Not All Faith is Saving Faith
The Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 1 viewNot everyone who believes has a believing faith. It is one thing to believe in and another to believe on. It also matters what you are believing in and on. Jesus knows the heart! Therefore, He does not entrust Himself to every one. He only saves those who genuinely believe in Him and not in His signs alone.
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Introduction
Not everyone who believes has a believing faith. It is one thing to believe in and another to believe on. It also matters what you are believing in and on. Jesus knows the heart! Therefore, He does not entrust Himself to every one. He only saves those who genuinely believe in Him and not in His signs alone.
Focus Passage | John 2:23-25
23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name as they observed His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, because He knew all people, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify about mankind, for He Himself knew what was in mankind.
Many Believed (v. 23)
23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name as they observed His signs which He was doing.
As Jesus and His disciples come and observe the Passover, we find that…
Many believed in the name of Jesus - ‘…many believed in His name…’
This is a good thing of course. The Bible declares that there is but one name that can save. That name is the name of Jesus.
12 And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.”
However, why were they believing? What was the motive behind their belief? Were they believing in the signs of Jesus or Jesus.
Many believed, but their belief was based off the signs of Jesus
We must understand tonight that the motive behind our belief is just as important as the belief itself. The key word being used here within this text is the word ‘signs’. Signs are important. John showed the importance of Jesus’ signs and the point behind those signs.
30 So then, many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that by believing you may have life in His name.
Obviously the signs were doing as God had intended and sovereignly dictated. However, signs do not save. They point to God and who God is so that we are without excuse.
19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
We are not in need of signs, we are in need of the Savior. As I was preparing for this message I was reminded of Casting Crowns’ song, Healer. The chorus goes:
We need the Healer. We don’t need another hero. We need the Healer. Deep down, every hurting heart knows We need the Healer And only Jesus is the Healer.
The bridge goes:
More than comfort, we need the King. More than gifts, we need the Giver. More than blessings, we need Your presence. More than the healing, we need the Healer.
May realize that our need is not in another miracle or a sign. Our need is in the One who delivered the sign.
The word ‘semeion’ (“sign”) appears sixteen times in John’s Gospel and twenty-three times in the entire writings. Two other words are used to describe miracles in the New Testament: dunamis (“power”) and teras (“wonder”).
There is a clear distinction of emphasis between these words.
‘semeion’ (“sign”) refers to the purpose of the miracle - John’s Favorite Term
‘dunamis’ (“power”) refers to the source that enables someone to perform the miracle - Does not occur in John’s gospel
‘teras’ (“wonder”) refers to the reaction of the crowd when a miracle was performed - Only occurs once in John’s gospel (4:48)
The time that John does use ‘teras’ is used in a negative tone.
48 Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.”
Truly, as Jesus told Thomas…
29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you now believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
Belief in the signs of Jesus does not equate salvation.
Many Believed but Many Were Not Saved (vv. 24-25)
24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, because He knew all people, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify about mankind, for He Himself knew what was in mankind.
You can believe and still not be saved
19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.
Many believed but Jesus did not accept any - ‘…was not entrusting Himself to them…’
Those believing in Jesus may have had had head knowledge but definitively did not have heart knowledge or a heart change. God is no respecter of persons nor does He judge a book by the cover. Jesus knew their heart. He looked right into their inner being and motive behind their belief. He does this to all. We find…
Jesus knew why the many believed - ‘…because He knew all people…’
John wanted there to be a clear picture as to why Jesus did not accept the people despite their belief. He did this through a repeated of (v. 24) in (v. 25).
The Gk verb for “believe” is (episteuo) and it appears in three consecutive verses (vv. 22-24). As broken down in the HNTC on John: The disciples believed Jesus’ words and the Scripture only after his resurrection. The people in Jerusalem claimed to believe, but Jesus did not believe their belief.
In v. 23, the past tense of the verb indicates the ongoing action of v. 24, Jesus was ever in the present not believing their claims to believe. The second verb in the verse is “knew” and is in the present tense. This indicates that he knew the hearts of all people of all time. This includes the modern believers.
Jesus knows our heart and knows whether we truly believe Him for Him or just the signs of Him. He knows whether we’ve repented and put our faith in Him or in what we can get from Him.
Remember, when John wrote his gospel, it was from a post-resurrection perspective. As stated in the HNTC on John:
John F. The Master and His Motive (2:23–25)
Borchert sums it up nicely in the context of this Gospel:
When John wrote this Gospel, he knew that Jesus performed many signs and that people said they believed. John also knew that Jesus died and that while he had no intention of abandoning the believers (14:18), they could not avoid abandoning him. For John, then, there was good reason for Jesus not to believe people’s believing. Thus, when we read the stories of John, we must not treat them simply as stories from the past. They are also in fact living portraits of humanity in every era. Accordingly, we need to understand that the living Jesus does not believe everyone’s believing because he knows what is in them. Those words ought to stand as a warning to everyone (Borchert, p. 168).
Conclusion
Are you trusting the Lord because of what He can do you or for Him alone? Do you have a saving faith? Are you sure of your salvation? There is nothing to be more sure of than your salvation! As Peter writes…
10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choice of you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.