You are of your father the devil

John Farley
Pastor Teacher
Sunday,
February 27, 2022

“You are of your father the devil”

Joh 8:37-47

Jesus confronts the unbelievers in his audience with stunning accuracy.

From verse 37 to the end of the chapter, Jesus addresses His adversaries.

These “Jews” relied on their physical descent from Abraham.

The spiritual father of all unbelievers is the devil.

1Jo 3:7-10

Joh 8:37-38

This by itself does not make them children of God.

Rom 9:6-8

Their unbelief proved that they were not spiritual descendants of Abraham.

Gal 3:7

Joh 8:37-38

Next, Jesus contrasts His Father with their father.

The nature of their actions reveals the nature and essence of their father.

Joh 8:39-41

Jesus points out that their actions are diametrically opposed to Abraham’s.

Gen 26:4-5

Their hostility toward Jesus revealed that they were in open rebellion against God.

They desired to commit a heinous act – the murder of their Messiah.

Someone else besides Abraham must be their real father.

Joh 8:41

“born of fornication” implies that their spiritual father was illegitimate.

In the Old Testament, idolatry is spoke of as harlotry and fornication, Hos 2:4-5.

“We are not pagans!”

Isa 63:16

But was God really the father of these Jews who wished to kill Jesus?

No!

Joh 8:42

Spiritual sonship is attested by likeness to the father.

If these Jews do not love Jesus, it means that God is not their Father!

Joh 8:43

If they really were God’s children, they would recognize their Father’s message as Jesus spoke.

They cannot hear.
It is a spiritual impossibility.
Why not?

They are not born of God (1:12-13) . They are not born of the Spirit (3:5-8).

They did not believe in God’s Son (3:16).

Joh 8:44

Finally, Jesus tells them straight out who their father is:
the devil.

1. He was a murderer from the beginning.

He brought death on the entire human race by His deception in the garden. Gen, 3:1-6, 14; Rom 5:12-14.

2. He is a liar. The first recorded lie in the Bible was spoken by satan, Gen 3:4.

Satan can speak only lies because that is his nature.

God and His Son can speak only the truth because that is their nature , Joh 14:6.

Joh 8:45

Children of God are drawn to the truth from God. They believe in Jesus.

Children of the devil are repulsed by the truth from God. The do not believe.

Joh 8:46-47

1Pe 2:21-22

So why don’t they believe Him?

God is not their Father.


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