John 17:8.

Jesus executes to office of prophet in revealing to us, by His Word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation.

To put it simply, a prophet is God’s representative to man.

Who better than the very Son of God, Himself God, could represent God to man?

Speaking of the Lord Jesus in prophetic terms, Hebrews declares that God spoke in

various ways through the prophets but has now revealed His final word to man by his Son, “whom he has appointed heir of all things” (, ).

We saw point blank (last week) in Jesus words, "...“My teaching isn’t mine but is from the one who sent me.”

Barrett, M. P. V. (2001). Beginning at Moses: A Guide to Finding Christ in the Old Testament (p. 40). Greenville, SC; Belfast, Northern Ireland: Ambassador-Emerald International.

Jesus testifies inn "...I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father.” ()

He declares plainly: "...I do nothing on my own. But just as the Father taught me, I say these things.” ()

In chapter 12 Jesus says, "For I have not spoken on my own, but the Father himself who sent me has given me a command to say everything I have said.” ()

"Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who lives in me does his works.” () "Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who lives in me does his works.” ()

Peter specifically identifies Jesus as the long-promised prophet who was promised and who had to come:"Moses said: The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers and sisters. You must listen to everything he tells you. "And everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be completely cut off from the people.” ( cf. ,)

This was so anticipated in Jesus’s day that even the Samaritan says, "The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”” ()

Then in the very next verse He communicates to her His identity ‘I am He’ v26.

And it’s no different in our next verse in Jesus continues to declare the nature of His words in His prayer...

"because I have given them the words you gave me. They have received them and have known for certain that I came from you. They have believed that you sent me.” ()

v8 is an expansion of the theme in v7 “everything you have given Me” and in v8 the “everything” is identified “…the words You gave me.”

The word “words” means Jesus’s actual words that He spoke,

not to be taken as His teaching as a whole but His actual words were given to Him by the Father.

These were given to Jesus by God; the Son says only what the Father gives him to say.

And the disciples "received” these words.

They may not always have understood them, but

so attached had they become to Jesus that they recieved His words as true revelation from God.

So, however strong the predestinarianism in vv. 2, 6, it is important to insist that the disciples

recieved Jesus’ words,

they obeyed Jesus’ ‘word’ (v. 6),

they believed that God sent Jesus (v. 8):

the receiving, the obedience, the faith

is their receiving, their obedience and their faith,

These are the fruits of regeneration.

Not things that you do to be born again, but the evidences of being born again.

These apostles had no other means of salvation other than the words of Christ.

It’s not just that Christ revealed God the Father’s Name but there’s also revelation given,

‘I have given them the words You gave Me.’

It’s like "So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.” ()

This is how salvation happens. God takes those outward words,

the outward counsel of God’s Name and God’s Words transmitted into the ear and by grace God moves it into the heart!

So may we be stirred up to attend upon the Word of God, it’s His instrument:"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes...” ()

It’s God dynamite to form faith in the heart of a person.

One sermon fetched 3000 souls. One angel slew 185,000 men in one night by his natural strength.

But all the angels put together in heaven (joining forces together) couldn’t save a single soul.

But by His power God comes along side weak men and empowers His words by His Spirit.

That power of God is joined to His Word as we declared it to others as He pleases.

So let’s see the nature of their faith.

v8, “because I have given them the words You have Me.

Look first at (in v8) the phrase “have known for certain that I came from You.”

The word, “certain” signifies ‘truly’ and ‘really’.

So faith can’t be apart from knowledge. There are fact communicated that we are certain of!

It’s not a blind assent: "How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? ...” ()

We have to know who Jesus is and what He did before we can believe.

In it says, “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded...”

The blind man (in ,) speaks rightly when Jesus asks him: "...“Do you believe in the Son of Man?” "“Who is he, Sir, that I may believe in him?” he asked.” ()

We have to know who Jesus is!

Do we understand the peril of those around us? "when he takes vengeance with flaming fire on those who don’t know God and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.” ()

These poor souls die without Christ and their consciences were never inflamed because they have no knowledge and when they come to do,

they die in a drunken stupor, like people that leap over a deep canyon blindfolded!

They have no idea where their feet are going to land.

“They have received them...”

"because I have given them the words you gave me. They have received them ...” ()

You faith has to terminate (come to an end) upon Christ alone!"But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name,” ()

To receive Christ is to believe upon Christ!

Through that faith, for the sake of his Son,

God accepts us as his children, pleasing to him and heirs of eternal life; and the Holy Spirit seals us as He comes to indwell us forever!

And of course, we have to be born children. "who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.” ()

How absurd that people expect to be justified before God in the basis of their own merits and works.

"He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be the judge of the living and the dead. "All the prophets testify about him that through his name everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins.”” ()

It’s ‘through His Name…’ which is, we must ascribe to Christ alone the entire

action,

merit, and

power responsible for the remission of sins.

the remission of sins.

Luther, M., & Sander, J. (1915). Devotional Readings from Luther’s Works for Every Day of the Year (p. 117). Rock Island, IL: Augustana Book Concern.

We must believe that we have forgiveness, not through our own worthiness,

but for Christ’s sake alone; must believe that by virtue of Christ’s resurrection we obtain remission of sins.

So, to all that recieved Him, to “everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins”

Luther, M. (1909). Sunday after Easter (). In J. N. Lenker (Trans.), Luther’s Epistle Sermons: Epiphany, Easter and Pentecost (Vol. II, p. 233). Minneapolis, MN: The Luther Press.

So let’s break it down a bit...

ONE. There’s implied, an act of the will.

There’s not just knowledge and acknowledgement that the doctrine is true, but an actual choice made.

We don’t just have believing minds but hearts too!

"One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness...” () Or "This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them.” ()

TWO. This act of the will is accompanied with some sense of affection.

"When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and honored the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed.” ()

Right on the heals of this new affection comes this pursuit.

There is birthed into the heart a longing for obedience.

Because, "In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself. "But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works.” ()

Foundational to saving faith is knowledge of Christ’s person and saving work.

John envisaged faith as having a solid intellectual basis; hence he commended belief in

Jesus’ preexistent deity (),

supernatural unity with the Father (), identity as the Son of God (; ) and promised Messiah (; ), incarnation at the Father’s initiative (; , ), and full humanity (). In the Acts the object of faith most often was the person of Jesus Christ (; ; ; ; etc.); but it was also the preached word (; ) and the body of saving doctrine revealed by God (; ; ; ). In the sense of assenting to crucial truths about Jesus Christ, Christians were designated “the believers” , ; ).

supernatural unity with the Father (),

identity as the Son of God (; ) and

promised Messiah (; ),

incarnation at the Father’s initiative (; , ), and

full humanity ().

In the Acts the object of faith most often was the

Demarest, B. A. (1997). The cross and salvation: the doctrine of salvation (pp. 260–261). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

person of Jesus Christ (; ; ; ; etc.); but

it was also the preached word (; ) and

the body of saving doctrine revealed by God (; ; ; ).

In the sense of assenting to crucial truths about Jesus Christ, Christians were designated “the believers” , ;

Similarly, in Paul’s letters saving faith meant correct beliefs about Christ’s person and work:

for example, “saved … through belief in the truth” (; cf. ).

There can be no saving faith without hearing and understanding the Gospel (, ; , ).

In this sense Paul wrote of “the faith”, namely, the body of Christian doctrine one must believe in order to be saved (; ; ; often in the Pastorals: ; , ; , ; ; ).

The object of faith determines its character and saving effectiveness;

a vague and unspecified faith (e.g., “I believe”) avails for naught.

Scripture allows for degrees of faith ().

But the minimum beliefs one must assent to for salvation include Christ’s

coming in human flesh,

his atoning death, and

his resurrection from the grave.

So faith is not a blind leap in the dark. Knowledge of who Christ is and what he has done is indispensable to saving faith.

To intellectual knowledge of essential doctrines must be added emotional assent of the heart to the realities they signify.

Jesus said to his disciples, "...“How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!” ()

For Paul, to become a Christian one must assent from the heart to the realities of Jesus’

atoning death (; ),

resurrection (; , ; ), and

divine lordship ().

Intellectual knowledge of God’s saving plan, while absolutely necessary, is not sufficient for salvation.

Correct beliefs must be followed by assent to their personal relevance.

Another way of putting this is to say that knowledge of the mind

must be followed by knowledge of the heart ().

Saving faith, finally, must include wholehearted trust and commitment to Christ, evidenced by obedience and good works.

This aspect of faith involves cleaving to Christ and appropriating his benefits.

While occasionally expressing this reality by (), John’s favorite expression was, “to believe on” Christ (; ; , , ; ; , , , ; ; ; ; ; etc.).

This element of volitional trust or appropriation of the Savior is evident in , which reads, "But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name,”

Christ’s atoning death a profound part of one’s deepest being.

Paul also affirmed that saving faith involves trust in and commitment to

Christ (; ) or

God (; ).

For the apostle, faith involves intellectual understanding and emotional assent to cardinal truths;

but it also means volitional surrender to Christ, evidenced by

love (; ),

obedience (; ), and

good works (; ; ).

Biblically speaking, a great gulf exists between knowing about a person and knowing the person in a relationship of trust and commitment.

"because I have given them the words you gave me. They have received them and have known for certain that I came from you. They have believed that you sent me.”