John 8:28 So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am {He,} and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.
John 8:29 “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.”
John 8:30 As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.
John 8:31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, {then} you are truly disciples of Mine;
John 8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
John 8:33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”
John 8:34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.
John 8:35 “The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever.
John 8:36 “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
John 8:37 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.
John 8:38 “I speak the things which I have seen with {My} Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from {your} father.”
John 8:39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus *said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham.
John 8:40 “But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do.
John 8:41 “You are doing the deeds of your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.”
John 8:42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me.
John 8:43 “Why do you not understand what I am saying? {It is} because you cannot hear My word.
John 8:44 “You are of {your} father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own {nature,} for he is a liar and the father of lies.
John 8:45 “But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.
John 8:46 “Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me?
John 8:47 “He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear {them,} because you are not of God.”
John 8:48 The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”
John 8:49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.
John 8:50 “But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges.
John 8:51 “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.”
John 8:52 The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets {also;} and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death.’
John 8:53 “Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out {to be?}”
John 8:54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’;
John 8:55 and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word.
So from this discourse between Jesus and the Jews we see that the Jews were believing that because they were actual descendents of Abraham that made them of God because of the promise God gave Abraham concerning his descendents…But because these Jews didn’t believe the words of Jesus that put them diametrically opposed to Him…Jesus said that because His words had no place in them that they were liars and their father was the devil and that the devils deeds they do.. which gives us indication that we can know those who are of God just by this short discourse…
Those who are of God and are His true disciples
1. Those who continue in the words of Christ letting His word have place in us and keeping His word above all others.
2. Not doing things from our own initiative (our own will)
3. Doing what pleases the Father
4. Loving Jesus by our obedience to His word
5. Hearing, Recognizing, and believing the truth when it is spoken.
6. Speaking what is true only.
7. Only giving glory to God and not self.
But the main thing that stuck out to me in this whole discourse for those who are of God was THOSE WHO KEEP HIS WORD…Keeping His word is not the act of performing miracles, signs and wonders though these very things do happen as a result of preaching Christ… keeping His word is not claiming something is of God just because a person says so no matter who they are…Those who continue in Christ’s Word and keep His word not departing from it or mixing it with our own ideas or sayings to the death of self…it is found in those who will risk dying and and being portrayed as false or extreme because they forsake all this world has to offer to gain Christ and become a person who upholds His word at all costs. Even denying yourself of recognition for anything or any attainments we achieve to give Him ALL recognition, praise, honor, and glory. Not seeking wealth or fame in the eyes of men or material possessions as a standard of being “blessed” by God. But to suffer ourselves in order to be a reflection of His word even if it kills us. This is, I believe, the ultimate call of the elect of God.
Which Jesus Do You Follow? 