LEARNING DAILY

John 12:37, But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him.

Jesus has been discussing with His disciples the need for a grain of wheat falling into the ground and dying so it can produce much grain. He is telling them about His death. John records that so many people had witnessed what Jesus had said and done but still did not believe in Him. John’s statement about the unbelief of people is a statement that could be made today.

If the chronology in John’s writing is accurate, the statement of people not believing occurs after Lazarus was raised from the grave and numerous other miracles Jesus did. The earthly ministry was coming to a conclusion. The question referred to from the prophet Isaiah in verse 38 is still valid, “Lord, who has believed our report?”.

After all the wonderful Biblical preaching and teaching, books written, and access to every commentary about the Bible people still do not believe. Unbelief. Why do people still not believe? It must not be about what people know or have the opportunity to know. If it is not about opportunity, it must be because people do not want to know and do not want to change; they must desire their sinful life, their walk on the broad way than to that of walking on the narrow way. If an individual is satisfied with their lifestyle and running their own lives, he/she is going to say no to Jesus. The individual will turn a deaf ear to hearing anything about Him. That individual is content to walk on the broad way that leads to destruction.

You might look at the verses following verse 37 and blame God for hardening an individual’s heart. Be careful of taking these statements out of context. At first glance, it seems God is blinding one’s eyes and hardening one’s heart so they would not believe. That is contrary to the fact that God wants all people to believe in Him. However, consider that this only occurs after rejecting God many times. Only God knows when that time comes. God hardened Pharoah’s heart, but that happened only after Pharoah had rejected God repeatedly. Pharoah only had himself to blame for his hardened heart towards God.

John is using this writing from Isaiah to affirm that those who stubbornly refuse to accept Jesus as their Savior and follow Him only have themselves to blame for this. It is because of this that people continue to live a lifestyle that does not please God. Because of this stubbornness of one’s heart, all sorts of excuses are made regarding why he/she does not want to hear anything about Jesus nor change their lifestyle.

John 6:44 is a statement about the Father drawing people to Jesus. The “drawing” is a one-sided affair. The Holy spirit is constantly trying to draw an individual to Jesus to be saved and then continues to guide the Believer on the narrow way to God’s eternal life. If He did not do this few, if any, would be saved because every person’s heart is darkened by sin. Those who continue to say no will eventually be left to their own way, left to walk on the broad way that leads to destruction. Those who see the light and say yes to Jesus will then walk a narrow way into eternal life in God’s kingdom.

I am glad that I do not make the decision about an individual’s heart. The Believer’s task is to let the light of Jesus shine bright through him/her in this dark world and to always be ready to tell another about how Jesus has changed him/her.