February 14, 2020
John 8:30-32 – does this passage teach spurious faith?
Part 1 of 2
John 8:30-32: 30 As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.
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; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free (NASB).
TRADITIONAL INTERPRETATIONS OF THESE VERSES WHICH ARE INFLUENCED BY CALVINISM AND LORDSHIP SALVATION VIEWPOINTS.
The reason why I quoted from so many commentators and Study Bibles is to show what a major impact the “P” in TULIP (Perseverance of the Saints) and Lordship Salvation teaching has had. This is extremely unfortunate. For a critique of the “P” see the following pages in my “Ask Pastor David e-blasts” document: 36, 124-125, 131-134, 145-146, 161-166, 169-176, 194, 197, 219-220, and 254-257. For a critique of Lordship Salvation, see the following pages in the same document: 76-77, 90-93, 101-102, and 138. What is Lordship Salvation? Lordship Salvation critic Robert Lighter defines this doctrine as follows: “Lordship Salvation refers to the belief which says the sinner who wants to be saved must not only trust Christ as his substitute for sin but must also surrender every area of his life to the complete control of Christ.”
John MacArthur writes in his Study Bible that this passage teaches that if you’re truly a believer you will exercise full commitment to the truth in Jesus Christ which will result in genuine freedom.
The NIV Zondervan Study Bible writes that “a genuine believer perseveres in Jesus’s teaching by obeying it and seeking to understand it better.”
The CSB Study Bible writes that “a disciple proves his genuineness by continuing to follow Jesus. Therefore, there is such a thing as a false disciple. To know the truth is to know Christ.”
The NIV Study Bible writes that the word “believed” in v. 31 “seems to mean ‘made a formal profession of faith.’ Their words show that they were not true believers (see vv. 33, 37).”
The Ryrie Study Bible writes that “believed” in v. 31 “likely only a profession because of what they said in verse 33.”
According to D.A. Carson, “Jesus now lays down exactly what it is that separates spurious faith from true faith, fickle disciples from genuine disciples: If you hold to my teaching, you are my disciples. The verb rendered ‘hold’ is menō, to abide, to remain—a theme of critical importance that returns in a concentrated way in ch. 15. In short, perseverance is the mark of true faith, of real disciples. A genuine believer remains in Jesus’s ‘word’ (logos), his teaching (cf. notes on 1:1): i.e. such a person obeys it, seeks to understand it better, and finds it more precious, more controlling, precisely when other forces flatly oppose it.”
Kenneth Gangel shares that “we have already learned that faith alone does not guarantee salvation (2:23-24; 6:64-66). Saving faith must center in Jesus himself, not just his miracles or some teaching about him. The remainder of this chapter tells us how the truth will set us free from false faith, faith in inadequate but attractive objects that often clamor for our attention—relationships, religion, and righteousness. Verses 31–33 emphasize that true disciples are liberated from error.”
According to Edwin A. Blum (Bible Knowledge Commentary), “Jews who had believed Him indicates that some paid attention to Jesus’s words without necessarily committing themselves to Him personally (cf. 6:53). It was possible to ‘believe’ in the message of repentance and the coming kingdom without being born again. Continuing in the truth is the sign of true followers and learners (disciples). If they really grasped His message, they would find salvation truth. Knowing this salvation truth would liberate them from their bondage in sin.”
Warren Wiersbe explains, “What listeners are represented by the pronoun ‘they’ in John 8:33? In the previous verses, Jesus addressed the ‘believers’ mentioned in John 8:30, and He warned them that continuance in the Word—discipleship—was proof of true salvation. When we obey His Word, we grow in spiritual knowledge; and as we grow in spiritual knowledge, we grow in freedom from sin. Life leads to learning, and learning leads to liberty.”
Wayne Grudem in his Systematic Theology believes that in John 8:31-32 “Jesus is here giving a warning that one evidence of genuine faith is continuing in his word, that is, continuing to believe what he says and living a life of obedience to his commands.”
Vernon D. Doerksen in his Lectures in Systematic Theology wrote that in John 8:30f. the Apostle John “distinguishes between the many who believed in him and those who merely believed him.”
MAIN ELEMENTS OF THE ABOVE QUOTES:
• True/genuine believers make a full commitment to and persevere in Jesus’s teaching, obey it, seek to understand it better and continue to follow Him.
• Even though the Apostle John said these people “believed” in v. 31, this must not be true based on what they said in vv. 33 and 37.
• What separates genuine from false/spurious faith is perseverance in the faith.
• Faith alone doesn’t guarantee salvation and genuine faith can’t be based on the miracles Jesus did (John 2:23-25).
• It’s possible to “believe” without being born again.
• Discipleship is proof of true salvation.
KEY QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT THESE ABOVE QUOTES
1. If “true/genuine” believers make a full commitment to Jesus’s teaching, then how would a person objectively define a “full commitment”? Based on this teaching, would it be possible for anybody to be considered a true believer? Can any of us truly say we are always fully committed to Jesus’s teaching?
2. If a “true” believer is one who obeys Christ, do any of us always and consistently obey? Based on this thinking, an assurance of salvation is impossible.
3. What kind of hermeneutics (the art and science of how to interpret the Bible) leads a commentator/Study Bible to write that even though the Apostle John said these individuals “believed,” it doesn’t mean “believed?” Who are they to question what John wrote? If we can’t trust John when he wrote these people believed, how can we trust anything he wrote in this Epistle?
4. If belief for salvation shouldn’t be based on the miracles of Jesus, then why did John write in John 20:30-31 that the purpose of his epistle was to record the miraculous signs John did to help his readers believe that He is the promised Messiah and thereby receive eternal life through Him?
5. Joe Dillow asked an excellent question when he wrote that “if being a disciple is a condition for becoming a Christian, why does Jesus exhort those who are already Christians to become disciples (Luke 14:26, 33) (Final Destiny)?
Stay tuned for Part 2 on Monday, February 17.
