Jesus Draws a Line in the Sand

People often think of Jesus as a love everybody anti-confrontational person. The kind of person who hung out with sinners and never called out their sin but today’s passage is one of many where Jesus gets right to the point of sin. In fact Jesus draws a line in the sand and says you either believe in me and receive the light of life (vs 12) or you do not believe and you die in your sins (vs 24). There is no middle ground no alternate route, no detours You either believe in Jesus and live or you do not and you die that's it. But what exactly should we believe and why should we accept it as truth. Look with me at John 8:21-30, at Jesus definition of a saving faith and the proof of Jesus ability to save.

You Will Die in Your Sin

John 8:21–24 ESV

So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”

Jesus makes a statement in verse 21 that is easy to overlook but when you see it, it is akin to a slap in the face. Jesus is again foretelling his departure but now he says to Pharisees you will die in your sin. did you catch that you WILL DIE in your sin. Here is Jesus saying that they the religious leaders of the day will not be saved from their sin their sacrifices and all the ceremonies and rituals were not enough they would die in their sin and be lost in hell. That’s what Jesus is saying. As I read those words I have to stop because I want to say but what about repentance what about mercy love and grace where are they in this statement.

But We must remember Jesus knew their hearts and knew they had no desire in repenting, this warning then is not to the Pharisees but rather is said for the benefit of the crowd. Jesus does a similar thing when he tells the rich man to sell all that he has give it to the poor and come and follow him. He knows the man is going to leave but the disciples learn from this that salvation is from the Lord

Now we know the Pharisees had already made up their minds not to believe Jesus, instead they want to kill him and Jesus is saying due to their stubbornness they will die in their sin. The point is this sin causes death this is a theme throughout scripture from the very first sin by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Not only did their sin mean they would eventually die but their sin caused God to kill an animal that he might cover their nakedness.

Sin causes both physical death and a spiritual death. If we had not sinned we would have lived eternally, we were created to be eternal beings. But more importantly sin separates us from God it destroyed our relationship with Him, understand Adam and Eve walked with God in the cool of the evening and spoke with him as I speak to you. Ever since then our relationship with God has been limited due to our sin.

Jesus the I Am

John 8:23–27 ESV

He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father.

If someone asked you how they could be saved what would you tell them. Many would say you must believe and accept Jesus as your savior. Some might even include him as lord of your life. But what do we believe about Jesus? Is it enough to believe that Jesus was a good teacher or a good man or even that he was the perfect sacrifice for our sins. No and again I say no, notice what Jesus says here to the Pharisees.

Unless you believe in me - Jesus then says I told you you would die in your sins for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.

Jesus doesn't say believe in my teachings or my example or that I am the perfect sacrifice for your sins rather he says believe that I am he. Literally the Greek reads that I am, it is the same phrase that is used when God speaks to Moses in the burning bush Exodus 3:13-14

Exodus 3:13–14 ESV

Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ”

Jesus makes one of his clearest claims to divinity here he can make. He says I am the existing one, before there ever was I am after all is gone I am, I am. In case you doubt this is his meaning he clarifies it in John 8:57

John 8:57–58 ESV

So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

Not that I was before Abraham but before Abraham was I am. God is currently present before Abraham even was. This is one of those things that is hard to understand but God is outside of time he is currently present in the past, present, and future and in fact he created time and thus he is before time was made and he is after time ends. This is why when he looks at Christians he sees not our sin because he sees us in our glorified state. He also can prophecy the future not because he controls us and makes us choose the way he wants but rather he is currently in the future seeing the choices we made before we make them. God is the I am, the self existing one. This then is the claim of Jesus that I am the self-existing God.

When the Jews finally understand this is the claim Jesus is making they desire to stone him. And if his claim were not true then they would be right to do so for it would be the most extreme blasphemy. Yet because it is true their rejection of Jesus is to reject the very God they claim to serve.

Therefore the belief necessary for salvation is that one believes that Jesus is God himself in the flesh, it is this that allows his sacrifice to be sufficient to pay the price for our sins. It is his Godhood that demands his commands be obeyed. It his Godhood that allows him to Judge the sins of man and declare those who do not believe will be cast into hell. If not for the Divinity of Christ all would be for nought yet if he is God then Christians can rest assured in his promises and the guarantee of their salvation.

Yet the question remains what proof does Jesus provide of his identity.

Proof of Jesus Identity

John 8:28–30 ESV

So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

Jesus gives one brief yet powerful proof of his identity. When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know I am he.

This lifting up of the son of man is reference to the Crucifixion, in which Jesus is lifted up just like the bronze serpent in the wilderness was lifted up and all who looked upon it were healed of the deadly snake bites, all who believe in Jesus as the self-existing God the great I am will be healed of their sins.

Now how does the crucifixion prove Jesus divinity?

first Mark 15:38 says

Mark 15:38 ESV

And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.

If you have ever torn fabric you know you can tell how it was torn by the direction of the ragged edges. This curtain went from ceiling to floor in the temple to separate the holy of holies from the the rest of the temple effectively separating man from the presence of God as only the High priest one time a year could go past the veil. Yet on Jesus death the veil is torn top to bottom a feat only possible for God and this symbolically represents access for man to God.

Second is the resurrection that occurs after his crucifixion in which Jesus raises himself from the dead showing his power and his vindication as innocent before God.

Thus we see that the crucifixion and Resurrection are proof of Jesus divinity. And these events were testified to by over 500 people Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:6

1 Corinthians 15:6 ESV

Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

This testimony and the lack of testimony to disprove it when given stand as proof that the crucifixion and Resurrection were true events and thus Jesus is God. For only God was capable of saying these things and prophesying them before they occurred.

Invitation

The question is will you believe that Jesus is the great I am the self existing God, in which case he has the right and authority to demand your obedience, or will you deny him and his lordship over your life as Satan and his demons have done. Jesus has drawn a line in the sand believe that I am He and be forgiven your sins and live forever with him in Heaven or do not believe and die in your sins and be cast into hell with Satan and his demons for your rebellion. Will you choose God as Lord and Master today? For those of you who have accepted him I ask you to consider your neighbors and friends are they also believers or do you need to share the gospel with them again. Let us tend to the soil and spread the seed of the Gospel that it may grow and take root and they might come to salvation. This too is a command from God.