What is in man

The Signs

jn 2.

John 2:23–25 NKJV

23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

There were many people who believed in Jesus, “when they saw the signs which He did”

The word “believe” has different meaning depending on its context

These people “believed in His name” because they saw the signs, but they had not believe to the point of entrusting their lives to Him

In the preceding verse we are told that His disciples remembered after He was raised and they “believed the scriptures”

That is the sense that is meant when the bible tells us that if you whosoever believes in Him shall not perish ....

The kind of “believing that these people were doing was merely an intellectual consent type -

They acknowledged that He was from God because of the things He did, but they had not been “born again”

The book of James tells us that the kind of believing that acknowledges only, is not enough

James 2:19 NKJV

19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!

There are many people who “believe in God” but have no relationship with Him

so many people, like many of the Jews here, were probably taught from a child to believe in God

yet that was not enough to bring them salvation

many people simply believe because they were taught as children - and parents should teach their children

Yet, no one can “believe” unto salvation for you. You must be born again

this kind of “believing” involves a personal trust in the one in whom you believe

As John illustrated in

John 15:14–15 NKJV

14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

Many people believe in God because even believe in God because they have seen some “sign” themselves

I know of many instances where people have seen undeniable “signs”, and acknowledge God, but have not “believed” to salvation (example )

God still does miracles and gives many signs today, yet many do not “believe”

“But as many as believed to them He gave the right to become sons of God -.... - (as we believe better things for you)...

Some people even believe God exists because of the overwhelming evidence to support it - and yet they are not saved

Like Einstein and Josh McDowell

Intellectual consent alone will not save you

He did not commit Himself to them

Jesus did not “commit’ or “entrust” Himself to them at this time

Although they claimed to believe Him, He didn’t believe their believing

He did not trust them as the “friends” he later referred to His disciples (You) as.

I think they were like the people that Jesus spoke of in

Matthew 7:21–23 NKJV

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Matthew 7:11–19 NKJV

11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. 13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. 15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Matthew 7:20–29 NKJV

20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ 24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” 28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Although they claimed to be believers, he said “I never knew you”

they had never reached that point of intimate and mutual trust - relationship

Because He knew all men

Jesus knew each and every one of them

Although they claimed that they believed on Him, He knew the depth of this belief

He knew that they were shallow in their belief

Like so many of the pseudo Christians of today - shallow in their faith

They love to see signs and wonders, and even more to receive them

but when their faith is put to the test, or set in the balance, it is lacking

But Jesus knew what was in them, for He know all men

He knows each and every one of us also.

He did not need any man to testify of man -

I can be thankful that God will never need to get the testimony of people to decide what to do with me

He will never need to ask anyone else if my heart and motives were pure or not

He will never need to ask anyone else what I did or didn’t do

I also take great pleasure in the knowledge that so many people who think they have the world fooled today will not fool Him

So many people lie and deceive, and we can get very discouraged if we lost sight of this fact

That Jesus knows, what is in all men

As I recently reminded a government official

So many people will stand by their foolish and selfish “posturing” in order to look right before people

But Jesus knows all men -

Hebrews 4:13 NKJV

13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

Heb

Not only does He know all things, but we must all give an account to Him

Hebrews 9:27 NKJV

27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,

Again, David reminded us in

Psalm 139:1–20 NKJV

1 O Lord, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. 3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. 5 You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it. 7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me; 12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You. 13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. 17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You. 19 Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. 20 For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain.

Psalm 139:1–4 NKJV

1 O Lord, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. 3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.

psalm 1

For He knew what was in Man

Not only did Jesus know all men, as in what they were thinking, their motives, etc.

He also knows what is in man:

The very nature of man has become corrupt

they are lying, and backbiters, and betrayers, and thieves

people will give themselves to drunkenness and addictions

for love of money and greed they will do all manner of evil

For fear an worry they will also do much wrong

they will let you down and dissapoint

people will make promised and then break them

they will win your trust only to betray you, often at your hour of greatest need

they will become violent and sometimes even kill

and that is only the surface the things that people will do that is bad

The bible tells us that it is so bad that there are none who are righteous - no not one!

And Yet, Jesus knew what was in man

Jesus knew, when he stepped down from His mighty throne -

Being in the very form of God, to make Himself a servant, and be humbled even unto death...

He knew what was in man, even those for whom He was crucified

1 Timothy 1:15 NKJV

15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

So many of us think of doing good to those who are deserving, and cut off those who are not

So often we love those who we believe are worthy

but when was the last time you were kind to someone who you knew was not worthy?

Have you ever felt compassion toward someone who was trying to do you wrong” (while they were at it)

(examples - L.D., )

Romans 5:7–8 NKJV

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Now if God can so love us, even while we are in the middle of sinning against Him - can we not so love one another?

If we think our sin isn’t so bad - consider that your sin is so horrendous, that the son of God Himself had to suffer and die, in order for you to be saved from it (personal)

Yet, while you were sinning - Christ died for you

Jesus, knowing all men, knowing what is in man, chose to love you, and to die for you.

Will you “commit” yourself to Him?

Will you be as those who “believed” to consent, but not to salvation?

Or will you be as those who believe to the saving of the soul? Will you commit to Him today?