Would you turn to John 8? Hold
your finger there and turn to First Timothy, chapter one. We will not be having midweek
services this week on July 4th. And tonight we're going to observe
the Lord's table together, and I'm going to be preaching upon
this subject, following Christ. Following Christ. This is a faithful saying. Utterly
reliable. This is the truth. You can count on this. I love something that I know
is the truth. And it's worthy of all acceptation. Everybody ought to receive this
as gospel. Everybody ought to. I don't care
who you are. Everybody ought to receive this as gospel. that Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief. All men ought to believe the
truth. Isn't that so? That is a self-evident fact.
I don't have to prove that to you. All men ought to believe
the truth. It is wrong. It is immoral. It is sin to not believe the
truth. If you're told the truth, and
for whatever reason you choose to not believe the truth, that
is sin. Men ought to believe the truth
regarding the gospel and any other subject for that matter,
isn't it so? Men ought to believe the truth. Now, would you turn
to John chapter 8? The gospel is faithful, true,
utterly trustworthy. Everybody ought to receive it.
We know that so, don't we? OK, look in John chapter 8, I
want to read verse 46. The Lord says, which of you convinces
me of sin? You know, he's the only one who
could ever say that. If you wanted to prove that I'm
a sinner, would you have any problem doing it? If you were
around me just a little while, you could figure it out. And
the same is true with regard to you. But our Lord could say,
which of you can convince me of sin? You couldn't do it. He's utterly true. He's utterly
trustworthy. He is perfect. He never sinned. He never told a lie. He never said anything but that
which is true. Every word that ever came out
of his mouth was absolute truth. Do you believe that? Which of you can convince me
of sin? Now he asks a question, and let
me say right off the bat that he's not asking this for information.
He said, and if I say the truth, why do you not believe me? Now, everything I say is true. Everything I speak is the truth.
I've never sinned. I've never lied, I've never said
anything but that which is absolutely God's truth, the very Word of
God. Now, if I tell the truth, why
don't you believe me? Now, I've entitled this message,
Why Men Don't Believe. John chapter 8 tells us why men
do not believe. Now, that scripture that I read
at the beginning of this service, some believed and some believe
not. Why is it if Jesus Christ tells
the truth, why is it that some do not believe? Now, I have eight reasons from
John, chapter eight, that men do not believe. Look in verse
32 of John, chapter eight. Let's begin reading verse 31,
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If you
continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed, and
you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Now look at their response to this. They answered him, We be
Abraham's seed, and we were never in bondage to any man. How sayest
thou you shall be made free? They obviously did not believe
what our Lord was saying at this time. Jesus answered them, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committed sin is the servant
of sin, and the servant abideth not in the house forever, but
the Son abideth forever. If the Son therefore shall make
you free, you shall be free indeed. Now, I know that you're Abraham's
seed, but you seek to kill me because my word hath no place. in you. Now here's the first
reason for man's unbelief. When somebody does not believe,
even though the Lord's telling the truth, and everything he
said is true, and yet they don't believe. Here's the first reason. He said, my word, he's speaking
to every unbeliever when he says this, my word has no place in
you. There's nothing in you that would
receive and embrace my word. There's no room in your heart
for my word. There's no place of inference
in your heart for my word. My word has no place in you.
Turn back to John, chapter six. Now, regarding the word of Christ
in this passage of scripture, I'm going to read. We're going
to see what men say about the word of Christ. What Christ says
about the Word of Christ and what believers say about the
Word of Christ. Now look, beginning in verse
59. These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
Many, therefore, of his disciples, when they had heard this, they
said, this is a hard saying. Who can hear it? Who can be expected
to believe such words as this? I mean, this is harsh, this is
inhumane. How can you expect us to believe? Now, they claim
to be disciples, but they said, how can we believe this? It's
impossible. Let's go on reading. When Jesus knew in himself that
the disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this
offend you, what I've said? Are you offended by it? What,
and if you shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was
before? It's the spirit that quickens, the flesh profits nothing.
The words that I speak unto you, these words that you say are
harsh. and unbearable. And we just don't
believe this. This is just too much. The words
that I speak unto you, what are they? They're spirit and they're
life. That's what Jesus Christ says
about His Word. And He says to these people, My Word has no
place in you. My words are spirit and My words are life. But, verse 64, there are some
of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning
who they were that believed not and who should betray. And he
said, Therefore said I to you that no man can come to me, except
it were given unto him of my father. From that time, many
of his disciples went back and they walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve,
Will you also go away? You fellows want to leave also?
Then Simon Peter answered him. Now this is how the believer
views the word of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then Simon Peter answered
him, Lord, To whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal
life, and we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ,
the Son of the living God. Now, when our Lord says to these
people who did not believe, My word has no place in you, this
demonstrates the desperate wickedness of man. My word has no place
in you. The word of Christ finds no admission
in the unbeliever's heart. That gives us some idea as to
how evil men are. My word. That's why men don't
believe. Because he says, My word. There's
nothing in you that will receive it. Back to John chapter 8, verse
38. The Lord says, I speak that which
I've seen with my father, and you do that which you have seen
from your father. Now, you know what the Lord tells
these people who do not believe? The reason you don't believe
is your daddy's the devil. You're just following exactly
what you've learned from him. There are children of God, and
there are children of the devil. Those who do not believe, our
Lord says, are children of the devil. But isn't God everybody's
father? No, he's not. He's only father
to those who believe. And he says to these people,
I speak that which I've seen with my father, and you do that
which you've seen with your father. Let's go on reading, verse 39.
They answered him and said unto him, Abraham's our father. Jesus
said unto them, if you were Abraham's children, you'd do the works
of Abraham. You bear that family likeness. Abraham believed God. And Abraham's works proved that
he believed God. If you really were Abraham's
children, oh, I know you're physically the seed of Abraham, but I'm
talking about true spiritual children of Abraham. You do the
works of Abraham. But now, verse 40, but now you
seek to kill me, a man that has told you the truth. All I've
done is tell you the truth, which I've heard of God. Abraham never
did anything like that. You do the deeds of your father. And they didn't know what he's
talking about. Then said they to him, we're not born of fornication. We have one father, even God.
And Jesus said unto them, if God were your father, you'd love
me. For I proceeded forth and came from God, neither came I
of myself, but he sent me. Why do you not understand my
speech? Because you can't hear my word. You are of your father,
the devil. and the loss of your father,
you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning
and abode not in the truth because there's no truth in him. When
he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar
and the father of it. Now, the devil didn't abide in
the truth. That's, you know, at some time,
I don't know when it was, he fell. He fell from his First
position as an angel or whatever it was, the scripture doesn't
give a great deal of detail about it, but it tells us about it.
He fell and his fall is described as not abiding in the truth. Now, what is it that our Lord
points out about the devil here? He says he's a liar, doesn't
he? He's someone who doesn't abide in the truth. He's a liar.
Now, what is it that is conspicuous about a liar? A liar has no regard
for the truth. No respect for the truth, no
love for the truth. It's not an issue with him. Somebody
that's a liar, the truth's really not an issue with them. That's
why they can lie so easily. The truth is not important to
them. Now, that's true regarding Satan,
and that's true regarding every one of his children. Look down
in verse 55. You have not known him. The Lord
says to these same people, but I know him. And if I should say
I know him not, I'd be a liar like you are. But I know him
and keep his saying. Now, the Lord says you're liars.
You have no regard for the truth. Why is it that men don't believe
the truth? Because they really don't care about the truth. They
have no regard for the truth. I think of what the Lord said
to Pilate. The Lord said to Pilate, I came
to bear witness. to the truth. And what did Pilate,
how did he respond? What is truth? What do you mean
by that? Is he saying, is there such a
thing as truth? No, he knows there's truth. Is
he saying, well, if there is truth, can we know it? No, he's
not saying that. Here's what he's saying when
he says, what is truth? He's saying, truth, is it worth this? Is it worth
these people nailing you to a crossover? Is it worth dying for? What is truth? Is it really that
important? Sure there's truth, but is it this important? Now
that's the way a liar responds to the truth. It's not that important. Don't make such a big deal out
of it. They don't understand that the truth is a person. And
that's why someone who loves this person takes anything that's
said wrong concerning him personally. I take it personally because
he is the truth. Why don't you believe me when
I tell you the truth? Because you're liars. And you
don't really have any respect or regard for the truth. Now,
something that God's people, every single one of them, they
have a deep-seated need to know the truth. I've got to know the truth. But these people didn't because
they were liars. Look in verse 42 of John chapter
8. Jesus saith unto them, If God
were your father, you would love me. For I proceeded forth and came
from God, neither came I of myself, but He sent me." The reason these
people do not believe is because they do not love Jesus Christ. He said, if God were your Father,
you'd love me. Every word that came out of my
mouth, you would see as words of eternal life, as precious
as that which you had to have. You'd really believe that about
my word if God were your Father, but you don't love me. Why is
it that people don't believe His Word and His truth? It's
because they don't love Him. They really do not love Jesus
Christ. You know what? I was thinking about what Paul
said there in 1 Corinthians 16, 22, when he said, If any man
love not the Lord Jesus Christ... Anybody know the rest of the
verse? Let him be anathema. Let him be damned. upon the return
of Jesus Christ. Now, do you see that not loving
Jesus Christ is a crime? He's altogether lovely. What
is there about Him to not love? To not love Him is a crime of
the greatest order. And if somebody dies not loving
Him, Paul says, let them be damned. That's exactly what they deserve. Why don't men believe the truth
when they hear it? Because they don't love Jesus
Christ. Let's look in verse 43. The Lord says, Why do you not
understand my speech? Even because you cannot hear
my word. Why don't men believe on Christ? Because they can't. That's what
he says. Because they can't. He said,
why don't you understand my speech? You lack the ability to hear
my word. That word cannot speak of ability
because of the wickedness of the nature of man. They are unable
to believe the truth, and that is their crime. A natural man
cannot believe the gospel any more than he can keep the Ten
Commandments perfectly. Can't be done. He lacks the ability
to. Why is it that men don't believe
when they hear the truth of the gospel, when they hear the truth
of who God is? It's because they can't. This
is what is known as total depravity. Now listen to me. Do you know that unless God gives
you faith, you can't believe? It is beyond your ability. And if God leaves you to yourself,
or if He leaves me to myself, and lets me follow the dictates
of my nature, if He leaves me to my will, as it were, here's
what will happen. I'll go to hell. I cannot believe. I lack the ability. And listen,
that's a crime. This is not something you, well,
I feel sorry for him, he can't believe. No, the wickedness of
man is such, his evil nature is such that he can't believe.
And that's his crime. That's not something to feel
sorry for him about. That's his crime. He cannot believe. He said, why
can't you understand my speech? Even because you cannot. You
lack the ability to hear my word. And I'll tell you what, if you
do have faith, there's a time when you didn't. And when you started becoming
interested in what faith was, you knew that it's not something
you could come up with. You couldn't just make yourself
believe. You tried to, but it didn't work. You know, when you
try to believe, you don't believe, do you? God's going to give you
faith. Why don't men believe? Because
they are unable to. Why don't men believe? Look in
verse 47. He that is of God heareth God's
words. You therefore hear them not because
you are not of God. Men do not believe because they
are not of God. Those who die in unbelief were
not God's elect. Those who die in unbelief, Christ
did not die for them. That's just the way it is. He
says, you believe not because you are not of God. You see,
if I'm of God, God's done something for me. If I'm not of God, God
didn't do anything for me by way of salvation. Let me show
you some scriptures that confirm this. Now, if I die in unbelief,
it's because God didn't elect me. It's because Christ didn't
die for me. It's because God, the Holy Spirit,
never gave me life. I'm not of God. Look in John
chapter 10. Then came the Jews, verse 24. Then came the Jews round about
him and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? That was a mistaken supposition.
Did the Lord make anybody to doubt? He only spake that which
is truth. But yet they convoluted everything
he said. They didn't understand what he
said. So they said, How long do you make us to doubt? If thou
be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you
and you believe not. The works that I do in my father's
name, they bear witness of me. There's no excuse for your unbelief,
but you believe not because you're not of my sheep. As I said, how
plain can words be? He didn't say you're not my sheep
because you don't believe, did he? He said you believe not because
you're not of my sheep. Look what he goes on to say about
his sheep. He says in verse 27, My sheep hear My voice, and I
know them, and they follow Me. And I give unto them eternal
life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them
out of My hand. My Father which gave them Me
is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of
My Father's hand. Look over in 1 John chapter 4. Verse 4. Now remember, He said,
He that is of God hears God's Word, you therefore hear them
not, because you're not of God. That's what He says to these
people. Now look in verse 4. John says, You are of God, little
children. You're of God. And you've overcome
them, because greater is He that's in you than he that's in the
world. They, those who do not believe, they are of the world.
Therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We
are of God. He that knoweth God, heareth
us. He that is not of God, heareth
not us. Hereby know we the spirit of
truth and the spirit of error." I love that passage. You know,
if you're of God, you're going to hear what I'm saying. You
really will. And if you're not of God, you
won't. That sounds so incredibly arrogant. I'm just quoting a
verse of Scripture. I'm not saying the truth begins with me. This
is God's truth. And anybody that's of God hears God's Word. And he says, you therefore hear
him not because you are not of God. Now back to John chapter
eight. Look in verses 48 and 49. Then answered the Jews and said
it to him after he said all these things, say we not well that
thou art a Samaritan and you have a devil, you're crazy. You're
crazy. You're a raven mania. You're
demon possessed, saying stuff like that. Say we thought well
this. Jesus answered, I have not a
devil, but I honor my Father, and you do dishonor me. Men do not believe because of
the low opinion they have of Jesus Christ. He said, You dishonor
me. Look in verse 53. They asked
this question, Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which
is dead, and the prophets are dead? Whom makest thou thyself?
What they're saying is, You think you're as great as Abraham? They
proved they had no idea who he was when they said that. One
infinitely greater than Abraham standing before them, the uncreated
Son of God, the God of glory. And they said, Do you think you're
greater than Abraham? What a low opinion they had of
Jesus Christ. That's why they don't believe. Look in verse 55. Why don't men believe? Verse
55, he says to these people who did not believe, you've not known
him, but I know him. And if I should say I know him
not, I'd be a liar like you are. But I know him and keep his saying.
Why is it that men don't believe? Because they don't know God.
That's why. They don't know God. That's what
he said. I mean, he says, you don't know him. But I do. If a man knows God, he will believe
and esteem every word that comes out of the mouth of Christ. Look
up in verse 51 of this same chapter. He says, Verily, verily, I say
unto you, if a man keep, if a man observe, if a man guard over,
if a man treasure My saying, My Word, he shall never see death. You see, people who know God
treasure the Word of the Lord Jesus Christ. And they're never
going to see death. But the unbeliever has no regard
for the Word of Jesus Christ because they don't know God.
Look in verse 56 of our text. He said, Your father Abraham
rejoiced to see my day. And he saw it, and he was glad. Then said the Jews unto him,
Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before
Abraham was, I am. Now what he is saying in no uncertain
terms is, I am God. I am the great I am. Just exactly what God said in
Exodus 3, 14 when Moses said, What's your name? What am I going
to tell them? Who am I going to say sent me? He said, I am that I
am. Tell them that I am hath sent
thee. Jesus Christ is saying, I'm God. I'm the creator of the universe.
I'm the sovereign of the... I'm the one who controls all
things. You're in my hands and I can
do with you whatever I'm pleased to do. I am God. Men do not believe His Word because
they really do not believe He is God. So that question is answered
as to why men don't believe. He said, if I speak the truth,
why don't you believe? It's because His Word has no place in them?
Because they're children of the devil? They have no love for
Christ. They're unable to believe because
of the depravity of their hearts. They don't believe because they're
not of God. They don't believe because of the low opinion they
have of Jesus Christ. They don't believe because they
don't know God. And they don't believe because they do not really
believe that Jesus Christ is God. That's why men don't believe.
Now, you can turn that around and ask the same question. Why
do men believe? There are some that believe not,
but there are also some who believe. Why is it that they believe? Every single one of those readings,
just switch them around, and you'll find out exactly why men
believe. Now, there are some that believe,
and I'm one of them. I'm one of them. I'm in that crowd. I
do believe the gospel. I do believe the truth. Now,
why is it that men believe? You've got this crowd that doesn't
believe. What about the ones that do? Well, here's why some
do. There's a place for God's Word
in their heart because they've been given a new heart. I've
got a heart that believes the Word of God. I've got a place
in my heart for the Word of God. Every child of God does because
they've been given a new heart that receives the Word of God.
Those who believe are not children of the devil, but true children
of Abraham, true children of God. Now, what about Abraham?
He believed God. He believed what God said. He
really believed God. And his works proved he really
believed God. That's a child of Abraham. Well,
all who believe are spiritual children of Abraham. Those who
believe, believe because they love Jesus Christ and every word
that comes out of his mouth is the Word of God to them. Now,
I love Jesus Christ. He's altogether lovely. And I
love Him as He's revealed in His Word. Everything about Him. Everything the Bible reveals
concerning His glorious person, I love. Every one of His attributes,
I love. Everything about Him, I love. And I believe every word that
comes out of His mouth, because I love Him. I do. I love Jesus Christ. Every believer
loves Christ. Now, we don't feel good about
our love to Him. I mean, in the sense that I don't love Him anywhere
near as much as He ought to be loved or deserves to be loved.
As a matter of fact, when I think of my love, I certainly don't
feel good about it. But I know this. I do love and adore Jesus
Christ. He is altogether lovely to me. We believe His Word because we
love Him. We believe Him because we can.
You know, he told that one crowd, you can't hear my word. We can't. Everybody who believes we can
do what an unbeliever cannot do because we've been given a
heart to do it. I've been given faith. Therefore, I can't believe,
you know, I can't. I'm just doing what I can. I
know that God gave me the grace to do it, but I can't believe.
So you don't try to believe, do you? As a matter of fact,
if you when you believe the gospel, try not to believe. You can't
do it, can you? You can't not believe. You do
believe that Jesus Christ is God. You do believe that He is
everything in salvation. You do believe that His blood,
because of whose blood was shed, washes away all sin. You do believe
that His perfect righteousness, His law-keeping is all you need
to make you perfect before God. You don't believe anything else.
And you couldn't believe anything else if you wanted to. It's impossible. I can. That's why I believe. I can believe. Those who believe are those who
are of God. God's done something for them. I believe because I'm of God. Here's one scripture that'll
tie all that. Turn to Acts 13. I love this. God elected me. Christ died for me. God the Holy
Spirit gave me life. That's why I believe. Verse 44 of Acts chapter 13,
And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together
to hear the word of God. And when the Jews saw the multitudes,
they were filled with envy and spake against those things which
were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and
Barnabas waxed bold and said it was necessary that the word
of God should first be spoken unto you. But since you put it
from you and judge yourselves unworthy of every lasting life,
lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded
us, saying, I set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that
thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And
when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad. And they glorified
the word of the Lord. And as many as were ordained
to eternal life believed. That's what it means to be of
God. Who believed? Every single person
who was ordained to eternal life. Why do we believe? We believe
because of the high opinion we have of Jesus Christ. I can't even describe how highly
I view Him. You know, nobody can even be
compared to Him. And any attempt I make to make a comparison,
Jesus Christ is like this or like that, it falls to the ground.
No. He's utterly unique. He's high. He's holy. He's the
Son of God. And I have such a high opinion
of Him that anything He says is absolute truth, the very Word
of God. Why do men believe? Because they
know God. I know God. I know the living
God in the person of Jesus Christ. I know Him. Look in Matthew chapter
11 for a moment. Somebody believes that somebody
knows God. The reason they believe is because they know God. If
they didn't know God, they wouldn't believe. But if they know God, they believe.
Look here in Matthew chapter 11, verse 25. At that time, Jesus
answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and
earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and
prudent and has revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father,
for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered
unto me of my Father, and no man knows the Son, but the Father. Neither knows any man the Father,
save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." You
see, God has been revealed to all who believe, and they believe
because they know God. And last, all that believe the
truth, they believe the truth because they believe, they really
believe that Jesus Christ is God. Do you believe that Jesus
Christ is God? Do you believe He created the
universe? Do you believe He's the one who controls everything
and that He only is salvation? You believe He's God. You know,
even the believer with the quote, least amount of knowledge believes
that. And you know who comes to my mind right off the bat?
Thief on the cross. What do you believe regarding
Jesus Christ? He said to his fellow thief, don't you fear
God. This one hanging on that tree
is nobody less than God Almighty. Don't you fear God seeing you're
in the same condemnation. Those who believe, believe that
Jesus Christ is God. Every single one of them. And
they, they're glad He is too. There will always be those who
believe And those who believe not. Oh, I want, this is what I want
for me and this is what I want for you. Everybody in this room,
believe the truth. It's wrong not to. It's rebellion
not to. God commands all men everywhere
to repent, repent, change your mind. Believe the truth. And if you're a God, you will.
And if you're not a God, you won't. May God make every person
in this room right now to be of God. Let's pray.