noise when you look for a radio station. However, you get clear music when you finally tune into the right station. It is the same for us spiritually. Many people who have not believed are not tuned into the right station spiritually. They are tuned into Satan’s and sin’s control. Their actions are dictated by their control. However, when you meet the Savior and allow Him into your life, He changes you. The station is changed to one where His Spirit resides within you, and you can now live aligned to His truth.

So ask yourself the following questions this morning: Are your choices, words, deeds, and actions playing God’s song or the devil’s? If the answer is they reflect more the devil than God, then make the right choice this morning to align your life with God’s truth and accept Christ as your personal Savior.

Jesus clarifies that aligning our lives with divine truth - accepting Him as the Savior who rescues us from sins’ darkness - is the turning point. It’s where we switch the station from the static of Satan’s lies to the clear song of God’s grace. But it doesn’t stop there. Once we’re tuned in, something remarkable happens: our lives begin to broadcast the truth to the world. This brings us to our third truth this morning.

Our Lives Should Reflect God’s Reality

Note John 8:47

John 8:47 KJV 1900

47 He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

In this verse, Jesus ties hearing God’s words to belonging to Him, and it shows when we truly belong to Him. So, let’s unpack what it means to live in a way that doesn’t just claim God as our Father, but proves it through a life that echoes His reality.

Note the two verses that precede verse 47.

John 8:45–46 KJV 1900

45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. 46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

Remember that these Pharisees outright rejected the words of Christ—they did not believe Him. Jesus warned in John 12:48 that the words they rejected would ultimately judge them. For us to get right and stay right with God, we must be people of belief, because as John 3:36 says, 'He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life.' We cannot afford to reject His truth—those who do are setting themselves up for an eternity of suffering. But for those who believe, it’s just the beginning of a life of faith. Once we’ve accepted Christ as our personal Savior, as Romans 10:9 promises, we must learn to live it out—listening to God like sheep who hear His voice (John 10:27), loving the Savior as He said in John 14:15, 'If ye love me, keep my commandments,' and being faithful in our obedience to His Word, proving we’re in Him as 1 John 2:5 declares.

1 John 2:5 KJV 1900

5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

Accepting Christ as Savior is not a one-and-done action. Yes, once you are saved, you will never lose the eternal life promised to you. However, committing to Christ is also a lifestyle that syncs with God’s reality, not our own. In other words, it is a commitment to follow and obey Him every step forward.

Illustration

A life in sync with God’s reality is much like a garden. First, the seed is planted. In this case, the seed is when you hear and accept the gospel. At that moment, the Holy Spirit created a new life, sprouting from the seed of faith. As the seed blossoms into a plant that eventually penetrates the ground, it is not long before weeds start popping up all around that tiny, tender plant. However, the believer who allows their life to be watered daily by the Word of God and is determined to obey it is like a tender plant that grows beyond the weeds, becoming a fruitful tree. We grow when we hear, heed, and obey God’s Word.

Here is the application. If you truly want to be recognized as a child of God, there must be outward characteristics that evidence it.

Such evidence only comes about for those who are truly His and commit to living their life aligned with His truth. Therefore, you must make space each day for God’s Word. You must read, meditate, memorize, and live it. As His child, determine to let your actions show you belong to Him, not just your words.

We’ve seen this morning that Jesus doesn’t let us lean on the crutches of lineage or status - He calls us beyond Abraham’s blood to something deeper. It’s not enough to claim God as our Father;  we must align our lives with His truth, accepting Christ as Savior to break free from sin’s darkness. And once we do, our lives should reflect His reality, like a fruitful tree growing from the seed of faith, showing the world we belong to Him through our love, obedience, and devotion to His Word. That’s the heartbeat of John 8:37-47- it’s a mirror held up to the Pharisees, and to us, asking:

Whose child are you really?

As we come to the close of this message, let’s not walk away unchanged. Jesus’ words demand a response, and eternity hangs in the balance. So, let’s bring this home with a final look at what this means for you today.

Conclusion

Where do you stand this morning? Are you still banking on your family name, good deeds, or church attendance? Or have you heard Christ’s voice calling you to something more - to trust Him as Savior and let your life reflect His reality? If you’ve never made that choice, today’s the day

Romans 10:9 KJV 1900

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

If you’re already His, commit today to living it out: read His Word, love Him deeply, and obey Him fully. Let’s pray together that God would move in our hearts so we leave here as hearers and doers of His truth.