Sunday, June 10, 2012

Bible Truth #383 - John 20:1-9

John 20:1-9
1  The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
2  Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.
3  Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.
4  So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.
5  And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.
6  Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,
7  And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
8  Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.
9  For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

Verse 8, John saw and believed? But yet in the very next verse God’s Word tells us the apostles did not yet know the Scripture, that Jesus must rise from the dead. So if they did not know the Scripture, how could John believe? How could John believe something that he did not know? The answer is easy if you accept God’s Word on faith - God GAVE him belief (John 6:29; Philippians 1:29).

It was not until the Lord Jesus appeared to the apostles and others the evening the two disciples returned from Emmaus that their minds were opened by Jesus so they could understand the Scriptures. (Luke 24:45)

A man is Totally Depraved because he is under the sin of Adam, is spiritually dead from the moment of conception (Psalm 51:5), remains spiritually dead his entire life unless God saves him (Ephesians 2:1, 2:5; Colossians 2:13), and can do nothing toward his own salvation because anything he does is of the flesh and they that are in the flesh can’t please God (Romans 8:8).

So how is a man saved? Without invitation and because of nothing the man has done (2 Timothy 1:9, Titus 3:5), God steps into the life of one of those He has chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4), He quickens the man’s dead spirit through faith, the faith that He gives him as a gift (Romans 12:3; Ephesians 2:8). God simultaneously gives him belief (John 6:29; Philippians 1:29), repentance (2 Timothy 2:25), and understanding (Luke 24:45, 1 Corinthians 2:14, 2 Timothy 2:7).

That man, who now has been enabled to recognize his wickedness and need for a Savior (John 6:65), WILL come to Christ (John 6:37) because the Father draws Him and those the Father draws, Jesus WILL raise up (John 6:44). There is no option for man to reject the call.

God has a plan for every person He bought, and He bought each and every man who has ever been conceived or will be conceived (Psalm 24:1, 2 Peter 2:1). He did not purchase salvation FOR them, He purchased THEM. The problem those who believe in decisional salvation have is that God chooses to redeem few. God does not call everyone to salvation (1 Corinthians 1:26) but those He does call, He also justifies and glorifies them (Romans 8:29-30). It is something God DOES and there is no option for man to reject the call.

The bottom line is that John believed without knowing or understanding Scripture, an impossibility without God working in him and giving him belief.

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