John 8:38-47 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and you do that which you have seen with your father.… Christ had admitted (ver. 37) that the Jews were the seed of Abraham: He now proceeds to show that they had another Father. Those who degenerate from a virtuous stock forfeit the honours of their race. "These are your forefathers if you show yourselves worthy of them." I. THE MARKS OF THE CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL. 1. Hatred of the truth (vers. 40, 44-47). This was the real ground of their unbelief. They disliked Christ's doctrines. Had He spoken so as to gratify their pride, they might have been disposed to accept Him. The same principle operates in all opponents of the gospel. The tendency of Christ's truth is still to humble, and so it is still hated. The Jews said, "We are Abraham's seed; we are no idolaters." And so many think it sufficient to belong to a pure Church, to be outwardly moral; hence where the necessity of Christ and His salvation? 2. Enmity against God and His people. The Jews were not content with rejecting Christ; they went about to kill Him. In every age he who is born after the flesh persecutes him who is born after the Spirit. Stephen asked the Jews which of the prophets their fathers had not persecuted. They themselves murdered the Just One; and as they treated the Master so they treated His servants. The heathen followed their example, and these, again, were succeeded by the persecutors of Popery. And in spite of the Reformation, the offence of the Cross has not ceased. Godly persons in the nineteenth century find foes in their own households, and that their religion stands in the way of worldly advancement. II. THE MARKS OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD. 1. Hearing the Word of God. This the Jews could not do, because they were prejudiced against it. But those who are born of God do not dictate to Him what He should say; but, conscious of their own ignorance, they gladly listen to and learn from Divine teaching. 2. Doing the works of Abraham. His distinguishing work was faith. He believed God, and it was counted to Him for righteousness. And what a practical faith it was! Obedient, he left his father's house and offered his only son. Faith expressed in obedience is the special characteristic of the child of God. 3. Loving Christ — (1) Because the Father loves Him. Can the children of God do otherwise than love whom their Father loves. (2) For what He is in Himself — the altogether lovely. (J. Fawcett, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. |
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