John 11:45-13:20
42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved human praise more than praise from God.
44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45 The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
Born again Christian. This is often used as a object of ridicule by those who think, someone is taking this religious thing, a little bit too seriously. But this is actually the essential mark of true belief in God.
Its on show in this section, because here some believe in Jesus, but it’s not true belief. They see the signs Jesus is doing and know something pretty special is unfolding before their eyes. Yet it is the cost of discipleship that scares them off, they know that belief in Christ will have consequences. Following Jesus will mean they will lose face before men, something they are just not willing to give up. They believe, but do they?
The prologue in 1:1-18 gave us the heads up on how to identify true belief. True belief is only evident when someone has been born again. So if you ever cop the tag “Oh your not a born again Christian are you? You can confidently say, yes, that’s the only kind there is!
Cause, listen to Jesus describe the beliefs of the born again:
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
If you believe that, you have been BORN AGAIN!
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