John 8:39-41 - Lesson #90

Jesus came to set us free, "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36). We have seen this is a freedom from condemnation, a freedom from the mastery of sin, and a freedom unto eternal life. The process of this freedom is through faith in Jesus Christ as we are born again as a child of God. This is the central message of the gospel, and a message which many of the Jews continually debated.

John 8:39-41
"They answered and said to Him, 'Abraham is our father.' Jesus said to them, 'If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. You do the deeds of your father.' Then they said to Him, 'We were not born of fornication; we have one Father - God.'"

The Jews traced their heritage back to Abraham, which they believed made them a child of God. God had made a covenant with Abraham which extended to all future generations; "And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you" (Genesis 17:7). But Jesus explained that being a true child of Abraham meant so much more.

Abraham modeled a right relationship with God; "he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness" (Genesis 15:6). God would later describe Abraham as one who "obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws" (Genesis 26:5). Jesus stated that a true child of Abraham was one who did the works of Abraham, one who believed and obeyed.

God's entire plan for bringing about the full restoration of an intimate relationship between Himself and man was based from the very beginning on faith; "Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham" (Galatians 3:7). Abraham heard the words of God, believed, and obeyed. Jesus brought the true Word of God and these Jews sought to kill Him. This was not consistent with the character of Abraham and certainly not consistent with the character of God.

The reference to fornication may have been to contrast their pure heritage with the mixed heritage of the Samaritans, or it may be to contrast with possible stories about Jesus' heritage because of Mary becoming pregnant before being wed to Joseph. The reference may have also been used to say they had remained true to the Law of God. Either way, the only defense the Jews could raise was that they had an outward heritage and outward works. But Jesus said the true work of Abraham was an inward faith.

Let's live as true children of Abraham and children of God by reflecting the character of our Heavenly Father - by trusting in Him alone for our Salvation and by living each and every day as a life of faith.